Wire Taps: Washington Nationals Weekend In Review - Gio Gonzalez Extension, Prince Fielder Chatter.
by Patrick Reddington on Jan 16, 2012 11:00 AM EST
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• We haven't done a link post in a while, simply because everyone's resting up for the Spring, meaning there hasn't been enough content to fill out a post full of Nats-related news/links every day. The Washington Nationals agreeing on an extension with Gio Gonzalez gave NatsTown some real news to discuss for the first time in a while. Other than that it's been an endless succession of Prince Fielder rumors. Will he come to Washington? Go to Texas? Settle for Seattle? Who knows? Hopefully that story wraps itself up this week. No guarantees though. This weekend we took another look at what role Stephen Lombardozzi might play this year. Here's what the rest of NatsTown was talking about this weekend...
• THE BIG STORY!!!:
• "All of this is done with a simple goal in mind: Build a franchise that not only has a chance to win right now but will continue to have a chance to win for several more years." - "Locking up the future" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com
• NATS BEAT:
• "As John Kruk famously said years ago, 'I ain't no athlete, lady, I'm a baseball player.'" - "A weighty question" - Phil Wood, MASNSports.com
• "In the 23 days since the Washington Nationals acquired left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez, his new team has welcomed him with open arms." - "Nationals, Gio Gonzalez agree on 5-year extension" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "'They mean business,' Gonzalez said about the Nationals. 'They want to win. They feel like I'm a good addition to the team...'" - "Nationals extend Gio Gonzalez's contract through 2016 season" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• "The Nationals reached their long-term deal with Gonzalez less than a month after they sent four prospects to the Oakland A’s to acquire him." - "Gio Gonzalez agrees to contract extension with Nationals through 2016" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "[Gio] Gonzalez, acquired along with a minor league pitcher for four top farm prospects, was already under team control through 2015 and this would have been his first arbitration-eligible season." - "Nationals sign Gonzalez to extension through 2016 (updated)" - Pete Kerzel, MASNSports.com
• "The extension also means the Nationals will officially have Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and [Gio] Gonzalez atop their rotation and under team control through the 2015 season." - "Nationals agree to contract extension with Gio Gonzalez through 2016" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "An industry source believes that the Nationals want to give Fielder a six- or seven-year deal. The length of the contract was also a problem when the Nationals were trying to sign left-hander Mark Buehrle." - "Nationals still in running to land free-agent Prince Fielder" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• "The Rangers and Marlins seem to be the biggest competition for Fielder's services at this point, but neither may be in on the slugger for the long haul." - "Nationals, Fielder still talking about deal" - Pete Kerzel, MASNSports.com
• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama): "The key to human happiness lies within our own state of mind, and so too do the primary obstacles to that happiness."
• NATS MINOR/WINTER LEAGUES:
• "Tony Beasley, who guided the Double-A Harrisburg Senators in 2011, takes over the reins as manager of the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs for 2012..." - "Beasley ready for unique challenge as Triple-A skipper" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com
• Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional: Aragua 5, Caribes 3 - Wilson Ramos (ARA) - 2 for 4, 1 R - Box Score.
• Liga de Beisbol Dominicano: Aguilas 3, Escogido 2 - Yoenis Cespedes (AGU) - 0 for 4 - Box Score.
• Liga de Beisbol Dominicano: Licey 3, Gigantes 2 - Jhonatan Solano (LIC) - 1 for 2, 1 RBI - Box Score.
• "Nine Minor-Leaguers Released" - NationalsProspects.com
• NATSTOWN:
• "If the Nationals end up holding on to Gonzalez through the 7-years that this contract would run, it would take Gio from his age 26 season through to his age 32 season..." - "Nat-Gio Extended Edition" - Mac, Capitol Baseball
• "There’s a perception that in 2012 the Nats are finally going to field a competitive team and that if they can sign Prince Fielder, they’ll be real contenders." - "On the cusp" - Nat Anacostia, Nats Noodles
• "It’s more than reasonable to argue that Scott Boras would rather have Ryan Zimmerman in the lineup than not have him there, despite the fact that his agent works for a rival agency." - "Why Boras Doesn't Want To Chase Ryan Zimmerman Out Of Town" - Joe Drugan, The Nats Blog
• "Ross Detwiler has been one of the more curious cases for the Nats pitching staff in recent years." - "Nats 2011 Grades: Ross Detwiler" - Keara Dowd, Win For Teddy
• NL EAST UPDATES:
• Mets: "R.A. Dickey has reached the crest of Mt. Kilimanjaro: We had done it! We gave hugs and high-fives..." - Eric Simon, Amazin' Avenue
• Phillies: "After the 2010 season, when the Phillies and former first base coach Davey Lopes couldn’t agree on a salary, I asked the question, 'How do you replace Davey Lopes?'" - "Bringing Back the Running Game" - Bill Baer, Crashburn Alley
• Marlins: "Hoping to attend games at the new Miami Marlins stadium in Little Havana, but would rather not drive to avoid traffic logjams?" - "Transit plans stalled to ease traffic flow to new Miami Marlins ballpark" - Charles Rabin and Andres Viglucci, MiamiHerald.com
• Braves: "These two most recent seasons -- by the Braves' Freddie Freeman and the Royals' Eric Hosmer -- are significant and notable for more than just the rare level of performance at such a young age..." - "Freddie Freeman and Eric Hosmer enjoy historic 'first' seasons" - Roger Schlueter, braves.com: News
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The Nats have taken quite the gamble with Gio
With the prospects they traded, and the years they gave him in the extension, they have made an incredible commitment to the kid. More so than any other player in the organization. It’s bold, and I sure as heck hope it works.
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
I think its a club friendly contract for the most part
especially with the options at the end.
You guys. You lollygag the ball around the infield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. You know what that makes you? Larry!
though
all long-term contracts carry substantial risk. for a man who has trouble with BB’s, it makes me nervous.
You guys. You lollygag the ball around the infield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. You know what that makes you? Larry!
Only three more days to Princemas!
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
Kruk was out by 34
You guys. You lollygag the ball around the infield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. You know what that makes you? Larry!
Kruk was also a smoker.
Even the year he helped the Philthies to get within a game of a WS title, weren’t he and Pete Incaviglia regularly seen smoking in the dugout?
bitd every body smoked
Joe DiMaggio burned a Chesterfield between every inning – washed down with halfa cuppa mud, black. Every inning.
Kruk had far more serious problems than his lard-butt conditioning – like how In pre-expansion days, he wudda never made it outa’ the bushes.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
So...
I beliiieeve that makes Cespedes 1 for 15 with an HBP, and the one hit being an infield hit. I could be missing some ABs though
sounds like he's ready for the big leagues.. a bench job, perhaps
though it’s possible he’s just trying to emulate Harper and his slow starts..
But is playing "gritty"?
That’s the real question, right Joe Morgan?
by William.Hatheway on Jan 16, 2012 2:44 PM EST up reply actions
federalbaseball:
RT @NationalsPR: #Nationals agree to terms with C Jesus Flores on a one-year contract, this avoiding salary arbitration. @JesusFloresN26
acomak:
According to MLBTraderumors, Flores and the #nats agreed to an $815,000 salary for 2012, a $75,000 raise for the catcher.
I'm a big fan of Jesus Flores, but...
I’m not sure he really earned a raise. Then again, I expect it’s impossible for him to have gotten much less, right?
Damn, it's quiet out there...
Too quiet. I don’t like it.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
Where in the world is Prince Fielder?
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 Jan 16, 2012 8:10 PM EST up reply actions
That's a known unknown
It’s the unknown unknowns that worry me
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
I know I'm sicka' hearing about hizzass
Apart from that, pretty clear ol’ Nolan is playing Fat Albert like a hold card against the lezzie look-alike from Japan – and not much do I care’f he does.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
So, just out of curiosity, what does a "lezzie" look like?
I have a fair number of friends of all sorts of persuasions, and I couldn’t figure any look that would automatically identify as “lezzie.” Certainly Darvish doesn’t. I’d be happy to see him pitch in Nats Town, though not for the price the Rangers are likely to pay
by d_c_guy on Jan 16, 2012 11:33 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I have a fair number of friends of all sorts of persuasions
Even Red Sox fans???
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
Yes, even Red Sox fans
When, on the heels of the 2003 ALCS the Yankees completely pounded the Red Sox to take a 3-0 lead in the 2004 ALCS, a friend of mine of that persuasion openly despaired. I gave him this long, impassioned pep talk (as long as you have outs you have hope! That’s what makes baseball the greatest team sport! Never Give Up! Never Surrender! etc). He recovered, and unfortunately for me and the Yankees so did the Red Sox.
On the bright side, because of my pep talk Neil always gives me a free pass on abuse for that collapse by the Yankees.
Sorry, bad answer. Far as I know, there are no known knowns known
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
guys
Chances we get Prince is lookin good..Rangers unlikey to sign both If Yu gets signed which is supposedly near a done deal and wont be done till 2 hrs before deadline..all signs point *crossing fingers of Fielder comin here..he’s lost a lot of weight and hes said on a report can’t remember where that he’d like to play here and fits here..so let’s see..
by Sportzxpert on Jan 17, 2012 12:11 AM EST via Android app reply actions
Boras is going to keep this playing out for a couple more weeks, at least
Right now, he’s got 5 teams lined up (CHC, SEA, TEX, TOR, WSH). If Ryan gets the Darvish deal done, TEX might fall out as a potential suitor. Boras will then start playing the remaining teams against one another to get the max deal in years. I just hope Rizzo & the Lerners stay firm with a sane offer (5 years, $125M); Let somebody like TOR go nuts with a 7-8 year offer.
"Things are going great, and they're only gettin' better..." Timbuk3
No, it's Thursday.
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
Two days...
“…and a wakeup” (whatever-the-heck that means).
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
T'was the night before Princemas
and all through the hizzou;
Not a creature was stirring,
not even Mike Rizzou.
The line-up was posted,
though “Cleanup” spot was bare;
In hopes that Mark Lerner
soon would take care.
The Nats fans were nestled
all snug in their beds;
While visions of playoffs
danced in their heads.
And Redd’ton in his fedora,
me: Curly-Dub cap;
Had just settled down
for a long winter’s nap.
Then the bedside IPhone,
it buzzed and it glittered;
I sprang from my bed
to see what had been Twittered
Away to the computer
In naught but my trouser’
Threw open the Windows®
And started the browser
The laptop it churned
to start Google Chrome;
To Fed’ral Baseball it went
My internet home.
When what to my surprise
on the monitor glass;
The first news read of
a deal with Boras.
More rapid than Bixlers
the news reports came;
I shouted in glee as I
called them by name!
Now Olney! Now Ladson!
Now Bowden and Hudak!
Kilgore, Zuckerman!
Kerzel, Chigliak!
To the top of Fed Baseball,
to the top of Twitter Trends!
The news that Prince Fielder,
And the Nats became ‘Friends’!
…
…
You can guess how the rest goes.
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
by RobBobS on Jan 17, 2012 12:55 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
If I only had more recs to give...
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 Jan 17, 2012 1:17 PM EST up reply actions
I see what you did with glass and Boras.
Nice.
If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!
You would be surprised how few sports writers
have names that rhyme with “Chigliak”. :-)
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
Actually, no, I don't think I would be surprised. LOL
If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!
I believe you are correct sir: sanity will prevail
There’ll-Never-Be-Another-Yu signs with TX, and Bora$$ has lost his leverage.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
I would be
Happy with Prince signing 6-7 years here with opt out at the 7th year sluggin in grand slams for us and hrs left and right giving our O a much needed support with our stud pitchers..he will score a lot of runs for us and we can surprise everyone by beatin the Phillies in the Nl east championship!
by Sportzxpert on Jan 17, 2012 12:05 PM EST via Android app reply actions 1 recs
He's 27 and he'll be good for five more years, at most - after that, expensive dead weight (and lots of it)
Sorry to bust yer bubble – nah, check that, I ain’t sorry. That’s just the way it is – and will always be – with big fat guys like him.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
If he takes the Nats to the World Series in 2012
and wins himself an MVP, he can be as dead-weighty as he wants in 2017.
Rob
--"Well my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." -- Mal Reynolds
...long as he's somewhere else by 2017 - make that 2015
Let’s not slit our throats for the sake of 2012. Get real: Mr. Bora$$ is peddling an unusually perishable commodity, and we must recognize that.
"I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious." - Charles Shackelford
I think that the entire league recognized that
Much to Mr. Boras’s likely frustration so far. Which is why the Nats may well be able to sign him to a “reasonable” deal. Or at least as reasonable as baseball deals get. According to a statistical breakdown on fangraphs, a team signing Fielder may well expect to get approximately $128.5 million of “value” (as measured by the cost of obtaining the equivalent in WAR) in the first five years of a contract.
Even as our heavy player’s likely production drops off more quickly after the age of 32, the player still produces 3.1 WAR at age 33, a “value” of $19.78 million. This brings the total value produced to $148.36 million over six years. So signing Fielder to a contract of six years, $150 million would actually be quite close to the value that a team could expect to receive from such a player. Of course, figuring out whether Fielder is an outlier in one direction or another is the hard part.
Beyond 33, things start getting grim for the average “heavy” player. Which is why I’m glad that the Nationals seem to be holding firm on their stance with Fielder. If Boras suckers someone into paying more, let him go. If the market comes back to the Nationals at, say, 6/$150 (enabling Boras to beat the AAV of Pujols) … sign him up!
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