While we're waiting...

Hypothetical Situation:

(at a performance review...)

BOSS: We really think you have a lot of potential, there are a lot of things you do well, but there are some things that you could do better. We're going to send you to some training classes, so that you can be one of the rising stars around here. It'll mean a weekend or two away from home, but it will be worth it in the long run.

EMPLOYEE: You know, I just talked it over with my family, and I am not going to take those training classes... I think I am a rising star already, and anyway, you owe me that promotion.

---

That employee better produce...

---

The boss: The Nats, telling Ryan Church that he should play winter ball.

The employee: Ryan Church.

He was dead weight in Washington.

Wigi, and others annoyed by Church's performance in NY--

No question we're better off with LMillz than Ryan "jews are doomed because they don't go to" Church.

He's playing a little over his head now, but the reality is he's doing about what we always knew he would do IF he could stay healthy and IF he didn't fall apart every time he got a hang nail, menstrual cramp or whatever other mysterious owie he always had. So don't worry. He'll go in the tank soon enough.

oh, look, sexism from SoCH!

man, I gotta say that a lot of people in her have been brutal to SoCH these past couple of days. I may not agree with some/most of the things he says, but I respect his right to say them. SoCH ... keep on keeping on!

I'm happy about the Chico/O'Connor switch. Personally, I don't think Chico is going to cut it in the pen. I'd prefer that he goes down to Columbus and work out whatever he needs to work out as a starter. Keeping him up here just to be in the bullpen won't help his psyche.

Thanks for working a little overtime for us in your last days on the beat. We appreciate it!

E's got my point too - why move Chico to the pen? Unless they've decided that he's never going to be a starter (and I don't think that's the decision), why not move him down to Columbus and bring up a true long reliever?

I am the biggest Lastings Milledge fan out there, but some of you need to relax on the Ryan Church bashing. He put up solid numbers as a National, was very courteous and fan friendly in all my of my encounters (and those who I know that have met him) and honestly is a much better option than Austin Kearns. He's the one laughing at us now.

This is what I don't get: The Nats move the pitcher with the HIGHER ERA into a starter's role, and the one with the LOWER ERA into the bullpen?

Wouldn't you want someone -- regardless of their previous role -- to have a lower ERA than the pitcher they're replacing?

Much appreciated, e, Scott in Shaw, et. al.

But like my daddy always said, when your opponent starts resorting to name-calling, you know you've won the argument!

Ryan Church...the only thing IMO that was wrong with him while in DC was that he was always looking over his shoulder if he got in a slump or something. When he got to NY, they said it was his job to be the everyday rightfielder, end of story. That gave him the confidence boost he needed and I bet he maintains a decent average up there unless he truly does get hurt. Time will tell, but I always liked the guy, especially after he crashed that wall in Pittsburgh I think.

e, Ryan et al: But what 'true long reliever' would you bring up from Columbus? Mike Bascik? Charlie Manning? Those are the only two lefty relievers in AAA currently available (with Munoz on the DL). Nats likely figure that Chico is a better option than either of those. Can't say I disagree.

Just call up Bergmann, Balester, Clippard or Mock for the rotation spot. Leave Mikey where he is.

Yeah? So's yer old man!
*********
But like my daddy always said, when your opponent starts resorting to name-calling, you know you've won the argument!

Posted by: Steven on Capitol Hill | May 7, 2008 5:29 PM

Juan-John: O'Connor's ERA was high because he had one bad outing in the pen. He is not, by nature, a reliever. To be a successful reliever you need to have a completely different mindset than that of a starter. Now that O'Connor knows he'll be pitching every 5th day, he'll be able to properly prepare for his outing. Much harder to prepare as a reliever, especially since he hadn't done that in quite some time. Hopefully, the Nats will allow O'Connor more than 1-2 starts to see if what he did in ST and in Columbus wasn't a fluke. I don't think he'll be the be-all-end-all as a starter, but I do think right now he's a better option than Chico (or most everyone else in the system).

Except, Manny gave him left field before spring training even started last year.

-------------------
Ryan Church...the only thing IMO that was wrong with him while in DC was that he was always looking over his shoulder if he got in a slump or something. When he got to NY, they said it was his job to be the everyday rightfielder, end of story. That gave him the confidence boost he needed and I bet he maintains a decent average up there unless he truly does get hurt. Time will tell, but I always liked the guy, especially after he crashed that wall in Pittsburgh I think.

Posted by: SC Nats Fan | May 7, 2008 5:34 PM

The damage was already done to RC. He needed a change of scenery and good for him that he got it.

Church used to have those hot streaks with the Nats, too -- it was like the entire league would forget all at once that curve balls down and in kill him. Then they'd remember and he'd stop hitting.

the nats lineup is such b s. i hope the only reason theyre playin lopez is to showcase him and same for loduca. they both stink. ducas throw to third yesterday was, in my best bill walton, h o r r i b l e.
no exuse for nieves not to be playin.
and bring dukes up already.

This must be a Bowden move and not a Manny move otherwise Bergman would be up.

By all means, get Chico out to the bullpen.

By which I mean our Chico, Mr. Harlan. I'm assuming by "we," you're acknowledging that NJ's newest Pennsylvanian has joined you.

Send him out to the bullpen - I'm dying for some Chico on Chico action!

Me, I'm just hoping he's able to find an even more creative way to strike out today.

Perhaps he can attempt to bunt with two strikes - and miss entirely.

Maybe he can swing at ball four after the umpire has already signaled the walk.

Maybe he can take a hack at a wild pitch that sails behind him.

-----

i hope the only reason theyre playin lopez is to showcase him

It's only the first week of May and the gangplank is not open for business yet.

Drop the high-leg kicking delivery now! Send St. Claire to AAA!

A cat just committed suicide over this revelation.
I may not be far behind.

Cap Hill: I think the need for a lefty reliever, especially a guy you want to be a lefty LONG man (vice a LOOGY) is probably overrated on a team that's got 3/5 of its rotation coming port-side. I'd like to see Schroeder back up. Let Hanrahan be the "long" man and get somebody else to spell Ayala and Rivera.

This is a good move. You get to try out both in opposite roles to showcase them (let's be serious, O'Connor) while at the same time avoiding yo-yoing anyone. If Chico gets his stuff together in the pen then you can bring him back.

I've been out all day, tell me: has there been serious concern over Hill yet? I am seriously concerned that we'll need both Chico and O'Connor in the rotation before the end of the month.

Send St. Claire to AAA!
Posted by: Chico's mom | May 7, 2008 6:03 PM

seriously what has st claire done that is so great. patterson got injured. cordero is injured. hill is injured. half the other guys stink. our best pitcher just came to us from another team--perez so he hasnt been able to ruin him.
what pitchers has he made better and how?

St Claire:

- returned Loaiza to the most steady performer we had in '05 - and earned him a multi-year deal.

- managed to wring several successful starts out of Hector farkin' Carrasco when the wheels came off in '05

- Held the '07 rotation together with bailing wire and string, managing to get not just passable but successful starts out of Simontacchi, Bacsik, Bowie, and several other stiffs that I can't even remember.

No, unfortunately, he doesn't have mystical healing powers that will keep patterson, cordero or hill from being injured. He also doesn't make the decisions on which crapbag starters we pick up off the scrap heap. He is, however, responsible for getting successful outings out of those guys that stink. Want to know why we weren't historically bad last year? A bunch of reasons, but one of the big ones is that St. Claire managed to hold that pitching staff together.

As for pitchers he's made better, I'd add Redding to the list as well this year. Chico's leg kick showed early good results, but the jury is still out. You don't judge a pitching coach by any one pitcher's individual outing...you judge him on the body of work over the year. The starters (though they stunk last year) outperformed what they had done and are doing.

Sad truth is that neither Chico or O'Connor belong on a major league roster. Their pitches couldn't fool a good Little League hitter. This is just more of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

espn the magazine article on espn.com about Elijah Dukes. Good read.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3382818

Ryan Church is better than any outfielder on the Nats current roster. That's not saying a whole lot because all the Nats current outfielders suck. Milledge and Pena can't even catch routine fly balls. I am sure Church doesn't miss the constant bashing from Bowden.

New

pitching isn't the problem. but draft more pitching and sign some offense. seriously, any position, just sign some offense. did anyone ever really think cordero was here for the long term?

Another rough one. Very close and thrilling, but disappointing in the end.

1) Why are we sending runners to home when the throw is coming in from thirty yards beyond second base and a charging outfielder is all over the ball?
2) why are we not pinch running Harris for Pena in the 7th innning?
3) why didnt we immediately pull perez after he twice showed no hustle and worse, his head wasn't in the game (re: not covering 1st base, not running on contact off his bat)

Another one that got away.

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