tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post1054999613596585433..comments2024-03-28T10:50:33.234-07:00Comments on Nationals Baseball: Saved by the ZNNHarperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07738813756060133236noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-90521490827852643352013-05-03T05:38:49.730-07:002013-05-03T05:38:49.730-07:00Obviously, it's easier to say such things afte...Obviously, it's easier to say such things after Haren shows up and pitches like the guy we hoped he would be when we signed him (and hey, a 2-2 split of a four-game road series against the best team in the league is a pretty happy outcome, really, especially following up a 3-1 series win against one of the other top teams, so let's hope this is a good sign), but I'm not so sure Morse would be all that great to have right now anyway.<br /><br />Yes, he's hitting for power (9HRs), but he's only got an .837 OPS, he's not getting on base, and according to Baseball Reference, his -0.7 fielding WAR is offsetting his 0.7 offensive WAR. He's a replacement-level guy.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Span, the guy who actually took his lineup spot, is one of the few Nats who's actually hitting (.364 OBP, which is his job), and fielding. He's a 1-WAR player right now, 0.5 each offense and defense.<br /><br />The problem, of course, is that LaRoche couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag right now (-1 WAR, and his hitting stats are too gruesome to describe), but that's not likely to hold on for the full season (2011's injury season aside, he's been a remarkably consistent player). Unless he's hurt, I'm not seeing this as a long-term problem. I'm more worried about Zim (can't hit, can't field, hurt, the last of those three possibly having something to do with the other two) and the non-catcher bench.<br /><br />Hopefully, this is just a case of too many slow starters and the guys will pick it up as the weather warms up. Being in second place with a winning record despite the variety of things that have gone wrong with the offense and bullpen isn't half bad, really (and let's not forget, just two years ago we'd have been cheering madly for such a result, so let's not be turning into Red Sox fans just yet!).<br />DezoPenguinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-21051787952990565672013-05-03T03:27:52.253-07:002013-05-03T03:27:52.253-07:00So how about that Haren guy.So how about that Haren guy.Donaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12295227567170577873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-24588612705634001012013-05-02T13:16:07.889-07:002013-05-02T13:16:07.889-07:00Hopefully the lineup starts crushing it in May, an...Hopefully the lineup starts crushing it in May, and by June, we're all like "Morse who? Oh, the Take On Me guy..."Kenny B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01104648417209196641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-6831520635191036992013-05-02T12:28:57.932-07:002013-05-02T12:28:57.932-07:00Froggy, I agree that carrying Morse as outfield de...Froggy, I agree that carrying Morse as outfield depth could have worked, and I'm not so sure he wouldn't have gotten 400 at bats somehow, but I think it was actually a solid thing to do move Morse to a team where he'd clearly play every day and be able to establish himself for free agency. Funny how these guys don't fetch as much as we hope in a trade, but he certainly would seem more valuable in the AL. Plus, there's still no hard feelings and if someone gets seriously hurt, and Seattle stays out of the race, maybe he's back in the near future for less than you got in the offseason trade. Better to see what Moore can do right now.blovy8https://www.blogger.com/profile/06888192019412533415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-68843923260260888452013-05-02T12:09:06.736-07:002013-05-02T12:09:06.736-07:00All great points @blovy8, except we know that they...All great points @blovy8, except we know that they aren't going to turn around all at once. <br /><br />My point wasn't a direct comparison to LaRoche as far as D goes, it was the fact that Morse had one year left on a contract at what, $6.75 million. That is pretty cheap insurance to carry, and if he does well you trade him at or before the AB deadline. <br /><br />Nope. Not the genius that is Rizzo. Instead, he gets his boy AJ Cole back (who is doing what for the team right now BTW?) and we'll just go with Moore and Tracy. <br /><br />Genius.Froggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05425616684415704428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-65725060103675156142013-05-02T10:55:43.726-07:002013-05-02T10:55:43.726-07:00Small sample sizes abound, Harper.
A couple of goo...Small sample sizes abound, Harper.<br />A couple of good weeks by the bench and they're average again.<br /><br />The "as poor as Espinosa" tack is not much of an argument when Espy himself is hitting so much worse than last year. If you grade it out, he's only saved because LaRoche and his April syndrome are "back" with a vengence.<br /><br />The ghost of the Goon Squad has apparently gone to NY to bestow it's blessings on Wells, Hafner and Overpay. <br /><br />What the Nats have to work with: Span's numbers have dipped a bit, but he has an ok .345 OBP and generally played good defense, even if he's not a particularly attentive guy when he's on first.<br /><br />Werth probably will continue to be somewhat miscast as #2, but he's better suited for that than anyone not named Harper depending on how much importance you place on lineup order. He ought to manage a OBP better than .314 after a while.<br /><br />Harper just needs to get some wall repellant and occasionally realize where the ball is when he's running the bases.<br /><br />Zim needs confidence in his arm. Dunno whether he can get it, but he's young enough and good enough to come back mentally.<br /><br />LaRoche needs the calendar to change, and Davey to threaten him with a platoon again. It's not Micah Owings, he should worry about, friggin' Chris Marrero has remembered how to hit. <br /><br />Desmond seems ok, hell, he's hitting homers off curveballs now.<br />Just keep him healthy and accept a few errors.<br /><br />Ramos still doesn't look as good to me behind the plate as his reputation. Drops throws, doesn't block balls well, and while the pitchers seem lousy at holding runners, he's not all that great at throwing either. He's a good hitter though, much more patient that Suzuki.<br /><br />Espy as a hitter is a great fielder at this point. Striking out less has only given the opposition more fielding chances, it's not like he's hit more line drives in the extra balls in play. And the hits just DON'T keep coming.<br /><br />blovy8https://www.blogger.com/profile/06888192019412533415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-79814356096587525382013-05-02T10:31:18.112-07:002013-05-02T10:31:18.112-07:00I'm getting rather annoyed seeing batters hitt...I'm getting rather annoyed seeing batters hitting balls right at players. I decried the lack of control hitting on this team from the beginning. They're becoming more and more undisciplined, and right now are 28th in the league in batting average. Either they are extraordinarily unlucky, or they're just not paying attention and hitting things properly right now. A team-wide batting slump like this is just appalling.BlueLoneWolfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-55442012359126515942013-05-02T10:09:19.928-07:002013-05-02T10:09:19.928-07:00Just want to put it out there that I called ZNN fo...Just want to put it out there that I called ZNN for a Cy Young year before the season began on this blog... <br /><br />Okay<br />Strasburgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01891818504426372315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-6771463014197319662013-05-02T09:58:50.013-07:002013-05-02T09:58:50.013-07:00"and only...wait for it...
...no errors!
An..."and only...wait for it...<br /><br />...no errors!<br /><br />And for all you Morse haters who said he couldn't field at firstbase, he has only 6 errors out of 964 TC in his career playing that position."<br /><br />Does someone hate Morse, or are you conflating lack of mourning over his loss with "hatred"?<br /><br />While Morse may be error free in right field, I've watched him play quite a bit in the recent series against the Mariners, and that dude just LUMBERS around out there. Werth, Span, and Harper all would have prevented probably 2 - 3 runs--if not also made an out--that scored on fly balls to Morse.<br /><br />Sure, his offense would be nice to have, but would it have been enough to cover for the RBIs that slip by while he's chasing down a ball?Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00678357994045101892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-61484138773460146932013-05-02T08:32:07.814-07:002013-05-02T08:32:07.814-07:00TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE
OOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN...TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE <br />OOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN<br />MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE<br />!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />There's not much of a comparison of Morse v LaRoche on D... it's not close. Hopefully by mid-year the offensive stats will be close...<br /><br />Everybody say it with me...<br /><br />Pitching and Defense wins championships... Pitching and Defense win championships... Pitching and Defense wins championships :) <br /><br />Hopefully the Nats' 2012 defense returns and the pitchers right the ship. Harper is right, though... the bench (and the bullpen) have taken a step backward so far this year, and that is definitely hurting the team, too.<br />Zimmerman11https://www.blogger.com/profile/14524103974207323535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-3825191685284824282013-05-02T08:23:15.023-07:002013-05-02T08:23:15.023-07:00I think the error mark for Morse is misleading (an...I think the error mark for Morse is misleading (and for just about any first baseman). It doesn't account for the number of balls he doesn't get to at all. I still like LaRoche's defense better than Morse, but there's just no getting around the fact that I'd rather have Morse in the batter's box at this point.Kenny B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01104648417209196641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-32988482140066407622013-05-02T08:20:31.678-07:002013-05-02T08:20:31.678-07:00Morse watch after 25 games:
101 ab's .248 a...Morse watch after 25 games: <br />101 ab's .248 ave 9 homers 14 Rbi's .837 OPS<br /><br />and only...wait for it...<br /><br />...no errors!<br /><br />And for all you Morse haters who said he couldn't field at firstbase, he has only 6 errors out of 964 TC in his career playing that position.Froggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05425616684415704428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-8315149390968986432013-05-02T08:20:30.848-07:002013-05-02T08:20:30.848-07:00The Harper injury is a huge blow to this team if i...The Harper injury is a huge blow to this team if it's serious. I think it's probably just a bruise from his leap into the fence the night before, and will heal up quickly (20-year-olds are basically made out of rubber). Either way, if he's not in the lineup, we basically have to hope for more Desmond action, since no one else seems to have any recollection of how to hit a baseball.Kenny B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01104648417209196641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-77649188779806729232013-05-02T07:04:24.267-07:002013-05-02T07:04:24.267-07:00The walks and errors are killing the Nationals. Z...The walks and errors are killing the Nationals. Zimmerman almost single handedly lost the first Atlanta series. If I remember correctly he had an error in each of the first three games -- each with two out that extended the inning. Desmond has been just awful in the field. Just based on career stats -- this would have to average out over the course of the season. Here to keeping our collective fingers crossed!Christopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07455756643449961707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-33347272161273411112013-05-02T05:42:04.647-07:002013-05-02T05:42:04.647-07:00We should be thankful that we're only 3.5 game...We should be thankful that we're only 3.5 games back at this point. If the Nats can manage to win tonight behind Haren, they'll salvage the series and be within shouting distance of the Braves. It might be a tough game, though, with Harper likely to be sitting.Donaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12295227567170577873noreply@blogger.com