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2015 Washington Nationals Thread - Hot Stove News: Daniel Murphy signed, Phillips is an idiot.

Riggo#44

By Riggo#44
in The Tailgate

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Riggo#44

Riggo#44

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Why have we given up on these players?  Johanssen has only been with us for two seasons.  Hood is 24 and batted .300 across three levels last season, including a stint in AAA.  Purke I could agree about.  The other two still have an outside shot at doing something.

 

Johansen is 24 at Hagerstown and has not had an ERA there under 5.00. Shocked if he even makes it to the majors, ever. Hood had a better year than I remember--he looks like he remembered how to hit for power (1st time over .350 SLG since 2011 at Potomac). We'll see if it comes to fruition, but I wouldn't see him any more than a 4th or 5th OF at this point.

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Metalhead

Metalhead

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Lol, thats my point. Rizzo had nothing to do with Smiley.

Maya wasn't about the money. It was about absurdly wrong Rizzo and his scouts were. Imagine if Giolito showed up throwing 90 with no movement after all the hype. Thats the level of disappointment we're talking about here. Great articme

http://www.federalbaseball.com/2013/5/25/4365462/washington-nationals-designate-first-major-international-signing-yunesky-maya-for-assignment

Thoroughly scouted. First big international signing. 92/93 on the gun. Three quality pitches. Cy Young's name was invoked.

Complete and utter bust. I'll bet Rizzo is still asking what he missed. Smiley's easy. He lied about his age. Maya is far tougher to crack. They had multiple eyes on him along with tons of tape. They had everything they needed to make and informed evaluation of Maya. And they whiffed. If you don't think that follows Rizzo around all the time, you don't understand scouting. It was never about the money. It was the process and how it failed.

 

I don't understand your obessesion with Maya. Sure, they had mild-to-high hopes for him but they still paid him peanuts...barely qualifies as a bust, if at all. And Maya was already 29. Minor leaguers get paid more and go bust more often. H-Rod and Soriano are busts, and bigger ones at that when considering the investment of time, money, and clubhouse issues.

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Riggo#44

Riggo#44

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Wanna copypasta for us non-insiders?

 

Here you go (love his take on the 2015 impact) :

 

 

Organization Ranking: 9

 
I've ranked every farm system, as well as the top 100 MLB prospects for 2015. Below, I've ranked at least the top Nats 10 prospects, plus an overview of the system and any other names of note beyond the top 10. I also discuss any prospects who might help the big league club in 2015, one or two prospects whose stock has taken a big hit in the past year, and a sleeper prospect who I think can jump into the main top-100 list for 2016. 
 
Top 10 prospects 
 
1. Lucas Giolito, RHP 
2. Joe Ross, RHP 
3. Michael Taylor, CF 
4. Reynaldo Lopez, RHP 
5. Trea Turner, SS 
6. A.J. Cole, RHP 
7. Wilmer Difo, 2B 
8. Pedro Severino, C 
9. Erick Fedde, RHP 
10. Jakson Reetz, C 
 
Overview 
 
This is the strongest the Nationals' system has been in some time, at least since Bryce Harper graduated from their list, thanks to some opportunistic drafting, a very productive pipeline from Latin America and the trade of Steven Souza that netted the Nats two of their top prospects. They might not need a starter any time soon, but seven potential major league starters are on their way, including the five listed above, sinkerballer Austin Voth (11) and Canadian Nick Pivetta (12), who can reach 96 mph but needs more consistency with both the breaking ball and the change. Cole might end up in the bullpen out of need, although Jefry Rodriguez (13) is probably their best relief prospect. A converted shortstop who can hit 98 with a power curveball, Rodriguez suffered a hairline fracture in his non-throwing wrist and only threw 33 innings last year.

2015 impact 
 
(Checks Nationals depth chart.) 
 
(Double-checks depth chart.) 
 
Moving along rapidly... 
 
The fallen 
 
Brian Goodwin has All-Star tools, yet he has struggled for two years to put everything together and perform at a level that would point toward a future as an everyday player. He's even stopped stealing bases, and what once looked like a potential power/speed centerfielder is now maybe an up-and-down outfielder. 
 
Sleeper 
 
Last year's sleeper, Severino, probably is still the best choice here (or possibly Difo, who was old for the Sally League last year but has a lot of above-average to plus tools. Severino is a wizard behind the plate, a plus framer with good blocking skills and a 70 or 80 arm who's growing into his body. He started to show some progress at the plate in the second half (.301/.376/.466) last summer. Down the road a bit further, remember the name Victor Robles, the Nats' star prospect from their Dominican Summer League team last year; he's a center fielder who has 6s and 7s all over his scouting report, with a plus arm, above-average to plus run, excellent bat speed, and the kind of fast-twitch body scouts love to see.
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Riggo#44

Riggo#44

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I don't understand your obessesion with Maya. Sure, they had mild-to-high hopes for him but they still paid him peanuts...barely qualifies as a bust, if at all. And Maya was already 29. Minor leaguers get paid more and go bust more often. H-Rod and Soriano are busts, and bigger ones at that when considering the investment of time, money, and clubhouse issues.

 

Apparently he's the scapegoat for our Latin American failures recently.

 

However, because of the Smiley fiasco, Rizzo had to completely dismantle our operations in the Dominican and rebuild it from scratch. That takes time--an additonal 2 years to the already lengthy process of developing kids as young as 16. But we are starting to see some legitimate prospects coming up--three of our top 10 are dominican signings: Reynaldo Lopez (4), Wilmer Difo (7), and Pedro Serevino (8).

 

Likewise Law points out two others that bear watching: Jefry Rodriguez (13) is a converted short stop that throws 98 with a power curve, and a good relief prospect, and  Victor Robles, the Nats' star prospect from their Dominican Summer League team last year; he's a center fielder who has 6s and 7s all over his scouting report, with a plus arm, above-average to plus run, excellent bat speed, and the kind of fast-twitch body scouts love to see.

 

And more from KLaw on hte NatsGM podcast: http://natsgm.com/2015/01/29/the-natsgm-show-episode-24-guest-keith-law/

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BRAVEONAWARPATH

BRAVEONAWARPATH

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Click to read the rest

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2015/01/26/lucas-giolito-readies-for-next-step/

 

 

 

Lucas Giolito readies for next step

 

 

Lucas Giolito walked into the clubhouse at the Old Hickory Golf Club in Woodbridge Sunday evening, and while 6-foot-6, 220-pound bodies don’t often blend in at Northern Virginia country clubs, he looked out of place there.

 

In a well-tailored suit with neatly arranged hair and black-rimmed glasses that would’ve earned Russell Westbrook’s envy, Giolito looked more Hollywood than Woodbridge and more major league than minor league, though he was there as a prominent guest of the Potomac Nationals’ annual Hot Stove Banquet. The Syracuse Chiefs and Harrisburg Senators held similar events this weekend.

 

But then Giolito spoke. If he was going for boyish ebullience, he nailed it as he reflected on last season — his first full year in professional ball, a milestone delayed by 2012 Tommy John surgery — with a near-constant smile and evident eagerness.

 

“It was a ton of fun. We had a great group in Hagerstown,” Giolito said. “I wish we could have won it all, it came down to the last few outs, but I felt personally I had a good year. I’ve learned a lot of things.”

 

 

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Slateman

Slateman

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I don't understand your obessesion with Maya. Sure, they had mild-to-high hopes for him but they still paid him peanuts...barely qualifies as a bust, if at all. And Maya was already 29. Minor leaguers get paid more and go bust more often. H-Rod and Soriano are busts, and bigger ones at that when considering the investment of time, money, and clubhouse issues.

Go read up on how much effort went in to scouting him. It was a lot.

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Riggo#44

Riggo#44

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Go read up on how much effort went in to scouting him. It was a lot.

 

So? Was it any more or less than Brian Goodwin?

 

This is the last thing I'll say about this, because it really a pointless exercise: While highly doubtful, if what you say is true, and Mike Rizzo really was thrown for a loop by Maya's signing--to the point that he refused to sign any international free agents of any significant dollar amounts, and he questioned his whole scouting process, he needs to fired immediately. I may not know as much as you about scouting, but to second guess such an insignificant deal to that degree does not lead to success.

 

MIke Rizzo is the best GM in baseball. They all make mistakes. Quit making a bigger deal out of this than it is.

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Slateman

Slateman

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So? Was it any more or less than Brian Goodwin?

This is the last thing I'll say about this, because it really a pointless exercise: While highly doubtful, if what you say is true, and Mike Rizzo really was thrown for a loop by Maya's signing--to the point that he refused to sign any international free agents of any significant dollar amounts, and he questioned his whole scouting process, he needs to fired immediately. I may not know as much as you about scouting, but to second guess such an insignificant deal to that degree does not lead to success.

MIke Rizzo is the best GM in baseball. They all make mistakes. Quit making a bigger deal out of this than it is.

More.

Rizzo is not the best GM in baseball.

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Slateman

Slateman

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Which GM is better?

 

 

I like Rizzo a lot but you can't put him above Sabean in San Fran who's won 3 rings.

Andrew Friedman as well. Going to be really interesting to see what he can do with some payroll.

 

Theo Epstein could push Rizzo for best GM. He's one a couple WS in a division that had the Yankees during their most spending times.

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BRAVEONAWARPATH

BRAVEONAWARPATH

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Click to read the rest

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/1/10/7523759/washington-nationals-top-20-prospects-for-2015

 

 

 

Washington Nationals Top 20 Prospects for 2015

 

 

 

 

1) Lucas Giolito, RHP, Grade A: Age 20, fully recovered from Tommy John, posted 2.20 ERA with 110/28 K/BB in 98 innings in Low-A. Mid/upper 90s fastball, excellent curve, change-up steadily improving, control solid for a young power arm, potential number one starter if he maintains his health.

2) Michael Taylor, OF, Grade B+: Age 23, toolsy outfielder hit .313/.396/.539 in Double-A with 34 steals, excellent center field defense. Physical tools have always been here and he’s taken several steps forward with the skills, may not hit for average but could do everything else well or better. 

 

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