Washington Nationals Buy Out Austin Kearns...5 Others Become Free Agents.
by Ed Chigliak on Nov 7, 2009 1:42 AM EST
4 comments
In early 2007, when then-DC GM Jim Bowden signed right fielder Austin Kearns to a 3-year/$17.5 million dollar deal with a $10 million dollar club option for a fourth year or a $1 million dollar buyout, Kearns told Washington Post writer Barry Svrluga, as quoted in an 2/2/07 article entitled, "Kearns to Have an Extended Stay With Nats", that he decided to sign an extension to stay in the nation's capital because he liked the direction the team was headed:
"'I got to see how close this is to getting it to where they want it to go,' Kearns said at an afternoon news conference at the downtown offices of the Lerner family, which owns the Nationals. 'I really do think it's closer than what people expect because I think there's a lot of pieces of the puzzle that are already here on the field, and pieces that are here off the field. It excited me.'"
(cont.)...
4 comments | 0 recs |
Stephen Strasburg Pulled From Saturday's AFL Rising Stars Game Acc. To Washington Times.
by Ed Chigliak on Nov 6, 2009 2:34 PM EST
10 comments
Washington Times' writer Ben Goessling just put up a brief Chatter post entitled. "Strasburg scratched from Rising Stars Game", wherein Mr. Goessling reports that the Washington Nationals' '09 No. 1 overall pick, pitcher Stephen Strasburg will not be participating in Saturday night's Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game, having been pulled with what the Nationals described as a "strained neck muscle", but Mr. Goessling notes that, "The scratch is just a precaution and Strasburg is day to day," so no reason to panic...plus it just means the DC Faithful will have to watch until the ninth when the Next Flat-Brimmed Closer Drew Storen is called upon to do his thing...
(ed. note - "If you didn't catch it this week, Washington Post writer Tracee Hamilton talked to an anonymous AL Scout who gave the Post writer a quick scouting report on all of the Nationals' prospects currently playing in the AFL for an article entitled, "A Scout's Take on the Desert Dog Nats", in which the scout gave his/her take on the Nationals' second '09 1st Round pick:
"'He threw very well. He commanded his pitches; he's got two solid average-to-plus pitches. He's a two-pitch guy. He's going to be a set-up guy with a great chance of being there [in the majors] this year. He's very aggressive; he attacked the hitters: 'Here it is, here's my best, I'm coming after you. If you hit it, then you won the battle.'"
The AFL Rising Stars Game is going to be on the MLB Network at 8:15 pm EST Saturday night if you didn't already know, and we'll definitely be watching here in spite of the Strasburg news, so check back for the GameThread...")
10 comments | 0 recs |
Ryan Zimmerman Fielding Bible Awardee 2009
by VA SLIM on Nov 6, 2009 2:07 PM EST
13 comments
Did you guys see the latest accolade given to Ryan Zimmerman on account of his 2009 season in the field? Bill James 2009 Fielding Bible award for all of MLB--makes me think his chances are even greater of winning the NL Gold Glove. The other winners--Pujols, Aaron Hill, Jack Wilson, Carl Crawford, Franklin Guitierez, Ichiro, Yadier Molina and Mark Buerhle. Congratulations to Ryan.
I will be shocked now if he doesn't get the NL Gold Glove!
(ed. note - "In case you didn't see this in the comments section, VA Slim also points out that Ryan Zimmerman is up for the This Year in Baseball Fielding Awards writing:
"...perhaps a fielding bible and being the best ‘this year in baseball’ in fielding(or up in the top 3) would make him a lock? It’s an accomplishment just to be in the final 10 or so that mlb nominated."
The 2009 Web Gem Award, the 2009 Fielding Bible Award, the TYIB Fielding Award...Next Stop Gold Glove, c'mon DC Faithful, let's get another VOTE FOR ZIM rally going!!! We all know how skilled he is in the gloved arts, let's make sure all of baseball recognizes...Thanks, for the heads up, VA.")
• This Year In Baseball Fielding Award -- VOTE FOR ZIM HERE!!!
13 comments | 1 recs
Jim Riggleman Alone Amongst Candidates For Next Washington Nationals' Skipper?
by Ed Chigliak on Nov 5, 2009 5:15 AM EST
74 comments
Former DC GM Jim Bowden thinks Jim Riggleman is the man for the full-time Manager’s job in DC. Washington Times’ writers Ben Goessling and Mark Zuckerman said it was going to be Riggleman yesterday and MASN Sports.com’s Byron Kerr quotes Mr. Riggleman himself saying that a decision should be made any day now, now that the World Series is over...Will the Washington Nationals finally name their next full-time manager?
74 comments | 0 recs |
FB: World Series Deciding-?-GameThread...
by Ed Chigliak on Nov 4, 2009 7:34 PM EST
533 comments
533 comments | 0 recs
Washington Nationals: Fall Update - Aaron Crow, Don Mattingly Says No...
by Ed Chigliak on Nov 4, 2009 3:12 AM EST
28 comments
Strange now to think of what could have been had Aaron Crow agreed to sign with the Washington Nationals after they selected the right-hander out of Topeka, Kansas and the University of Missouri with the 9th overall pick in the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Crow didn’t come with anywhere near the hype that accompanied ‘09 No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg, nor had he earned the distinction of being the top prospect in the draft that year, though he was the second pitcher taken, and was recognized as the best right-hander available in his draft class. It’s pointless to wonder whether or not DC GM Mike Rizzo would have been able to get Crow signed since it was former DC GM Jim Bowden negotiationg with Crow then, and I’m sure most DC fans are more than happy to have right-handed reliever Drew Storen (the comp pick for Crow) in the system instead, but there’s no denying Crow's talent, which was on display this afternoon in an AFL game between Crow's Surprise Rafters and Storen and Strasburg's Phoenix Desert Dogs...
28 comments | 0 recs |
Stephenom! Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg Hits Triple Digits In Arizona.
by Ed Chigliak on Nov 3, 2009 10:15 AM EST
76 comments
Strasburg LIVE in Surprise, Arizona...
At the end of a long strip mall, palm tree and box car lined stretch of Arizona asphalt, tucked away behind shopping centers, restaurants and car washes galore is the only lush green grass to be seen for miles around, on the field at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. Stephen Strasburg made his fourth AFL start there Monday afternoon in front of 400-500 fans, scouts and even one MLB team President, or as one local fan described it to me, "More people than I've ever seen at one of these games." "Why are there so many people here?" a nearby fan asked as he overheard our conversation, "That's why," the local gentlemen said, pointing to the triple-digit speed readings flashing on the scoreboard, "People still get excited about seeing someone throw over 100 mph."
(cont.)...
76 comments | 0 recs |
2010 Rotation Candidates - In House Options
by bluelineswinger on Nov 3, 2009 1:42 AM EST
22 comments
Last week, we went with a Fanpost about some of the options that the Nats could or should take a serious look at when Free Agency gets going full swing. While I love the fact that it created plenty of discussion, a few steps were left off the pages as I jumped to the conclusions about the Nats' needs. A couple of users pointed out my omissions of pretty much every starter on the current roster except for John Lannan, Ross Detwiler, and the injury-riddled Scott Olsen. This was certainly a fair point, so for my first official article (well.... likely a series over the next couple of weeks, moving to the bullpen and position players), I'm going to take a look at the options that the Nats already have in house.
Despite getting just a combined 33 starts (all from John Lannan) from their primary pitchers they started in 2008, the 2009 Nats actually matched their 2008 starters' ERA exactly (4.97). Neither group was in the top two-thirds of the league (2008 saw them finish 23rd... 2009, 27th), but considering that 26-year-old starters J.D. Martin and Garrett Mock were the two elder statesmen among the eight starters who made ten starts or more, there's some room for optimism going forward. The only starter with a consistent enough (or long enough, to be honest) track record for the Nats to know he'll be dependable in 2010 is Lannan, but there are plenty of guys with a shot to take a step forward in 2010.
I'll give some more in-depth insights, as well as ordering the candidates and their expected 2010 performance after the jump...
22 comments | 0 recs |
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NL East Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Philadelphia
|
93 | 69 | .574 | 0 | Lost 1 |
|
Florida
|
87 | 75 | .537 | 6 | Lost 1 |
|
Atlanta
|
86 | 76 | .530 | 7 | Lost 6 |
|
New York
|
70 | 92 | .432 | 23 | Won 3 |
|
Washington
|
59 | 103 | .364 | 34 | Won 7 |
(updated 11.7.2009 at 5:47 AM EST)
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
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by Ed Chigliak 2 days ago
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Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg: LIVE AFL REPORT!!!
by Ed Chigliak 4 days ago
185 comments | 0 recs
Stephenom! Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg Hits Triple Digits In Arizona.
by Ed Chigliak 3 days ago
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Jim Riggleman Alone Amongst Candidates For Next Washington Nationals' Skipper?
by Ed Chigliak 2 days ago
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Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi On The Washington Nationals. + AFL Update.
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