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Friday, April 16, 2010

The DFA Blues

Jason Bergmann was part of the answer to one of my still-favorite trivia questions: Which players have appeared in at least one game every season since the Nationals came to D.C.

There's only one left on the active roster. A gimme, if you ask me, but I've asked three people this a.m. and no one got it on first guess.

There's a chance, I suppose, that Bergmann could return and make it seven seasons with at least one appearance but I suspect someone else will snap him up. He's shown just enough that someone will take the chance.

He had his moments but they were too infrequent. Seems like a very good guy. My media buddies say he was always wide open with them and it looks like that didn't stop when he got DFA'ed.

I hope he finds a landing spot. I can't argue with the Nationals' decision here, though. I don't think he made the progress anyone, including Bergmann, wanted to see him make.

11 comments:

cass said...

Three people didn't know? Wow. Just goes to show you how much a "face of the franchise" he is. Despite his skill, he does not seem to have the fame to match.

On the other hand, the 2005 season ended in August, essentially. It was far and away the most exciting season. By the time ole Pete arrived, the playoffs were already out of reach.

Softball Girl said...

I think people just forget he replaced Castillia in September of 05 is all.

Was Guzman out an entire year? I thought he played at least once every year.

bdrube said...

He's also the answer to another trivia question: "Who is the Nationals all time strikeouts leader with 299?"

Says more about the woeful state of their pitching than it does about Jason--whom I've also always liked.

Unknown said...

I think Softball Girl's right- I forget FoF played in Sept. '05. I remember him being drafted after the team moved, so I always just assume he didn't play that year.

sec314 said...

If Frank Robinson had played Zim every day in Sept. 05, the Nats might have made the playoffs... or at least finished above .500

MikeHarris said...

Yep - it is Zim and he didn't play nearly as much in September, 2005 as I would have liked.

I remember my wife and I went up to a number of final-month games hoping to see him and instead saw ol' Vinny Cash-stealer. Frank loved Vinny.

Guzman missed a full year with an injury. Was FLop the SS that year?

bdrube said...

FLop didn't arrive until Mid-'06.

Guzie flirted with the Mendoza Line the whole year and weighed the offense down like an anchor. Had he batted like he did in '08, the Nats might not have collapsed so badly that first year.

Also, Zim did get 58 ABs in 20 games in September '05, so it is not like he NEVER played.

WFY said...

Didn't Guzman bat in the top of the order past the All-Star Break in 2005? That is one of the reasons I can't get worked up about #20 not being retired for Frank Robinson. That and the fear of Ivon Labre syndrome. I wanted to love Robinson too.

I think the 2005 season would been an interesting season just about anywhere, the fact that it was here and it was the first only made it more so.

MikeHarris said...

bdrube - oh, he played. He just never seemed to play when I was there.

Wsan't 2007 the year Guzman sat out? Or was it 2006? Who played SS when he was out? That's where I'm drawing a blank.

bdrube said...

He sat out in '06, to be replaced by Royce Clayton and then FLop.

Quite a combo.

MikeHarris said...

Oh YEAH. Royce Clayton - who was a piece of the FLop trade puzzle.
Clayton, Harris (not this one), Majewski, Bray and the hot pitching prospect for FLop, Kearns and Wagner, right?