The Home for Washington Nationals Game Talk

As the offseason for the Washington Nationals officially ends at midnight tomorrow, the pre-season begins as pitchers and catchers officially report to the Spring Training facility at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida. Sure, additional roster moves will be made, and there could be some other personnel moves that could impact the rosters. Fangraphs has released their first standings projections for 2020 and the Nats are fractionally ahead of the Mets even though they are slightly behind the Mets in team WAR (+44.0 to +43.4). The computative reasoning is because Fangraphs uses averaged “run differential” to determine the standings. Also, the final grade from former general manager Jim Bowden writing in The Athletic was an A- for the Nats offseason grade as Bowden analyzed each team’s roster moves. Not too shabby when you consider the Nats are still at a +43.4 in Fangraphs with a .540 winning percentage as that is 87 ½ wins with  4.93 runs scored per game and  4.53 runs against. Are those wins enough to get the Nationals back to the postseason is the million dollar question. Continue reading →

Early camp on the backfields of FITTEAM in West Palm Beach; photo by Andy Ward for TalkNats

As the clock ticks towards the opening of Spring Training camp, the rumors just will not go away about the Nats attached to a marquee player. Once again Bob Nightengale is tweeting about a Kris Bryant trade and mentioned the Washington Nationals. The same people who were so wrong about the Nats and Josh Donaldson are at it again. If you believe there is a chance because there is a need, then look around because Fangraphs believes the Nationals greatest needs were at other position where the Nats are the weakest at first base (7th worst) and catcher (6th worst). Maybe the Nats should have been trying to get Brandon Belt (+2.0 WAR) in a trade with the Giants and Yasmani Grandal  (+4.9 WAR) in free agency.  Continue reading →

How did you feel about the Washington Nationals ten years ago? The team assembling for Spring Training in Viera, Florida was coming off of a 59-103 season. We got our first glimpse of Stephen Strasburg who was in camp, and we all knew that if Bryce Harper qualified for the draft as a seventeen year old phenom, he would be the Nats choice in the 2010 draft with the No. 1 pick. The key free agent signing that offseason was on January 6th when closer Matt Capps was signed and quickly traded for Wilson Ramos months later.  A year earlier general manager Jim Bowden resigned after Smiley-gate, and Mike Rizzo took the helm. He had already traded Ryan Langerhans for Mike Morse during the 2009 season, and you could see the makings for the 2012 roster coming together. Hope springs eternal. Continue reading →

Where will the 2019 World Series champs signage go?

We are just 11 days until Spring Training camp officially opens in West Palm Beach. Several players are moving into their Palm Beach County rental homes on two-month leases. The weather today at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is 74°F with rain, and better weather is expected for the Super Bowl tomorrow just an hour down the road in Miami. That is another reason for players to arrive early so they can attend the events. Speaking of championship games, the Nats should be adding “2019 World Series champion” signage to their side of the facility like the Astros have for their 2017 “tainted” win in multiple signage. Continue reading →