Nationals Daily Evolutions 2/4/11
by David Huzzard on Feb 4, 2011 11:01 AM EST
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PrintLongo vs. Zim is the closest position debate in all of baseball. They are so close in all aspects of their game that they might as well be the same person, and the CBS writers are split when it comes to selecting who is better. --William Yoder from thenatsblog.com
The Nationals sign Laynce Nix to a minor league deal. Yet another guy with the ability to play center field. Is Nyjer paying attention? --Ben Nicholson-Smith at mlbtraderumors.com
Nationals minor leaguer suspended for PEDs. The complete list that is included in the update is pretty interesting. --Dave Nichols at natsnewsnetwork.com
Depth can turn to need quickly and while it appears the Nationals have a lot of catchers, Pudge is old, Ramos is unproven, Flores is injury prone, and Norris is a year or two away. Shopping Flores might not be the best idea. If Pudge is washed-up and Ramos proves to be a bust then who's the catcher if Flores is gone? --Mike Henderson at nationalsdailynews.com
The Nationals defense looks to be better in 2011, but one troubling bit of news is that players typically peak defensively before they do offensively. --Rob Neyer from sbnation.com
The Potomac Nationals have a new hitting coach, Mark Harris, and his philosophy is to judge each player as an individual. The best thing about that is it sounds a lot like Rick Eckstein. --Byron Kerr from masnsports.com
Even more player projections came out yesterday. --David Appelman at fangraphs.com
The 2011 draft is strong in college pitching and the Nationals like college pitching and also have three of the top 40 picks. --Ben Goessling from masnsports.com
The White Sox sign Lastings Milledge. --Andrew Johnson from fanhouse.com
General Baseball
One of the best things about owning an X-Box 360 is off-season baseball, and I have to say I am cheering for the D.R. to win it all, and the fact that their manager is a former undercover cop doesn't hurt in that regard. --Jesse Sanchez at mlb.com
After 1994 who would have thought that MLB labor negotiations would be a model of efficiency. --Jeff Passan from yahoosports.com
Andy Pettitte is retiring, and now the Hall of Fame debate can begin. --Rob Neyer at sbnation.com
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I looked at some of them. That starting pitching still isn’t expected to be great although Marcels projects Livan to have a lower ERA than Bill James, but what the Nationals really want to see happen is for Ramos and Espinos to produce and all projections have that happenning as well as Desmond geting on base better and hitting with more power and Morgan bouncing back to not terrible.
by David Huzzard on Feb 4, 2011 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
Marcels projects Espi to last only half a season, Zimm to pitch less than 90 innings
That would be fail.
I don’t pay much attention to the games played or IP numbers. Those are very much rooted in last seasons numbers. It is impossible to project an injury so I don’t understand how they can.
by David Huzzard on Feb 4, 2011 12:25 PM EST up reply actions
Where do you guys feel Nix fits into the big picture?
This kind of move makes the Maxwell DFA make even more sense. A better guy to take a flyer on in spring training. How does he make the roster, though? Seems to me we’re running out of guys who might make it in the outfield and not but so many with options. Wonder if this means that Bernie could be in a little trouble with all of the other lefties on the roster who could make the squad as the platoon partner for Morse.
John Carlson: A real American hero taking names and settling scores.
Souldrummer: A regular guy trying to join Adam Dunn, Jordan Zimmermann, and Garrett Mock as one of RobBobS' guys.
I think Nix is more insurance against Ankiel showing up and looking like he won't contribute.
also, Nix has been willing inthe past to sit in AAA and wait for an opportunity, whereas Ankiel would likely be resistant to that idea, IMO.
Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com
"Nobody’s got a monopoly on good writing, or the facts. If you can come up with one or the other or (ideally) both, you’re in the club." --Rob Neyer, Feb. 2, 2011
by Dave at District Sports Page on Feb 4, 2011 1:03 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe if Bernie loses the LF position battle in the spring, he could be dropped in AAA, freeing a spot on the bench for someone like Nix.
Hmmm.
This guy looks better than Bernie on pure stats. Seems to me that he’s not a position where he should have to go to AAA at this point. 2.0WAR, 1.7WAR the last two years. 1.7WAR was in far fewer plate attempts. Anybody with Reds connections got a feel for Nix?
John Carlson: A real American hero taking names and settling scores.
Souldrummer: A regular guy trying to join Adam Dunn, Jordan Zimmermann, and Garrett Mock as one of RobBobS' guys.
He had great numbers in 2010, but they are uncharacteristically high for him. Can he repeat? Short answer – probably not. His BABIP in 2010 was .361, which is unsustainable.
Gotcha.
.361 BABIP plus Great American Smallpark suggests regression imminent.
John Carlson: A real American hero taking names and settling scores.
Souldrummer: A regular guy trying to join Adam Dunn, Jordan Zimmermann, and Garrett Mock as one of RobBobS' guys.
the message this year is
very few positions are guaranteed.
Certainly
That’s a good thing for sure. Spring training will be interesting. Nix seems like he’s somebody who drastically reduces Matt Stairs chances of making the squad. Not bad as a pinch hitter last year in 64PA, .259/.317/.362/.680 as pinch hitter.
Biggest thing seems to be that he has really extreme platoon splits. Career OPS of .521 against lefties, .738 against righties. Most of his WAR is defensive. Seems to me that he’s somebody who would possibly fit into the left handed part of a platoon with Morse just as well as Bernadina if they choose to go that direction. Makes the outfield situation muddier for sure. It will be interesting to see where Hairston plays around the diamond as well.
John Carlson: A real American hero taking names and settling scores.
Souldrummer: A regular guy trying to join Adam Dunn, Jordan Zimmermann, and Garrett Mock as one of RobBobS' guys.
Sad? Or not?
The Nats seem to be Lords of The All Minor League Contract today.
Such past, present, and future stalwarts as Adam Kennedy, Felipe Lopez, Lastings Milledge, Josh Bard, Willie Harris, J.D. Martin, and Chad Guadin.
7 out of 25. Truly impressive. Or horrifying?
John Carlson: A real American hero taking names and settling scores.
Souldrummer: A regular guy trying to join Adam Dunn, Jordan Zimmermann, and Garrett Mock as one of RobBobS' guys.
Seeing as most of them aren’t on the team anymore it tells us more about the past than the present and future.
by David Huzzard on Feb 4, 2011 2:56 PM EST up reply actions
I left out Laynce Nix.
Friggin’ lack of proofreading! Laynce Nix and Chad Guadin, two of the 7 will be invited to spring trianing. Adam Kennedy, Willie Harris, and JD Martin were on last year’s team and Josh Bard and Lastings Milledge are from Ole Leatherpants.
John Carlson: A real American hero taking names and settling scores.
Souldrummer: A regular guy trying to join Adam Dunn, Jordan Zimmermann, and Garrett Mock as one of RobBobS' guys.
NationalsPR on Twitter:
@NationalsPR: “Nationals agree to terms w/ RHP J.D. Martin, LHP Matt Chico, C Carlos Maldonado & 1B Kevin Barker on minor-league deals w/ ST invites.”
@Nationals PR: “Also, Nationals extend Spring Training invitations to RHP Josh Wilkie and catchers Derek Norris and Jhonatan Solano.”
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Feb 4, 2011 3:26 PM EST reply actions
NPUT
That last comment by Patrick has a new post all of its very own!
John Carlson: A real American hero taking names and settling scores.
Souldrummer: A regular guy trying to join Adam Dunn, Jordan Zimmermann, and Garrett Mock as one of RobBobS' guys.
Lastings Milledge pulling minor league contracts now huh. I want Ryan Church and Brian Schneider back.
Why not us? Why not now?
by Expos4 on Feb 4, 2011 4:20 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Zimmerman>Longoria
I may be a little biased…
but seriously, Zimm is the best defensive third baseman in baseball, is clutch, has a little more power than Longoria without the strikeouts and has a much better hit average.
Skins rule
It's really too close to call
and that’s good enough for me. Suffice to say that Zim is among the elite, and has a good argument as the best 3b around today, but it’s not a rock-solid argument. I personally love his flair for drama, but I also cringe at some of his lazy sidearm tosses that an army of LaRoche’s could not convert into outs. He’s got some of the best hands I’ve seen out there, but he tends to be slumpy/streaky at the plate. He’s got fair but not extraordinary baseball instincts, and not much more than a competent baserunner.
Rob
"Valentines day is really the day pitchers and catchers report, and those are truly words of love.." -- David Huzzard
if he could learn to hit in April and June, he's be a perennial MVP candidate
just take a look at his career monthly splits here.
Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com
"Nobody’s got a monopoly on good writing, or the facts. If you can come up with one or the other or (ideally) both, you’re in the club." --Rob Neyer, Feb. 2, 2011
by Dave at District Sports Page on Feb 4, 2011 4:59 PM EST up reply actions
June seems to usually be the month he does his darnedest to take himself out of allstar contention
OTLs are worthless in the playoffs
by TJL on Feb 4, 2011 6:03 PM EST up reply actions
Pudge=GONZO
Most teams would’nt have a problem trading Flores or Ramo in Juy. Because most teams would’nt be concerned with Pudge getting ABs in April and May……..People the catching posistion needs to be treated like QB in 2011. Flores or Ramos is the starter the other plays in AAA. Pudge is 2nd string……….
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