Fare thee well Ray. I was always excited to see him come into a game last season, I don't know, something about that belly made him a favorite. But he didn't have the same mojo this year.

Dammit, Barry! Stop giving us so much information! It interrupts my own efforts to self-agrandize! Repost! Banger!

Speaking of flynnie not being happy with Barry, he wanted to send Barry a martini on Sunday, and speaking of that, we all signed a poster for Barry, and speaking of THAT, I have two posters here for people that requested them.

One is for SC Nats Fan, but I don't remember who wanted the other one. Gang?

(also, now you know how my thought process works)

Posted by: Section 506 (Before moving) | April 29, 2008 3:23 PM

Schroder is plainly the guy who is getting the raw deal out of the bullpen. Close to a K an inning, good groundball rate. The definition of a helpful middle reliever. This guy needs to be up here. Colome? not so much. Last year was his only quality year in the bigs. Release him if there are no takers. Good luck Ray.

on the Nats mlb.com website...

Nats fans can send Zimmerman to All-Star game
Ryan Zimmerman leads the cast of Nationals on the 2008 All-Star ballot. Fans can vote for the third baseman to go to the Midsummer Classic until July 2. VOTE NOW

Here's a question from left field that probably stands no chance of getting answered here -- why did they switch games from 7:05 to 7:10. I really liked turning on the game at 7:00 and not having to wait too long for a pitch. What baseball does NOT need is something else to slow down the game.

It's still early, but the All-Star Game could pose quite an embarrassing problem for the Nats.

If you had to decide now, who would you pick? Lannan? Milledge? Saul? Nick? Obviously it couldn't be Zimmerman, Cordero, Rauch, Hill or any of the people you would have thought going into the year.

Maybe it's time to do away with all-star affirmative action and tell Bowden that if he wants an all-star he'll have to get a real one, not a gimme fake one.

No what baseball DOESN'T need are people who are already fans complaining about the length of games. That's such a baseball hater line.

If you want to complain about the start time then use a relevant argument like games are already on too late, not enough day games, kids/working adults have to go to bed at a decent hour, blah blah blah.

Too many rule changes etc already get put in place for the sake of speeding the game up.

Flynnie --

I was basing my opinion on the career MLB performances of those pitchers. While any batter can (and usually) get schooled by the likes of Santana, Hudson, etc, a better-than-average batter shouldn't consistently get schooled by these types of pitchers:

Looper (1 year as a starter) 12-12, 4.94 ERA, 175 IP, 51/87 BB/K
Miller (1 year) 5-5, 5.63 ERA, 64 IP, 39/56 BB/K
Hendrickson (6 yrs) 43-55, 5.01 ERA, 844 IP, 236/464 BB/K
Badenhop (no MLB experience)
Figueroa (5 yrs) 7-17, 4.65 ERA, 261.1 IP, 103/152 BB/K
Pelfrey (2 yrs) 5-9, 5.55 ERA, 94 IP, 51/58 BB/K

and this doesn't apply just for Zimmerman. This applies to all of the Nats that couldn't get it done against these types of pitchers.
---------------------------
e- do you know whether Zimmerman hit in any of these games that "he should have hit" in, or is yours an opinion unsupported by fact? Because it looks like there is only one of the games you referred to where the pitchers you listed which Zimmerman "should have hit" did not pitch lights out. That's my problem with the article (and your off the cuff statement of "fact"). It takes too much trouble to analyze the pitching, so that obvious explanation of the slump is ignored, and Barry presents us with this failed David Wright who can't hit in April and may never hit again.
Bradon Looper v. Nats
W L ERA SV IP H ER BB SO
APR 04 WSH 1 0 1.50 0 6.0 5 1 2 3
Andrew Miller v. Nats
APR 07 @WSH 0 0 12.91 0 3.1 8 6 1 3
APR 18 WSH 0 0 9.68 0 5.0 6 3 2 3
Mark Hendrickson
APR 10 @WSH 1 0 4.15 0 7.0 3 1 0 2
Burke Badenhop
APR 09 @WSH 0 0 0.00 0 1.0 0 0 0 1
APR 19 WSH 0 0 7.00 0 3.0 4 3 5 4
Nelson Figueroa
APR 17 WSH 0 0 3.60 0 7.0 3 2 2 7
Mike Pelfrey
APR 15 WSH 1 0 1.50 0 7.0 5 0 2 4

Posted by: flynnie | April 29, 2008 2:51 PM

Kearns historically has hit Glavine well (.429 OBP/ .529 SLG, 5H/17 ABs, 1HR). Lopez, not so much, and he's having a relatively toughtime v LHP this year. It'd be a good time to get Belliard into the line up.

How about -
Guz
Belli
Milledge
Johnson
Zimmerman
AK
WMP
Hot hand Wil
Redding

Ray?! Ray?!

He must have left without getting his lunchbag!

Luke Montz is hitting a ton and throwing out anything that moves and we promote Devin Ivany to Harrisburg to back him up? Cool him off? Carry his cup?

Love you, Ray! What an articulate and wonderful guy! Even after that wild pitch - Loved the way you blocked the plate and went that runner bouncing off 270+ pounds of twisted steel! May you end up pitching in another World Series, and may your dreams of annnouncing come true!

"Nats fans can send Zimmerman to All-Star game"

Will he get a good seat, or will he be in the nosebleeds? Can he bring a date with him?

"Nats fans can send Zimmerman to All-Star game" -- Note to the Nats marketing department, there are other players on the team besides Zim. And all the hype in the world isn't going to get Ryan to Yankee Stadium in July unless he kicks into high gear real soon.

So far Guz is the only choice to represent the Nats. We'll see if that holds true in six weeks.

Carrying over from last thread: yes, those were The Other Famous Barry's first 8 years worth of BA/OBP/SLG numbers. I wasn't necessarily suggesting anything, I'm just sayin.

and will you guys please quit arguing about whether you're arguing about arguing, f'petes sake? gggggggz

and good luck, Ray. I bet Tony still takes your calls.

That's it, we'll send Ray King -- he can do play by play.
*******
May [Ray King] end up pitching in another World Series, and may [his] dreams of announcing come true!
Posted by: flynnie | April 29, 2008 4:09 PM

Here's a question from left field that probably stands no chance of getting answered here -- why did they switch games from 7:05 to 7:10. I really liked turning on the game at 7:00 and not having to wait too long for a pitch. What baseball does NOT need is something else to slow down the game.

Posted by: 305 | April 29, 2008 3:28 PM
-----
I fail to see how the start time of the game has any affect on the duration of the game.

RE: All-star game

What about John Lannan?

I don't understand why everyone who wants to drop Zimmerman out of the 3 whole leaves Johnson batting cleanup in their 'dream' lineups. He's got a lower BA than Zim and walks don't create RBI.

I say keep the line up static and make them hit their way out of the slump. Based on real stats, instead of 1 month's worth, there's nobody on this team who is a better 3 hitter than Zim.

NoVA Nat: Tell your statistics to shut-up!

"I just remember your posts over the past few years. Here you go again. Knock yourself out with the insults,but, since you won't answer my baseball questions, I'll ask the question that you avoided the last time I asked it. Do you work for the Post? Everyone respects defending your paycheck."

Flynnie, since you have such an excellent memory, I'm sure you'll remember that the last time you accused me of being a Post flack was in the context of you attacking the accuracy of Barry's report on Chad's lack of velocity. Funny, haven't heard much from you on that topic since. Guess Barry got that one right, yah?

And no, I'm not a Post employee. I didn't answer you the last time because of the obvious childishness of the question, but since it's clearly bothering you, there's your answer.

Let's not rush things . . . that kind of pressure seems to be what has gotten into Zimm.
______________________
RE: All-star game

What about John Lannan?

Posted by: Section 506 (Before moving) | April 29, 2008 4:16 PM

p.s. I believe that I was the other one who requested the poster. Thank you , if so.

NoVA Nat: Tell your statistics to shut-up!

Posted by: Section 506 (Before moving) | April 29, 2008 4:30 PM
----
ouch. BTW, why haven't the 500-series monikers moved to the new park? just curious...

Wil Nieves for All-Star!

Who makes up this schedule? The Braves have played more games at Nats Park than some of the Nats' platyers.

It's a reference to Ball Four where Jim Bouton keeps all his own stats, but the managers and execs ignore him whenever he starts going through how well he's been pitching his knuckleballer. He says it reminds him of a peanuts comic when Lucy comes in to give Charlie Brown a speech about what a terrible pitcher he is and he tells her to tell her statistics to shut-up.

On the moniker, I was always Section 506 (After moving) because I would buy tickets in the RFK outfield and move over to section 506 to see better (and I don't feel bad about it). So when we moved to the new stadium, it became Section 506 (Before moving) meaning moving from RFK, instead of from the outfield seats. It's weird how you cling to a name, even a fake one.

I knew it had RFK roots and figured you had to stay within character. It sure was a lot easier to float around back there. In 2006 we had two seats in Section 117 and the usher was accepting bribes from anyone who would pay cash to move into the seats. he'd bring friends in on outfield tix and get them balls & t-shirts, etc. He used to do Sweet Caroline when it was a duet...back in the day...

By-the-by -- I recall being ripped into by someone here, during spring training, when I suggested the Nats really needed a better lefty arm in the 'pen than Ray King. Personally, I like the guy, but he's just not that good. The poster went off on his supposedly awesome statistics last year. I say shove your statistics. Effectiveness isn't always about the opponents' batting average, or ERA.

I like King, and hope he catches on somewhere...or makes the transition to broadcasting...and it saddens me that I was right...but, there it is.

On the other hand, having seen Ivany a few times last year, I think this guy shows major league potential. I realize he's no spring chicken, but for some it takes a few years to get it -- catchers, even more so. I'll miss seeing him with Potomac, but hope he's up with the big club in a year or two.

I really need to check out Burgess....

So was no one willing to give up a bag of balls for Ray?

"I was basing my opinion on the career MLB performances of those pitchers."

e-your opinion was that Zimmerman should have hit these pitchers in April, 2006, not over a particular pitcher's career span. Your data is too general to justify your conclusion that Zimmerman should have done better.

Fisch Fry, Ray King DID have amazing statistics last year and his stats against left-handers were good this year (.235 opponent batting average, 0 BBs), but his right-hander opponents were .500 against him.

I believe both those numbers would be lower by the end of the season, but as Hendo alluded to on Sunday when him and I chatted about it, what is the use of a left-handed specialist on this team? Now Hendo actually despises the LOOGY entirely and he is fairly persuasive, but I'm not willing to bite on that yet. I do agree, that this team has no need for a LOOGY until we can count on all our starters averaging six or more innings.

Thus, without the right-handed batter success that we had every reason to gamble on given last year's stats, Ray King isn't helpful to us. I can't believe Trader Jim couldn't trade him, though.

Hey, it's the 25th anniversary of Lee Elia's famous rant. I was up in the Big Apple earlier today and heard it on the radio driving back in from the airport. It was 1983, the Cubs were 5-14 (sound familiar), and the Wrigley Field faithful were pouring beer on the players after another loss. And then this happened:

http://tinyurl.com/4wcg4c

joebleux - In fact, no one, including you, has answered the baseball questions I posted today or the questions I asked about the difference in the pitchf/x speeds reported at MLB and the speeds reported at NatsPark. Another poster was asking about it just yesterday or so. As far as childish, as I said, knock yourself out, joebleux. I have a childish thirst for baseball knowledge, and the way you dodge around the issues does you no credit. E.g. Why the different speed readings by pitchf/x on MLB.com and in Barry's article on Chad? joebleux's answer: So Randy St. Clair must be an idiot. Not useful, joebleux, but, hey, vent your spleen if it makes you feel better.

NoVA NAt: Why do you think Zimmerman projects as a long run #3 hitter better than Milledge? Manny says he wants RZ up in the 1st inning, but why is he insistent on that but flexible on dropping Milledge out of the top #3? Would I be the only one not shocked if, by the end of this year, Milledge has better offensive stats than Zimmerman?

I'll buy into Manny's need to spread the LH batters as part of the rationale for Nick batting 4th. I don't think Nick really is right for the role, but I'm not sure anyone is on this team right now. In a better line up with a lefty power hitter, he'd bat 2d. At least in 2006 he had a decent power year, and among him, Zimmerman, and Kearns, he's the one I'd most like to have come to the plate right now. So yes, keep him 4th as a best out of bad situation, but give Milledge the few extra ABs with 2 table setters in front of him rather than 1.

Wow, that was some [RF] (or should I say [LE]?) rant. :)

---

Hey, it's the 25th anniversary of Lee Elia's famous rant. I was up in the Big Apple earlier today and heard it on the radio driving back in from the airport. It was 1983, the Cubs were 5-14 (sound familiar), and the Wrigley Field faithful were pouring beer on the players after another loss. And then this happened:

http://tinyurl.com/4wcg4c

There's even a Nats connection! From a USA Today blog:

So what exactly started Elia's rant?

Well, the Dodgers beat Chicago despite getting only four hits, and Lee Smith let the decisive run trot home on a wild pitch in the eighth inning. It also didn't help that Cubs Keith Moreland and Larry Bowa had nearly brawled with heckling fans as they left the field.

Elia recently told the Chicago Tribune that, when he met with reporters that day, "Well, I just lost it -- remembering how a few moments before someone was calling Moreland a fat redhead and Bowa a Pygmy shortstop. It just set me off."

leetee1955 + John(not)in Mpls re: Our Nation's Capitol's Home Team in Cincy for Our Nation's Birthday- When my wife heard that there was no national pastime in D.C. on the 4th, she stared in disbelief. I asked her to guess where MLB had scheduled Our Beloved Nats. "Well, MLB doesn't sound very smart. Where did they send them - Toronto?" I hope she is not as good a prophet as she is a wife. (She is a superb wife!)

Whoops, URL for the above snippet:

http://tinyurl.com/6ps5rl

I said nothing about projecting out into the future. What was implied in my statement, but maybe I should have explicitly written, was that currently there's nobody on the team that fills the role better than Zim. Maybe Millz could be a better 3 hitter by the end of the year, but he doesn't even have 1 season worth of AB's so there's no proof.

Also, I like Millz at 5 better than 2, if guys could get on ahead of him, he'd be very effective there.

I have no objection to Nick batting 4, I was using that to prove the point (again implied) that people are being overly dramatic about Zimmerman's slump. I do agree that we need a real number 4 hitter, preferably a lefty but I don't see that in the near future.

WaPo complaint.

Probably been discussed in the past, but why is it relevant who the Nats' best against the Braves have been? Considering that somewhere around approximately 0% of the ABs against the Braves have come against Jair Jurrgens and Tom Glavine. And even if there are some Jurrgens or Glavine ABs in there, they had to be either so long ago in Glavine's case or such a small sample size as to be totally irrelevant.

Here's a suggestion on what to do with that space. Tell us what pitches the pitchers we're facing throw. This info is all readily available, and it's totally interesting--X pitcher throws 60% fastballs, 30% sliders, and 10% change-ups with maybe one splitter a game. This would actually give us some information relevant to the strategies we're going to see.

But anything other than what the Post does now would be an improvement. Just give us a nice pretty picture of Wil Nieves in that space--at least it wouldn't advertise the paper's sabermetric amateurishness.

Hey, do they sing "God Bless America" in the seventh inning on Sunday in Toronto?

That, by the way, is the most annoying music related thing to me at the ballpark. I hate being compelled to worship America. Let the douchebag usher have his Sweet Caroline.

Hmmm... I tried to hear the rant, but it seemed to constantly be interrupted by random morse code...

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

Hey, it's the 25th anniversary of Lee Elia's famous rant. I was up in the Big Apple earlier today and heard it on the radio driving back in from the airport. It was 1983, the Cubs were 5-14 (sound familiar), and the Wrigley Field faithful were pouring beer on the players after another loss. And then this happened:

http://tinyurl.com/4wcg4c

This is an unedited version, nats del negro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv23pqH9iG0

Someone was asking about pitch/FX. There's a Baseball Prospectus podcast with Mike Fast, the guy who does this for MLB.com that explains a lot of how that data is derived.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/radio/

Also, BTW, I recommend their most recent podcast with Tom Allison, scouting director of the D'Backs. He talks a lot about how drafting and development happens, the role of the GM, etc.

Thx natsfan,

Just imagining a night out drinking with Lee Elia and Earl Weaver, and the server gets their order wrong...

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

This is an unedited version, nats del negro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv23pqH9iG0

Posted by: natsfan1a | April 29, 2008 5:51 PM

That, by the way, is the most annoying music related thing to me at the ballpark. I hate being compelled to worship America.

________________

Hear hear! (Since I figure we're in the extreme like .02% minority here, I figured I'd back you up.)

The national anthem started during WW2 and God Bless America started after 9/11 in the run up to war in Afghanistan.

Whenever you are asked to stand and sing patriotic songs at a sporting event, make no mistake, the subtext is "Hooray for war! Let's go invade something!!!"

I think the context is that we live in a nation that divides its people into the haves and have nots - as in the range to sing any of it's damn corny patriotic songs.

I second the backup, a good friend of mine once commented on the tradition with "Why can't God bless everyone?"

--------------------------------------
That, by the way, is the most annoying music related thing to me at the ballpark. I hate being compelled to worship America.

________________

Hear hear! (Since I figure we're in the extreme like .02% minority here, I figured I'd back you up.)

The national anthem started during WW2 and God Bless America started after 9/11 in the run up to war in Afghanistan.

Whenever you are asked to stand and sing patriotic songs at a sporting event, make no mistake, the subtext is "Hooray for war! Let's go invade something!!!"

Posted by: Steven on Capitol Hill | April 29, 2008 5:56 PM

Ah Lee Elia, the anti-Manny.

flynnie, if you really need to know about the marlins pitching *in april*, it's super simple to look at stats on espn.com.

marlins in april (all of their pitchers) are 12th in the NL with a 4.28 ERA. nothing special at all. and the pitchers you mentioned aren't anything special this year, either. they only have two starters w/an ERA under 5, and only one of them on your list (hendrickson at 3.68). badenhop? over 8.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/pitching?team=fla

seriously, i can't figure why you're so bent on this. it's not that the marlins pitching (or the back of the mets rotation) is good. it's that the nats aren't hitting much of anyone (other than early season philly pitchers, and they're notoriously bad as a team as well).

There has to be more to the King cutting than numbers. Weren't his lefty-lefty numbers still good? Not that i'm advocating keeping him mind you. I maintained from spring that Bascik was a more versatile situational lefty in the pen than "Burger" King.

Game times moved back a bit to allow for traffic issues, especially on fridays.

I do think that MLB ought to make the Nats in DC a July 4th tradition -- not just in DC, but maybe a yearly event on ESPN, or FOX, or TBS, etc. Perhaps they fear that there are too many other things going on that day, in DC. I think they're missing a great marketing opportunity.

New post, with lineups.

Thanks, 231, for the baseball knowledge. I appreciate the trouble you went to, and I would have loved to see pitching analyzed in the article on Zimm's slump. I don't know how he did against the Marlins - still haven't seen that. And does anyone honestly believe that it is irrelevant that one third of his plate appearances have been against unhittable pitching?

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