Wednesday Walk-On

 The Nats are rounding into shape somewhat. Alex "Who?" Call won the 4th OF spot over Stone "Also who?" Garrett. 

Call is someone who was impressive in 2021 in AA and in 2022 in AAA but also is old (28 - 29 just before the season ends!) and is mostly there to fill space because there really isn't a good option. He seems comfortable enough to field the corners and if he can hit ok that's a bonus.  Garrett is younger (27) and unlike Call who kind of got maybe fluky hot after mostly disappointing in the low minors, has always been a power threat. Unfortunately he isn't really positionally flexible so he had to outhit Call by a decent amount to get the nod and Call out hit him. Wouldn't be surprised to see him up. 

 

The last bench spot is between Michael Chavis, Jeter Downs, and Matt Adams. None of these guys are necessarily good choices but it is interesting because they are completely different choices.  Downs (24) is a MI type who can carry himself at SS if needed and has speed, but he hasn't hit in the higher leagues. He's never had a long term role in the majors so there's a sense of the unknown with him.  Chavis (27) is more of a corner IF guy though primarily 1B, who definitely has power but can't make contact enough. He's had his chances in the majors including basically a starting role last year with the Pirates and hasn't looked like a starting major leaguer. Last man on bench is about right. Matt Adams (35) is the grizzled vet who hit for a few years in the majors but it's hard to say belongs anymore with the last two major league years combining to play 38 games and hit .177 with 2 homers and that's not counting 2022 when he was in semi-pro ball. 

Twist my arm and I say they go with Chavis. Given Adams is still here that 1B back up is what they are looking at and Chavis gives them that and a little more.  Downs getting more AAA time in the Nats system so they can look at him more feels right. 

The fifth starter job will seemingly go to Chad Kuhl. He's gotten the last start and the other guys that have started a game were either set down or have been pitching in the pen recently. Kuhl is a guy.  He started all year for the Rockies. He was not good. But being in Colorado can mess with you.  He started half a season with the Pirates in 2021. He was not good.  He also started for them in the abbreviated 2020 season. He was not good.  I sense a pattern. 

If you can say something about Kuhl though is he is consistent. He can give you a 5.25+ ERA without going much over 5.50. That would be better than Fedde did last year (5.81 ERA) or Adon (7.10) or Sanchez (8.33) . Or Abbott as a starter (6.00) or  Espino as a starter (5.81 - hey ERA buddies!).  He's essentially Josh Rogers who the Nats decided to try to make a reliever last year. Didn't really work.  

So I guess you can say Kuhl will be bad, but reliably so, so if the Nats have an exceptionally good hitting day they are likely to be up 8-5 in the 6th as opposed to maybe up 8-7 they would have been last year when the 5th starter was going. That's... something I guess. 

The lineup today seems to be what we should expect to start the year

Thomas - Smith - Meneses - Dickerson - Candelario - Garcia - Ruiz - Abrams - Robles. 

I'd expect a fair amount of shifting though. No one aside from Thomas is probably feeling wedded to their spot and thus people will rise and fall as their fortunes do.