2017 Washington Nationals: Wash, Rinse, Repeat

[Riggo#44]

Spoke too soon....

 

[Mr. Sinister]

Let's get it!

 

Let's not get it!

[CRobi21]

12 minutes ago, Riggo#44 said:

Spoke too soon....

 

Bryce homered again on the big field. At least we have that.

 

 

[Riggo#44]

Maybe it's the injury ravaged 2013/15 squads that has me nervous, but I am just expecting the worst here.

[Riggo#44]

 

 

[Riggo#44]

Our international haul from Baseball America:

Quote

The days of penny-pinching by Nationals ownership on the international market are over. Nationals vice president of international operations Johnny DiPuglia and his staff still managed to procure an impressive volume of Latin American prospects on limited funds, but more investment has led to prospects like Victor Robles ($225,000 in 2013) and Juan Soto ($1.5 million in 2015) entering the pipeline.

The organization made its most aggressive push yet into Latin American amateur talent by blasting past its bonus pool as soon as the 2016-17 signing period opened last year. In addition to their amateur signing haul, the Nationals also added Cuban outfielder Yadiel Hernandez, a potential bargain at $200,000 exempt from the bonus pools who could play in the major leagues in 2017.

Washington’s biggest bonus went to 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Yasel Antuna, who trained with Jaime Ramos and on July 2 signed for $3.9 million, the biggest bonus of 2016 for a Dominican player. Antuna popped up early when he was 13 and impressed some scouts early on with his hitting ability from the left side, then started switch-hitting near the end of 2015. He’s a calm, under control hitter with a simple stroke, solid contact skills and the ability to use the whole field, with more power from the right side and more polish lefthanded. His swing path isn’t geared for loft, but he could develop average power.

 

Antuna hadn’t dominated in games the way scouts from other clubs wanted to see from the top-paid player in the Dominican Republic, especially for a player who lacked fast-twitch athleticism or other standout tools. The Nationals have been encouraged, however, with Antuna’s physical development and the accompanying tick up in his quickness since signing. He ran below-average before he signed, but he’s added more physicality to his frame (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) with broad shoulders and a high waist. He’s worked diligently with Nationals coaches to improve his first-step quickness, turning in average run times now. Shortstop is still probably a long shot, but he has the inner clock for the infield and the arm to go to third base if necessary. Others think Antuna would fit best at second base, though depending how big he gets, the outfield could be in his future too.

While Antuna received the bigger signing bonus, scouts widely preferred 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Luis Garcia, who got $1.3 million on July 2. Garcia, the No. 3 player for July 2 last year, was highly regarded by scouts for his well-rounded skill set, balancing good tools with advanced feel for hitting. Garcia’s father, Luis Garcia, had a brief major league career as a shortstop, going 1-for-9 over eight games with the Tigers in 1999. He handled his son leading up to his signing.

 

Garcia, who was born in the United States, was one of the best hitters and best athletes available in the 2016 class. He showed his hitting ability after signing with a strong offensive performance during the Nationals’ Dominican instructional league. He’s 5-foot-11, 175 pounds with a compact, flat swing from the left side. He’s an aggressive hitter who will step in the bucket, but he’s a high-contact hitter with the ability to barrel pitches in all quadrants of the strike zone. Garcia has added strength since signing and strikes hard line drives to all fields, showing occasional home run pop now with a chance to develop average or better power. A fast-twitch athlete with plus speed, Garcia has a good chance to stick at shortstop, though he’s still learning to slow the game down defensively. He’s a high-energy player with quick anticipation and an above-average arm. Some scouts liked his range and hands, though others thought he would need to clean up his defensive actions or move to second or center field. Garcia and Antuna are both in the U.S. already and have a chance to follow Soto’s path by staying for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League season.

 

The best defender of the three top shortstops the Nationals signed last year is Jose Sanchez, who signed for $950,000 out of Venezuela when he turned 16 on July 12. His instincts in all phases of the game are well beyond his years. Sanchez is a smooth, fluid defender with outstanding hands and footwork to go with a strong arm. An average runner, Sanchez is a savvy, fundamentally sound player with a knack for slowing the game down. That polish extends to the plate. At 6 feet, 175 pounds, Sanchez lacks much strength (though he’s added around 10 pounds since signing) so he’s mostly a singles hitter for now, but his quick hands and short, simple swing from the right side help him make contact at a high clip against pitching. He’s a line-drive hitter who stays inside the ball well, goes with where the ball is pitched and is adept at using the opposite field. Sanchez, who trained with Jose Carrasquel, might start in the DSL given the need to get him, Antuna and Garcia all regular playing time.

 

Venezuelan center fielder Ricardo Mendez, who trained with Carlos Rios, signed for $600,000 on July 2. Mendez, 17, is a skinny lefty (6 feet, 165 pounds) whose speed earns plus or better grades, gliding around the outfield with a chance to be a plus defender. He’s an instinctive player with a quick first step off the bat, tracks balls well and has good range. Mendez has a funky throwing stroke across his body and below-average arm strength, though his throws are accurate. He lacks strength and probably will never hit for much power, but he has a simple swing, a knack for making contact and understands the strike zone well for his age.

 

The Nationals signed another Venezuelan prospect, 16-year-old catcher Israel Pineda, for $450,000 on July 2. Pineda is an offensive-minded prospect with good knowledge of the strike zone. He’s a righthanded hitter whose strength and ability to stay inside the ball allows him to drive pitches well to right-center field. Pineda has an average arm but will need time for his defense to catch up to his bat and will need to work to maintain his strong, stocky frame (5-foot-11, 190 pounds).

 

Cesar Porte is an 18-year-old Dominican infielder who signed with the Nationals for $300,000 on July 2. He projects as an offensive-oriented second baseman with a line-drive, pull approach from the right side at 6 feet, 180 pounds.

The Nationals also gave $100,000 each to a pair of Dominican pitchers, including 18-year-old righthander Wilson Severino on July 2. A projectable 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Severino was in the upper-80s when he signed and now reaches 92 mph, with good athleticism, a loose arm and feel to spin a mid-70s curveball. Righthander Jose Plancencio, signed in September, isn’t as big as Severino (6 feet, 165 pounds), but he’s another pitcher with a loose, quick arm, a fastball that touches 91 with projection for more and feel to spin a breaking ball.

 

[CRobi21]

 

 

 

[Dan T.]

One more spring training note. Watch/listen for the beer vendor with a whistle and booming voice who wears a hat that looks like an on-end watermelon with big brown dog ears. 

 

Yeah I know. Weird. 

[CRobi21]

Some more on our Dominican pipeline, and more of a focus on the Big 3.

 

 

[Riggo#44]

Kelley not likely the closer: http://districtondeck.com/2017/03/17/washington-nationals-shawn-kelley-not-likely-opening-day-closer/

 

Killer. ****ing. Koda. Kometh.

[Riggo#44]

One of the reasons I dislike the WBC:

 

 

[Warhead36]

I don't want any of our players in the WBC. I don't care, we're paying them millions to play for the Nationals, not Team USA. Sorry not sorry.

[Riggo#44]

I'm pissed at Leyland for sitting Murphy, and others, this whole time. He's gone with the same lineup every day.

[Warhead36]

I mean if it were the Olympics I could kinda understand, there is prestige to winning a gold medal. Nobody cares about the WBC. Its a nothing event.

[CRobi21]

Same some for when it counts Zim!

 

 

[Riggo#44]

 

[Riggo#44]

 

[Riggo#44]

Eat **** and die, Kozma!

 

 

[Warhead36]

I can't believe the season is only two weeks away now. Time flies during spring training.

[thebluefood]

Been away from sports as a whole for way too long. Life's been getting in the way.

 

But I'm sure as hell ready for some Nationals baseball (especially since I might land a job near Harrisburg, PA and will be in shouting distance from D.C. again!)

[RemoveSnyder]

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2017/03/20/usa-vs-japan-semifinal-biggest-game-of-tanner-roarks-career/

USA vs. Japan Semifinal Biggest Game of Tanner Roark’s Career

 

WASHINGTON — Team USA stands one win away from playing for the World Baseball Classic championship, and Tanner Roark of the Washington Nationals is the man who must pitch them there.

 

Squaring off against Japan Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, Roark — who’s made three MLB postseason appearances — calls the upcoming game the biggest of his career.

 

“So far, yes,” Roark answered when asked of the game’s importance, according to Federal Baseball. “I’d say so, with the single-elimination and everything. But go out there and leave it all out on the field.”

 

...

How to Watch

Teams: USA vs. Japan
When: Tuesday, 9pm ET
TV: MLB Network
Streaming: MLB.tv

 

 

[Riggo#44]

I am excited for Tanner to pitch tonight, but I am downright pissed about how Murphy and Roark have been handled. This is why I cannot get into the WBC.

[Riggo#44]

ESPN Clown...I mean ROUND Table on Harper:

 

Quote

Kahrl: What's the one development from any camp that has caught your interest?

Schoenfield: We have to mention this -- Bryce Harper is healthy.

Crasnick: I'd look for a big year for him. Tom Verducci wrote several times last year that Harper's shoulder was a problem, and Tom isn't a guy who throws stuff like that out there casually. I think it was an issue. And Bryce is another one of those guys who can be motivated by skeptics. He's a big bounce-back guy for me.

Miller: Expectations should probably be that he'll be the fifth- or 10th-best hitter in baseball. I don't know exactly how much playing through injury cost him last year -- probably quite a bit, and I totally bought Verducci's reporting over the Nationals' denials -- but it's interesting how the struggles forced us as analysts to look a little closer at his 2015 season and see that there were some parts of it that were unsustainable, maybe even fluky. It's a mistake to say that if he's healthy we immediately bring back the Trout/Harper debate. I don't know if that even needs to be said ... but maybe for my benefit it does, because I get irrationally excited about what Harper can do.

 

[Warhead36]

What's everyone's prediction for the season? As I've done the last four years I'm predicting a World Series win, but I think the NL East race will be very close. I'll go with 94 wins, Mets finish with 91, and we use that late season September push to win it all.

 

Harper will finish runner up for MVP but win World Series MVP.

[TheGoodBits]

24 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

What's everyone's prediction for the season? As I've done the last four years I'm predicting a World Series win, but I think the NL East race will be very close. I'll go with 94 wins, Mets finish with 91, and we use that late season September push to win it all.

 

Harper will finish runner up for MVP but win World Series MVP.

 

Man that is not a DC sports prediction lol. 

 

87 wins, second place. The odd year injury bug strikes again. Rotation depth is tested and found lacking. We actually put together a decent year offensively but can't string together enough winning weeks/months to really get traction needed to take the division. We make a late push but too little, too late.