tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post3624466304298415064..comments2024-03-28T10:50:33.234-07:00Comments on Nationals Baseball: Joe Blanton - the needed armHarperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07738813756060133236noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-61578217174227628942017-03-04T11:43:24.112-08:002017-03-04T11:43:24.112-08:00" The Nats are asking for $100+million per ye..." The Nats are asking for $100+million per year and the O's/MASN have proposed like $15-20 million. Arbitration arrived at like $60-70 million I think. "<br /><br />On paper, the Nats should receive a ton of money as Jay outlined, and the legal process will eventually bear that fruit. But lets just discuss privately among friends... <br /><br />Suppose Peter Angelos didn't meddle in DC baseball and was just another owner of an out of town baseball team. Suppose there was no MASN and the Nationals were free to negotiate their own tv deal with any local network. Even in this business friendly hypothetical, I don't think the Nationals would be able to secure a super lucrative tv deal. Nationals just don't have a big enough mind share in the DC market. Part of it is that DC has a lot going on other than sports. Part of it is that DC is a transient town. And part of it that the Nats have only been here 12 years. While the team/city bond is growing each year, its not where it will be at the 50 year point or beyond. There is no beloved Nationals hall of famer from 1975. There is no fond post season memory where the Nats clinch a post season series in the ninth inning. Twenty years from now, the only three memories from present day that will likely persist are Werth's game 5 home run and Scherzer's no hitters. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-76313459265764894212017-03-03T10:50:24.669-08:002017-03-03T10:50:24.669-08:00@Ric
The guy Dusty picks as "closer" i...@Ric<br /> The guy Dusty picks as "closer" is not likely to stay in that role until the trade deadline. My guess is it will be filled by several people. (Unless Koda Glover turns out to be the beast we're all hoping for.) Thus "closer by committee". Most assuredly. PhthePhillieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06345592363018885789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-39788084153736814032017-03-03T10:30:17.524-08:002017-03-03T10:30:17.524-08:00PhthePhillies said: "Looks to be closer by co...PhthePhillies said: "Looks to be closer by committee until the deadline when they go shopping as needed."<br /><br />Assuredly not. Baker has repeatedly gone on the record that he will name a closer; he likes everyone to know their role in every game situation.Richttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13389546973060137660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-99410627171869112017-03-02T12:17:33.628-08:002017-03-02T12:17:33.628-08:00My impression has always been that the Nats were p...My impression has always been that the Nats were pretty much assured of winning the MASN dispute. The problem in the last decision is that they used the same law firm as MLB and did nothing to safeguard against possible conflict of interest. MLB has tried to back out and appear less meddlesome by letting the courts decide the outcome. However, the expected outcome is still that the Nats will win a rather large settlement. Things being considered are primarily regional sports fees for other teams established in the last few years. Little else matters. The Nats are asking for $100+million per year and the O's/MASN have proposed like $15-20 million. Arbitration arrived at like $60-70 million I think. <br /><br />Now, if the Nats are spending money hand over fist, then they have less of a leg to stand on crying poverty over their MASN deal. I think Angelos doesn't necessarily expect to win. Rather he is dragging things out and making everything as painful as possible in hopes that the Nats will quite or just settle. In ideal world, the Nats end up being allowed to tell Angelos and MASN to shove it and create a new regional sports network with comcast or another similar company. It is rather laughable that the Nats are getting paid like $10 million by MANS (keep in mind that I think MASN hasn't been paying them for the last few years since this all came up for debate). Yet another reason to hate Angelos and less so the Orioles in my book.Jaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-77424793300581344012017-03-02T10:05:56.237-08:002017-03-02T10:05:56.237-08:00Meathook... the factors to be considered are that...Meathook... the factors to be considered are that Angelos owns the network and doesn't pay the Orioles fair market value, and so he doesn't have to pay the Nationals fair market value, either. It's not about which team is better or ratings, it's about the escalation clauses in the original agreement to move the team to DC and how he is skirting those commitments by exploiting some softness in the contract language. Nats won in court but he immediately appealed on technicalities and it'll play out that way for at least another year... in the meantime, if the Lerners went on a free agent orgy, it would hurt their position in that negotiation.<br /><br /><br />Dmitri Young said...<br />Does anyone know the actual factors to be considered in the MASN split dispute? <br /><br />Without really thinking about it, I've assumed it was in the Nats' interest to show they need the money. But are comparative TV ratings a bigger factor? If so, maybe the Lerners are temporarily spending more than they want to field a good team and pump up ratings?Zimmerman11https://www.blogger.com/profile/14524103974207323535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-49593218405362898022017-03-02T07:14:05.586-08:002017-03-02T07:14:05.586-08:00MAT loves the AAA pitching.MAT loves the AAA pitching.JE34noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-72545757619832036032017-03-02T06:38:55.030-08:002017-03-02T06:38:55.030-08:00Why O why does MAT channel Reggie Jackson in Sprin...Why O why does MAT channel Reggie Jackson in Spring Training , but more like Ozzie Canseco in the regular season???steven hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08217945229037259663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-48191163393172007912017-03-01T17:47:50.836-08:002017-03-01T17:47:50.836-08:00Very cool with adding Blanton. Now you've got ...Very cool with adding Blanton. Now you've got a natural righty-lefty bridge to get to the ninth: Blanton/Perez (7th) and Glover/Solis (8th). For now, 9th is Kelley or Treinen, I guess. However that shakes out, at least the pen rotation makes some sense now. ClassOf87noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-27037326443555158402017-03-01T16:33:47.084-08:002017-03-01T16:33:47.084-08:00A good bet to be a reliable arm. Righty/lefty numb...A good bet to be a reliable arm. Righty/lefty numbers suggest he can pitch in almost any situation (except maybe closer). Relatively inexpensive. What's not to like? <br />Looks to be closer by committee until the deadline when they go shopping as needed. They can win the division with that plan.<br />PhthePhillieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06345592363018885789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-64880536112468174612017-03-01T16:11:18.915-08:002017-03-01T16:11:18.915-08:00Does anyone know the actual factors to be consider...Does anyone know the actual factors to be considered in the MASN split dispute? <br /><br />Without really thinking about it, I've assumed it was in the Nats' interest to show they need the money. But are comparative TV ratings a bigger factor? If so, maybe the Lerners are temporarily spending more than they want to field a good team and pump up ratings?Dmitri Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086802838823495057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-29239621997459600512017-03-01T12:57:04.545-08:002017-03-01T12:57:04.545-08:00Not sure why we didn't bring back Belisle? He ...Not sure why we didn't bring back Belisle? He signed for cheap ($2m/1yr) with Minnesota. He was solid for us last year.Ole PBNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-66751230218896354802017-03-01T07:59:48.996-08:002017-03-01T07:59:48.996-08:00...ok, so Gio's AL / NL splits are a bit bette......ok, so Gio's AL / NL splits are a bit better. And if you subtract Blanton's horrible 2013 with the Halo's the numbers look a better. <br /><br />Regardless, from an eye test perspective Blanton does look a lot less Head case-y fragile than Gio. Froggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05425616684415704428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-60128531121444667132017-03-01T07:52:59.804-08:002017-03-01T07:52:59.804-08:00Froggy - if you make me guess I'm thinking it ...Froggy - if you make me guess I'm thinking it is 99% the last thing you mention. Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738813756060133236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9207681.post-50261769902938674422017-03-01T07:31:17.155-08:002017-03-01T07:31:17.155-08:00Stats wise, Blanton looks like an older, right han...Stats wise, Blanton looks like an older, right handed version of Gio (minus a couple great years by Gio) over the course of his starter career, but who has reinvented himself as a reliever. At 36 he brings a lot of regular and post experience to the pen, and I think $4mm was a steal. <br /><br />I am curious about the deferred aspects of his contract and wonder if it is an indicator of (lack of) liquidity on the Lerner's part, a tax advantage for both parties, or a strategic ploy to bolster their side of the MASN Angelos argument. Froggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05425616684415704428noreply@blogger.com