The NL East rosters will have a new look for 2016

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

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The Depths Mike Rizzo Goes To

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

As the 2016 Washington Nationals roster takes shape, there is still the question of depth of starters, on the bench and the back of the bullpen.

Since Mike Rizzo hasn’t said he’s finished with the 2016 roster, it is not fair to assume he is done with moves to strengthen this team.

Starting pitching depth could look like this:

  1. Scherzer
  2. Strasburg
  3. Gio
  4. Ross
  5. Roark
  6. AJ Cole
  7. Taylor Jordan
  8. Giolito
  9. Voth

Continue reading →

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Rizzo Report Card: The ups and downs and ups in the #Nats Hot Stove

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

On the morning of December 24, 2015 and creeping up on Mike Rizzo’s Christmas Eve, he had not signed one infielder to the Major League roster and had actually seen attrition in his infield roster as his Silver Slugger shortstop left to free agency and his 2nd best hitter of 2015, Yunel Escobar was traded to the Angels for Trevor Gott.

Rizzo was in great physical pain all off-season requiring back surgery on December 22nd. As he laid on his back on his hardwood floor in his DC home for extra support for his back, and picked up his phone to call up Seth Levinson at the Aces Agency, Rizzo thought back to the deals they crafted with Gio Gonzalez after his trade from the A’s to the Nats and even arbitration deals for Michael Morse. Daniel Murphy wanted to be signed before Christmas and Rizzo and Levinson crafted a deal that would work for both sides, and it was for far less than the 4 years and $16 million per year that the experts thought Murphy would get which is why this deal made so much sense for the Nats.

With one signing on December 24th, Rizzo got one of his biggest holes filled in ways that he couldn’t with any of the other candidates.  Daniel Murphy was set to be a Nats subject to a physical after the Holidays.

Surprise surprise that there was some loud noise and criticism on Twitter and other blogs of negativity on Rizzo that he failed on Zobrist and swung and missed badly on Brandon Phillips, and he didn’t get Darren O’Day.  On the radar and off just as quickly was the Nats rumored $200 million offer for Jason Heyward.  Commentors were trying to put together a pattern there, and even some in the media that Rizzo was getting turned down everywhere.

Here is what Tom Boswell of the Washington Post had to say after the Murphy signing,

“Partly, this is January happy talk. Murphy was the Nats’ third choice for second base after Zobrist and Phillips.”

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The Qualifying Offer and the next CBA

Posted on January 9, 2016 by DonH

Seems pretty clear that the current Qualifying Offer (QO) system is working to the detriment of the players; and it is not clear that it provide any significant benefits to the teams. The way QOs will work (if they even exist) under the CBA to be negotiated and presumably put in place on December 1, 2016 will almost certainly be different. Continue reading →

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The Money Bubble

Posted on January 9, 2016 by Laddieblahblah

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Breaking: Ben Revere is the #Nats new leadoff man and lefty CF

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

As we say, once Rizzo says he loves the team he has, you better get ready for a trade!

A day earlier:

Rizzo was asked if his roster is now set, “If there’s a value out there that can help the ballclub, then we would certainly look into it, but we like our depth and we like our talent level.  I like the roster. I think we’ve achieved a lot of our goals going into it. We’ve balanced our lineup, we’ve acquired high skill sets, and I think the roster as constructed today is something that we really like.”

A day earlier on if Michael A. Taylor was Rizzo’s guy:

Rizzo said, “[Michael A. Taylor] had a heck of a year for us last year, first of all, for a player that was probably 3 or 4 months ahead of schedule and forced into an everyday role that he probably developmentally wasn’t prepared for, but mentally he came through. Mentally he was extremely prepared, and as the season wore on he got better and better and better every month. And again, I say it when I describe Daniel Murphy, this guy, when the pressure was the biggest, he performed at his best. This guy got as many big hits for us as anyone on the ballclub did last year, and performed extremely well for us. I have very high hopes for Michael Taylor, and a guy we really like.”

Going sjm308 here with Trea Turner batting 9th:

1. Revere CF LH
2. Murphy 2B LH
3. Rendon 3B RH
4. Harper RF LH
5. RZim 1B RH
6. Werth LF RH
7. Ramos C RH
8. Pitcher
9. Turner SS RH

Continue reading →

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Depth Chart Updates and Trea Turner listed as starter! #Nats

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

You always wonder who the person(s) are who analyze and compile these team depth charts.  They left 2 relievers off the list ( Oliver Perez and Shawn Kelley) and had Aaron Barrett as the 6th reliever so clearly much to be desired overall.  Trea Turner is listed as the starting shortstop!

 

depth chart

Screengrab from Nationals.com ©

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The rise of Joe “Cool” Ross from the San Antonio Missions to the Majors in less than 1 year

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Joe Ross finished his 2014 season with the Double-A San Antonio Missions in the San Diego Padres system with a lackluster 2014 in the Minors finishing with a 3.92 ERA.  When the Tampa Bay Rays, Padres and Nationals crafted a 3 team trade on December 19th of 2014, it was Wil Myers and Steven Souza and the PTBNL (Player To Be Named Later aka Trea Turner) who were the centerpieces of the trade.

joe ross trea turner

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Daniel Murphy Day at Nats Park or should we say #20 Day!

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

As Daniel Murphy prepares for his presser as the Nats top free agent signed this year, we could look back at this signing as a key to the Nats 2016 success and beyond if all goes according to plan.

Rizzo got Murphy on a team friendly deal that is backloaded to create more room just in case Rizzo makes that 1 big signing!

No photoshops needed anymore to get Murphy pictured in a Nats jersey:

Continue reading →

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2016 Nats almost complete! Payroll, 40 man, Opening Day Roster

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

With the official announcements that Daniel Murphy and Stephen Drew are part of the 2016 Nats roster, there is certainly more clarity on the payroll and personnel.  Of course Mike Rizzo will most likely make another tweak or 2 and if he does we will trash these charts and spreadsheets and make edits and publish reworked charts and spreadsheets.

Here is our Opening Day roster projections with 2 spots left for the remaining spot on the bench and the remaining spot in the bullpen: Continue reading →

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