I thought about doing a post about who the Nats should get but the honest truth is that would breakdown pretty easily into "best available player" arguments. While that's fun and all there's only so many ways to say Rhys Hoskins and Blake Snell. And what is the point arguing about guys there is close to 0% chance the Nats will get?
Instead we'll play another game - who do you NOT want. From the players listed below still in play, who would you LEAST like to see on the Nats next year. It can be for any reason, talent, personality, fit, injury history, personal grudge, what have you. I've added in ages and last years stats for quick reference. I'll note that for a few it might be worth it to look at 2022 too. Like Kluber and Carrasco, obviously bad standouts last year, had healthy and good 2022s. You can still not want them because of the age, but there is a reason they are on this list to start.
1B/DH
Carlos Santana (38) 146G .240 / .318 / .429 23 HR
JD Martinez (36) 113G .271 / .321 / .572 33HR
Brandon Belt (35) 103G .254 / .369 / .490 19HR
Jorge Soler (32) 137G .250 / .341 / .512 36 HR
Donovan Solano (36) 134G .282 / .369 / .391 5HR
Garrett Cooper (33) 123G .251 / .304 / .419 17HR
Others with DH potential
Justin Turner (39) 146G .276 / .345 / .455 23HR
Tommy Pham (36) 129G .256 / .328 / .446 16HR
Adam Duvall (35) 92G .247 / .303 / .531 21HR
Aaron Hicks (34) 93G .253 / .353 / .383 8HR
Starters
Marcus Stroman (33) 27G 3.95 ERA 3.58 FIP 7.8 K/9 3.4 BB/9
Michael Lorenzen (32) 29G 4.18 ERA, 4.46 FIP, 6.5 K/9, 2.8 BB/9
Mike Clevinger (33) 24G 3.77 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 7.5 K/9, 2.7 BB/9
Corey Kluber (38) 15G (9 starts) 7.04 ERA, 7.11 FIP, 6.9 K/9, 3.4 BB/9
Carlos Carrasco (37) 20G 6.80 ERA, 5.86 FIP, 6.6 K/9, 3.8 BB/9
Sean Manaea (32) 37G (10 starts) 4.44 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 9.8 K/9, 3.2 BB/9
Alex Wood (33) 29G (12 starts) 4.33 ERA, 4.47 FIP, 6.8 K/9, 3.9 BB/9
I'll start. My heart doesn't want Hicks. This is because what appeared to happen with the Yankees when he didn't handle not performing well. He got hurt, he got booed, and either he pressed or got depressed or something and he never got on track again despite being talented (as seen in his brief Baltimore stint). For a team that needs senior leadership, it's not quite what I'm looking for, though by all accounts he is a great guy and teammate. It's just the on field example that's troublesome. Not a bad attitude but something doesn't work here in adverse situations. Add to that the fact the Nats need power and he's one of the few options without it, it's a pass for me.
I also don't like dumb long hair. Long hair is ok. Manaea's got locks. Lorenzen (who did cut it) had a passable length of wavy hair but Clevinger? Not working for me. Don't want to see that every 5th day unless you are an ace and you can get away with whatever you want.
Can we list people on the current roster that we don't want?
ReplyDeleteSolano represents the most likely to be added in free agency because he is the cheapest... so not him.
I don't want Belt, strictly because of Game 2 in 2014
ReplyDeleteI don't want Turner because of 2020 when he LITERALLY TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID and then ran onto the field with everyone's kids to celebrate the WS. Selfish disregard for other people's health
I'd be pretty underwhelmed with any of the older players being signed, but I wouldn't go so far to say that I'd be mad about it. Of the people on this list, the only ones I'd really be excited/intrigued by are Cooper, Clevinger, and Stroman
Agree, no reason to go for Solano; numbers overall are pretty bad historically, and he shows as 1B/DH, a position that has to hit.
ReplyDeleteI didnt see Bauer on the list; very controversial, but if strict controls and true contriteness I might give hin a shot
Others might automatically put him on the list of players they don't want:(
ReplyDeleteJE34 - talked to Rizzo and he said "not unless they cost money"
ReplyDeleteCP - Stroman is the one I'd want. He seems to always think he's just a little better than he really is but it seems born of competitiveness. He is still always good. Not too old. Consistent and healthy.
ML - Bauer was on my list of obvious "don't want"s. Even if you give him the tremendous benefit of the doubt necessary (which I don't) there's still like just Bauer being Bauer : being troll-like, acting smarter than everyone else, basically having teammates hate him at every stop.
Any intelligent signing at all, that's who I want.
ReplyDeleteBut it seems as if Rizzo's hands are tied. The Lerner family seems to have tired of their dalliance with a baseball franchise. Daddy Lerner got his ring and got to ride on the victory bus with the boys. But the wheels fell off --- and the bus was then bequeathed to son --- who seems tired of putting in money for upgrades.
Instead of writing off Strasberg and giving him legacy, they elect to re-negotiate a lost cause. Boras, SS and the entire MLB union stand pat --- and ownership ends up with egg on face. Instead of planning for his place in the ring of honor, they tell him they expect him to turn up for spring training and comically make him take up space on the 40 man roster.
My point is this: If ownership can't resolve Strasberg's retirement, how can they move the team forward?
@nattydread
ReplyDeleteI think we are going to be in a limbo of never really going for it until new ownership takes over.
@Harper
I would put Pham on the list of guys I don't want here. The priority right now should be creating an environment where the younger players can develop, and he seems too weird and aggro to help with that.
Brandon Belt - 2014 NLDS
ReplyDeleteFuc* that guy
Clevinger for me; when I'm thinking "veteran leadership" I'd prefer to stay away from the guys with DV allegations.
ReplyDeleteAmong the batters, Solano, just because there's no point in signing him; we have any number of equally meh players already on the roster.
Fedde got 2/15 from the White Sox
ReplyDeletehttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39050611/erick-fedde-white-sox-2-year-15m-deal-sources-say
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid Nattydread is right.
ReplyDeleteThey don't want to run the team anymore, and refuse to sell until they get top dollar (which someone should tell them that they're making the team less valuable by letting it rot.)
They're making me dread even thinking about next season, and I had season tickets in RFK.
Shoot, even if these new kids pan out (will they?) we all know that if they're any good, it's just going to be "will Rizzo trade him pre-arb or will Boras get the guy a zillion from the 10 teams that still try?"
It's like following the Pirates or Royals, but in a town who can afford to spend but won't.
I would caution anyone against deducing thoughts and processes from their sofas. The things that we come up with are typically closer to our thoughts and fears projected onto others than to reality.
ReplyDeleteOTOH it's January, which is depressing under the best of circumstances. Carry on.