Spring Training: 2025

[imref]

Golden shared some highlights from Davey's presser yesterday.
- Gray throwing off flat ground
- Mason Thompson working on arm strengthening
- Cavalli is healthy, plan is to build him up so he's ready to finish the season in the majors, but not saying that he will start at AAA
- Ogasawara isn't yet in camp but will be there by the end of the week
- Crews will play CF when Young has off days
- Open competition at 3B with Rosario getting a shot to win the job against Tena. Brady and Morales will see time at 3rd. Yepez is taking ground balls at 3rd.
- Still hoping to add back-end bullpen arms

[imref]

TalkNats says MASN is tentatively planning to broadcasts 8 ST games, up from 4 last year. Still not finalized.

[IanRubbish]

- Cavalli is healthy, plan is to build him up so he's ready to finish the season in the majors, but not saying that he will start at AAA

He's now two years post-surgery, was allegedly healthy at the end of last season when he threw a bullpen at Nats Park, turns 27 this year, but needs almost a full season in the minors?  How low is his velo?

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

He's now two years post-surgery, was allegedly healthy at the end of last season when he threw a bullpen at Nats Park, turns 27 this year, but needs almost a full season in the minors?  How low is his velo?

He’s not saying Cavalli needs almost a full season in the minors.  He’s obviously on an innings limits, so they’re managing his innings in the minors early so once he comes up he’s got the runway in innings to finish the season.

[IanRubbish]

He’s not saying Cavalli needs almost a full season in the minors.  He’s obviously on an innings limits, so they’re managing his innings in the minors early so once he comes up he’s got the runway in innings to finish the season.

You need to re-read Davey's comments, they won't even commit to having him start in AAA.  Also "finish the season" is ridiculous, a guy 2+ years off TJ who's almost 27 doesn't need to use up so many innings in the minors.  If he was truly healthy, he'd be doing a 30 day rehab like Strasburg did.   He's nowhere near ready to pitch at an MLB level, and they're saying the same things they did last May after he did a short start in High A. 

[varoadking]

You need to re-read Davey's comments, they won't even commit to having him start in AAA.  Also "finish the season" is ridiculous, a guy 2+ years off TJ who's almost 27 doesn't need to use up so many innings in the minors.  If he was truly healthy, he'd be doing a 30 day rehab like Strasburg did.   He's nowhere near ready to pitch at an MLB level, and they're saying the same things they did last May after he did a short start in High A.

The Nats organization has been lying about everything for so long...and it's become so routine...that it's easier for them to lie than tell the truth...

Rizzo in particular is pathological...

[imref]

Ogasawara is in camp and throwing today.

https://bsky.app/profile/markzuckerman.bsky.social/post/3li5lqceyrc2j

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

You need to re-read Davey's comments, they won't even commit to having him start in AAA.  Also "finish the season" is ridiculous, a guy 2+ years off TJ who's almost 27 doesn't need to use up so many innings in the minors.  If he was truly healthy, he'd be doing a 30 day rehab like Strasburg did.   He's nowhere near ready to pitch at an MLB level, and they're saying the same things they did last May after he did a short start in High A.

I don’t need to re-read anything.  If he started the season in the big leagues, he’s going to have to be shut down at some point ala Stras in his TJ return.  The Pirates did this with Skenes last year. 

[Slateman]

I don’t need to re-read anything.  If he started the season in the big leagues, he’s going to have to be shut down at some point ala Stras in his TJ return.  The Pirates did this with Skenes last year. 

Agreed. Plus it's been two years since he's pitched a meaningful amount. There is no reason to rush Cavalli into throwing a 85+ pitched at the MLB level. We have plenty of rotation depth.

Let him start in extended ST, then let him build back up in May and June. By then, the MLB club's rotation will have had enough injuries or poor performances to justify moves.

[Natsinpwc]

Yea this is not something to fret about.  Let’s see how he looks. At this point you can’t count on him at all.

[Slateman]

Yea this is not something to fret about.  Let’s see how he looks. At this point you can’t count on him at all.

Theme for the entire season

[IanRubbish]

I don’t need to re-read anything.  If he started the season in the big leagues, he’s going to have to be shut down at some point ala Stras in his TJ return.  The Pirates did this with Skenes last year.

Again, you're talking about players who pitched at the MLB level.  You don't have guys in this position who are MLB-ready burn most of the season's innings in the minors, they do 30 day rehabs.   But this is not a rehab, it's yet another power pitcher the org failed to develop.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Agreed. Plus it's been two years since he's pitched a meaningful amount. There is no reason to rush Cavalli into throwing a 85+ pitched at the MLB level. We have plenty of rotation depth.

Let him start in extended ST, then let him build back up in May and June. By then, the MLB club's rotation will have had enough injuries or poor performances to justify moves.

this x 1000. Spot on

[imref]

Agreed. Plus it's been two years since he's pitched a meaningful amount. There is no reason to rush Cavalli into throwing a 85+ pitched at the MLB level. We have plenty of rotation depth.

Let him start in extended ST, then let him build back up in May and June. By then, the MLB club's rotation will have had enough injuries or poor performances to justify moves.

this makes sense unless they decide to convert him to a reliever.

Could he potentially close?

[IanRubbish]

this makes sense unless they decide to convert him to a reliever.

Could he potentially close?

Close what?  He’s probably throwing in the mid 80s at best.

[varoadking]

Close what?

Right...losers don't need closers...

[imref]

Young arrived to camp jacked. Put on a lot of muscle.

[blue911]

Young arrived to camp jacked. Put on a lot of muscle.

Victor Robles muscle or Bryce Harper muscle?

[nobleisthyname]

Hopefully not a 2020 Victor Robles situation.

[imref]

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Agreed. Plus it's been two years since he's pitched a meaningful amount. There is no reason to rush Cavalli into throwing a 85+ pitched at the MLB level. We have plenty of rotation depth.

Let him start in extended ST, then let him build back up in May and June. By then, the MLB club's rotation will have had enough injuries or poor performances to justify moves.

Exactly.  Him being in his mid-20s now doesn’t change his timeline.  You don’t have to push the issue just to catch him up to where former prospects his age are.

We have Gore, Irvin, Williams, Soroka, Herz, Parker, and the Japanese guy for now.  Injuries happen, Williams and/or Soroka could return to the bullpen, etc. If Cavalli is healthy and pitching well, he will have an opportunity to join the rotation in the 2nd half and be part of the future plans.  And we’ll have him under cheap team control through his best years. 

[Slateman]

Re: Cavalli

Zuckerman talked about him on the NatsChat pod. Apparently the org knows he can't pitch a whole season this year. The plan is to hold him back in ST and early in the season, and then once they start him, they won't stop him. So there won't be a shutdown, a la Strasburg.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Re: Cavalli

Zuckerman talked about him on the NatsChat pod. Apparently the org knows he can't pitch a whole season this year. The plan is to hold him back in ST and early in the season, and then once they start him, they won't stop him. So there won't be a shutdown, a la Strasburg.

Yea, that’s obvious and what i said above.  It’s not some conspiracy.  Whether Cavalli is truly healthy now or not we don’t know, but this would (and should be) the plan even if Cavalli is pumping 99 now.

Until you see him in games, there’s on reason to start setting expectations on when exactly he makes his way to the big leagues.  It all depends on how Cavalli looks/feels and how things shake out with the other starters.  He might look great and an opportunity arises in late May/June and finishes the season in the big league rotation.  When he looks ready, they’ll find a spot for him.

[Slateman]

Yea, that’s obvious and what i said above.  It’s not some conspiracy.  Whether Cavalli is truly healthy now or not we don’t know, but this would (and should be) the plan even if Cavalli is pumping 99 now.

Until you see him in games, there’s on reason to start setting expectations on when exactly he makes his way to the big leagues.  It all depends on how Cavalli looks/feels and how things shake out with the other starters.  He might look great and an opportunity arises in late May/June and finishes the season in the big league rotation.  When he looks ready, they’ll find a spot for him.

Agreed. But it's nice to hear Zuckerman confirm it from the team.

It does make me wonder that if, by some miracle, this team is in a WC hunt, if Cavalli out of the pen is an option.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

Agreed. But it's nice to hear Zuckerman confirm it from the team.

It does make me wonder that if, by some miracle, this team is in a WC hunt, if Cavalli out of the pen is an option.

If he looks good, I think you want to stick to developing him as a starter.  Williams and Soroka are guys who could go back to the bullpen.  I would really like to have Cavalli ready for a full year in the rotation next year with Gore, and Susana/Syroka joining them with Irvin, Herz, Parker, Gray, etc bringing more depth.