The band is back together! Ryan Zimmerman is on base!

Posted on January 24, 2020 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

The last time we saw Ryan Zimmerman he was hoisting the World Series trophy at the Nats documentary premiere!

The Washington Nationals almost have the entire band back together after agreeing on a 1-year deal with Ryan Zimmerman that could be worth $5 million in total. Almost everyone from the 2019 World Series team is back together! General Manager Mike Rizzo has signed back Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman, Yan Gomes, Howie Kendrick, Asdrubal Cabrera, Daniel Hudson, and Javy Guerra (minor’s deal). In addition, the Nats picked up the team options on Sean Doolittle and Adam Eaton.  Continue reading →

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The #Nats Hot Stove event; Do you have any burning questions? No Rizzo this time.

Posted on January 22, 2020 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears
Francisco Mejia

No Mike Rizzo at the event this year; Photo by Andrew Lang for TalkNats

On Sunday, the Washington Nationals will hold their annual “Hot Stove” event for their full-season plan holders at Nationals Park on Sunday. Membership in Nats Plus has its privileges. A morning email from the Nationals that was excerpted and posted by DHamm6500 stated that this Sunday’s Hot Stove event will not have general manager Mike Rizzo.

“The event will feature Dave Martinez, the Manager of your 2019 World Series Champions, Mark Scialabba, Assistant General Manager and Jake Burns, Executive Vice President of Business Operations”.

The Hot Stove panel as assembled will be comprised of assistant general manager Mark Scialabba who was recently promoted, manager Dave Martinez, and from the business side of the organization Jake Burns who is the VP of Business Operations will round out the panel. There are always great tidbits and themes that come out of the “State of the team” address if Scialabba gives one this year. On the business side, these season ticket holders get the first glimpses at the new bobbleheads and giveaways for the upcoming season as well as new ballpark upgrades and food choices. Continue reading →

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Who’s on third? Highlights of a conversation with Davey Martinez

Posted on January 19, 2020 by Susan V

The SiriusXM town hall with Davey Martinez, moderated by Chuck Todd, was an event I was fortunate to attend. Davey was just back from a vacation in Bali; he looked very rested. Before the program started he said he wanted to tell us this because he knew there had been talk about his having missed WinterFest: As has been mentioned elsewhere, the Bali trip had been planned two years ago – he and his girlfriend were the sole bidders on a ZiMS Foundation auction (he said he had always wanted to go there). As the winners, they were given three date options — October 2019, or January or February 2020. Good thing they hadn’t chosen October. Continue reading →

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25 days to West Palm Beach and 3rd base is there for the taking!

Posted on January 18, 2020 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Carter Kieboom homers; Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats

Maybe this time Washington Nationals general manager really does like his roster as he said last week at the team’s Winterfest. Normally when Rizzo utters the words “I like my team” it foreshadows an impact roster move that is days away. But maybe this time he is done with impact moves. Fangraphs likes the Nats as their third best team in the NL with a team WAR of +43.2, and that only trails the Dodgers and Mets in the “Senior Circuit” so far. Current Vegas lines likes the reigning World Series champs better at 90.5 wins and second best in the NL and tied with the Braves. That is some respect in a year of greater parity in the league.  Continue reading →

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What I learned at the Washington Nationals #Winterfest

Posted on January 17, 2020 by ArVaFan aka Laura Peebles

The secret to the Washington Nationals’ success? Sure, they had “Go 1-0 today,” Baby Shark, Calma, solid teamwork, a never-quit attitude, great pitching, clutch hitting, and some luck. But apparently the key to the World Series wins was . . . chocolate caramel clusters from Costco. Read on. Continue reading →

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The Core Six is now the Core Four; Strasburg is a Nat for life and is it time to extend two more?

Posted on January 16, 2020 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo courtesy of Andrew Lang for TalkNats

Baseball free agency allows players to choose their future employers much like the private sector. While the grass may not be greener on the other side, sometimes it is, and also the avenue to higher income. Corporations that covet top talent have used creative methods to retain their superstars by offering vesting stock options, upward mobility, trips, homes, and other perks. Loyalties do go both ways. The Lerners wanted to make Ian Desmond a “Nat for life” like they did with Ryan Zimmerman, and have now done with the oft-injured World Series MVP,  Stephen Strasburg. But there is a history of the Nats not being proactive early in pre-arbitration to sign players.

As Mike Rizzo has said numerous times, “It takes two to tango.” Yes, both sides have to agree to dance. Anthony Rendon and Bryce Harper both departed after they received reported contract offers of $210 million and $300 million respectively from the Nats. What have we learned about the players who have stayed and the players who have left? Continue reading →

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A chapter closed on Donaldson in the NL East

Posted on January 15, 2020 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

We won’t miss Josh Donaldson in the NL East. We also won’t miss the daily dose of B.S. rumors on the mega contract that Josh Donaldson was going to sign, and how the Washington Nationals fit into those rumors. He didn’t get close to the 4/$100 they said he had in-hand or even the rumored 4/$110 or 4/$112 that were spoken of. In the end, he got 4 years and $84 million with a 5th year team option and an $8 million buyout if they do not pick-up the option. Continue reading →

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The players who need to step up for the 2020 Washington Nationals

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Repeating as a champion is the goal for 2020

For this 2020 Washington Nationals team, manager Dave Martinez will need some players to step up their game this season beyond the projections. With a +42.9 team WAR as Fangraphs has computed as of this date, that probably is not enough to win the NL East, but the Nats goal is to repeat as World Champs and like last year feel they can win by just getting into the dance. They have lofty goals and why not! Win it all and go home is a lot better than win or go home. Being the team that wins the last game of the year leads to parades, and that is a team goal. Continue reading →

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Nats, News, & Notes: Winterfest happenings

Posted on January 12, 2020 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

No, Gerardo Parra was not part of the Nats alumni at Winterfest, and technically right now Ryan Zimmerman is part of that alumni and he was not in attendance either even though he lives thirty minutes away from the stadium. Two of the most popular Nationals alumni, Brian Schneider and Chad Cordero from the inaugural 2005 team were there in attendance. Most notably missing from the Nats personnel at the event was manager Dave Martinez, and we were told on Twitter by someone that he is on a vacation. Sure, Trea Turner was on a long-planned vacation in Jackson Hole Wyoming and he flew back to D.C. cutting his vacation to only a few days so he could attend the Winterfest event. Martinez is not the only one missing from the personnel under contract who were not there, and a couple were at Matt Grace‘s wedding in Hawaii like Joe Ross and Michael Taylor, and Adam Eaton had a family emergency. Whereabouts unknown were new signees Will Harris, Starlin Castro and Eric Thames but also Howie Kendrick, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Daniel Hudson (not officially signed) who were all key players on the 2019 World Series championship team were no-shows. Also not seen were Patrick Corbin, Tanner Rainey, Roenis Elias, Wilmer Difo, and Yan Gomes.  Continue reading →

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The #Nats have signed all of their arbitration eligible players!

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

As of this evening, Mike Rizzo has settled up with all of his arbitration eligible players. He tied up Michael A. Taylor yesterday, and today negotiated deals with Roenis Elias and Joe Ross before today’s deadline which avoided arbitration — and with a little drama the team announced a deal about an hour ago with Trea Turner at $7.45 million.  Continue reading →

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