Please start Boone over Young

[The Chief]

I hear they're backing up Young with Boone, but I think it should really be the other way around.  Do you honestly think Dmitri would have made either of the plays Boone made today that together almost indisputably saved the game?  Hardly.

[MrMadison]

I agree.

I don't think Boone has quite the bat that Dmitri can bring, but Dmitri isn't in shape and could be a disaster in the field.  I don't think the bat is worth sacrificing that for.

[Skipper88]

The way Boone has been playing lately, I say start him at first until he proves he can't do it.  Dmitri can come off the bench.   There is no freaking way I would stick a guy in at first who's had 2 AB's at the major league level this year, I don't care what he hit last year or what he hit in his rehab assignment.

Boone's hitting .327 and can flat play defense.  Who knows what Dmitri will hit or how long it will take him to get used to major league pitching, and he won't play defense in any case.

Stick Boone in the lineup & make it his job to lose.  Bring Dmitri off the bench as a pinch-hitter.

[The Chief]

I like that I initially had mis-written and put "backing up Boone with Young" and yet both of you knew what I meant anyway

[ronnynat]

Offense is more important than defense at this point, but Boone should definitely get the majority of the starts for now.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Definitely Boone over Young at this juncture.

[spidernat]

Boone should play all 3 games in Baltimore so we won't see Young at 1st until next week.

[houston-nat]

Actually, I think Boone is offensively more than sound too - maybe one of the best hitters on the team at the moment, given the way Zim, Johnson and Milledge are slumping. He did break up the no-hitter today, right?

And his double play actions today speak for themselves. Give the guy a chance; he'll play better ball than Dmitri for sure.

[The Chief]

Offense is more important than defense at this point, but Boone should definitely get the majority of the starts for now.

Obviously, but Boone is hitting well and making great defensive plays at the same time.  At least for now, you can guarantee that's as much or more than Young will do.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I'd love them to go the "ride him while he's hot" route with Boone, but look at what our management did with the Lo Duca/Nieves situation.

[Skinz72]

I agree entirely.  But Young has  huge contract and was our only All-Star last year.  They'll give Young the start until it's time not to give him the start.  He'll have to make some errors and be hitting below .200 for that to happen.  My guess is that Young will hover slightly above that to stay the starter until Johnson's return.

[ronnynat]

Actually, I think Boone is offensively more than sound too - maybe one of the best hitters on the team at the moment, given the way Zim, Johnson and Milledge are slumping. He did break up the no-hitter today, right?

And his double play actions today speak for themselves. Give the guy a chance; he'll play better ball than Dmitri for sure.

I hope they both help us. Just let the better player play, I say. Dmitri should make us better. That's huge.

[Skipper88]

Offense is more important than defense at this point, but Boone should definitely get the majority of the starts for now.

This is a perfectly valid point & does argue for Dmitri,  IF we could be confident that he will be his old self at the plate & out-hit Boone.    But Boone has been tearing it up so far.

I would stick with Boone, but of course  as someone mentioned in a different thread    Dmitri and his $5 million contract may get the nod.

[sportsfan882]

Yes, Boone must play 1B. No way Dmitri turns those 2 DPs that Boone did.

[The Chief]

I agree entirely.  But Young has  huge contract and was our only All-Star last year.  They'll give Young the start until it's time not to give him the start.  He'll have to make some errors and be hitting below .200 for that to happen.  My guess is that Young will hover slightly above that to stay the starter until Johnson's return.

Or they'll just keep giving it to him anyway, ala Kearns.

[spidernat]

After the Baltimore series we have 4 weeks of NL play and then 2 more of interleague so for a decent portion of NJ's absence we will not have to put up with Young at 1st.

[The Chief]

After the Baltimore series we have 4 weeks of NL play and then 2 more of interleague so for a decent portion of NJ's absence we will not have to put up with Young at 1st.

Good point, I completely forgot about the DH.

[ronnynat]

Obviously, but Boone is hitting well and making great defensive plays at the same time.  At least for now, you can guarantee that's as much or more than Young will do.

I wasn't implying that Dmitri should start over Boone right now, but if he ends up being more consistent, it'd be better to have him start to help our crappy offense and then have Boone come in as a PH/defensive replacement. Boone will get some starts, regardless. He and Dmitri will never be on the bench at the same time, so they'll both fill that first-off-the-bench role nicely.

Does anyone else have a feeling that Boone is going to get the Nieves treatment? I really hope not. We absolutely killed Nieves' hot streak when Lo Duca came back.

[Skinz72]

Or they'll just keep giving it to him anyway, ala Kearns.

I know - drives you crazy - don't it?

[sportsfan882]

I wasn't implying that Dmitri should start over Boone right now, but if he ends up being more consistent, it'd be better to have him start to help our crappy offense and then have Boone come in as a PH/defensive replacement. Boone will get some starts, regardless. He and Dmitri will never be on the bench at the same time, so they'll both fill that first-off-the-bench role nicely.

Does anyone else have a feeling that Boone is going to get the Nieves treatment? I really hope not. We absolutely killed Nieves' hot streak when Lo Duca came back.

Ugh, please don't say **** ** ****'s name again.  I cringe at the thought of him coming back and the Nats sending Flores back down to AAA.

[ronnynat]

Ugh, please don't say **** ** ****'s name again.  I cringe at the thought of him coming back and the Nats sending Flores back down to AAA.

Thank goodness you had a second sentence. I would've had no clue who you were talking about.

[Ray D]

Now there are a few points worth considering:

- Young gets alot of heat for being overweight, injury prone, and not a good fielding first baseman. But what tends to be forgotten is that he is a far better natural hitter than anyone else on the roster. By miles. His hitting will more than compensate for his lack of fielding.

- Boone can handle 2nd, 3rd, and outfield. First base is an afterthought for him.  I'd sooner see him playing 3rd base over Zimmerman than first over Young.  The increase in offensive power we would gain would more than compensate for the difference in fielding.

- Young will be DHing this weekend, so there isn't an issue.

- Bottom Line: Manny announced today that Young is the firstbaseman. Case closed.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Now there are a few points worth considering:

- Young gets alot of heat for being overweight, injury prone, and not a good fielding first baseman. But what tends to be forgotten is that he is a far better natural hitter than anyone else on the roster. By miles. His hitting will more than compensate for his lack of fielding.

Until we are put in a similar game like today and he completely botches that Boone-Zim DP due to the fact he can't get to the ball. What will be the compensation for that?

- Boone can handle 2nd, 3rd, and outfield. First base is an afterthought for him.  I'd sooner see him playing 3rd base over Zimmerman than first over Young.  The increase in offensive power we would gain would more than compensate for the difference in fielding.

Your assuming too much that Young would be such a powerhouse that he could single handedly solve all the offensive problems we are having with everyone else. There is no way he could compensate for a whole team's sucking. Boone has done well enough at the position and it isn't like it is rocket science.

- Young will be DHing this weekend, so there isn't an issue.

This is the only thing he should be doing if he plays at all. He needs to be on an AL team.

- Bottom Line: Manny announced today that Young is the firstbaseman. Case closed.

You are so right. We should stop discussing it right now. Lock this thread.

[ronnynat]

Until we are put in a similar game like today and he completely botches that Boone-Zim DP due to the fact he can't get to the ball. What will be the compensation for that?

Boone would be in at that point anyways. We don't play Dmitri in the field late in the game w/ a lead.

Your assuming too much that Young would be such a powerhouse that he could single handedly solve all the offensive problems we are having with everyone else. There is no way he could compensate for a whole team's sucking. Boone has done well enough at the position and it isn't like it is rocket science.

Hitting is contagious; especially w/ this team. One guy that is consistently hitting in the middle of the order can make a HUGE difference. Young can help us offensively. There's no doubt about that.

[Dave B]

- Bottom Line: Manny announced today that Young is the firstbaseman. Case closed.

What? I dont get that at all, unless they feel they owe him something or just the benefit of the doubt.  I dont think the contract makes a difference, because he was signed as a bench player/insurance anyway.  Maybe this is his insurance role as opposed to double bench.

He has three days to DH. If he hits then we might have to keep him in the lineup at first base.  I highly doubt he plays first base this weekend