Author Topic: The Former Nationals Watch (2025) (Read 6046 times)

varoadking · « **Reply #50 on:** February 20, 2025, 09:08:49 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on February 20, 2025, 08:59:21 pm

Nah the ride is still enjoyable including meaningful regular season games. Remember those? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

Nothing is worse than being the first loser...

The only thing that comes close, in the most memorable words of Alexander Ovechkin, is being suck...

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #51 on:** February 20, 2025, 09:52:12 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on February 20, 2025, 09:08:49 pm

Nothing is worse than being the first loser...

Nah. Worst thing is losing first round when you’re the favorite.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #52 on:** February 20, 2025, 10:24:56 pm »

Actually come to think of it worst thing is when your team sucked the last five years and has little hope the next five years.

Slateman · « **Reply #53 on:** February 22, 2025, 07:50:32 pm »

https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1ivscvl/highlight_lane_thomas_crushes_a_2_run_hr_off/

I hope he has a monster year in Cleveland

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #54 on:** February 22, 2025, 08:52:16 pm »

Quote from: Slateman on February 22, 2025, 07:50:32 pm

https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1ivscvl/highlight_lane_thomas_crushes_a_2_run_hr_off/

I hope he has a monster year in Cleveland

I'm sure the 30 year old will finally put it all together.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #55 on:** February 25, 2025, 07:47:04 pm »

Not quite a former Nat, but jb buskauskas signed with the brewers. He was the biggest prospect in the 2018 Harper deal that the owners vetoed

Smithian · « **Reply #56 on:** February 26, 2025, 08:40:06 am »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on February 25, 2025, 07:47:04 pm

Not quite a former Nat, but jb buskauskas signed with the brewers. He was the biggest prospect in the 2018 Harper deal that the owners vetoed

I somehow missed in 2022 that it came out the trade package for Harper. My gosh. What a rancid sack of dog excrement that was. I know we beat up on the Lerners, but good on them for vetoing that. That trade would have looked better at the time, but I would have been disappointed to trade Harper at the deadline when we still were in the race.

Had we fast forwarded a few years and those guys career turned out same, or even 20% better, I'd have been furious we punted the second half of the 2018 season.

And can't prove it, but I feel like trading Harper would have really poisoned things in ways we can't map out. Could they really have made the trades they've made since then? Who knows!

imref · « **Reply #57 on:** February 26, 2025, 09:17:32 am »

Looking back, trading Harper wouldn't have really done anything for us. The return was five prospects:

Abraham Toro - has been a AAAA 3B
Randy César - Out of the minors in 2019
Josh James - Had an OK year in 2019 but that was about it, bounced around the minors for the last couple of years
J.B. Bukauskas - Has been hurt a lot but had a 1.50 ERA in 6 appearances for Milwaukee last year.
Kent Emanuel - Bounced around the minors, DFA'd a bunch of times, posted a 6+ ERA in 12 games with Miami last year, first time in the majors since 2021

So none of these guys were going to have made an impact, but I guess for two months of Harper all you could have really hoped for would have been some high-upside prospects. Unfortunately we got nothing for him, even forfieting our compensation pick when we signed Corbin.

It is possible Harper would have stayed in Houston and we would have ended up facing him in 2019.

imref · « **Reply #58 on:** March 07, 2025, 03:30:33 pm »

Tanner Rainey having a good spring for Pittsburgh so far. 4IP, 7Ks, 1BBs, 2.25 ERA / 0.75 WHIP

imref · « **Reply #59 on:** March 11, 2025, 05:51:24 pm »

Mlbtr:

Quote

Infielder/outfielder Nick Senzel has signed with the Tecolotes De Los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League, reports Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. Senzel is represented by the Boras Corporation.

Dave in Fairfax · « **Reply #60 on:** March 12, 2025, 06:20:32 am »

The "Dos Laredos" is because the team splits its home games between Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.

Tecolotes means "owls".

Former Nats Harold Ramírez, Yadiel Hernández, Cory Abbott and Travis Blankenhorn are also Owls.

welch · « **Reply #61 on:** March 12, 2025, 04:46:31 pm »

"Sore thumb for Max Scherzer pushes back spring training start"

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/article-sore-thumb-for-max-scherzer-pushes-back-spring-training-start/

Quote

Max Scherzer won’t make his scheduled spring training start for Toronto on Thursday due to right thumb soreness.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said the team is being cautious with the 40-year-old right-hander and should know more on Wednesday’s off day. Scherzer was slated to pitch against Baltimore.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner signed a $15.5 million, one-year contract with Toronto and has made three spring training starts, allowing two runs over nine innings with 14 strikeouts and no walks. He last pitched Saturday.

I would have signed Scherzer to that deal. All Nats' salaries are down, and $15.5 million is not much these days (and I'm quoting the Toronto Globe and Mail, so maybe they are using CAD rather than USD?). Maybe Max has a half-season of good starts left. And the crowd would go wild to see Max in a Washington uniform again.

imref · « **Reply #62 on:** March 12, 2025, 04:49:49 pm »

i think Max wanted to go somewhere where he'd at least have a realistic shot at the playoffs.

Dave in Fairfax · « **Reply #63 on:** March 13, 2025, 08:32:06 am »

Missed yesterday: Hunter Strickland to the Rangers on a minor league deal with a major league invite.

sixthree175 · « **Reply #64 on:** March 14, 2025, 04:18:43 pm »

I'm on Patrick Corbin retirement watch. Crickets so far.

varoadking · « **Reply #65 on:** March 14, 2025, 05:17:56 pm »

Quote from: sixthree175 on March 14, 2025, 04:18:43 pm

I'm on Patrick Corbin retirement watch. Crickets so far.

If a Patrick Corbin retirement is announced but no one cares...did it still happen?

I would have cared if it had happened in 2020...now...it would piss me off even more than I was for the past 5 years just to hear his name mentioned again...

Smithian · « **Reply #66 on:** March 15, 2025, 02:19:35 pm »

Quote from: imref on March 07, 2025, 03:30:33 pm

Tanner Rainey having a good spring for Pittsburgh so far. 4IP, 7Ks, 1BBs, 2.25 ERA / 0.75 WHIP

Of course

nobleisthyname · « **Reply #67 on:** March 15, 2025, 06:41:03 pm »

It kinda got glossed over with Finnegan also being non-tendered but it can't have been optimal roster management to keep Rainey on the 26-man roster all year last year while barely using him only to then release him for nothing after the season ended.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #68 on:** March 15, 2025, 06:46:25 pm »

Quote from: nobleisthyname on March 15, 2025, 06:41:03 pm

It kinda got glossed over with Finnegan also being non-tendered but it can't have been optimal roster management to keep Rainey on the 26-man roster all year last year while barely using him only to then release him for nothing after the season ended.

yes, but my sense is they were hoping for more progress from him so that he might have been a viable "Bullpen A" option this year on a lowball contract.

imref · « **Reply #69 on:** March 16, 2025, 02:10:58 pm »

White Sox release Gallo.

varoadking · « **Reply #70 on:** March 16, 2025, 02:48:33 pm »

Quote from: imref on March 16, 2025, 02:10:58 pm

White Sox release Gallo.

The worst team in baseball doesn't want him, but Rizzo guaranteed him a $5MM payday...

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #71 on:** March 17, 2025, 06:18:21 pm »

Rick Ankiel in reverse? Kudos to Bennett Lehmann for spot this.
https://districtondeck.com/former-nationals-first-baseman-makes-stunning-career-altering-position-change-01jpgnte0253
Gallo to try pitching. Apparently he was a stud in high school, and he had an arm in the OF, so he's going to try it.

imref · « **Reply #72 on:** March 18, 2025, 05:20:10 pm »

Corbin signs with the Rangers, 1 year major league deal. Approximately $1M plus incentives.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/rangers-sign-patrick-corbin.html

Dave in Fairfax · « **Reply #73 on:** March 23, 2025, 08:41:03 pm »

Joshua Palacios DFA'd by the Pirates after hitting .211/.286/.211 in 22 ST plate appearances.

This is what I have for current active former Nationals. There might be a few I've missed, especially if they're in the minors.

Position players:
Tres Barrera, TBR
Travis Blankenhorn, LAA (minors)
Jeimer Candelario, CIN
Michael Chavis, LAD (minors)
Bryce Harper, PHI
Derek Hill, MIA
Carter Kieboom, LAA
Joey Meneses, NYM (minors)
Joshua Palacios, PIT (DFA'd)
Anthony Rendon, LAA (IL)
Victor Robles, SEA
Eddie Rosario, LAD (minors)
Kyle Schwarber, PHI
Dominic Smith, NYY
Juan Soto, NYM
Michael A. Taylor, CWS
Lane Thomas, CLE
Trea Turner, PHI
Ildemaro Vargas, ARI
Jesse Winker, NYM

Pitchers:
Austin Adams, BOS
Jacob Barnes, TOR
Patrick Corbin, TEX
Erick Fedde, STL
Hunter Harvey, KCR
Joe La Sorsa, CIN
Patrick Murphy, TEX (minors)
Tanner Rainey, PIT
Erasmo Ramírez, MIN
Joe Ross, PHI
Max Scherzer, TOR
Hunter Strickland, TEX (minors)
Wander Suero, ATL (minors)
Jordan Weems, ATL

Also, as noted above, Nick Senzel, Harold Ramírez, Yadiel Hernández, Cory Abbott and Travis Blankenhorn are with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League, and Joey Gallo, released by the CWS, is reportedly now trying to convert into a pitcher.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #74 on:** March 23, 2025, 10:15:15 pm »

Dom I think was released unless he hooked on in the last couple of days.

You also have Blankenhorn with 3 clubs.