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The Washington Nationals Thread: The Future is Near!

Riggo#44

By Riggo#44
in The Tailgate

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TheGoodBits

TheGoodBits

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Riggo#44 said:

Why do I get the feeling this is a sub-.500 team. Just a sinking feeling setting in.

 

I haven’t decided yet... last year I had that same feeling before the season and was unfortunately correct. My gut feeling is somewhat more optimistic this year.

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Riggo#44

Riggo#44

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14 minutes ago, skinsfan_1215 said:

 

I haven’t decided yet... last year I had that same feeling before the season and was unfortunately correct. My gut feeling is somewhat more optimistic this year.

 

And I thought we's cruise to a division title...so maybe that's a good thing? 

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TheGoodBits

TheGoodBits

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4 minutes ago, Riggo#44 said:

 

And I thought we's cruise to a division title...so maybe that's a good thing? 

 

I make no promises, but lineup and rotation depth should be much improved this year. Gives us some margin for error. Division is clearly more competitive so tough to say how things shake out, but I think Nats will be in the playoff chase in Sept. 

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Warhead36

Warhead36

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I think our starting pitching, at least the top 3, are as good as you can get, and the lineup is fairly deep. But the bullpen is always a concern and we still don't know how good Martinez will be as a second year Manager. Then of course there is the injury issue, we have quite a few key players that are prone to being hurt.

 

We could win 95 games. We could win 75. Very up in the air. But I do think at the end of the day we'll be in the playoff hunt in September. Division is up in the air between us the Braves and the Phillies.

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Bacon

Bacon

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It would absolutely be grounds for firing management/coaching staff if a rotation that good (and expensive) can't bring in 90 wins. We have our flaws, but it reaches a point where falling short of the playoffs isn't an option. 

 

Absolutely, all eyes are on Martinez now. Barring a historic rash of injuries, he doesn't have a good excuse after we outspent the rest of the league this offseason. 

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Riggo#44

Riggo#44

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2 hours ago, Bacon said:

Barring a historic rash of injuries

 

Things that are possible. Yes, I am being a Negative Nelly:

1. Eaton continues to slug .388, which is what he did after returning from injury last year.

2. Soto's high GB rate turns him into a GIDP machine.

3. Robles low exit velocity turns him into Mallex Smith

4. Rendon gets hurt, produces like 2015

5. Dozier does not return to form

6. Adams has a 2nd half of last year, all year

7. Zimm gets hurt, produces like 2016

8. Kendrick's achillies is a bigger deal, cannot recover

9. Corbin is a contract year wonder

10. Strasburg FB never returns, ends up like Harvey--just not as douchey

11. Scherzer finally start to dec...I can't finish that sentence, it's too painful

12. Bullpen has a nightly, walk-filled meltdown outside of Doo. Their walk rates scare the crap out of me

13. Gomes/Suzuki regress badly, hit like Wieners. Not a typo.

14. Turner knows his favorite player is leaving, becomes Spiderman full-time (seriously, he looks EXACTLY like Tom Holland!)

 

Change my mind.

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Spaceman Spiff

Spaceman Spiff

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http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/26190275/new-philadelphia-phillie-bryce-harper-rejecting-300-million-recruiting-mike-trout-playing-philly-life

 

Quote

"During the seven years I spent in DC, all everybody talked about was me going somewhere else," Harper told The Magazine in his first extensive interview since signing with the Phillies. "From the day I signed, it was: 'He's going to the Yankees'; 'He's going to the Dodgers'; 'He's going to the Cubs.' I didn't want to hear that. I was in that city, and I wanted to be in that city. So now I'm just so happy that I'm able to sit here right now and say I can play until I'm 39 years old and I don't have someone sitting around the corner saying, 'He's going to go here next.'"

 

Mixed reactions here.  I feel what he's saying...he's correct, that's all everyone ever talked about while he was here, him going to the Yankees, the Dodgers, etc.  IMO, he didn't do anything to provide evidence that he felt that way, I think that was a lot of people projecting.

 

OTOH, he also didn't really do anything to make it look like he really wanted to be here, either.  

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Riggo#44

Riggo#44

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22 minutes ago, StillUnknown said:

I see the ghost of slateman is present

 

I was hacked!

 

This was a test of the emergency Slateman system. If this had been a real Slateman emergency, it would have been followed by condecening posts about the Lerners being cheap, Rizzo is a horrible GM, and, now that he's gone, Bryce Harper is a god among men.

 

 

8 minutes ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

OTOH, he also didn't really do anything to make it look like he really wanted to be here, either.  

Watching Harper's actions since he signed with Philadelphia have shown his true colors. There is absolutely nothing genuine about his public persona. I won't act like I know him, but he is going to "play to his base." And the mongoloid Phillies fans will eat it up.

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Popeman38

Popeman38

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49 minutes ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/26190275/new-philadelphia-phillie-bryce-harper-rejecting-300-million-recruiting-mike-trout-playing-philly-life

 

Mixed reactions here.  I feel what he's saying...he's correct, that's all everyone ever talked about while he was here, him going to the Yankees, the Dodgers, etc.  IMO, he didn't do anything to provide evidence that he felt that way, I think that was a lot of people projecting.

 

OTOH, he also didn't really do anything to make it look like he really wanted to be here, either.  

Oh please. No Nats official or fan asked him where he was going to be. In fact, it was ESPN that has been speculating for FOUR ****ING YEARS that he was going to the Yankees. So why give ESPN the first sit down interview?

 

And really? The Nats offered you a 10 year/$300M contract with $16M deferred. If you really wanted to play in one city for your entire career, don't balme anyone other than yourself and Boras that you won't be able to say that. Boras was telling you for 4 years he was going to get you a $400M contract so you dismissed the offer from the Nats. Enjoy playing in front of the douchiest, rudest, meanest fans in the world. And remember when you are in a prolonged slump and are being berated in the press, on the radio, and in the park that you chose this.

 

I don't care that Bryce left, it just bugs the **** outta me when people blame their decisions on other people. If he loved Philly as much as he says he does, he wouldn't constantly try to convince himself and everyone else he made a good choice. 

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OVCChairman

OVCChairman

Posted
Posted (edited)
11 hours ago, Riggo#44 said:

 

Things that are possible. Yes, I am being a Negative Nelly:

1. Eaton continues to slug .388, which is what he did after returning from injury last year.

2. Soto's high GB rate turns him into a GIDP machine.

3. Robles low exit velocity turns him into Mallex Smith

4. Rendon gets hurt, produces like 2015

5. Dozier does not return to form

6. Adams has a 2nd half of last year, all year

7. Zimm gets hurt, produces like 2016

8. Kendrick's achillies is a bigger deal, cannot recover

9. Corbin is a contract year wonder

10. Strasburg FB never returns, ends up like Harvey--just not as douchey

11. Scherzer finally start to dec...I can't finish that sentence, it's too painful

12. Bullpen has a nightly, walk-filled meltdown outside of Doo. Their walk rates scare the crap out of me

13. Gomes/Suzuki regress badly, hit like Wieners. Not a typo.

14. Turner knows his favorite player is leaving, becomes Spiderman full-time (seriously, he looks EXACTLY like Tom Holland!)

 

Change my mind.

 

1. Eaton continues to slug .388, which is what he did after returning from injury last year.

 

He hit .301 in 96 games last year... .297 in 23 games the year before.   I don't care if he bunt-singles the ball every at bat, if he's hitting .300 i'll take it.  I just need him on base. 

 

2. Soto's high GB rate turns him into a GIDP machine.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/spraycharts.aspx?playerid=20123&position=PH/PR&type=battedball&ss1=2018&se1=2018&cht1=battedball&pos1=ALL&vs1=ALL

 

The highest concentration of ground balls are to the right side.  He understands hitting, so he'll likely be grounding BEHIND the runner.  With Turner / Eaton / Rendon ahead of him there is speed, and it's already coming out of camp that there will be a bigger emphasis on baserunning.  I'd imagine with Turner and Eaton wanting to run more, as well as the idea of aggressiveness (possibly with Hit and Run), a good number of GIDP will be helped.    He's also hitting behind 2 base stealing players, and a guy in the 3 hole that loves hitting doubles.  Double plays chances will be mitigated there as well. 

 

 

3. Robles low exit velocity turns him into Mallex Smith

 

He's the kind of guy who needs to put he ball in play and let his physical ability win out.  Same with Trea Turner.  I don't need him hitting with a high exit velo because I want him putting it in play.  He'll get his chances to hit the ball... hard... You can't dig out an infield pop up.... 

 

4. Rendon gets hurt, produces like 2015

 

Anyone can get hurt... he could also produce like 2016 / 2017 / 2018.  Which is more likely?  Reverting back to 2015 or maintaining what he's done over the last 3 seasons.  .270 or better (.300 or better in 2 of those), 20+ HRS, 85+ RBIs,....

 

5. Dozier does not return to form

 

He's likely a luxury stop gap anyway.  This just opens the door sooner to Kieboom

 

6. Adams has a 2nd half of last year, all year

 

Adams has a 1st half of last year... all year... this applies to no. 7 too.

 

7. Zimm gets hurt, produces like 2016

 

See above

 

8. Kendrick's achillies is a bigger deal, cannot recover

 

He's like out 5th outfielder, and our 2nd (soon to be 3rd) infielder.  

 

9. Corbin is a contract year wonder

10. Strasburg FB never returns, ends up like Harvey--just not as douchey

11. Scherzer finally start to dec...I can't finish that sentence, it's too painful

 

^^^^ My bet is that these 3 things don't all happen... or at least i'd bet against the odds that all 3 happen in the same season.   Scherzer is human, but last year he was right there in the conversation in all measurable statistics. 

 

12. Bullpen has a nightly, walk-filled meltdown outside of Doo. Their walk rates scare the crap out of me

 

 

How?  We just let go of Solis and we havent even seen what Rosenthal is going to be like in a regular season capacity.  Barraclough has a career 1.30 WHIP.

 

 

13. Gomes/Suzuki regress badly, hit like Wieners. Not a typo.

 

Or they dont.... 

 

14. Turner knows his favorite player is leaving, becomes Spiderman full-time (seriously, he looks EXACTLY like Tom Holland!)

 

Rendon isnt leaving... yet..  

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