New Team, Same Results
Add, subtract, do whatever you need. No matter the calculation, permutation or combination, the limit approaches an infinite suckiness.
Armas was blah. The big blow was a two-run single to the opposing pitcher. If it seems like the Nats get the bejeesus beaten out of them by the opposing pitcher, it's because they do. They've walked 10 times, been HBP another and before tonight, had driven in 11 runs -- which is actually an improvement from last season. Armas, all things considered, has probably been the Nats' best starter. But his inability to go more than 5 innings is maddening.
The Please-God-Get-A-Hit-So-We-Can-Trade-Your-Sorry-Ass Jose Guillen Express rumbled to another RBI late in the game. Guillen has done a good job of upping his trade value from "HA!" to "Meh." He's on a 7-game hitting streak, with RBI in the last 3. His current .277 OBP (wow, Guzman's was .260 last year) is as high as it's been since playing Boston a month ago. Jose Guillen fun fact: Since May 1, his OBP has been above .300, well, never.
Still, Barry sez that the Dodgers and Yankees are interested. Send relievers!
Barry also says that there are four main suitors for Soriano: Detroit, Seattle, Angels, Yankees. I'd suspect the Yankees are out, because of their unwillingness to send Hughes. Seattle's the most recent entry, but they lack the top tier prospects that Bowden should deman. The Angels are probably the best fit. They're loaded with prospects and really need outfield help. But their GM has traditionally been unwilling to part with his babes, as he continues to hoarde infielders and washed-up veterans as if they were tabbies and he were a cat lady.
The guy I'd most want is uberprospect Howie Kendrick, a 2B. (stats) Just to give you an idea of the kind of run he's on, here's the PCL leaderboard. Click on any column to sort. Good luck finding one where his name's not at or near the top.
Banks of the Anacostia has a good look at the Seattle and Detroit offers, giving a quick overview of the players the Nats would/should/could take.
But back to reality, FLop had a homer (yay!) but made two more errors (boo!) Austin Kearns got the night off to 'clear his head'. But really so that the team could keep Jose Guillen out there in 2006's version of 2005's Preston Wilson's drive for 90 RBI.
Micah Bowie is proving himself useful, as the long man this team desparately needed, but lacked. Every inning that he eats up is an inning that Rauch or Cordero don't need to pitch. And with the starters still having as much luck getting through the 7th inning as I have with winning that Pulitzer, he's pretty damn valuable. Rauch, sadly, has fallen off his pace-o'-death, but it's early, too. Frank did most of his damage with Majewski in August and September.
Anagram O' The Day, Austin Kearns: Nauseant Risk
Armas was blah. The big blow was a two-run single to the opposing pitcher. If it seems like the Nats get the bejeesus beaten out of them by the opposing pitcher, it's because they do. They've walked 10 times, been HBP another and before tonight, had driven in 11 runs -- which is actually an improvement from last season. Armas, all things considered, has probably been the Nats' best starter. But his inability to go more than 5 innings is maddening.
The Please-God-Get-A-Hit-So-We-Can-Trade-Your-Sorry-Ass Jose Guillen Express rumbled to another RBI late in the game. Guillen has done a good job of upping his trade value from "HA!" to "Meh." He's on a 7-game hitting streak, with RBI in the last 3. His current .277 OBP (wow, Guzman's was .260 last year) is as high as it's been since playing Boston a month ago. Jose Guillen fun fact: Since May 1, his OBP has been above .300, well, never.
Still, Barry sez that the Dodgers and Yankees are interested. Send relievers!
Barry also says that there are four main suitors for Soriano: Detroit, Seattle, Angels, Yankees. I'd suspect the Yankees are out, because of their unwillingness to send Hughes. Seattle's the most recent entry, but they lack the top tier prospects that Bowden should deman. The Angels are probably the best fit. They're loaded with prospects and really need outfield help. But their GM has traditionally been unwilling to part with his babes, as he continues to hoarde infielders and washed-up veterans as if they were tabbies and he were a cat lady.
The guy I'd most want is uberprospect Howie Kendrick, a 2B. (stats) Just to give you an idea of the kind of run he's on, here's the PCL leaderboard. Click on any column to sort. Good luck finding one where his name's not at or near the top.
Banks of the Anacostia has a good look at the Seattle and Detroit offers, giving a quick overview of the players the Nats would/should/could take.
But back to reality, FLop had a homer (yay!) but made two more errors (boo!) Austin Kearns got the night off to 'clear his head'. But really so that the team could keep Jose Guillen out there in 2006's version of 2005's Preston Wilson's drive for 90 RBI.
Micah Bowie is proving himself useful, as the long man this team desparately needed, but lacked. Every inning that he eats up is an inning that Rauch or Cordero don't need to pitch. And with the starters still having as much luck getting through the 7th inning as I have with winning that Pulitzer, he's pretty damn valuable. Rauch, sadly, has fallen off his pace-o'-death, but it's early, too. Frank did most of his damage with Majewski in August and September.
posted by Chris Needham at
11:56 PM
4 Comments:
I would be very suspect of any numbers Howie Kendrick puts up in the PCL. That is a notorious hitters' league with very inflated batting averages. Brandon Watson hit .355 at NOLA in the PCL last year and we know first hand that he can't hit a lick.
By
Anonymous, at 7/18/2006 6:44 AM
Phil,
Yuda hit on it. It's a matter of knowing how to look at the stats, and looking beyond batting average. Watson only had batting average. He didn't walk and he didn't hit for power, something I noted at the time, to pre-explain his inevitible failure.
You're right, though, that the PCL is a hitter's league. But look at how Kendrick compares to his peers. He's clearly the best player in the PCL. Trading for the best player in Triple-A (unless he's 30!) is never a bad idea.
Look at the difference between his batting average and obp, and the difference between his batting average and slugging. Even if he doesn't keep hitting .360 in the majors (like Watson couldn't), he has enough plate patience and power to still be useful.
By
Chris Needham, at 7/18/2006 8:38 AM
"as if they were tabbies and he were a cat lady."
That's gold, Jerry.
Howie Kendrick is a great baseball name.
By
Anonymous, at 7/18/2006 9:11 AM
Good luck on Kendrick. I'd love to have him, but almost every informed sportswriter I've read says that Kendrick, Ervin Santana, Jered Weaver, etc. are off-limits. I could be wrong, of course, but I think the Nats would better to go after Angels prospects like Erick Aybar, Brandon Wood, and Dallas "Change of Scenery" McPherson.
By
JammingEcono, at 7/18/2006 10:11 AM
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