Author Topic: Sunshine Squad: 2025 (Read 4680 times)

Smithian · « **Reply #50 on:** April 22, 2025, 08:56:01 am »

Underwhelming road trip, alas there are positives.

MASN+ is such a pleasant upgrade.

And Crews had a solid weekend.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #51 on:** April 22, 2025, 09:47:41 am »

Quote from: Smithian on April 22, 2025, 08:56:01 am

Underwhelming road trip, alas there are positives.

MASN+ is such a pleasant upgrade.

And Crews had a solid weekend.

Gore, Irvin, and to an extent Parker all were excellent even in the losses. Irvin's ability to get Ks, limit walks, and go deep into games is studly. Needs to limit homers, but even that damage was mostly solos. K/BBs of 4, 15, and 3, respectively. All consistently have been going 6 innings or more. Maybe it doesn't last, but last year we were saying Irvin and Gore fell off "because the league has learned them." If that's the case, then has the league lost its scouting reports?

IanRubbish · « **Reply #52 on:** April 23, 2025, 01:20:32 am »

Sunshine: low pitches per inning, starter throwing almost 70% strikes. Enjoyed this game a lot. When does Hickey have his next day off?

rileyn · « **Reply #53 on:** April 24, 2025, 06:38:32 am »

Beating the Orioles is very important to me.

Slateman · « **Reply #54 on:** April 24, 2025, 08:30:20 am »

Quote from: rileyn on April 24, 2025, 06:38:32 am

Beating the Orioles is very important to me.

Highlight of the season

Smithian · « **Reply #55 on:** April 24, 2025, 09:19:19 am »

4 of 5 wins isn’t a bad bounce back. I feel like this season is teetering between “Feisty!” and “Absolute disaster” so rebound weeks are good.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #56 on:** April 24, 2025, 09:26:50 am »

Quote from: Smithian on April 24, 2025, 09:19:19 am

4 of 5 wins isn’t a bad bounce back. I feel like this season is teetering between “Feisty!” and “Absolute disaster” so rebound weeks are good.

Take a look in the GDT for seasons at a similar pace. We're tied with 2011, which was 80-81. Ahead of last year and a few > .500 seasons that were not playoff years. I won't give up on 77+ wins if they can get the bullpen figured out and the starters somehow keep on going deep and not giving up runs.

Last night was the luckiest win I've seen in years. CB Bucknor giving us breaks pitching and hitting, Os runners on base all night but not cashing in, stringing together just enough hits and contact off Soto to retake the lead after being dominated by Sugano after the 1st, then Finny doing a Chief impression in the 9th with the aid of Lipscomb's SS defense (remember how much we trashed Lipscomb's D at 3rd last year?). How many times did the Os have 2 on and not score?

Smithian · « **Reply #57 on:** April 24, 2025, 09:45:05 am »

No one will confuse this Nats team for having elite defense, but they’re incredibly better than any other season post-2019. Makes “luck” much easier to find

imref · « **Reply #58 on:** April 25, 2025, 09:39:51 pm »

Third place. Go Mariners!

welch · « **Reply #59 on:** April 25, 2025, 10:20:55 pm »

Not bad. Get two mediocre relief pitchers to replace Sims and Poche, and If Cavalli continues to be healthy until the end of June, then this will be fun.

Smithian · « **Reply #60 on:** April 26, 2025, 09:48:07 am »

Quote from: welch on April 25, 2025, 10:20:55 pm

Not bad. Get two mediocre relief pitchers to replace Sims and Poche, and If Cavalli continues to be healthy until the end of Jjne, then this will be fun.

I expect negative regression from Ruiz, positive regression from Garcia

Middle of the bullpen is fixable. They need to hit the "Eject" button soon.

Need to make Jose Tena the DH once DeJong is healthy.

In the meantime, fun team to watch.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #61 on:** April 26, 2025, 11:31:23 am »

We went through this in April and May last year, but I think the results may be different this year. Is there a scenario where you push for the playoffs?

right now, Arizona is in the 3rd wild card spot 2 games ahead of the Nats. The D-backs play in a ridiculously tough division so should not get too much ahead of .500 for the year. Giants have gotten off to a great start so even .500 ball leaves them with 84 or 85 wins. Cincinnati may be the 2d best in the central but are only .500 and a game ahead of the Nats. Next 9 games are vs Mets then at Philly and Cinci. What if we are ahead of Philly and Cinci at the end of that stretch?

Suppose House is doing well enough to justify a call up at that point or by the end of May? Suppose Rutledge and Henry are quality relievers and that 2 of the other current non-Finnegans are usable? Cavalli healthy enough to push Williams or Soroka to the bullpen?

Nothing likely, but stuff to watch for. Could blow up like 2021 and 2024 at any point.

Smithian · « **Reply #62 on:** April 26, 2025, 12:13:56 pm »

If the Nats are hovering around .500, you try to add a DH option and bullpen help. Another infielder could also be an option…

I’m starting to think Mackenzie Gore is a legit Game 1 starter who could give us a real shot at winning a game. And with the stupid new MLB expanded playoffs, weird things can happen.

imref · « **Reply #63 on:** April 26, 2025, 01:05:05 pm »

Worth remembering that Soroka is on a pace to be back in a week or two. Brzykcy just got activated, assuming he puts in a couple of good weeks in May he'll be up. Cavalli is looking like he might arrive around late May. House is on a tear at Rochester. Crews is heating up.

So maybe, June 1, this team looks something like:

Abrams
Crews
Wood
Lowe
Ruiz
Garcia Jr.
Tena (DH)
House
Young

with a rotation of Gore, Irvin, Parker, and some combination of Soroka / Williams / Cavalli

And a bullpen of Brzykcy, Ribalta, Finnegan, Ferrar, Lopez, Salazar, Henry, and Rutledge (and who knows, maybe Law is back?)

That's not terrible though getting another reliable lefty in the pen would sure be nice.