tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post4207660850753661890..comments2024-03-28T10:50:33.234-07:00Comments on Nationals Baseball: Soto comparisons Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07738813756060133236noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-60976164746698278352018-05-26T22:23:37.593-07:002018-05-26T22:23:37.593-07:00Harper,
There is something going on this year tha...Harper,<br /><br />There is something going on this year that you haven't talked about yet. The pitcher batting 8th. What do you think about this? I think it is a bad idea. The 8 spot gets more AB's than the 9th. <br />One commentator, on a previous post, mentioned that batting order does not matter. I know studies have been done, but I still can't wrap my mind around it.<br />Also, what is Fedde doing there? Don't we have 5 guys?<br />Also, what is up with the starting pitching order? It went from Max, Stras, Gio, Tanner, Hellickson to what it is now. What can you tell us about that?<br /><br />Thanks for all of your good work. I have been reading, and enjoying, your blog since 2012.Andrew Gentschnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-58985414912600367922018-05-23T06:55:58.262-07:002018-05-23T06:55:58.262-07:00I’m curious - I stopped playing baseball in high s...I’m curious - I stopped playing baseball in high school and it was different at that level - but can’t something be done to stop MAT swinging at every first pitch, even if it’s a strike? Cant there be some coaching intervention? Or is that a no no in the majors?Huzzah!https://www.blogger.com/profile/03728993885000677878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-85556685467723356682018-05-23T06:43:45.674-07:002018-05-23T06:43:45.674-07:00Call me crazy, but I'm of the opinion that MAT...Call me crazy, but I'm of the opinion that MAT's biggest problem is that he strikes out too much, and he doesn't have the patience or enough power to outweigh that enormous flaw. I don't think it has much if anything to do with his personality.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-5963689309167186682018-05-23T06:35:52.663-07:002018-05-23T06:35:52.663-07:00Glad to see MAT get the game-winner last night - h...Glad to see MAT get the game-winner last night - happy for the kid. Anyone else notice his reaction standing on second base and in the interview on the field w/ Kolko? He seems shocked/relieved. That says a lot about the level of confidence this guy has. There are players who know they have greatness in them and when they achieve it, you'll see it: fist pumps, yelling, pure joy, just an explosion of "see? I told you I'd do that." Then there are players who almost seem surprised, as if they were expecting to fail (again), and miraculously succeeded. Unfortunately, the latter was MAT last night. Some might say, so what? Or, he's just a more mellow kind of personality. Or, yeah who wouldn't feel that way being in the rut he's in? You're missing the point. Regardless of his latest slump, MAT's confidence in general is pretty low. There's a difference between being grateful to succeed and knowing you will; regardless of the final outcome. The phrase "some people hate to lose more than they love to win" comes from players who expect success, not hope for it. That is MAT's biggest problem - getting out of his own head. Really do like him and hate to see such talent go to waste; hope he figures it out.<br /><br />I'm also aware that there isn't a stat on this, so this is probably the worst place on the internet to post something like that. Nothing to see here, I suppose. Just some food for thought...Ole PBNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-10527249390076553192018-05-23T04:45:14.419-07:002018-05-23T04:45:14.419-07:00I did head over to Nats Park on Monday to catch So...I did head over to Nats Park on Monday to catch Soto’s first start and was obviously not disappointed. I ended up scalping a front row seat past the Nats’ dugout. <br /><br />Interestingly, the Nats burned stadium long season ticket holders there by building out in front of them a row of MGM seats in front of them and they are still mad, as no more direct interaction or catching rolling foul balls. On top of it as this row is built downward like a dugout there is now a five foot drop if a ball player flies over chasing a foul ball. Such a bad way to treat your customers and players. Someone will get hurt there one day.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267541044441756804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-69651820382545995752018-05-23T04:43:29.635-07:002018-05-23T04:43:29.635-07:00Any way you look at it, three walks and a hit for ...Any way you look at it, three walks and a hit for Soto in his second big league game at 19 against a pitcher who gave up 1 run and six hits, one of which was to Soto, is impressive. In fact, it's not like SD pitching was wild, Soto was the only National who walked all night. Super small sample size obviously, but I would be surprised if any 19 YO has had a better first 9 PA's. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-27695479318346887712018-05-23T04:25:02.494-07:002018-05-23T04:25:02.494-07:00I disagree on the strength of schedule. The other...I disagree on the strength of schedule. The other teams in the NL East have their schedules artificially inflated because they have been playing each other so much. I did a quick look at the schedules for the four teams. I listed it out below. I would still argue the Nats have had the more difficult schedule. It looks the Phillies have had the easiest, then the Braves, and then the Mets. Correct me if missed anything (it was a quick look at the schedule) Anyway, I think the Nats are doing well with the number of injuries they have had and with the schedule they have had. However, they do need to play well and pick up a good number of wins over the next few weeks. <br /><br />Braves: 8 games against last year’s playoff teams<br /><br />Cubs 3-2<br />Colorado 2-1<br /><br />Cincinnati 2-2<br />TB 2-0<br />Miami 5-2<br /><br />Did play in Colorado for 3 games. No West coast swing yet.<br /><br /><br />Philly: 3 games against last year’s playoff teams<br /><br />Arizona 1-2<br /><br />Miami 3-3<br />Cincinnati 3-0<br />TB 3-0<br /><br />Goes to LA, SF, and Cubs end of May<br /><br />NY: 6 games against last year’s playoff teams<br /><br />Colorado 0-3<br />Arizona 3-0<br /><br />Cincinnati 1-2<br />Miami 4-1<br />San Diego 2-1<br /><br />Did go to StL and San Diego road trip<br /><br /><br />Washington: 17 games against last year’s playoff teams<br /><br />Colorado 1-3<br />LA 1-5<br />Arizona 5-2<br /><br />Cincinnati 3-0<br />San Diego 4-1<br /><br />Two West coast swings. No more West coast trips this year.<br />Jaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-33166557031079907892018-05-22T20:40:46.043-07:002018-05-22T20:40:46.043-07:00I'm more impressed by 1-1, 3 BB three games in...I'm more impressed by 1-1, 3 BB three games in than the HR. Kublanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-4653617685717053242018-05-22T11:53:34.552-07:002018-05-22T11:53:34.552-07:00Harper, I don't think you should count LAD as ...Harper, I don't think you should count LAD as a bad/mediocre NL team. Otherwise, I don't dispute your point about schedule strength.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-57591777513899735742018-05-22T10:59:25.182-07:002018-05-22T10:59:25.182-07:00Jay - I looked at schedule yesterday and the Nats ...Jay - I looked at schedule yesterday and the Nats have not played (by record) an appreciably harder schedule than the other NL East teams. And going into yesterday 11 out of 15 NL teams had records .500 or over so assuming the Nats only played NL teams (which I think is true) you'd actually expect them to play 33 out of 45 games against the competition you note. <br /><br />Short answer - don't expect it to even out<br /><br />Long answer - Nats get a break over the next three weeks or so as they take on the bad-mediocre NL teams (LA, SD, SFG, MIA) and bad mediocre AL East teams (BAL, TOR). If they aren't doing well by the end of that... it's not positive because from then on the Nats don't catch any stretches like this. In comparison the Braves get this type of stretch over pretty much all of June, the Phillies get it from mid July to early August. (The Mets don't get it - they have it split into two little stretches around Jul 4th and mid August) Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738813756060133236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-65092583584598576792018-05-22T09:49:23.327-07:002018-05-22T09:49:23.327-07:00@blovy8: Yeah, essentially Soto is replacing Kend...@blovy8: Yeah, essentially Soto is replacing Kendrick in LF, nothing more. His call-up is an attempt to stop from acquiring a new problem rather than solve any of the previously-existing problems we had before Saturday.DezoPenguinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-76610084940160436592018-05-22T09:02:06.993-07:002018-05-22T09:02:06.993-07:00Yeah, this doesn't really solve their CF issue...Yeah, this doesn't really solve their CF issue. Stevenson is no better than Taylor and noone's saying anything at all about Goodwin's rehab prospects. You can't take any predictions from Eaton as to when he'll be back very seriously either.blovy8https://www.blogger.com/profile/06888192019412533415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-59528082136801315052018-05-22T08:46:52.435-07:002018-05-22T08:46:52.435-07:00I definitely don't like the circumstances that...I definitely don't like the circumstances that Soto was brought up, but you can't deny the fact that the kid can rake. We'll see how he responds to major league pitching once the book is out on him, but that'll take a few weeks and I'll be more than happy to watch him smoke liners all over the field until that time.Friesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-62924928033604618582018-05-22T08:02:58.221-07:002018-05-22T08:02:58.221-07:00Analytically: It's all a very small sample so ...Analytically: It's all a very small sample so I'm gonna throw up my hands on what to expect but will take the optimistic projection from Steamer with a grain of salt but not dismiss it entirely.<br /><br />Otherwise? I'm gonna enjoy the heck out of this narrative of Soto bringing the Nats back to life. Last night was fun. <br /><br />Remember over the offseason when we all wanted to trade Soto for Realmuto? Imagine the return he'd bring now.cassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-66607538947449043422018-05-22T07:59:29.641-07:002018-05-22T07:59:29.641-07:00While it would be great if Soto broke out and was ...While it would be great if Soto broke out and was a star (or at least "as good as Howie Kendrick or 2012 Bryce was"), what he really needs to be to help the team is to be good *enough* on offense and defense alike that Martinez:<br /><br />(a) isn't tempted to move Adams to LF and let Zim/Reynolds play 1B against a right-handed pitcher, and<br /><br />(b) when Goodwin/Eaton come back eventually (...if they come back...) the debate is over whether to bench Taylor, not whether to put those guys in LF. (Though if Eaton returns this season in healthy enough condition to play CF full-time, it'll be a bit of a miracle.)DezoPenguinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-4993285063462159592018-05-22T07:47:12.774-07:002018-05-22T07:47:12.774-07:00I agree the Cubs and Rockies are pretty good. My ...I agree the Cubs and Rockies are pretty good. My point was that everyone else the NL East has played not so much. A West coast trip is tough on the best of teams. The Nats made both of their West coast trips in the season's first 6 weeks. Anyway, the schedule for the Nats starts to get easier this week. I'm hoping they get on a roll starting with these games against the Padres.Jaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-25608111253759202312018-05-22T07:39:09.877-07:002018-05-22T07:39:09.877-07:00Are the Cubs and Rockies bad? because they both ha...Are the Cubs and Rockies bad? because they both have better records than the Nats do. It chaps my ass that the rest of the NL East got to feast on the Marlins while they were in their absolute dregs of not knowing what they're doing while the Nats didn't play them once, but you wanna be the best, you've got to win against good teams. And against the Dodgers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-45559460867878505502018-05-22T07:31:37.856-07:002018-05-22T07:31:37.856-07:00I don't think the Nats are hoping for very goo...I don't think the Nats are hoping for very good to great from him. I think they are hoping for good. Defensively, he has to be better than Matt Adams. Offensively, he does have a pretty simple swing and seems to know the strike zone well. He also hit a laser last night to RF that just happened to be at someone. I say let him play.<br /><br />Also, I have a question off topic. How come no one talks about the difference in the Nats schedule versus everyone else in the NL East. The schedule for the Nats has been brutal with two trips out west already. The Nats have played 33/45 games against teams with >.500 record, not counting 6 against the Dodgers. Before you say its because the NL East is better, the Nats have played more games against the NL West than against the NL East. The Braves have played the Cubs twice and Colorado. The Phillies and Mets have played a much easier schedule as well. It will all even out. The Nats need to stay as close as possible and put the pedal down when they play bad teams like the Padres. As of today, they are fine. Doesn't mean it can't go south from here, but they are far from blowing it.Jaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-2408982869737998452018-05-22T07:21:11.376-07:002018-05-22T07:21:11.376-07:00Where can I get my jersey?
To me, the real questi...Where can I get my jersey?<br /><br />To me, the real question is if he's better at 19 than anyone else we might be able to put in left field. He's already got more dingers than Stevenson.Jon Quimbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06939096664895272304noreply@blogger.com