Nationals Baseball: The Meta-Rotation

Thursday, August 05, 2010

The Meta-Rotation

Looking at the rotations suggested below, if we all were to combine into one Uni-Mind like the Eternals (what? read a (comic) book!) our best guess on the Nationals rotation next year would be:

Strasburg
Zimmermann
Marquis
Maya
Detwiler


Strasburg and Zimmermann were named in all, while Marquis was named in all but one. Zimmermann also beats Marquis on expected rotation position. I'm personally surprised that people think that a guy with 16 games of major league experience and a 4.63 ERA who hasn't pitched since mid-July of last year will be the Nats #2 pitcher come Opening Day, but hey I've been wrong before. Maya was, to my shock, named in all but one as well.

It makes sense that I was shocked since I was the one that didn't have him in the rotation. The guy hasn't pitched game 1 in the majors, but Nats fans are thinking he's going to be in the rotation for sure. I guess it does make a measure of sense. He's older (29) and is one of the few not getting over injury. I guess unless he tanks this fall he's a very good shot to be a starter come next St. Patrick's Day or whenever they are going to open the season. (I just believe the chance of him tanking is not slight)

As for Detwiler, everyone else was put in 2 rotations, Detwiler though happened to get placed in higher positions than the other guys. What this highlights is, assuming Zimmermann and Marquis are healthy and Maya doesn't tank, how wide open that 5th spot is going to be for possibly 5 (or more) other pitchers. Surely they can find a decent one out of the that bunch, right?

10 comments:

cass said...

For what it's worth, I ordered mine by likelihood, rather than expected order. I suppose the two are similar, though.

Also, I have a suggestion for a new name for this blog: SIGN DUNN NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(One drawback would be that you'd have to update the title with each homerun, which will be often.)

Hoo said...

Maya was signed to be a starter and a starter next year. He's our FA signing. You don't sign pitchers that old to bring along slowly.

That's why he's in my rotation. The alternative is that the Nats blew the scouting on him. But I think he's pretty much a lock.

BTW, big clues coming up in the next 2 weeks with Strass/Marquis returning. Lannan vs Olsen vs Stammen vs. Dett to go down!

Harper said...

cass - ok but if Dunn is adamant he wants 4 years - 60 mill do you do it?


hoo - understood but I think a FA signing of a major leaguer is inherently different from a FA signing of an international player. The leeway is there to place the pitcher in the minors, that leeway rarely exists with major league FAs.

cass said...

I agree with Hoo based on the amount of money given to Maya and his age. How much development could be possibly need? Like Marquis, he'll be in the rotation to justify the money spent.

As or 4 years/60 mil... I'd try bargaining down, sure, but he leads the league in dingers and isn't so bad anymore at 1st base. He's getting closer to being worth it. If the Nats have to overpay a little, so be it. Where else are they going to get a big bat for the middle of the order? We got tons of payroll to spare thanks to two superstar players signed for cheap, not to mention Willingham who's close to that. This is the most promising core the Nats have ever had. The time is now.

I also don't see 4 years as a huge problem. I don't think it'll have a chance to become a huge albatross at that # of years.

Hoo said...

Harper:

Let me rephrase. The Nats have spent the money they planned to spend on a good FA starting pitcher for 2011. I don't see the Org shelling out money for another MLB FA SP other than someone like Olsen/Livo/Odalis Perez. Actually, the organization has moved past the Odalize Perez the "Let's sign the aging starter and hope for the best" move. Team has plenty of replacement level of pitchers (and probably slightly above replacement level at this pt). Team really has good depth right now.

Unknown said...

I think the Nats might attempt to sign another Wang like injury returnee like Brandon Webb. Arizona has had their fill of him (and should have traded him last winter vs take the $8.5M roll of the dice - snake eyes in this case).

I shouldn't have been surprised that no one gave Wang any chance of being in the rotation next year, but I was. Maybe I'm just dumb.

Donald said...

Interesting that Livo didn't make the list. If he's healthy and pitching the same next spring as he is now, how does he get left out?

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