Probably a bad time to be doing this, but...

WE'VE MOVED!!!

AND WE'VE CHANGED OUR NAME!!!

This blog will now be known as...NATS NEWS NETWORK!

Please click on the link above to go to our new site. All the archived posts are there, and any new content is going up over there. I still have some tinkering to do, but I don't want to maintain two sites anymore. Besides, I think when you visit the new site you'll be as happy with it as I am.

Please let me know of any comments or critiques once you get over there.

I really liked the format I used for my Caps Blog, so I utilized it for the new Nats blog. Also, one of the big questions I heard all last summer was "What's bottomfeeders have to do with it?" or "Did you name your blog bottomfeeders cause the team stinks so much?" So I wanted a more Nats-centric name and feel and I incorporated the team colors as well.

Please feel free to let me know how you feel about the new site. E-mail me at the new e-mail address (you'll see it over there) or leave a comment in one of the posts.

Thanks, see you on the new site.
Best,
Dave

Nats Select Reliever in Rule 5 Draft

In the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft held today in Las Vegas at the conclusion of the Winter Meetings, the Nationals selected RHP Terrell Young from the Cincinnati Reds with the first overall pick.

Young, 24 (6'3", 175), went 2-5 with a 2.88 ERA this season in two stops in Class A (Sarasota of the Florida State League and Dayton of the Midwest League). His fastball is said to be mid-90s, with an occasional 98 mph.

He's never pitched above Single-A. In five seasons in Rookie League, Low-A and High-A, he's thrown 142.2 innings with a 3.60 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. He's struck out 131 and walked 87. His record is 5-10 with 12 career saves.

Does anyone think that this sounds like a player that is seriously going to compete for a spot in the Nationals bullpen this season? Remember, a player selected in the Rule 5 Draft must remain on the drafting team's 25-man roster all season or be offered back to the original club.

Is Eight Years, $160M Enough?

It's hard to comprehend a contract to play baseball that runs eight years and will pay the player $160 million dollars. I'm not gonna get all philosophical on ya, but that's a heck of a lot of money.

But is it enough? Scott Boras said at the beginning of this adventure that it would take 10 years and $200M. I think everyone knew at that point that statement was a bunch of posturing. And most everyone knows by now that Mark Teixiera grew up in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and would be more than happy to play for one of the teams that call that region home--if the money was right.

Now we know that the Yankees probably won't be making an offer since they're courting every single blue chip pitcher on the market. Boston covets the switch-hitting 1B as well. And the Angels, and owner Arte Moreno, would really like to keep Tex on the payroll.

So it seems we know two things now:

1) The opening bid, and

2) The suitors are probably down to three (the Nats, Red Sox and Angels)

Despite what Roch Kubatko might think over at MASN.com, it would shock me at this point if the Orioles made an offer at this point. The Nats offer is already so well past the "feeling out" point that the O's can't come in now and try to get Teixiera for anything less.

So that leaves just three, and maybe really only two. The Angels have said that Tex was their "first priority", but don't their efforts seem just a little lackadaisical. Doesn't it seem like they keep throwing their name out there just to say they were staying in it? I've seen that act for a while now, I'd hope that I would recognize it when I see it.

And Boston really just got into it in the last couple of days. Everyone assumes that Theo Epstein will sweep in and whisk Tex away from the next biggest suitor, but has the bar been set too high? Could we be seeing a situation unfolding where, like A-Rod with the Rangers, the first offer is the best?

We probably won't know for a few days at the very least. But with a solid offer on the table and apparently a lot of effort put into this from both sides already, it's not too hard to start envisioning an early present under the tree.

I Usually Don't Get Worked Up Over These Things, But...

Here's a report from Enrique Rojas of ESPN.com on their "MLB Winter Meetings Blog" :

The proposed trade between the Nationals and Rockies involving right-hander Tim Redding and outfielder Willy Taveras fell apart because one of the players did not pass his physical exam.

You mean the Willie Taveras? The same guy who went .251/.308/.296 last season in 470 at bats. Read that middle number again. He had a .308 on base percentage last season. Granted, he led the NL in stolen bases. But you know what the result was? 64 runs scored. SIXTY FOUR.

Willie Harris scored 58 runs in 100 less at bats from the bottom of the order for the most part.

For the SABR inclined reader, his OPS+ was 56. This number is based off how good a player is plus-or-minus 100. Of players with 350+ at bats, Corey Patterson was the worst in the NL at 48. Taveras was bottom ten.

He led off for the bulk of his at bats, and while in that slot OBP'd a cool .299.

Lifetime, his slash stats are: .283/.331/.337 (OPS+ 72). So at age 26, when a player starts to enter his prime years, Taveras had his statistically worst year in the bigs. Oh yeah, as a point of reference, Nook Logan's career OPS+ is 76.

Harris has OPS+'d 94 and 98 the last two years as a part-time player. His lifetime OPS+ is 75.

Of Taveras' 558 career hits, 80 have been of the extra-base variety. He's never had 20 doubles in a season, despite all that speed. His career triples high is five, despite all that speed and playing in Colorado the last two years.

He's had seven career home runs in 1972 at bats.

Now, I'm not going to argue that the Nats shouldn't trade Tim Redding if they get a good deal for a player in a position of need. But Willie Taveras, statistically speaking, was one of THE WORST regular position players in the majors last year. If you have a fantasy team where you need stolen bases and have a bunch of high average guys to cover for Taveras, sure, trade Redding for him. But real baseball doesn't work like fantasy.

Taveras is good for only one thing: Stealing second base when one of his weak ground balls manages to make its way through the infield.

Jumping On The Hondo Bandwagon

It just makes sense for the Nats to bring Frank Howard back into the fold in some capacity. He has too much baseball knowledge and good will in this area to ignore.

Kristen, on her post for Nationals Buzz at MASN.com did a great job collecting the feelings of the many other bloggers who've already chimed in on the subject in repsonse to Dave Sheinin's piece in the Post yesterday.

Photo (c) C. Nichols 2007.

Speak of the Devil (or something like that)

From the Nats Press Relese today. I'll have commentary later on.

NATIONALS ANNOUNCE 2009 SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE

Washington slated to host Orioles at Nationals Park for spring finale

The Washington Nationals today announced their 2009 Spring Training schedule, which is highlighted by a two-game barnstorming series against the Baltimore Orioles. The Nationals will host the Orioles for an exhibition contest on April 4 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., after the two clubs play the day prior at Harbor Park, home of the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, in Norfolk, VA.

The Florida-based portion of the Nationals’ spring schedule includes 32 Grapefruit League contests, one exhibition game and four off days. It will commence on February 25 with a road tilt against the Houston Astros in Kissimmee, FL, before the Nationals host the Detroit Tigers the following day for their home opener. The Nationals will host 15 games at Space Coast Stadium—14 Grapefruit League affairs and an exhibition contest against Italy’s World Baseball Classic team on March 3.

For the seventh consecutive spring, the franchise will be based at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, FL. The team’s report/workout dates are as follows: pitchers/catchers report (February 14), position players report (February 17), first full-squad workout (February 19).

Tickets for the Nationals-Orioles game on April 4 at Nationals Park will be available to the public when individual-game regular-season tickets go on sale in February, and proceeds from the game will benefit the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation. Individual-game tickets for the Nationals’ spring contests at Space Coast Stadium will be available beginning on January 17 at 10:00 a.m. They can be purchased at the Space Coast Stadium Box Office, online at nationals.com, or by calling 888.632.NATS(6287).


WASHINGTON NATIONALS 2009 SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE

DATE DAY OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
February 25 Wednesday at Houston Kissimmee, FL 1:05 pm
FEBRUARY 26 THURSDAY DETROIT VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
FEBRUARY 27 FRIDAY HOUSTON VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
February 28 Saturday at St. Louis Jupiter, FL 1:05 pm
MARCH 1 SUNDAY BALTIMORE VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
March 2 Monday *** OFF DAY ***
MARCH 3 TUESDAY TEAM ITALY (WBC) VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
MARCH 4 WEDNESDAY NEW YORK-NL VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
March 5 Thursday at Detroit Lakeland, FL 1:05 pm
March 6 Friday at Baltimore Ft. Lauderdale, FL 1:05 pm
March 7 Saturday at New York-NL Port St. Lucie, FL 1:10 pm
MARCH 8 SUNDAY NEW YORK-NL VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
MARCH 9 MONDAY HOUSTON VIERA, FL 7:05 PM
MARCH 10 TUESDAY NEW YORK-NL VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
March 11 Wednesday *** OFF DAY ***
March 12 Thursday at Atlanta Orlando, FL 1:05 PM
March 13 Friday at Houston Kissimmee, FL 7:05 pm
March 14 Saturday at New York-NL Port St. Lucie, FL 1:10 pm
MARCH 15 SUNDAY DETROIT VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
March 16 Monday at Florida Jupiter, FL 1:05 pm
March 17 Tuesday *** OFF DAY ***
MARCH 18 WEDNESDAY FLORIDA VIERA, FL 7:05 PM
MARCH 19 THURSDAY BALTIMORE VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
March 20 Friday at Detroit Lakeland, FL 1:05 pm
MARCH 21 SATURDAY ST. LOUIS VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
March 22 Sunday at Houston Kissimmee, FL 1:05 pm
March 23 Monday at St. Louis Jupiter, FL 1:05 pm
March 24 Tuesday at Baltimore Ft. Lauderdale, FL 1:05 pm
MARCH 25 WEDNESDAY ATLANTA VIERA, FL 7:05 PM
March 26 Thursday *** OFF DAY ***
March 27 Friday at New York-NL Port St. Lucie, FL 1:10 pm
MARCH 28 SATURDAY HOUSTON VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
March 29 Sunday at Florida Jupiter, FL 1:05 pm
MARCH 30 MONDAY DETROIT VIERA, FL 1:05 PM
March 31 Tuesday at Detroit Lakeland, FL 1:05 pm
April 1 Wednesday at Toronto Dunedin, FL 1:05 pm
April 2 Thursday at Philadelphia Clearwater, FL 1:05 pm
April 3 Friday at Baltimore Norfolk, VA * 3:30 pm
APRIL 4 SATURDAY BALTIMORE WASHINGTON, DC ** 6:05 PM

Spring Training Blues

I had a few moments this morning and since the Nats have failed to release their Spring Training schedule yet, I compiled what is publicly known about it by visiting the other teams websites in the Grapefruit League.

Eight of the the teams (BAL, FLA, BOS, ATL, PHI, TOR, TB and NYY) have released their tentative schedules. Seven (NYM, STL, MIN, HOU, CIN, PIT, DET) have not. The Nats don't play against BOS, TB or NYY.

The Nats have only 10 games with the eight teams that have released their schedule. With ST starting 2/25 this season (to allow for the stupid World Baseball Classic) and running through 4/3, that leaves a possible 39 dates, of which the Nats have filled 10. So the possible 29 dates will be filled with the seven teams that haven't released their schedule yet. Of those seven, MIN, CIN, PIT and DET play on the other side of the state (I'll get to this), meaning that the bulk of the 29 remaining dates will be filled with JUST NYM, STL and HOU.

Now, here's the quirky part: the Nats have games scheduled with TOR and PHI, who also play on the gulf coast, on APR 1 & 2 respectively, with dates open March 30 and 31. It doesn’t take a big leap to guess that the Nats will play the ENTIRE LAST WEEK OF SPRING TRAINING ON THE ROAD, come up to DC for the "fan fest" or whatever they're calling it, then travel BACK TO FLORIDA for the season opener!!!

Here's the complete schedule as announced by other teams so far (all games 1:05 pm):

MAR 6 @ BAL
MAR 12 @ ATL
MAR 16 @FLA
MAR 18 FLA
MAR 19 BAL
MAR 24 @ BAL
MAR 25 ATL
MAR 29 @ FLA
APR 1 @ TOR
APR 2 @ PHI

Say Mar 30 and 31 they play at DET (Lakeland) and PIT (Bradenton) on their way across the state to play on the gulf coast. They probably won't play MIN (just too far in Ft. Myers) and let's just guess they get one in against CIN (they never have before, but let's play along). And say they have a home and home with Houston (Kissimmee). That's still just five more games removed from 29 OPEN DATES!!! Let's guess they have four off days (the O's have four). That leaves 20 games made up with just two teams.

So I'm here to tell you, get used to seeing the Mets and Cardinals in your spring training box scores, because that's all that’s left. Unless they're just going to intrasquad for the bulk of Spring Training.