Nationals Daily Evolutions 11/30/10

by David Huzzard on Nov 30, 2010 11:01 AM EST

This off-season so far has been nothing if not frustrating. I myself and frustrated by people's willful ignorance of the starting pitcher market. People complain and complain about how the Nationals have done nothing, they demand they spend money to sign an Ace without once checking to see who is out there, and then complain when the Nationals are linked to one of the pitchers available.

So for me it is good to see that there are other people out there that feel my frustration, and I would just like to point out De la Rosa had a 5.02 career ERA and has never pitched 200 innings and would have cost a draft pick. --Dave Nichols at natsnewsnetwork.com

Now a little bit of good news as Strasburg was named to the Topps all-rookie team. --Bill Ladson at nationals.com

2011's motto should be Waiting for Strasburg, because looking at this list of remaining free agents and who the Nationals can sign I really only see discontent. --Mark Zuckerman from natsinsider.com

It is always interesting when we as Nats fans reach this level of frustration and then see some outsider come on-board and say the reason they did it is because the organization is headed in the right direction.Bob Schaefer is the newest special assistant to Mike Rizzo. --Adam Kilgore from washingtonpost.com

Vazquez is a guy that can give a team a lot of innings, but he is going to have to do it without his fastball. --Dave Cameron at fangraphs.com

Here is some news for you, Adam Dunn might not care that much about playing first and just wants the most years and money. --Jon Paul Morosi via Twitter

Interested in talking to fellow frustrated Nats fans and drowning your sorrows in some happy hour specials? Or maybe you just want to chat with the nice Mr. Goessling (it is awesome how open and willing to talk with fans he is)? I am going to do my best to be there. This will probably scare some people away. Sorry Ben. Friday, 6:15 PM, Front Page D.C. --Ben Goessling from masnsports.com

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Comments

If Alomar's a first timer,

then so is Barry Larkin.

Rob

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." -- Rogers Hornsby

by RobBobS on Nov 30, 2010 11:38 AM EST reply actions

Alomar was eligible last year and barely missed.

by David Huzzard on Nov 30, 2010 12:53 PM EST up reply actions

I think the general frustration at not signing de la Rosa

isn’t so much that they didn’t sign him, it’s that they were unable to even generate interest from someone as uninteresting as de la Rosa. That speaks pretty poorly for the Nats’ situation.

As far as the sour-grapes sounding “we didn’t want him anyway” thoughts, I think it’s important to note that while his career average is not great, his last three years in Colorado were not terrible. 4.49 ERA, with strikeout stuff but obvious control problems.

Rob

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." -- Rogers Hornsby

by RobBobS on Nov 30, 2010 11:47 AM EST reply actions

I would have taken him for the money he signed at, but we don’t know what the Nats offered and I think he could have gotten more money and a longer deal if he waited until Lee signed. I think it boils down to he wanted to stay where he was at.

by David Huzzard on Nov 30, 2010 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

my thoughts too

I just figured he wanted to stay where he was.

Ian Desmond is my hero!

by Mezza on Nov 30, 2010 4:58 PM EST up reply actions

de la Rosa reportedly was offered at least one 4-year deal and he declined to stay put

Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com

by Dave at District Sports Page on Nov 30, 2010 5:16 PM EST up reply actions

All the more reason to chin-up and cross fingers that the current roster outperforms projections

Not all of the everyday starters are going to and some will be worse than last year. I would rather watch a group of players exercise good teamwork and sportsmanship while having net improvement than to see the fo derail the process to chase a playoff run that’s not going to happen. Winning more close games being above 500 for a while is more important to me than losing in the division series and 100 loss seasons for a decade thereafter

May the way of the hero lead to the Triforce

by TJL on Nov 30, 2010 11:53 AM EST reply actions

This Star Wars fan finds this awesome.

All this talk of Dunn being convinced to DH just has me imagining Emperor Palpatine standing next to Dunn and telling him to unleash his true power, to feel the anger and hate.

Pure win.

by Blicks on Nov 30, 2010 12:07 PM EST reply actions

thanks, as always, for the link

Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com

by Dave at District Sports Page on Nov 30, 2010 4:47 PM EST reply actions

Obviously Ms. Milano has no appreciation...

for the great flyball lefty pitcher Ted Lilly. Tsk, tsk.

"Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"--The Brain

by brook on Nov 30, 2010 5:24 PM EST reply actions

Very Well Stated David.....

It is very frustrating to listen to fans complain about the Nats ownership being cheap, and saying they never sign anyone. I have even challenged some of those folks, asking them specifically WHO the Nats “should” have signed, but either refused or failed to sign. Obviously, I never get a response. Some have even admitted that they could not name anyone, but never change their stance. Just as you said, fans complain when we do not sign anyone, but they also downgrade EVERY realistic free agent available, and complain and poke fun at those who are acquired. I think the franchise, and realistic fans realize, that the top blue chip players will not come to DC until this franchise becomes a legitimate contender. . I was happy to read your thoughts…..they were realistically refreshing.

by sullyzz on Nov 30, 2010 9:21 PM EST reply actions