Pudge Falling Apart: A Federal Baseball Poll

by Dave at District Sports Page on Jul 21, 2010 1:38 PM EDT

Since peaking on April 22 at .449, over his last 52 games Pudge Rodriguez is hitting .235/.260/.306.

Is his defense and "veteran leadership" worth having another black hole in the batting order?

Poll

Does Pudge's defense ourweigh his "black hole" offense enough to keep him in the lineup in your mind?

Yes, you can never have too much "Veteran Leadership"

50 votes

Heck no, hurry up and get here Derek Norris!

11 votes

61 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 13 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

In part because I like the way he suppresses the running game and handles the staff, in part because just like I didn’t think that he was a .400 hitter I don’t really think he’s a .200 hitter either, and in part because the team doesn’t really have any alternatives. If they had an alternative Nieves wouldn’t be on the squad.

Don’t rush Norris to the majors ahead of his time. Let Pudge break in the newbies on the mound instead.

by d_c_guy on Jul 21, 2010 1:46 PM EDT reply actions

wasn't seriously suggesting Norris as an option.

that was kinda tongue-in-cheek.

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

by Dave at District Sports Page on Jul 21, 2010 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I think a still better than Nieves option should be added.

by David Huzzard on Jul 21, 2010 2:23 PM EDT reply actions

I think Jesus Flores is still injured because of a medical miscommunication or a bad diagnosis.

There’s no way he should have been out this long with his injury. I really counted on Flores in the lineup this season.

by RoscoeNats on Jul 21, 2010 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Not sure Flores will ever be healthy

they really had a difficult time with the diagnosis and he’s proven to be a slow healer anyway. it’s a shame, he could have been good. i’ll be real surprised if he plays at all this year.

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

by Dave at District Sports Page on Jul 21, 2010 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm prepared to give Storen number 26 since Flores won't be needing it anymore.

(hoping this jinxes Flores healthy)

by RoscoeNats on Jul 21, 2010 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I hope that Flores plays again!

But at this point, I’ll also hope that your jinx makes him healthy. But as Dave would say, “There is no such thing as a jinx.”

Eternal Opimist married to "Mr. Gloom and Doom."

by cnichols14 on Jul 21, 2010 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Jinxes exist...and I almost apologized to Bobby Cox for jinxing the Braves out of a World Series in the 90s.

by RoscoeNats on Jul 23, 2010 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Certainly the best available option for the moment.

Clearly catcher is an organizational weakness and a big, big problem is Norris doesn’t pan out defensively. You wish that there was something better available, but I can live with him a 7th or 8th hitter. Riggleman needs to move him out of the 6th hole pronto, though. It’s not the low average and lack of power that bothers me. It’s the double plays with him hitting all those ground balls behind OBP man Willingham.

On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.

by souldrummer on Jul 21, 2010 3:42 PM EDT reply actions

Can Bryce Harper catch?

Rob

"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
—Connie Mack

by RobBobS on Jul 21, 2010 4:58 PM EDT reply actions

Who is this "Bryce Harper" you speak of?

I haven’t seen his name on any roster or report of players under contract with the Nationals. ;-)

by d_c_guy on Jul 21, 2010 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Yes and NO

I think the problem is he plays TO Much during the week and Nieves is not good enough to bench Pudge enough. I personally really like Nieves glove and the way he handles pitchers, but hate his bat. He has to be among the worst hitters in the game right now. Personally I think the franchise kind of expected Flores to have caught far more of the season at this point than he has. Not sure what to do about it though.

Norris…. maybe? I really want him to play behind the plate with the MLB club because I want to see him. But, I think he would be up if the franchise thought he was anything close to ready.

"What you know is often the enemy of what you can learn" Bill James

by PhDBrian on Jul 25, 2010 9:41 PM EDT reply actions

No, not Norris.

I’m as much a fan of Norris as anyone, but he’s not making much contact yet in the Carolina League. We’ve had legions of players in this organization who rake in the Carolina League and then get crushed their first time through AA. Assuming you forgive him for the injury issues, he’s earned the right to start next year at AA and remain one of our top prospects, but I hope that we are an organization that doesn’t let MLB needs affect prospect development. You play him at AA for all of next year and use his bat and his defense to decide whether the bat/defense mix makes him a 1B or catcher. They are going to need to let Nieves go and use the offseason to determine whether they want to roll the dice with Flores or acquire another catching option via free agency or trade.

On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.

by souldrummer on Jul 25, 2010 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions