Nats are signing Amed Rosario. He has two uses. It's definitely NOT hitting. He can make contact but it's very weak and his ISO SLG always very low.
The first one is iffy. He can play SS, 2B and presumably 3B. But he has no instinct for fielding and tries to get by with his natural talent. A solid arm helps but at the IF positions a lack of instinct is hard to overcome. This is why he's seen more time in the OF as his career has gone on. Still very spotty though.
What skill does he have then? The guy is very fast. He can run the bases and would be an excellent pinch runner. His speed helps turn a weak GB hitter like him into a .280 hitter. Well .280 is a stretch - that IF hit % that got him there last year seems like a fluke - but .265+ even nearing 30 and probably slowing a bit. He's an excellent pinch runner.
Do the Nats need a pinch runner? Probably not or at least not more than a guy that can hit. Wood, Crews, Young, Abrams are all fast. Call, Nunez, and Tena all on the possible bench, are all fast. Seems like having a fast guy available shouldn't be a problem.
I guess they do need a Vargas replacement. I guess Rosario basically that but replacing decent fielding with lightning fast speed. That doesn't seem like the replacement I would make but also how much will Rosario play? Probably not too much. And if you aren't playing then being a good hitter or a good runner is better than an ok fielder. I guess.
9 comments:
I admit I haven’t looked, but doesn’t Nunez have options left? My original assumption was that Rosario takes his spot on the 26 man and allows Nunez to get more seasoning in the minors. I figured the only reason Nunez stayed on the 26 all season was because he was Rule 5.
seems like mostly a potential flip candidate; pretty discouraging that Rizzo still pursuing that. Suggests another wasted year.
The moves made thus far would be substantive if one BIG acquisition or trade had been made. Otherwise...rearrangement of deck chairs in the cruise to 4th place NL East. Hope leaks away as the quality free agents leave the board...
I don't view this signing as being any more significant than a depth guy. This singing in no way, shape, or form should prevent the Nats from acquiring (via FA or trade) a regular third baseman. In that case Rosario is battling Tena for the backup IF role. If he doesn't make it, he gone.
Look at it this way: who do you think would have been more likely to help the Nats in 2025: Rosario or Adon?
This is a Dickerson/Senzel/Rosario, Eddie signing and nothing more. I don't have any data to back it up but it does seem like most teams' offseason strategy is to load up on utility guys to allow for mixing and matching when the inevitable injuries hit (i.e. the Reds trading away India and then trading for Lux even though they already have De La Cruz, McClain, Espinal and Steer). So probably they'll use Rosario to start the season in that role and put Tena in the minors to get more UTIL seasoning.
Nobody asked but I would start Nuñez at SS and move Abrams to 3B, Nuñez has a rocket arm and is fast. I'd rather that then Abrams SS / Rosario 3B
I mean, there's no a lot to say about this move. He's a better backup SS option than Tena was, and Nunez is probably slated to get regular at bats in AAA to see if he has upside, and $2M for one year is nothing, so this is fine. I like that he's better against LHP.
I'm not sure I think he's an improvement on Vargas, but I don't think he's worth, and I'm good with trusting Rizzo on why he went this direction.
But all of these little moves are really only reasonable and helpful if our opening day 3B is not on our current roster. That's the move we're all waiting on. We'll see.
Does Tena have any options left? Does Rosario? I don't know. Both of them seem to be filling the same role: utility IF or desperation 3B starter. Tena's bat is presumably the better one, and I have no idea who is better with the glove.
agree on Nunez
Guys like this are why I hate the DH. I really miss the days when teams would carry a couple versatile guys who could hit a little, and move the chess pieces around at the ends of games. Given he's such a bad hitter, he's probably only there to finish games if someone gets hurt or start the 10th inning on 2nd base.
I sure hope nobody think he's an answer - he's a perfectly good pickup as a utility guy.
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