"Where's Robert Fick?"

Looks like Nick Johnson is staying in the cleanup spot.

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/042008/04172008/372029

Robert Fick and Carlos Baerga are two of my favorites. When you have limited talent but unlimited heart, you get to be a favorite. (If the 2008 team showed a little more heart, I could have a whole team of favorites.)

Everyone knows that the Nats will never be any good until those cheapskate Lerners take a page from our book and start throwing money at free agents. Plan? Schman. Just look at our track records of success if you want to know how to build a quality sports franchise.

Maybe one of the construction workers buried a Peter Angelos photo in the concrete while they were building Nats Park.

Nationals 2005
Nationals 2006
Nationals 2007
Nationals 2008

Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

Wow. Forget flaming Felipe and LoDuca. Our bench SUCKS! LOL!

Anyone have any idea what PH are batting with RISP?

Leo T you're awesome with the Tolstoy reference....

NatsNut: our entire OFFENSE STINKS! How is it possible that we are the worst in the league? Will it ever change? Did the Pope break the curse? I have either been at or TV watched every game, but just doing so is starting to put me in a bad mood. Stay tuned, as long as you can stand it, and be prepared to hold your nose.

To respond (belatedly) to Paul L - whether it be the true Cpt. Red Ass or not - best Italian to be had in DC can be found at Famous Luigi's in DuPont Circle.

Also, I'm convinced it's a front store for the mafia - it's run by a little old Italian lady and everything - straight out of hollywood. Perfect!

Well done, Leo. Well done.

506: I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume that your question was rhetorical/sarcastic!

Lessee, 0-7, 0-5, 0-2, and 0-4. I'm no mathlete, but I can do *that one* in my head.

*****************
Anyone have any idea what PH are batting with RISP?

Posted by: Section 506 (Before moving) | April 17, 2008 3:41 PM

Maybe Hanrahan needs to go back to being a starter just to get his bat in the lineup.

Would that be the photo that keeps getting sanctioned, suspended, and disbarred by the Md. Bar, while Angelos keeps his license eternally?
***************
Maybe one of the construction workers buried a Peter Angelos photo in the concrete while they were building Nats Park.

Posted by: The Curse of 2008 | April 17, 2008 3:32 PM

I'm winking even bigger now for CE, since he missed the snark.

Ah, yes, more literary allusions! Feel the nerdery!

Per the earlier post, it depends on whether you want real Italian, New York Italian, or fashionable Italian.

For the NYI, Luigi's is definitely the best, although they took their best dish off of the menu some time ago, the Duke of Outer Baldonia special, but that was when I was in school (and I had a Prof who would never have let Teddy lose...he actually knew him).

BTW, anyone know if P.A. is going to sue Tejada, now that he has admitted a small (2 year) error in his age?

Just my luck. Someone in here finally winking my way, but not NF1a or JennX, no. 506.

Man, that Pope has a canon for an arm. He just struck down the side!

When I've felt bad about the perceived nastiness and "notlisteningtoyoujustshoutingmyviewlouder" -ness of our little blog, I peek at the Pope Watch coverage. We have such a nice community!

look how the attitude changed with a new post. shorter time lapses between Barrys posts are directly proportional to overall life quality of the constituency. i think i speak for everyone, including CiL, when i say that Barry should post every 37 mins.

You want allusion? We got allusion.

With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side,
With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride,
...
Alike in ignorance, his reason such,
Whether he thinks too little, or too much:
Chaos of Thought and Passion, all confus'd;
Still by himself abus'd, or disabus'd;

Man, that Pope has a canon for an arm. He just struck down the side!

Posted by: Bob L. Head | April 17, 2008 3:57 PM

-----

Totally missed "canon" first time around. Brilliant.

Cordero has a dead arm. I am so glad that the cheap Lerners and Stan the Plan were too smart to succumb to the temptation to sign any of those "too expensive innings eaters" the past 2 offseasons. I mean, Stan was just brilliant to recognize that our cheap retreads could pitch just as well as those guys can, so why should the cheap Lerners pay big bucks for "replacement level" pitchers? Except, of course, the cheap retreads don't eat innings and save wear and tear on the bullpen. Now the bullpen starts to blow out. A bit of a setback for The Plan it would seem. At least the Lerners saved money though.

Well.

I guess we told THEM.

Not sure how having Livan here (which I did argue for, but nevermind) would have helped Cordero.

i can't decide, is constant harping on one topic w/o anything new to add pitiful, sad, boring, or all of the above?

seriously, though... i can appreciate the position, even if i don't agree with it. but really, if all you do is repeat the same argument over and over and over and over, do you think repeating it every couple of hours makes any difference? i presume it must be cathartic for you personally, but it's certainly not adding anything to the forum.

YEAH! Those cheapskate Lerners should have paid for me. Then the Nationals would be winners. But they're too cheap to even pay for my private buffet.

"You want allusion? We got allusion.

With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side,
With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride,
...
Alike in ignorance, his reason such,
Whether he thinks too little, or too much:
Chaos of Thought and Passion, all confus'd;
Still by himself abus'd, or disabus'd;"

___________________________________________

Gee, I wonder why it's rumored that the Nats players call this the Nerd's Journal?

Actually, 231, it's not even cathartic, but tends to reinforce the behavior and habits of thought, according to recent research.

Hey, it's a lot better than some of the things THEY get called in here.

And I liked the [Alexander] Pope reference.

*************************
Gee, I wonder why it's rumored that the Nats players call this the Nerd's Journal?
Posted by: Section 505/203 | April 17, 2008 4:15 PM

Not for 2008, for 2007. Cordero's arm was blown out when he got to spring training this year. His lack of velocity was noticed and discussed then.

2007: Games Pitched (NL Rank)

Rauch 88(1)
Rivera 85(2)
Cordero 76(T14)

________________________
Not sure how having Livan here (which I did argue for, but nevermind) would have helped Cordero.

Posted by: CE | April 17, 2008 4:11 PM

Just a hunch, but if Johnson is taking extra batting practice, he's not here on NJ calling us nerds.

I wish the bench woes was the worst of the team's problems right now. This ship is springing leaks everywhere. Time to call in the pope to exorcise the early demons from Nationals Park.

Hmm? Did that? Whew.

I wonder if Bergmann still reads NJ...In case he does:

Hope to see you back in the Show soon Bergy! I'm pulling for you!

That near no-hitter he threw against the Braves is still one of the greatest baseball experiances that me and my wife have ever shared.

Come on, guys, chin up. It's still early in the season.

It's not like it's the potiff no return.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. :)

---

Just my luck. Someone in here finally winking my way, but not NF1a or JennX, no. 506.

Pontiff.

Man, I can't even plagiarize from the Simpons effectively.

@LAC
But Rauch's and Rivera's arms seem OK. Cordero is the closer, he'd have pitched about the same amount regardless of whether the starter got through six innings.

If the Nats fortunes are to ever change, Teddy MUST WIN.

When you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

But still no ; )
S'ok.

***********************
Not that there's anything wrong with that. :)
---
Just my luck. Someone in here finally winking my way, but not NF1a or JennX, no. 506.

Posted by: natsfan1a | April 17, 2008 4:25 PM

" if all you do is repeat the same argument over and over and over and over, do you think repeating it every couple of hours makes any difference?"

swanni is convinced that if he repeats that urban legend about the team asking the city to pay for the players' uniforms enough times, it will become true. And (delusional) people call ME Mr. Delusional...

231, I disagree that I'm making the same point. Consider it an "as applied" point. Many have said here that it would have been a waste of money for the team to sign replacement level but established pitchers in the short term because they are not going to take the Nats to the next level anyway. Well, what if the upshot of that is that the bullpen guys--who are a part of The Plan to take the Nats to the next level--get their arms blown out from overuse while they are cleaning up for the retreads the Nats bring in instead of those "too expensive innings eaters"? Then maybe it wasn't such a wise and prudent decision not to sign established innings-eaters after all. Maybe the Lerners' "cost-consciousness" with current MLB payroll is undermining the Plan.
__________________
I can't decide, is constant harping on one topic w/o anything new to add pitiful, sad, boring, or all of the above?

seriously, though... i can appreciate the position, even if i don't agree with it. but really, if all you do is repeat the same argument over and over and over and over, do you think repeating it every couple of hours makes any difference? i presume it must be cathartic for you personally, but it's certainly not adding anything to the forum.

Posted by: 231 | April 17, 2008 4:13 PM

I still think the lack of performance from the Nats this season comes from over confidence from Jimbo and Acta on the talent level they picked to go with AND a very weak coaching staff picked out of loyalty not merit. I recall saying on this blog last October that they really needed to get a true hitting coach and a better 3rd base coach. Yet after a month or so the announcement came, no changes at all.

What I did not realize until this spring was just how big a part of the problem Acta is. He refuses to live in reality (until yesterday with Chad and a lineup change). The team needs to be shaken up big time not a pat on the back.

Acta just sits on his hands and insists nothing is wrong with anyone, at anytime. His inability to admit the emperor is not wearing any cloths hurts the development of young players, it does not help them at all.

Jimbo or Acta whom ever is responsible for managing the roster moves is also causing huge problems. They need to admit their mistakes and move on. Young is done so put him on the 60 day DL. Lo Duca is a shadow of his HGH self. Even with a full swing he can not even hit a ball that any OF needs to go back on.....cut him. Lopez.....cut him. Rob M cut him.......... This is reality, they did a terrible job evaluating Major League roster.

They need to maximize their relative strengths and carry 13 pitchers; they will need them each night. They need use all that cash saved on not signing FA to trade cash for hitters, yes even overpaid old ones....just make sure they contract ends in the next 2 years or so.

Open your eyes your execution of the plan is very poor. This team as you are managing it is going nowhere at all fast. By sitting on your hands all you are doing is driving paying fans away and making the Nats the butt of every joke on XM Home Plate.

This season was so avoidable....but either Jimbo's ego and/or Acta poor judgment in coaches and players needs to be addressed now. A sign of a well run business is facing reality. To date, the Nats are just proving they are not a well run club.

Barry -- is there any to make a guess as to how much the Nats gear(hats jackets jerseys)brings to the enterprise? The newness of the team and logo coupled with the splash they are getting with the new park makes me think that a disproportionate number of kids are picking up Nats hats over other teams. Maybe not like the bosox or yanks but enough. I saw Ice T on the cover of a hiphop magazine sporting a red curly W a couple of years ago. I know that is a big industry I just wonder how much it helps.

Maaaaaaaaaaan.
Not again.

Look, it doesn't MATTER whether they floated that proposal, or not, in some meeting four years ago--even if they did, IT GOT SHOT DOWN.

Quit feeding it awreddy.

Is anyone actually offended IF some of the players called people on this blog nerds? Seriously, that would offend someone?

Who cares. Personally, I am not offended if someone who stinks at their profession decides to make fun of others. Big deal. So some of them think we are nerds. Well, a lot of us think they play like sh!t.

I am sure a lot of people here are in the same boat as me in this regard: If I performed as poorly at my job for as long as these players have at theirs, I would be fired. Worse yet, I would get sued.

Takes one to know one?

-----

And (delusional) people call ME Mr. Delusional...

i'm not ready to blame acta for this at all. as pointed out last year records were similar and they recovered. his style is directly derived from developing minor leaguers as he's alluded to before. he needs to provide a stable influence for this thing to settle down. it's all on the players. i'd blame lenny harris but i couldn't name a hall of fame hitting coach if i tried so that wouldn't be fair.

What remains is, if Zimmerman alone, nevermind Kearns or anyone else, were off to the same start that, say, Church or Schneider, just to pick two MLB players at random, are off to, this would be a very different conversation, about a team with a very different record.

If you're taking about this cover, it was Ice Cube.

http://tinyurl.com/3vojh2

Did you know Don Cheadle played a character named Ice Tray on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air? Honest.

-----

I saw Ice T on the cover of a hiphop magazine sporting a red curly W a couple of years ago.

It's a well-known fact that if you repeat a lie over and over often enough, a certain percentage of the population will come to believe that it's the truth.

Last season Cordero had more appearances than any other closer with more than 20 saves in the NL. He was on the high end in 05 and 06 also. Not sure I agree that he would have had just as many appearances if the starters had gone deeper into games and his fellow relievers, by extension, were pitching less.

Let's hope that Rauch and Rivera (and Ayala) remain OK. The strain on them is only going to be increased given the starters on this team and Cordero potentially going down.
______________________
@LAC
But Rauch's and Rivera's arms seem OK. Cordero is the closer, he'd have pitched about the same amount regardless of whether the starter got through six innings.

Posted by: CE | April 17, 2008 4:26 PM

JayB - I disagree with you.

Yes the roster is not performing. Is it Jimbo's fault? Not really because they are underperforming. Meaning that they SHOULD be performing better. Meaning his evaluations weren't terrible as you say they are. Could he have done better? Maybe. Probably.

As for Acta? I think you're the lonely voice of criticism on him. Not just Nats fans, but baseball fans throughout the country hold him in high esteem. Just the other week, MLBtraderumors.com rated him the best young/new(ish) manager in all of baseball. Would you or I follow a different strategy than Manny does? Probably. But that doesn't mean it would be better. In fact it would probably be a million times worse.

This ballclub is not hopeless - in fact, it seems to me that it is because it is full of so much promise and potential that we're all so upset with how they're doing.

I think it is good that they are being decisive with Rauch naming him the closer. (At least I hope they are) It always seemed like nobody was really sure -or that he was really sure of his roll from one day to the next. Maybe this will give him more focus and he'll will embrace that closer roll knowing clearly the expectations.

About Lenny Harris - he probably needs to do more work breaking down video. Have him give me a call. I can spare a camera until August.

Mmmm... "Closer roll"... Does that have cinnamon in it?

Who knew the nerds things bothered so many folks? If anyone really cares, the nerds need the jocks so they have something to obsess about, the jocks need the nerds so there's someone to pay attention to them. Everyone ribs everyone, because that's what you do in sports.

Anyone watch "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and see that episode where Mak tries to solicit a bribe from the union guys?

"He called us nerds, Murray. Nerds!"

Cordero got a lot of work because Frank and Manny trusted him most, late in close games. One could even argue that, with better starting pitching, there would have been even more close games, and he would have had more work, not less.

Nerdy Nats Fans Unite! :-)

------------------

"Is anyone actually offended IF some of the players called people on this blog nerds? Seriously, that would offend someone?"

Yes, 'cause mama told me the boys won't like me if they think I'm smarter than them.

==================================

"Is anyone actually offended IF some of the players called people on this blog nerds? Seriously, that would offend someone?"

Well, there IS this from the last NJ fest:
http://tinyurl.com/4jx9p7
*********************************
Gee, I wonder why it's rumored that the Nats players call this the Nerd's Journal?
Posted by: Section 505/203 | April 17, 2008 4:15 PM

"It's a well-known fact that if you repeat a lie over and over often enough, a certain percentage of the population will come to believe that it's the truth."

___________________________________________

Works for us.

That's not actually true, it's just an oft-repeated urban myth. But people believe it anyway.

********************
"It's a well-known fact that if you repeat a lie over and over often enough, a certain percentage of the population will come to believe that it's the truth."

Untrue. It's just an urban myth that people repeat often and people buy into it.

********************
"It's a well-known fact that if you repeat a lie over and over often enough, a certain percentage of the population will come to believe that it's the truth."

That's not actually true, it's just an oft-repeated urban myth. But people believe it anyway.

********************
"It's a well-known fact that if you repeat a lie over and over often enough, a certain percentage of the population will come to believe that it's the truth."

Posted by: MIB | April 17, 2008 5:00 PM

Oh the irony...delicious

LaC, if you take the time to spell out your issues completely (like you did in your response to me) and don't fall back on rhetoric, then it's a valid point. unfortunately, much of the comments about the lerner's being cheap is either the same argument (can you say "uniforms" 73 times really fast?) or so full of rhetoric that it's just that: boring, repetitious rhetoric.

Thanks for the laugh, MIB.

"It's a well-known fact that if you repeat a lie over and over often enough, a certain percentage of the population will come to believe that it's the truth."
------------
Various organizations blamed...
------------
Yeah, this is brand new... Oh, wait it's not:
"You furnish the pictures, I'll provide the war." - Randolph Hearst

Robert Fick is with the SF Giants, I believe.

To carry over from the last post: I used to live in Maryland, but now I live in the Bay Area. I went back to DC a few years ago for a little family reunion. We went out one night to, I think, Anna Maria's on Connecticut Ave and I have to say we had a very pleasant experience. Our 85 year old grandfather was in heaven. That said, I have seen mixed reviews on the place. It might be worth trying though - it was definitely a hole in the wall type place, but as I recall the food was pretty tasty (simple) and the service was good.

Cordero and bench in general are very worrisome indeed. However, it's the starters that I am really worried about. At least last year they could make it through with minimal scoring by the opposing team and then the bullpen could close it out for us, despite the lack of offense. Now they get through 4-5 innings and allow a rash of scoring before turning it over to the pen. Not good. Something needs to happen here. Either starters need to be pulled earlier, or they need to get stronger and more conditioned so they make it farther into the game. The offense will come around eventually.

Anna Maria's in Dupont: Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded.

More LAC - The Forbes article apparently does not consolidate the cost of regional networks into the value for the franchises (at least they did not for NESN and YES). While the $450 the Lerners paid included an expanding stake in MASN, the $460 is just for the club. (http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?showtopic=30434)

Not knowing how MASN operates, but my guess is that it is not yet anywhere near the cash cow that NESN and YES are. In fact, I would not be surprised if it is operating at a loss. So some of that operating profit probably was invested in the $50 million or so add-ons the Lerners paid for at Nats Park, while some of the rest may have gone to MASN subsidies. Those investments will pay off for the Lerners, eventually, but are Nats related expenses, not new shopping malls.

"Where's Robert Fick?"

You mean that wasn't him who showed up stark naked in the Pope's...er, Manny's office this morning wanting to know why he wasn't in the lineup?

Nats' bats are going to come alive tonight. We're going to score early and often. We'll bat around at least once, and everyone in the starting lineup including John Lannan will have a hit. And Wily Mo's going to loft one into Citi Field.

Agreed, Bob. Glad you're embracing the Pope's message of hope.

@Patty
What we have here is ... confirmation bias.

The starting pitchers last year were duct taped and baling-wired to get to the sixth (when they did get to the sixth, which wasn't often.) No #1 starter all year. This rotation is at least credible (nothing personal, Jason), if the team were scoring 4 runs a game, which they aren't.

(Be forewarned, this is a lengthy post)

Sigh. The Nats should have signed FA pitchers to help this team win (or compete, or save the bullpen's arms, etc).

OK, so I've complied a list of FA starters from this past off-season:

SP that the Nats signed:
Odalis Perez, 30: (minor league deal) 0-3, 4.35 ERA, 20.2 IP

SP's that have yet to sign with any ballclub:
David Wells (44 years old), Eric Milton (32), Freddy Garcia (31), John Thomson (34), Jose Garcia (23), Rodrigo Lopez (32), Roger Clemens (45), Russ Oritz (33).
Analysis: A mixture of bad pitchers, old pitchers, ineffective pitchers and injured pitchers.

SP's that signed minor-league deals and have yet to pitch one inning in the majors:
Matt DeSalvo (27), Darrell Rasner (27), Tony Armas (29), Kris Benson (33), Bartolo Colon (34), Elmer Dessens (37) and Jeff Weaver (31) who just signed yesterday with the Brewers.
Analysis: same as above.

SP's signed to MULTI-YEAR deals:
Carlos Silva, 28: (4 years/$48M) 2-0, 3.27 ERA, 22 IP
Analysis: Good numbers so far, but there is NO WAY I would pony up $12M a year for this guy.

Rest of the SP's that signed 1 Year Deals:
Andy Pettitte, 35: ($16M) 2-1, 3.38 ERA, 18.2 IP
Kenny Rogers, 43: ($8M) 0-3, 6.75 ERA, 14.2 IP
Tom Glavine, 42: ($8M) 0-1, 2.38 ERA, 11.1 IP
Randy Wolf, 31: ($4.75M) 1-0, 1.42 ERA, 19 IP
Analysis: no way these guys were going to sign anywhere else. Pettitte and Rogers were staying with their clubs, Glavine was going no where but Atlanta and Wolf was staying on the west coast where he's from.

Livan Hernandez, 33: ($5M) 3-0, 3.00 ERA, 27 IP
Kyle Lohse, 29: ($4.25M) 2-0, 1.04 ERA, 17.1 IP
Jason Jennings, 29: ($4M) 0-3, 8.79 ERA, 14.1 IP
Kip Wells, 30: ($3.1M) 0-0, 2.53 ERA, 10.2 IP
Brett Tomko, 35: ($3M) 1-1, 2.08 ERA, 13 IP
Shawn Chacon, 30: ($2M) 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 20 IP
Mark Hendrickson, 33: ($1.5M) 3-1, 3.97 ERA, 22.2 IP
Josh Fogg, 31: ($1M) 1-2, 13.09 ERA, 11 IP
Mark Redman, 34: ($1M) 2-1, 4.60 ERA, 15.2 IP
Steve Trachsel, 37: (minors contract) 1-2, 5.65 ERA, 14.1 IP
Analysis: Livan and Lohse have started really well. Lohse was signed very late, reportedly because he originally wanted a multi-year contract, which obviously teams did not want to sign him for based on his past performances. Wells, Tomko, Chacon and Hendrickson are doing pretty well, too. But each of these guys had poor track records before this season and chances are they will revert back to their norm pretty soon. Jennings and Fogg are getting lit up right now. Trachsel just plain stinks.

So, let's see. I've listed 1 pitcher that signed a multi-year contract, 14 pitchers that signed one-year contracts and 8 pitchers that signed minor-league deals. Take away the four that weren't going to go anywhere other than where they signed (Pettitte, Rogers, Glavine, Wolf), that leaves 19 pitchers (not including Odalis Perez which would make it an even 20).

Can anyone tell me with 100% certainty that any of these 20 pitchers would absolutely help the Nationals win more games this year (or save bullpen arms)? Sure Livan, Lohse, Wells, Tomko, Chacon and Hendrickson are pitching well right now, after 2 or 3 starts. But where, in their past history, does it show that they will keep this up all year long?

As you all know, picking successful FA's is a crapshoot. The Nats basically had a 1 in 20 shot of getting a successful pitcher. All of these pitchers are stopgaps anyway. None would be considered a National after this season, so why is it so important that they should have signed any one of these guys?

PTBNL, I think it would be prudent to take a look at the terms of the MASN agreement for the Nats before speculating about it. I believe the Nats are guaranteed a rights fee of around $20 million per year until reset. I don't believe they are subsidizing anything after the initial buy-in that the Lerners had to make as part of the purchase of the team in 2006. I'd be happy to hear more details if you want to check them out.

Anyone who thinks the Nationals are getting rich from the sales of team merchandise has never actually tried to buy any Nationals merchandise. Outside of the team stores - which only exist at the stadium, and weren't even open there until just before the season started - it's difficult if not impossible to find anything beyond the most perfunctory T-shirts and hats. Go to shop.mlb.com and compare the selection of what's available for the Nationals vis a vis what's available for the Yankees, Red Sox, etc. Or look at the MLB.com catalog if you get it in the mail. (Which you will if you've ever bought anything from them.) There's NOTHING available for the Nats beyond the official MLB Authentic hats, jerseys, T shirts and jackets. And even what's shown in the catalog is not really available. Around Thanksgiving last year my folks asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I said how about the new Nationals jacket and mailed them the link from MLB.com. They tried to open the link, but it wouldn't work. Why? The jacket had gone out of stock in the day between when I looked at the link and they tried to open it. They called and asked about it, and the answer was out of stock until well after Christmas! They gave me cash and I was able to get one during a brief window in January when they got a few in stock before going out of stock on the item again. The moral of the story is that no team can get rich from merchandise sales if there's no merchandise available to be sold!

Nice work, e, and thanks.

That said, I disagree that "100% certainty" is the correct standard to apply. As you said, it's a crapshoot, so roll the dice already, there's money on the table. It's a crapshoot no matter what they do. They could sign a solid 200+ innings guy like Brian Lawrence, and watch him blow out his arm on the first day of spring training. That's not a reason to lay off.

What IS a reason to lay off is, if the prices are way out of line with any rational chance of a return on the investment. If Livo wins 20 games with an ERA under 4.00 for Minnesota, well, good for him, and I'm still wearing my Livo Nats jersey to this day, but no one expects that. Much more likely is 12-12, 5.xx, 200+ innings, and I would have thought that worth getting him.

E, you are right. Successfully identifying FA pitchers is hard to do. So the Lerners/Bowden shouldn't even try to do it. Identifying players in the amateur draft is difficult to, so maybe they should throw up their hands there too. Now please also repeate your analysis for the 2007 FA crop. And also please identify all starting pitchers who the Nats could have acquired through trade at any time from the end of 06 through March 08 for any player on the Nats' roster who is not part of the Plan.

As to the "just a stopgap" point you are making, aren't you contradicting yourself now since you've already recognized that preventing bullpen arms from blowing out is a legitimate goal?

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that we have a winner. :)

---

You mean that wasn't him who showed up stark naked in the Pope's...er, Manny's office this morning wanting to know why he wasn't in the lineup?

Posted by: Nelson | April 17, 2008 5:32 PM

e,
thank you, thank you. When we keep hearing about all the free agents we should have signed I keep asking WHO? but we never got answers. (And frankly, I was too lazy to do what you did myself). I'm taking your word for it, but it looks like a pretty comprehensive list.

Bookmark this page, folks, and refer back to it when we hear more griping about all the FA pitchers we should have signed.

For those who wanted us to sign a big FA pitcher: if you have better examples that e may have missed, that's fine, tell us all about them.

The other reason to roll: Randy St. Claire. If he thinks he sees something in an available pitcher that explains prior poor results, AND he believes he could fix it, then it's worth throwing some money on the table and taking your chances. Of course, we here can't know whether he looked at hours of tape on all these guys and decided there wasn't anything he could do.

Great post, e, lot of leg work went into that.

I have a follow-up question - why is it so important to win THIS season? I guess I understand the argument that the Nats risk permanently alienating part of the fan base, but I just don't buy it. If DC is truly a frontrunning sports town, the frontrunners will come right back.

I hate losing now as much as anyone, but the future is bright. Barry played this game in his chat yesterday, but let's expand on it.

Potential 2011 position players:

C - Flores
1B - Marrero
2B - Gaping Hole
3B - Zimmerman
SS - Gaping Hole's twin brother, Deep
Outfield, pick three of - Dukes, Milledge, Pena, Burgess, Maxwell.

Granted - two holes in the middle infield. Needs to be addressed, no doubt.

Let's turn to pitching. Pitching prospects are terribly unreliable, and as Barry noted, there's no way all of these will pan out. But right now in the minor leagues the Nats have at least five guys (Detwiler, Smoker, Balester, Willems, Zimmerman) who all throw in the low to mid 90s and have at least one other plus or potential plus pitch. That's not even counting Hill, Lannan, Chico or Bergmann (the sound you hear is me knocking on wood).

Is it just me? Isn't that an exciting stash of young talent? Look how young all those position players are. Look at all the young power arms. I, for one, am psyched for the Nats future.

As for the present, well...half smokes and beer, that's all I can tell you. Let's hope the hitters break out of the slump and crush the ball tonight.

nelson, i've never had any problem finding merchandise somewhere other than the stadium stores or at MLB.com. i shopped at sporting goods stores and got my jersey, my hats, my windbreaker, and a couple of tshirts. even the ones not on sale (i like shopping in december cuz i'm a cheapskate) were cheaper than buying online or at the nationals' store.

220,
Good points.

Who knows, maybe we'll sign Gaping and Deep in this year's draft.

e: Good points - the question would have been, would any of the 19 REALLY have considered signing with the Nats? Maybe Livan, Chacon, & Jennings (who I think is either hiding an injury, or has developed SteveBlass syndrome). The rest, probably not.

This is a good point. Most of the time in here, we're going on about winning this WEEK, nevermind this season. And the FO doesn't hold out they will field a competitive team in 2008. They do seem to believe this is a frontrunner (not that there's anything wrong with that) market, and are (not-)marketing the franchise accordingly.

As the halfsmokes and beer -- well, no rational person could possibly disagree. "Halfsmokes on Half Street" -- hey, I like that.
"Halfsmokes in jest and fully in earnest" -- good, but too long.

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Why is it so important to win THIS season? I guess I understand the argument that the Nats risk permanently alienating part of the fan base, but I just don't buy it. If DC is truly a frontrunning sports town, the frontrunners will come right back. ...

As for the present, well...half smokes and beer, that's all I can tell you. Let's hope the hitters break out of the slump and crush the ball tonight.

Posted by: 220 | April 17, 2008 6:08 PM

Quick point - I hope no one took "why is it so important to win THIS season" as a lecture, in re-reading that it sounded kind of, um, harangue-ish. Wanting to win is good, it's passionate, it's important. I want to win. But I'm soooooo excited about the future, and we can all say we were there in 2005...that's all.

I am shocked that Mackowiak is not hitting .400/.500/.600 with 7 HR and 18 RBI. I thought sure he'd win the Triple Crown.

JimBo & Manny, when Dukes comes back, it'll be past time to cut Mackowiak and bench Austin "GIDP" Kearns. It's past time now but I realize our options are limited.

On the bright side, I give the Nats credit for not minimizing the seriousness of Cordero's (apparently) dead arm.

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"Mackowiak is 0 for 11 on the season, 0 for 7 as a pinch hitter."

newpost

Why is this so hard for you to understand? Back in September fans from Nats320 to CP regulars, to folks right here had identified Livo as the FA pitcher that made the most sense.

Nothing complicated, nothing hard or mysterious. He was here, he eats innings every year. He rarely is hurt. He can hit better than half our starters and he is entertaining. Turns out so far this would be a big improvement over Bergman, Lannan, Hill, Chico and Perez. Yes he could be hurt tomorrow, yes he could lose 10 games straight and blow up his ERA....but that is not his history and your logic that says do nothing because something bad could happen is the same thinking that keeps this franchise the joke of the league.

Who the [RF] wants to know?

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Where's Robert Fick?