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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Trying to absorb this deal

Listening to Johnny and Ray, reading this and that, these are the things that jump into my mind:

*Ayala to close? Why not? Doesn't mess up too many other roles and how many leads to protect are we talking about anyway? Maybe he'll get hot and he can become one of those waiver deals later?

*I keep waiting for the "and" as in Bonifacio and somebody, anybody. Nats320 asked the same question. Lots of demand for Rauch and they get one guy who certainly doesn't sound like a sure thing.

*Rizzo's footprint is obviously all over this, as it was with the deal that brought Mock and Chico (I think I'd rather have Livan back). So my question: If JimBow does get the ziggy and Rizzo gets the job, do the Nationals become Arizona's bitch instead of Cincinnati's bitch?

*I'm not sold on this Bonifacio cat yet but admit I don't know a whole lot. That Johnny and Ray are gushing about him tells me almost nothing. I've asked a bunch of people and no one has said, "Oh, yeah. You'll love him." Some have said, yeah, maybe or other semi-positive stuff. A couple of people who know some baseball on SportsJournalists.com aren't terribly impressed, as this cut and paste shows:
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Quote from: Trey Beamon on Today at 08:29:06 PM
Nice deal for Arizona. Will Rauch have an opportunity to close?

I'm not sure what to think of the Nats' return: Yeah, Bonifacio is fast but it's doubtful he'll get on base enough -- .339 career OBP in the minors -- to make a difference.
(this is the next post)
I think the Nats got absolutely hosed. All this talk about how relievers are the big prizes this year at the deadline, and the Nats deal an actual good one and get that? Shiiiiiiit.
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I guess we'll see. Until we do, thanks again Jon Rauch for doing your job well. I hope the Nats turned you over for a future all-star. And I don't mean International League all-star. Columbus is in town next week, I'm going to see at least two of the four games.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've asked this before as well, talk about needing pen help, why is Ayala still pitching in the big leagues? Surely he isn't part of the plan?

MikeHarris said...

Yeah. What I posted here originally? Forget it. I was delirious.
Trade him AND a prospect just as a thank you for taking him off our hands.

Dave Nichols said...

closers grow on trees (see: Rauch, Jon).

slick fielding 2Bs that can steal 40 bases: not.

you gotta trade a career set-up guy for a 23-year-old "fastest guy in professinal baseball".

and for all teh talk about relievers being the hot commodity, well, we'll see about that in the next week. but if they could have gotten more for Rauch, don't you think they would have? especially with this team's track record (see Cordero, Chad 2007). who's sorry now about that?

Dave Nichols said...

p.s. would love to make your blogroll. you're already added to mine. thanks!

MikeHarris said...

Dave, will get you added. I'm new at this - and it is a SLOW learning process for a dinosaur like me.

I'm better with the trade than I am with the fact that I actually typed "let Ayala close." Seriously, I was out of my head.

Anonymous said...

It is time to dump the pitching staff and bring up some of the young guys. This season is lost anyway, so let them earn their spots now. Something that dramatic might actually bring some life back to this team.

Anonymous said...

I'd be in favour of dumping Redding. The guy is a machine, but an old machine... surely he is worth something.

Anonymous said...

Ditto on Redding, painful as it is to say it.

Whether the current GM can get a trade done is, of course, another matter.