Barry,
Great piece in the dead trees, this AM. I have always wondered how much of an instructional league the AFL was, how much of an evaluation league and how much of a buildup of strength league. Now I have a better idea of where it stands in context.
As to Kory Casto, is he Robert Fick, maybe with a somewhat better bat and without the ability to catch?

Yes, great story, Barry.

In other news, the centerfield cam has an update. Woohoo!!

Part of me really, really hopes Casto gets it together. Another part of me really, really wonders why Casto is on the 40-man roster and a guy like Devin Ivany isn't.

I'm not saying Ivany is the next Piazza, any more than I want to imply that Casto's an unredeemable stiff. But the FA market isn't exactly teeming with bargain-priced catchers, so I'd hate to lose Ivany to Rule 5 and then have to cross my fingers if either Schneider or Flores goes down.

(Maybe the Nats are counting on being able to resurrect Juan Brito's career, if it comes to that? Wouldn't exactly be the first time that tactic's been tried by this team.)

Section 501 (before moving) I wasn't sure if tracked post after a new post put in by Barry so I'm copying the answer to your question here:

To: Section 501 (before moving):

I have had absolutely no problems w/ Verizon FiOS internet. You can get several different speeds from 5/2 to as high as 50/2. I have the basic 5/2 and have had no real issues w/ any download and no service interruptions.

Keep in mind this is Verizon FiOS, not Verizon DSL. Verizon will have had to run fiber to your house for you to get this service. You can go to their website and see, but sometimes you have to call as well.

Install depends on your home. If you have really old coax cable they sometimes have to replace it w/ new (I don't think there is a charge for that). My TV and Internet took about 3 hours w/ no replacement of Coax. I have their version of "Triple Play" - TV, Phone and Internet for $99/mo (before taxes and equipment). The phone service is unlimited long distance and is not VOIP, but regular phone service. The boxes for the TV are about $5 each for SD TV and 15 to 20 for HD DVRs depending on the type you get (my wife loves the multi room DVR for $20). All in all I pay about $7 less a month than I previously did for Comcast(TV/Internet) & Verizon (local phone only), but I get a ton more channels - particularly HD and more phone service.

I too do not work for Verizon, but I do recommend FiOS highly if you have the option (remember FiOS was the first to add MASN in the DC area when Comcast refused too).

"...it seems he's stuck behind a bit of a logjam everywhere."

---

So I guess he's trade bait, right (if he can get his numbers up in the last week of the AFL)?

I have already put Kory Castro in the might have been catagory (But then I am not paid to be a GM), So I have been following Mock and Maxwell. It will be interesting what Barry has to say about Maxwell--when I last looked he had gotten his average up to .200 but I had higher expectations. Any thoughts Hendo?

Good thing I'm not that Kory Castro guy. I'd hate to be a "might have been"

Like Bernie Casto too.

Looks like all the grass is installed. Doesn't look like there is much room in foul territory.

You can call me Cory, and you can call me Castro, and you can call me Korey. Just don't forget to call me (up)...

Gotta ditto HD Fan re: Verizon FiOS. This is without question the best multimedia service I've ever had. Comcast was awful for me and to me. I loved DirectTV, but there is a lot to be said for the on demand feature and the bundle pricing of phone/tv/internet. There are 2 things I wish for with FiOS. I wish they would purchase the HD package for Comcast Sports Net cause we in Silver Spring (Cloverly) don't get it, and I wish MASN offered HD. Other than that, the techs are competent, the help desk folks are competent, and all speak English. I will never diss DirectTV because they were there for the first pitch of Our Nats. Comcast, bad bad bad.

Any problems with FiOs internet? I'm seriously thinking of making a call tonight. I HATE comcast, though I wouldn't take a hammer to it.

Wouldn't be at all surprised to learn it was based in Philly...

And I'll bet you wouldn't be at all surprised to learn Aramark was based in Philly, too.

It sure tastes like it.

----

"And I'll bet you wouldn't be at all surprised to learn Aramark was based in Philly, too."

We've been very happy with FIOS Internet. The only glitch we had was that our Verizon-issued router died at one point on the Friday of a holiday weekend. I called tech support and they arranged to send a new one out immediately. I was told that it wouldn't arrive until Tuesday due to that Monday being a holiday, but it did arrive on Monday and natsfan1c (who is also my tech guru) swapped it in with no problem.

You don't get to keep the technician, though, despite what the commercial might indicate...

You're being sarcastic, right 506? Of course Comcast is based in Philly! Organized crime there is having serious staffing problems because all of their operatives went to work for Comcast! As to signings, I'd like to see the guys we've got now get to The Show. Justin Maxwell looked great, as did our young pitchers. Let's see how they do and keep that money in the Lerner's pockets. A $50 M payroll doesn't bother me at all. That's what the Marlins were paying when they beat the Yankees. And, unlike the Yankees, once that money is gone, you can't get it back. Andruw Jones and Stan are serious, but what if that .220 average is as real as Ryan Langerhans' Atlanta average? You create a logjam at center. What was Nook's OBP after he abandoned switch hitting? I don't know that we need any FA's.

Generally speaking, 506 + Philly = sarcasm, if not a truly excellent rant (in the best case scenario).

Final from Peoria Sports Complex: Javelinas 5, Rafters 3.

J-Max's performance, unfortunately, was one of those he'd like to have put behind him: 0-for-3 with two swinging strikeouts, and not a decent at-bat in the bunch. He did turn in a sacrifice fly in the third to score the Javs' second run.

No appearances by any other Nats farmhand. Yankee-watchers, though, might want to keep an eye on Steven White, who pitched four scoreless innings of middle relief for the Javs, giving up three hits, striking out three and walking one. After yielding a fourth-inning ground-rule double, White retired ten in a row before giving up a pair of singles through the middle and a base on balls in the seventh.

A starter for most of the season at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, White's an interesting case. His problem in Peoria seems to be that he likes to throw strikes of the variety that hitters enjoy, so his ERA is pretty unsightly. But for that, he'd be an easy candidate for the Pinstripes' staff in 2008. His AFL numbers in relief, however, are far less ghastly than those from his starts, so he may yet earn a seat in the Bronx bullpen.

Another Yankee farmhand, Javs AA first baseman Juan Miranda, made a spectacular knockdown of a Kila Kaaihue line drive in the Rafters' fifth, which he deftly flipped to White to end the inning.

Javs' manager Tony Franklin, who was run out of yesterday's game in Surprise after unsuccessfully arguing a call at third base, got a cheery welcome from the umpiring crew this afternoon. "Here comes the red ass," grinned 3B arbiter Dan Bellino as Franklin brought out the lineup card before the game. "[RF1] [RF2]. You got EJECTED?"

Nothing much seemed to bother Franklin today, though.

re: FIOS: I had pretty the same experience as natsfan1a -- the router went belly-up once, but other than that, it's been very reliable for the year or so that I've had it. I'm pleased with it (Internet and phone only; still have DirecTV).

what about david dejesus as a potential CF stopgap?

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/royals/story/353313.html

Alas, Catcher50, no Manny Burriss sighting in Scottsdale tonight. Tampa Bay up-and-comer Reid Brignac pulled the shortstop duties for the Scorpions in a 10-3 trouncing of the Peoria Saguaros.

Still worth the trip over to the East Valley. (Didn't hurt that I was going in the opposite direction of the evening rush-hour traffic on the 101.) The crowd, while small, was fairly animated, since the Scottsdale roster contains seven D-Backs prospects.

A four-run first set the pace for the Scorpions, who never looked back from there, tallying three home runs on the night and capitalizing on three Peoria errors.

The Saguaros, by the way, are managed by Dave Huppert, whom Nationals (and Expos) fans will remember from his days in the Nats/Expos organization as, among other roles, Harrisburg manager and Nats 3B coach. He's managing in the Phillies minor-league system now, and looks to have lost some weight; perhaps, as 506 might surmise, he's turning his nose up at the Philly cuisine.

FiOS internet has been fantastic so far. I bought the middle bandwidth because I have 4 other PCs in the house that are connected wirelessly. The router also coordinates data with 4 converter boxes for the TVs. That's a lot of data to sort through and that ActionTec router works great (knock on wood). I switched from Comcast to DirectTV initially since the Comcast signal from the street to my house was so pretty weak. Get this! Comcast told me my house was too far away from the junction box! I told them that I'd have to work on moving the house.

At the end of '05, I thought it was pretty neat that Zim moved up to the bigs. In May he was playing for UVA. In September he was a major leaguer. Whatever Boden saw in Zimmerman to put him on the fast track to DC has to hold true for J-Max. Maxwell scorched the minors last year. I have to believe that if he were given the starting job in CF, he wouldn't let us down. The more major league at bats he gets the better he gets imo.

Career averages (based on 162 games):

DeJesus: .282/.358/.415 10HR 67RBI 36 2Bs

Church: .271/.348/.462 16HR 71RBI 35 2Bs

In other words, not worth giving anything up for DeJesus.

Great story on the turf in today's Metro section. I liked the Rollie Fingers allusion.

I've been following Manny Burriss since his days in high school. He has Willy Taveras type speed, the type that can disrupt defenses. He will be a slightly above average MLB SS who might even move to CF. He has the arm strength. To be a productive MLB hitter, he will have to cut down on his K's. Any ball he puts in play on the ground to the left side of the infield is a potential hit. His SLG will always be low. He's the type of guy who could go 1000 ABs without hitting a HR.

On a side note, he has the personality and charisma to be an instant endorsement star - that is if his on field production gets him that level. In addition, despite the fact he grew up in DC, he is fluent in Spanish making him very popular in the clubhouse with players from different backgrounds.

Off topic comment: Did anyone read Ladson's column about the Nats being interested in Andruw Jones? To me, it seemed like pure fiction to fit Ladson's opinion (his m.o.). Ladson discusses the 'interest' like it is fact, but there seemed to be no evidence of it at all once you read the article. The only evidence that Ladson had was the now old story that Barry broke that Kasten had visited Jones last weekend.

Anyone else have a take on that story?

Agreed, Ray, the Ladson story on the Nats' "interest" in Jones is a bit, um, fluffy.

Even granting that it's Ladson's duty to stoke the hot stove, I'm not sure I understand what purpose is served by asserting "The Nationals would like free agent Andruw Jones to be their center fielder in 2008" and then failing to back up the assertion with anything of substance.

One hopes that Stan is keeping an eye on this Journal, whose contributors' speculations and advice have been, if nothing else, somewhat more usefully creative than some of Ladson's stuff.

While others engage in the bank-breaking exercise of trying to steam "JONES" onto the back of a Nats jersey, perhaps it's time for us to speculate on the CF prospects in the Arizona Fall League. Here are the guys I've seen:

- Chris Dickerson: Reds' 16th-round draft pick in '03. Spent most of this season in AAA, striking out no fewer than 131 times in 354 at-bats. He also walked 52 times, though, and assembled a not displeasing .260 / .361 / .435 batting line. Is raking a respectable .260 / .349 / .507 in Arizona; he'll be 26 in 2008, so it's jolly well time.

- Jose Duarte: Royals' 2004 free-agent signing from Venezuela. Did all right for a non-power hitter in the high-A Carolina League this season, logging .290 / .356 / .369. Arizona doesn't seem to agree with him: .167 / .244 / .167 in limited action; logged a single, a strikeout and a caught stealing in five plate appearances on Thursday.

- Dexter Fowler: Rockies' 14th-round pick in '04. Hit .273 / .397 / .367 in the hitter-friendly California League in '07. Will not overtax outfielders' necks craning at his HRs, but can take a walk (44 BBs over 245 ABs, 64 Ks).

- Brett Gardner: Yankees' third-round pick in '05. Moving up at a respectable clip, spending the tail end of '07 in AAA where he hit .260 / .343 / .331. Not a power hitter, and probably not a leadoff hitter, although he's logging .333 / .406 / .376 in Arizona. (As with Dickerson, it should be noted that only about one AFL player in five comes from the AAA level, so the competition they're facing is relatively less rigorous than what the single-A guys are seeing.) Two walks and two strikeouts on Thursday.

- Greg Golson: Phillies' first-round pick in '04. Only reached AA at the end of the 2007 season, and struggled a bit there: .242 / .255 / .359 at AA Reading. In AFL, .221 / .284 / .360. Numbers don't show good plate discipline: 173 K's, 23 BB's in 571 minor-league at-bats in '07. He did log a double, a walk, and a stolen base last night, but also struck out twice in four trips. Seemed a bit overwhelmed in CF; chortle if you will, but I found myself pining for Nook's speed and judgment.

- Ryan Patterson: Blue Jays' fourth-round pick in '05. Bounced between high-A and AA the last two seasons. Spent most of '07 in the AA Eastern League, posting .267 / .302 / .448. In sluggerly fashion, stroked a triple last night. Doesn't walk a lot. If your name's either Ryan or Patterson, there's a place for you in baseball somewhere.

Happy shopping, kids.

Hendo - most of those guys are highly regarded by their organization or they probably would not be in the AFL, although Dickerson and NYY AAA guy may be there more to get in a few extra at bats. They are also cheap. My sense is if you are cheap and a highly regarded prospect, the price might be something off the major league roster like a Rivera or Ayala.

For fun, there is an article on Baseball America assembling a 25 man roster of minor league free agents, including guys who were DFA'd and refused assignment to the minors. These guys, by definition, are cheap. Most are probably replacement level guys almost by definition, but there are one or two intriguing guys who perhaps would sign a two-way contract and major league camp invite. Here is the link:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=648

The hot name (I mentioned previously) is Jason Bourgeois, a 25 year old who could be a MLB utility guy. Has played 2d and CF. Righty bat. The article notes he's fast (2x in his AA league leaders in SBs and triples), and a .311/.369/.444 BA/OBP/SLG line last year for Charlotte in the IL. My guess is he has not made the ChiSox 40 man because (A) they have Jerry Owens in CF for speed, and (B) they like Richar at 2d. But that is just a guess. Since I've been banging the drum for a RH to platoon with Church in CF, and others think a MI upgrade is what we should pursue, and we all want OBP, this looks like a guy who may even be worth a spot on the 40 man and MLB minimum.

Other names on this list worth looking at include Bobby Scales (Utility, don't hold his Pawtucketness against him) and JJ Furmaniak (SS, RH, .771 OPS in 475 AAA games, 21 steals, but stuck behind Crosby and Scutaro). To a lesser extent, Justin Leone (RH, more of a corner OF guy, but 20-20 in the PCL, suck behind Balentien, Jones and the Mariners OF), and Ron Chiavacci (Det organization 29 yr old RH starter with 1.12 G/F ratio, a 3:1 K/BB, 12-6, 3.39 ERA, 126 Ks in Toledo over 151 innings).

Finally, I would hope we could sign Guillermo Qiuroz (also mentioned on a previous post). Released by the Rangers due their abundance of catchers, was at one time a highly regarded AA prospect for the Jays. A bit of a bust so far, but always could throw. If Flores is sent down, then we could experiment with him as a back up. 26, collapsed lung in 2003 and broken wrist in 2004 set him back, but fairly good AAA numbers in the PCL the past 2 years (Tacoma and Ok City). If this guy is healthy and can get back on track, we might have our post Schneider platoon.

Finally, if Bob L. Head is still reading, the De Jesus / Church projection over 162 games assumes Church would keep his numbers. Given his big platoon splits, is that fair? While DeJesus had tough year against LHP in 2007 (not as bad as Church), his 3 year BA/OBP/SLG vs. LHP is .270/,353/,408, and vs. RHP is .285/.359/.421. Defensively, probably a wash, depending on what statistic (RF or ZR).

Final from Peoria Sports Complex: Javelinas 5, Mesa Solar Sox 2.

J-Max: 0-for-2, 1 K, 3 BB (that's what I'm talking about!), 2 SB, 1 R.
Casto: 1-for-4, 1 K, 1 BB, 2B. Some good-looking picks at first. (Just what the Nats need, another position for Casto to be logjammed at.)
Ivany: 1-for-5, 1 CS. Assessed one error in the field on a SB, but the Hendo scorebook logged that one to an indifferent effort by the second baseman.

Nice outing for Mock: 2 runs, neither earned, over 5 innings; 5 hits, 4 K, 1 BB.

Thanks for the prospect fodder, jon. Not sure the Nats want to part with either Rivera or Ayala. Then again, it may matter little, since the only guy I'd really be interested in is Dickerson (who's on the 40-man, thus no spiriting him away via Rule 5).

Early flight tomorrow, so I'm taking it easy tonight -- no trip to Scottsdale. Sure was worth stopping by Arizona on the way home to DC, though; I'll be trying to plan a little longer trip next fall, and would suggest it to anyone who has the luck or luxury of being able to fit it into their vacation schedule.

Jon, I am always reading, to the detriment of everything else I am supposed to be doing. I am on record as saying Church should be a platoon player and, in a vacuum, DeJesus might be better, especially given his age. But my main point was that DeJesus wasn't worth much, if anything, more than a Church/Logan/Something Else platoon to justify giving up any prospect or relief pitcher of value.

Bob L - I can buy DeJesus is only a marginal upgrade over a Church / RH OBP guy upgrade. His D is not that much better and he does not run anymore. Our middle relief should not be broken up for a marginal upgrade. Finding Church a RH platoon is probably the cheapest upgrade to the roster, and leaves more money for other needs.

At this point, none of the guys Baseball America is talking about is a secret. So I think finding an unfinished product, like the guys you talk about in the AFL or these minor league FAs is something to focus on. If there were a guy worth a major league middle reliever, I'd do it.

I think there is a philosophy question - do we invest $15 million / year for 4 or 5 years it will take to pull in rowand / hunter / jones, or do we focus our resources on pitchers to hold the fort until Vermont A ball guys or the detwiler / lannan / ballesters are major league players. I am concerned about the middle infielders because I see SS as a hole in 2009 (if Guzzie has a good year, then his price goes up, if he has a bad year, we have nothing in high minors), and I think Lopez has flaws.

I would like to run a platoon out in CF, sign Zimmerman long term despite the hamate, see if there is a middle infield leadoff guy on the FA market, and try to stitch together a rotation again like last year. We probably can do that for $10 million or less. For example, Bourgeois would be $400 K, a Zimmerman long term contract first year might be $4 million (vs. the $400K he will get this year), leaving $6 million for Eckstein / Castillo. if no Zimmmerman extension, then find some starters like the cast brought in last year.

Agree with jon re the possible middle infield gap -- one that Casto, he of the many talents, may not be able to fill.

I'm still trying to figure out what happened last season with D'Angelo Jimenez. He started on the bench, got DFA'd, went down, came up, sat on the bench some more (all this as Guzie went onto and off of and finally back onto the DL), got some ABs at last, finished up (not surprisingly to me) with an OPS almost 100 points better than Lopez -- and has been allowed to drift off to free agency.

If a big-ticket middle infielder isn't in the cards, seems to me the Nats could do worse than to trade Lopez for prospects and sign Jimenez in the $500K-$1M range. Am I missing something here?

I liked Jiminez, too but his iron glove is the reason he wasn't kept...he's a poor fielder

Petition MASN for Hi Def Nationals Broadcasts here:

http://www.petitiononline.com/masninhd/petition.html

"I liked Jiminez, too but his iron glove is the reason he wasn't kept...he's a poor fielder"

Perhaps, natswriter, but three errors in eleven games at SS is kind of a small sample size. And that's not counting his ten errorless games at 2B.

I'm still unclear.

Not to belabor an obvious point, but if a guy's not good enough to start for "the hapless Washington Nationals," what prospects could they get? The odds on Lopez getting good (again) are probably more favorable than the odds anyone they'd get for him will be better. And yes, I am just guessing.

//************************
If a big-ticket middle infielder isn't in the cards, seems to me the Nats could do worse than to trade Lopez for prospects and sign Jimenez in the $500K-$1M range. Am I missing something here?
Posted by: Hendo | November 11, 2007 11:41 AM

I don't have much to add to this post-season hot stove discussion, but I did want to send along a video recommendation to those that haven't seen it.

David Wright was on the Daily Show a couple weeks back, and maybe part of it is my pro-Virginia bias, but he looks like a pretty stand-up player. Self-deprecating, humorous, and willing to make jokes about taking steroids. I wish our boy Zimm had won the Gold Glove, but I think it bodes well for us that he looks up to Wright, especially in dealing with the media, and I hope someday to see Ryan chatting with Jon Stewart too.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=127669&title=david-wright

(Also, when he talks about the "bitter taste" following the end of the season, well, you can't help but smile because Our Boys DID do that.)

"The odds on Lopez getting good (again) are probably more favorable than the odds anyone they'd get for him will be better. And yes, I am just guessing."

I think the odds on Lopez returning to form are fairly bright. Especially in another uniform. The same's been cited as a reason to put Ryan Church onto the trade block, although I see Lopez as much the unhappier of the two, and Lopez' unhappiness as a real problem for this team.

We're all just guessing, but that's my guess.

That Kitty's Back in Town has to rank up there. Great concert, hope you saw it Dave.

yeah, he does seem a moody fug, doesn't he?

*******
I see Lopez' unhappiness as a real problem for this team.
Posted by: Hendo | November 12, 2007 09:22 AM

Just a thought about what we could get for Lopez: It probably depends on finding some team that has a different approach to valuing a player and is in a different stage in its building process to find a match. For example, the Chi Sox (who I hate) have Juan Uribe and Danny Richar as their pencilled in SS - 2B combo. Richar underwhelmed in 56 games but had a good AA-AAA track record, while Uribe is a good glove, big pop, near automatic out guy. They have Alex Cintron and Pablo Ozuna as back ups, but neither has taken those jobs when they had a chance. The ChiSox are nearing the end of their 2005 lineup's chance to contend. They don't seem to value OBP too much and like speed out of their non-power guys. They may have some interest in FLop to push Richar and spell Uribe when he is g*d-awful. They have some a bit of pitching surplus in the high minors, a prospect or two that has not quite panned out (Ryan Sweeney and one of the many Brian Andersons), and perhaps some other stuff in the system. Sweeney for FLop would be a good deal because it'd lose us his salary add OF depth.

Thanks for the a.m. laugh "NMailer"!

---

yeah, he does seem a moody fug, doesn't he?

Dmitry's Little Brother is Lighting It Up For the Satan Rays, and all this against Bo-Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays pitching 19 times a year EACH.

Five Reasons Why Delmon Young Should Win AL Rookie of the Year

1) Consistency - Despite being only a rookie, Delmon Young played in all 162 games in 2007, being only one of two players to do so. Even if you add Pedroia's 14 postseason games, Young still played more games in the 2007 season. This consistency in Devil Rays' season of flux (or general misery, if you prefer) not only allowed Young to tally the second most at bats in the American League but undoubtedly made manager Joe Madden's job a bit easier.

2) Clutch hitting - In leading all AL Rookies in RBIs with 93, Young hit a whopping .349 with runners in scoring position. Whereas many other Rookie of the Year contenders in the AL bounced around their respective lineups, Young spent a majority of his season in the 5th spot in the Devil Rays lineup.

3) Versatility - In order to fill the Devil Rays injury-depleted outfield, Young moved into center field for a month. Although far from spectacular, Young provided much needed flexibility in a time of crisis. Among leading AL rookies, only Reggie Willits of the LA Angels played more games at a different position than Young.

4) Fielding prowess - Delmon Young was one of the best fielding right fielders in the American League in 2007. Young's 16 assists were 3rd in the league among RFs and, according to ESPN.com, Young's range factor (Range Factor ((PO + A) divided by innings) was 4th best among AL right fielders. And according to the fine gentlemen of Thunder Matt's Saloon, he should have won a Gold Glove. Unfortunately however, the Gold Glove is awarded to three outfielders, not necessarily a center fielder, a right fielder, and a left fielder.

5) Overexposure - Last but definitely not least, hasn't Boston won enough already? Allowing Pedroia to win AL Rookie of the Year would continue the collective arrogance of Red Sox Nation. Haven't we seen enough of the Red Sox for one year? Hopefully, the voters give the Rays fans something to cheer for besides Kevin Costner concerts and Fred McGriff's endorsement of the new uniforms, his first major public endorsement since the 1989 Tom Emanski videos*.

From The Serious Tip
http://theserioustip.blogspot.com/2007/11/5-reasons-why-delmon-young-should-win.html

And, according to this link, http://www.baseballmusings.com/archives/023939.php Ryan Church was the 9th best defensive center-fielder in baseball for 2007, ahead of #10 Andruw Jones, #17 Nook Logan, #20 Torii Hunter, #24 Aaron Rowand, or #31 Grady Sizemore.

Oh, the baseball musings top 2 defensive center fielders are 1 Coco Krisp and 2 Ichiro.

More pics of stadium:

There are many great pictures both interior and extrior of the stadium at this site (note the "tabs" at the top of the page to switch b/t interior and extrior shots. Some really good before and after pics. once the Douglas Bridge was renovated.

http://www.jdland.com/dc/stadium.cfm?tab=no3

". . . Ryan Church was the 9th best defensive center-fielder in baseball for 2007 . . ."

Thank you, Flynnie. (Cool website too.) As I have maintained more or less steadily this season, Church is the kind of guy an organization can undervalue until he's gone and they need someone like him.

In the new park, Church could also work some pretty good offensive numbers. Another reason, not only to hold on to Church, but to tread cautiously in general with the roster during this offseason. Eighty-one games from now, we'll know a lot more than we do today.

Great Views, HD FAN, thanks. Did you see the item on the site's home page that the Pope will say mass there on April 15, 2008?

More pics of stadium:

There are many great pictures both interior and extrior of the stadium at this site (note the "tabs" at the top of the page to switch b/t interior and extrior shots. Some really good before and after pics. once the Douglas Bridge was renovated.

http://www.jdland.com/dc/stadium.cfm?tab=no3

"Another reason, not only to hold on to Church, but to tread cautiously in general with the roster during this offseason. Eighty-one games from now, we'll know a lot more than we do today."

And that's worth a lot, Hendo, and it saves money for more draft and free-agent signings later. For instance, consider this list of Free Agent Landmines from USS Mariner.com

http://ussmariner.com/2007/11/08/2007-free-agent-landmines/

Here are the guys that fit into the mold this winter. Teams who sign one of these players will be quite likely to experience significant buyers remorse a year from now.

1. Torii Hunter, Center Field

Torii Hunter just had a terrific year at the right time, and he's going to be paid for what he was in 2007, not for what he's likely to be in 2008 and beyond. From 2004 to 2006, Hunter's offense was worth about 15 runs above an average hitter - combined. He had settled in as a pretty consistent +5 offensive player, which as a center fielder with some defensive value, made him a borderline star, but not anything like a franchise player.

In 2007 alone, he was worth about 17 runs more than an average hitter, his best offensive season since 2002, and only the second time in his career that he's been better than +10 runs with the bat. There's no change in skillset to indicate that he actually improved as a hitter - he's still the same aggressive free-swinger that he's always been.

However, there's this belief that Torii Hunter is a perennial all-star type of player, and he's going to get paid like a premium talent. Part of that belief is predicated on his defensive reputation, which hasn't matched his actual abilities in the field for several years, and will only continue to decline as he ages. Whoever spends $100 million on Torii Hunter is going to get themselves a solid player for the next 2-3 years, but certainly nothing like the value they're going to pay for.

2. Carlos Silva, Right-Handed Starter

Despite the fact that he's posted seasonal ERAs the last three seasons of 3.44, 5.91, and 4.19, I'd call Carlos Silva one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball. He does the exact same thing every single start - throw 90 MPH sinkers down the middle of the plate and let hitters put the ball in play. He has terrific command and refuses to walk anyone, so his results are almost entirely dependant upon the defenders he has behind him and the abilities of the hitters he's facing. And, as you can see, those results can change wildly, even if Silva himself stays the same.

However, because Silva's healthy, has a track record of throwing 180+ innings every year, and has gotten outs with his strikes, strikes, and more strikes approach, he's going to get a multiyear deal for $10 million + per season. In reality, he's basically just this year's Jeff Suppan - a back-end starter with one skill that isn't even really that hard to find. For all the whining about the scarcity of pitching in major league baseball, the minor leagues are littered with guys who have a very similar skillset to Carlos Silva. Ever heard of Nick Blackburn? I'm guessing not. He's one of the candidates to replace Silva in Minnesota next year, because he's basically the exact same pitcher. Blackburn's just been putting his strikes and groundballs skillset to use in the minors the last few years.

There is almost no difference between Nick Blackburn and Carlos Silva, however. Silva has the name recognition and the track record, so he'll get the big payday, but from this point forward, it's a coin-flip to who has a better major league career. And it's not like Nick Blackburn is a highly valued commodity throughout the game.

The strike throwing, no outpitch hurler is just a very easy skillset to find in a pitcher. Throwing a huge amount of money at Carlos Silva simply because he's proven is a gigantic waste of resources.

3. Kyle Lohse, Right-Handed Starter

Completing the trifecta of former Twins, we have the most inexplicable somewhat coveted free agent in recent history. It's essentially assumed that Lohse is going to get a contract in the $25 million range over 3 years. Why? I have absolutely no idea.

Lohse is what you would have if you took Carlos Silva, gave him mediocre command, and took away his sinker. He has below average stuff, average control, no outpitch, and was drummed out of the American League 18 months ago after posting a 7.07 ERA in 2006 before the Twins dumped him on the Reds. The move to the National League helped, as it would any pitcher, and made him appear simply not good instead of terrible.

The Reds sent him to the Phillies in a meaningless deadline deal this summer, and after pitching like the mediocre #5 starter he is in Philadelphia, even Pat Gillick doesn't particularly want him back (quick sidenote - Gillick stole Brad Lidge from Ed Wade yesterday, and since I never say anything nice about him, here you go Pat - way to rip off one of the few GMs worse at trading than yourself). Lohse doesn't have a strong track record of success. He doesn't have good stuff. He doesn't pound the strike zone. But, because he currently has a pulse, he's a valued asset?

Every single 2008 Triple-A rotation will have at least one guy who could give you 95% of Kyle Lohse's production for 3% of the cost. In an efficient market where major league teams understood how to evalute pitchers, Lohse would be lucky to get more than a few million dollars on a one year deal. However, he'll stand as the new example of how badly teams misread pitchers, and he's going to steal money from some unlucky franchise for the next few years.

To those of you who read the posting above about a petition to MASN about HD, what the person failed to mention is that it is a petition asking MASN to only broadcast the O-R-I-O-L-E-S in HD. No mention of the Nats. Maybe the petitioner can't read..this is a Nationals blog!!!

"Every single 2008 Triple-A rotation will have at least one guy who could give you 95% of Kyle Lohse's production for 3% of the cost."

And not a single GM will get fired for overpaying for Lohse. (That said, I'd be stunned if Epstein bit the apple, and mildly surprised if Cashman did.)

Please note:

About 3:15 this afternoon Home plate went into the new field.

Can we assume that this was not the plate that was removed from RFK? Or maybe it was. Anyone know.

Also, can we expect someone from MLB to show up with a tape measure, to make sure that the bases are 90'?

BTW, will they now actually measure to the wall or can we expect a midnight sneak from Boz to check out the real distances?

ahhhh, there's no place like home...

"The actress Laraine Day, Mrs. Leo Durocher, died on Saturday. She became known as "the first lady of baseball" and accompanied Leo Durocher and the Giants to Cuba for spring training. She traveled with the team during the regular season and in 1952 wrote "Day With the Giants," which the New York Herald Tribune called "an amusing, informative book, the first to report on baseball from the viewpoint of the wife." Although they divorced in 1960, the couple remained friends until Durocher's death in 1991. When he was posthumously inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., it was Day who was chosen from his four wives to attend.

It's October 3, 1954. You're the manager of the New York Giants. With the help of a young Willie Mays patrolling center, you've just swept a 111-win team to win the World Series and you're boarding the morning train back to New York. In addition the the victory banquets and plaudits from the greatest city in the world, you've got a smokin' Hollywood actress who loves to talk about baseball waiting for you at home.

Yeah, I'm guessing it was pretty good to be Durocher."

http://shysterball.blogspot.com/2007/11.html

flynnie - possibly one of my favorite posts of all time. Especially because nick blackburn was going to be one of those obscure minors trade bait guys I was looking at (he really had a good year last year). I admit to be one of those Torii fans, and have been willing to discount his production drop in 05 and 06 due to his leg injury just after I picked him up for my fantasy team in 05. His 06 was not bad, either, but it is wrong to ignore his age probably makes him more injury prone.

Oh - and the only justifiable candidate for ROY in the AL won ;-) Pedroia's broken hamate I think was the clincher for me.

thanks, jon. My favorite post of the day was in response to what Marlins' Larry Beinfest wants for all-star 3d baseman Orlando Cabrera: Yankees pitchers Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain plus outfielder Melky Cabrera, outfield prospect Jose Tabata and a fourth prospect. The post by someone named KronicFatigue: "Hughes or Joba plus three other guys?!?! Come on, what is this? a pound for pound trade?"
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/newsstand/discussion/sicom_heyman_asking_price_for_cabrera_too_steep/

Catcher50 wrote:
----------
Please note:
About 3:15 this afternoon Home plate went into the new field.
-----------
Actually, it was installed on Oct 31 about 5pm, and is quite clear on the webcam the morning of 11/1. It has been covered by a tarp since then.

Not a bad day to by flynnie, either, apparently. Nice job all around, bro.

I dunno, gonats. the pix from the press box camera between about 1-3 pm sure look like they're putting it in. It is in several different places, there's a cement mixer and several large bags of what looks like cement mix, and a couple of guys working on it for several hours.

**************
Catcher50 wrote:
----------
Please note:
About 3:15 this afternoon Home plate went into the new field.
-----------
Actually, it was installed on Oct 31 about 5pm, and is quite clear on the webcam the morning of 11/1. It has been covered by a tarp since then.
Posted by: gonats | November 12, 2007 08:08 PM

"Gillick stole Brad Lidge from Ed Wade yesterday, and since I never say anything nice about him, here you go Pat - way to rip off one of the few GMs worse at trading than yourself."

Reflections:

1. Long term, I'm not sure who got the worse end of that deal. One season of Lidge in the CBP bandbox may be all the Phillies can stand, although it does get Brett Myers back into their rotation where they need him.

2. You can say what you want about Gillick, and God knows so do I, but the Phillyites are probably chortling over having stuck it to Ed Wade.

3. There's always Kenny Williams.

Gonats was correct, there are pix on 11/1 showing the plate. There are also, as cevans pointed out, very clear pix, today of the plate being moved around. My guess is that the one that on 11/1 was simply a place-holder. OTOH, who is to say that the one from today wasn't the same thing. The first to be able to judge grass lines. Today's to be able to judge bases. Of course, I still would like to see if MLB sends an emissary down to confirm that the field is in compliance.

Meanwhile, Flynnie's points about the three Twinkies make a lot of sense. Hunter is the classic last year of a contract player. The two pitchers are probably quintessential HomerDome pitchers (i.e. do anything to keep from allowing the ball to get some height and fly over the Baggies). Generally, they become mediocre (note I said generally) once they get out of the Twin Cities.

So, we're back to waiting to see what 81 games at GEICO/FBR/Mars field will look like. Hey, I've got patience. I waited for 34 years. Another 2 or 3 to develop a solid, long term contender are more than acceptable.

BTW, I do want to compliment the regulars on this board. I'll exclude the pre-W/S intruders. Of all of the "fan" boards that I've read, this seems to be the most logical and knowledgeable. You don't ever seem to see, on this board: Well, we'll give the Rockies Church and they'll trade us straight up for Tulowitzcy (?sp?) or (if you followed the Expos boards before the move): Sure, there is no excuse to move the team, they can easily build the new Major League stadium for $150million / Canadian. Things seem to be reasoned and logical. Also, literate, which is even better.

Now, if we could get the WaPo to make sure that whoever takes over can hold Barry's, er, athletic supporter (from the old H.S. student council election joke), we'll be happy.

Church for Tulowitski and a PTBNL. Nothing less. 8^D

Catcher50, thanks for staying on board with us.

Somebody may already have mentioned this up above, so apologies if that's so, but:

Zimmerman also played in the AFL in between his MLB debut on 9/1/2005 and his now-permanent assignment as the Nats' third-baseman, and I can't for the life of me remember anything from his experience in Arizona, so just because Maxwell's own numbers don't leap off the page doesn't mean he's a wash-out.

And now for a totally OT question for the august body that is Nats Journal:

At what point is it acceptable to throw away the refrigerator magnet of the past season's schedule? On the one hand, I still have a reminder of the past season every time I go to the fridge during the offseason.

On the other hand, at some point I know I need to let go of the past and look to the future...

It's either that, or the nut-house better have a room reserved for me... :-P

Any responses welcome! :-)

I've got the morning watch with the grandson. I am one of his peeps. Ditch the magnet, Juan-John! Always look forward like a runner in a race - it's in the Bible! As I tell my daughters and their husbands: "It's an old book. You may have heard of it." Catcher 50, speaking of jocks, Tim Kurkjian on page 66 of his new book writes that "Larry Anderson played all over the major and minor leagues, including one season in Reno. 'Our clubhouse guy quit midway through the season, so, for an extra $10a week, I was the clubhouse guy. I was a starting pitcher, I had time on my hands. But I'd be on the mound in the fourth inning wondering, Did I take the jocks out of the dryer?' So Natsfan1a, JennX, and the rest of you who attend to the laundry while on this journal are in the best traditions of the game.

Don't ask me, I just tossed the Bethesda Big Train schedule magnet from '06.

Uh-oh. I'm not a letter-go of magnets.

For one thing, they may be valuable memorabilia some day. (The pack rat's original lame excuse.)

For another thing, they do still hold stuff onto the refrigerator door.

Thanks, flynnie. I take it that natsfan1c (my hubby) is also in the best traditions of the game, as he definitely knows his way around the laundry room. ;-)

---

So Natsfan1a, JennX, and the rest of you who attend to the laundry while on this journal are in the best traditions of the game.

I also have a magnet hang-up (i.e., I haven't tossed it).

I saw a copy of the NY Post Sunday in which they discussed how they would replace AROD at third. The writer said the Yankees would like Zimmerman, but "given Bowden's record of outrageous requests - even for middle infielders, it was unlikely to happen."

Of course it is not going to happen. But I take it as validation of several things. 1) The Yankees are frustrated when they can't have everything they want; 2) Everyone recognizes that Zimmerman is a top 3B; 3) Bowden is not selling our current players cheap; 4) the Yankees must have some interest in Rauch et al.

Juan-John,

im an archivist. i save everything. save it, i say. SAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

for some perspective - i took one of those folding pocket schedules, ironed it flat, then gave a W or L in the daily box. accompanied by games i attended with a check mark in the upper right hand, bobblehead/promo days got a outlined square, monthly win/loss records, and all star break and end of season cumulative records. its in a frame, and its on my wall. i might be a nerd, but to me, its all about the reminders of one of the most entertaining baseball seasons i can remember.

preserve the provenance. if you dont want to look at it, mail it to someone. tell them that sometime in the future you want it. and whenever you receive it, you will smile. all bc of a magnet. the theory of relativity applied to human happiness.

Guess I'm not throwing it away, then... :-)

Wow, I spend a long weekend away from the journal and now I have an encyclopedia to read this morning!

Natsfan, plenty of great Philly ranting from me starting at about 3:30 on Sunday. My roommate's favorite was "You know what the worst part is? They're [RF] disappointed that [RF] Donovan [RF] McNabb threw those [RF] passes, because they have to wait another [RF] week to tear him limb from [RF] limb, the blood-thirsty mother [RF]s. They've smelled blood all season and now they can't even be grateful because the [RF] Redskins gave them a win with their [RF] racist name, because now they have to wait another week to turn on their own [RF] quarterback!"

Anyone who cares about that other sport should read Boz's great column yesterday. I said the same thing during the game.

Juan-John, your comment cracked me up because I've wondered the same thing. I'm the polar opposite of a pack-rat. If there's something in my house I haven't thought of in 6 months, I toss it.

But I'll be darned if I don't still have those schedule magnets on my fridge. I'm keeping stuff for the human interest story the Post is going to do about me when I'm 95. The story is going to show my loyalty and devotion to the Nats over all those years. I'll have the picture of the young(ish) me in front of the ballpark construction site this year, the RFK pin, tickets from the inaugural season, and of course, the schedule magnets as proof.

JJ, keep the magnet, if you have heirs. I still treasure a White Sox pencil from my maternal grandfather, along with an "annotated" 1954 car visor calendar. Useless and priceless at the same time.

I try to have the laundry done before the game starts. It's annoying to have a big inning drowned out by the banging of the spin cycle. (No, I am not trying to see how far off topic we can get; it's just working out that way...)

Back on topic, kinda: Justin Maxwell's anemic early-fall numbers are still picking up a bit. Since 11/3 he is .240 / .406 / .320; seven walks in that span have effected the improvement in OBP.

J-Max has needed time to adjust in every new venue. (Except in RFK; fat lot of good that did.) Barring injury, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him as the starting MLB center fielder after the All-Star break.

MLBTradeRumors says the Nats are interested in Aaron Boone. Hard to fathom why we would need a 35-year old utility infielder. Maybe it's just a misplaced rumor generated by someone on the grounds that Boone is an ex-Commie. Let's hope so.

Looks like Fukudome's officially a free agent:

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/11/12/kosuke-fukudome-is-coming-to-america/

I'm not a big Boone fan, but his Dad does work for the Nats and we do need a utility infielder. Plus, there's no guarantee that he makes the team. Cheap and available...just like I like my ... oh nevermind.

Your laundry can wait, guys. Barry has a new post! :)

Hendo:

I dunno... perhaps JMax was just getting warmed up at RFK...

You know... the more I think about this... the more that I think getting into the free agent CF market is a bad idea. Church's biggest problem is his reputation and not his performance... sure he could be better against LHP, but at the moment, we have a platoon situation that is at least passable (Logan). I don't think any of the free agents are as good as the platoon, and all of them are ten times as expensive.

I would say that was inadequate, except that we have JMax in the wings. He's either the heir apparent, or, we solve the CF problem next year with a trade or free agent. It's not that we think we're contenders this year... and if we find that we are, that's what the July trade deadline is for.

Either save the salary money... or find a better place to spend it. CF isn't the place.

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