tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1478750914084047598.post4002957261933186286..comments2023-06-25T04:47:18.160-04:00Comments on NationalsFanboyLooser: Well HellMikeHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15120210292656990693noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1478750914084047598.post-11055634779269578252008-07-18T22:57:00.000-04:002008-07-18T22:57:00.000-04:00BTW, I didn't really phrase the last part of my fi...BTW, I didn't really phrase the last part of my first comment very well. All I was trying to say is that the Nats have taken a lot of high school guys that would likely be described as toolsy. This can definitely be justified on their part, but if you go that route, it's going to take a long time to see the fruits. Guys like Burgess and Hood are not likely to shoot through the system. I think a case can be made in some instances if the Nats are faced with taking guys like that and taking more polished college players that taking the college player is a good option for them, especially when you consider the lack of guys at the upper levels that would be considered prospects.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1478750914084047598.post-858545450403925272008-07-18T22:37:00.000-04:002008-07-18T22:37:00.000-04:00It depends on what you consider progress. Is winni...It depends on what you consider progress. Is winning 10 more games this year really progress if it hamstrings the team 4-5 years down the road? I don't think anyone is saying to avoid free agency all together, and there are certainly bargains to be had every year. The Rangers sure look smart right now for signing Milton Bradley to a one-year deal. <BR/><BR/>But in terms of long-term deals, a lot of the players that reach free agency get deals that will likely end up with the player regressing at the back end of it. Does anyone think the Nats should have given Soriano a seven-year deal like he got from the Cubs? The five-year deal Rowand got from the Giants, or even the 2-year deal the Dodgers gave to Jones? <BR/><BR/>The injuries this year aren't the reason this team isn't very good, but I do think they are the difference between last year's team and this year's team. If this team had a healthy Johnson at first, Dukes/Milledge/Kearns for 140-150 games, Zimmerman at third, etc, this year wouldn't really feel much different than last year. <BR/><BR/>BTW, here is the list of free agent pitchers available in the offseason:<BR/><BR/>Kris Bensen BAL<BR/>A.J. Burnett TOR (may opt out)<BR/>Paul Byrd CLE<BR/>Ryan Dempster CHC<BR/>Jon Garland LAA<BR/>Tom Glavine ATL<BR/>Mike Hampton * ATL<BR/>Rich Harden * CHC<BR/>Orlando Hernandez NYM<BR/>Jason Jennings TEX<BR/>Randy Johnson ARZ<BR/>John Lackey * LAA<BR/>Esteban Loaiza CHW<BR/>Braden Looper STL<BR/>Derek Lowe LAD<BR/>Pedro Martinez NYM<BR/>Mike Mussina NYY<BR/>Jamie Moyer PHI<BR/>Mark Mulder * STL<BR/>Carl Pavano NYY<BR/>Brad Penny * LAD<BR/>Odalis Perez WAS<BR/>Oliver Perez NYM<BR/>Andy Pettitte NYY<BR/>Mark Prior SD<BR/>Horatio Ramirez KC<BR/>C.C. Sabathia MIL<BR/>Ben Sheets MIL<BR/>John Smoltz * ATL<BR/>Julian Tavarez ATL<BR/>Steve Trachsel BAL<BR/>Brett Tomko SD<BR/>Claudio Vargas MIL<BR/>Randy Wolf SD<BR/><BR/>The ones with the asterisk have 2009 options. <BR/><BR/>Source is Cot's:<BR/><BR/>http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2002/02/2008-09-free-agents.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1478750914084047598.post-28273908648170619022008-07-18T18:29:00.000-04:002008-07-18T18:29:00.000-04:00Thanks for the discussion. Good points (most of t...Thanks for the discussion. Good points (most of them anyway!)<BR/><BR/>I don't have a problem with patience, even though I'm in life's fourth quarter and would like to see a winner before I die. I'll be patient. I just want to have something to be excited about, The One and all that (see my first post this month). I may be guzzling the Kool-Aid but I do believe some good offensive pieces are in place. I want the comfort of knowing there are some serious arms - not just good arms but great arms - somewhere down the pike.<BR/><BR/>Not ready to give up on Detwiler yet. Yes, I only saw him throw once. It was enough to convince me there's something there. <BR/><BR/>Mike, I agree that free agency must be explored with great care. I do not think it should be avoided. I think there are better ways to spend $5 per season than Paul LoDuca. Their claim they avoided it is flat-out wrong. There's $6.25 million worth of free agent playing tonight in LoDuca and Estrada (must fight gag reflex).<BR/><BR/>I haven't looked at pitchers available next year to know if there's anyone worth any kind of money.<BR/><BR/>Another question - what's reasonable? When do we have a right to see a winning product, even with the shape of the franchise when it came to Washington (and won 81 games despite being in bad shape)? Do we have a right to see progress every year?MikeHarrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15120210292656990693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1478750914084047598.post-85514217515504966902008-07-18T16:17:00.000-04:002008-07-18T16:17:00.000-04:00Brian's exactly right. This is why we should be t...Brian's exactly right. This is why we should be trading Rauch now to help restock. It's why Cordero should have been turned into prospects last year. It's why we shouldn't even be *thinking* about trading prospects for a Matt Holliday. We still need to stockpile.<BR/><BR/>It's also the reason that the best thing we could do this year is to get the number one pick in the draft. No team can ever "lose on purpose," and I still go to games rooting for them to win every time, but the reality is that the value of a #1 pick compared with even a 4 or a 5 is so so so much greater that we really at this point need that #1 pick to give us the Upton, Price, D. Young, Mauer-type can't miss future star that is most commonly found at the very top of the drat.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1478750914084047598.post-53511748714461096852008-07-18T15:30:00.000-04:002008-07-18T15:30:00.000-04:00The problem the Nationals are going to face for th...The problem the Nationals are going to face for the forseeable future (5-7 years) is that failure of their premium prospects are going to resonate more given the shallow pool from which they can draw them. A team like the Angels or Rays are not as impacted by a poor season from a top draft pick (like Detwiler) because they have other top prospects performing up to par.<BR/><BR/>Regardless of what the Nationals try and sell to the casual fan, the rebuilding of the system is going to take a considerable amount of effort, time and patience. <BR/><BR/>Not every prospect is going to develop as expected but that should not deter their investment. They need to continue to plow money into the draft, international signings, scouting, and player development. <BR/><BR/>I say this over and over but it's a marathon not a sprint. The impact of their draft classes are not going to pay immediate dividends. Ryan Zimmerman is an exception to the rule.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14755603473119975849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1478750914084047598.post-54522825847022205122008-07-18T13:33:00.000-04:002008-07-18T13:33:00.000-04:00"Or maybe El Jefe needs to open up the checkbook f..."Or maybe El Jefe needs to open up the checkbook for some serious free agentry?"<BR/><BR/>Or draft better. And realize that the shape the farm system was in when the Lerners took over was largely devoid of impact prospects and it's going to take time to develop the kind of depth where the organization can withstand having a first round pick like Detwiler not make it.<BR/><BR/>I think they have to be very careful dipping into free agency in that a lot of the players are already at an age where they will begin to regress at the back end of contracts and they will be vastly overpaid. And then you have to hope that the few players that are worth free agent contracts are willing to come here.<BR/><BR/>The Orioles learned the hard way on this method of "building." And then you also have to ask that even if Kasten allowed Bowden to build this way if he's the right person you'd want to be making the call on which free agents are worth it. <BR/><BR/>I don't think it's time to panic yet in regards to the prospects, especially over one story in the middle of the season. The farm system has gotten better, but it likely wasn't as good as it was hyped in the offseason by BA. The Detwiler pick doesn't look particularly good right now, but the Zimmermann one does. There have been some setbacks with injuries as well, but I think most people accepted that it was going to take a few years to really be able to judge how the team has drafted. <BR/><BR/>I do think in some ways they'd be a little better off taking guys who might have lower ceilings, but are a little closer(safer) to the big leagues.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com