Author Topic: Sunshine Squad: Fighters of the Doom (ah-ah-ah) (Read 2274 times)

PowerBoater69 · « **Reply #75 on:** February 09, 2026, 10:21:41 am »

More reasons to be cheerful.

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The Washington Nationals have had a successful offseason, but how does that translate to success in the coming regular season?

https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/what-does-success-look-like-for-nationals-in-2026/

Smithian · « **Reply #76 on:** February 14, 2026, 10:20:14 am »

Quote from: Smithian on February 03, 2026, 10:26:10 am

This is my Sunshine Squad mantra for 2026.

If I believe in the process, I can handle short term losses.

Having a new voice is nice after the past half decade.

According to the Nats Chat podcast, the major league staff will grow and the AAA staff will mirror the majors.

I doubt that is the difference between 90 and 95 losses this year, but in future finding places not to cut corners and instead invest will add up. Trust the process!

aspenbubba · « **Reply #77 on:** February 14, 2026, 02:18:09 pm »

From a fans perspective 2026 is a lost season and there should be some incrementle improvement in '27. After a dystopian past 5 years we have to realize that the underperforming front office under Rizzo in all areas of drafting , player acquisition, scouting, minor league management and on field performance required major change. You could over pay for FA but you would never expect to duplicate 2019. What we are seeing is phase 1 and phase 2 will be geared towards the minors stating with the rookie leagues up to Rochester.
My belief is thatTobani was the only candidate who articulated what needed to be done by a total reformation of the organization starting with the front office. Mark Lerner agreed and I am sure will spend the money to make this a viable business as the organization matures. You don't waste an assett worth over 2 B. Mark maynot be his father but he is not a nepo hire either.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #78 on:** February 14, 2026, 02:23:41 pm »

Well, as for the not being a nepotism hire, I don't think he'd be chairman or lead for an mlb ownership group but for his Dad being the lead of the group that bought the team. I say that knowing he's a minority owner in Leonsis's group

blue911 · « **Reply #79 on:** February 14, 2026, 02:24:44 pm »

The Tigers,Blue Jays, Yankees and Nats are run by the scions of the original owners. Not one has won a championship.

There is a difference in management styles between wealth creators and wealth protectors

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #80 on:** February 14, 2026, 04:27:27 pm »

Quote from: blue911 on February 14, 2026, 02:24:44 pm

The Tigers,Blue Jays, Yankees and Nats are run by the scions of the original owners. Not one has won a championship.

There is a difference in management styles between wealth creators and wealth protectors

One of those four teams is not like the other. Like can’t come close to breaking .500. While two have been competitive for years and another made the playoffs last year.

The Hunt kid seems to have done OK with the Chiefs and I’m sure there are some other positive examples. We just got a group here that’s not interested in spending the money to win. You can’t say that about the Yanks or Jays.

blue911 · « **Reply #81 on:** February 14, 2026, 04:40:53 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on February 14, 2026, 04:27:27 pm

One of those four teams is not like the other. Like can’t come close to breaking .500. While two have been competitive for years and another made the playoffs last year.

The Hunt kid seems to have done OK with the Chiefs and I’m sure there are some other positive examples. We just got a group here that’s not interested in spending the money to win. You can’t say that about the Yanks or Jays.

Yeah I know , it’s just fun to kick rich pricks.

varoadking · « **Reply #82 on:** February 14, 2026, 08:41:43 pm »

Quote from: aspenbubba on February 14, 2026, 02:18:09 pm

From a fans perspective 2026 is a lost season and there should be some incrementle improvement in '27.

Only if the lockout in '27 lasts all season...

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #83 on:** February 14, 2026, 08:54:30 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on February 14, 2026, 08:41:43 pm

Only if the lockout in '27 lasts all season...

Tied for first all season!

welch · « **Reply #84 on:** February 15, 2026, 07:53:08 pm »

The sun will come out. It will get warmer. Baseball will start. The New Nationals will win about 40% of their games. That is almost a 50/50 chance of seeing a win if we go to the ball park. I have suffered through the mid-50s Nats, and the hope-inspiring 1960 team, and the miserable New Senators up until Bob Short demolished the team in 1971. We all, young and old, stuck with the early years of the new team, and the glory years, and the glorious 2019, and the beginning of 2021.

I'm old enough that I don't expect to see a great Nats team again, but CalzGr8 and the rest of you can cheer. I used to search for Washington Senators, back before Goodgle, when all that returned was links to the US Senators from the state of Washington. Then I found people like "Big Bruno" posting pictures of Expansion Nats games, and then found an email list where Carol Lee was organizing demonstrations against that creep who owned the Baltimore orioles and who thought that gave him ownership of Washington, DC.

"Let's go Nats!", we have chanted since my first game, Griffith Stadium, Opening Day, 1954. And the radio, Bob Wolf rgen, saying, "Bottom of the ninth, man on second. The Nats a run down, with Jim Lemon at the plate. And Roy Sievers hopenta get up..."

varoadking · « **Reply #85 on:** February 16, 2026, 09:31:23 am »

Quote from: welch on February 15, 2026, 07:53:08 pm

The New Nationals will win about 40% of their games.

That's pretty sunshiny...somewhat blinding actually...

Smithian · « **Reply #86 on:** February 16, 2026, 01:32:59 pm »

Quote from: IanRubbish on February 16, 2026, 01:18:43 pm

I don't know how anyone can believe in this process. The top offensive prospects are 18 or 19 and by the time they're ready Crews and Wood will be close to FA, Abrams will be long gone, and there'll probably be AAA players similar to Garcia, Ruiz, Chapparo, Jacob Young OPS'ing 550-600 up and down the lineup. Mini Me has shown he needs to be judged by his actions, not his words, and "the process" of trading guys as they get too expensive in their arb2 season isn't going away.

Sunshine: could get a salary floor as part of the lockout settlement

It's the optimism thread the offseason there was an overdue organization shakeups. If you still want to scum up every thread with "it doesn't matter" throat clearing, go ahead and it'll be you and three people exchanging Lerner jokes by midseason.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #87 on:** February 16, 2026, 04:10:39 pm »

I've split out the posts that criticize optimism from the Sunshine thread and set up a new Legion of Doom thread. That's more in the spirit of the SSS and LoD that kept WNFF going it's first 6-7 years.

Have at it and enjoy.

PowerBoater69 · « **Reply #88 on:** February 16, 2026, 07:41:06 pm »

Is this the most important spring training in team history?

https://www.talknats.com/2026/02/16/nats-spring-training-2026-this-time-it-counts/

tomterp · « **Reply #89 on:** February 16, 2026, 08:35:44 pm »

Quote from: PowerBoater69 on February 16, 2026, 07:41:06 pm

Is this the most important spring training in team history?

https://www.talknats.com/2026/02/16/nats-spring-training-2026-this-time-it-counts/

It's pretty critical given the need to change the culture from the bad old ways. A first impression both ways (players and staff).

tomterp · « **Reply #90 on:** February 18, 2026, 06:16:50 pm »

A commenter on Zuckerman's substack:

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On the other end of the spectrum, Abi Ortiz looks like friendly neighborhood dad of twin girls manning the grill at the block party, but man oh man is his bat electric. Easily the most impressive BP’s along with Wood and House. The ball just flies.

Yoyo Morales is another. Really big dude, really loud sounds. Don’t give up on him.

Ought to be able to get one 1b out of the 2 guys, right?