Friday, August 24, 2007

Blargh

At least it wasn't a walk-off slam...

  • The WPA graph mirrors my blood pressure!

    Why is my left arm going numb?

    [slumps in chair]

    • posted by Chris Needham at 11:48 PM

    11 Comments:

    • I've always been lost as to why Bowden thinks so highly of Cordero and Rausch -- who are league average. With the recent performances of both, they've lost a ton of trade value (in the off season). Still, they need to be moved. Us fans (not to mention Shawn Hill) deserve better.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/25/2007 12:19 AM  

    • I don't think these guys are the problem. Like Manny says, it happens once a year. I'd rather see a few more runs from my mate Wily now that Zimmerman is on a tear. Maybe he needs to bat cleanup?

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/25/2007 5:05 AM  

    • So that Chad Chernobyl guy showed up tonight did he? I think to echo a bit of what Jim said there’s coming a point real soon of diminishing returns with Cordero as his salary escalates. Maybe one day when the team grows up and actually intends to contend and play with the big boys instead of doing handstands at not being one of the historically worse teams to ever walk the planet, Kasten will spend some coin on a closer who can overpower hitters. Given that Kasten blew off this year a league average closer is probably ok though it’s tough for fans to watch (and it’s a lot easier for me write this because I didn’t watch the game and am a bit more emotionally detatched). But one day when the Nats are playing a game in September or October and the game is on the line to get into the playoffs or win a playoff series or better yet, the World Series, I’d rather see someone else walking out of the bullpen other than Cordero to lock it down. It’s just a lot more pleasant to have a sense of confidence, even if it may be a bit of false confidence, than a sense of dread.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/25/2007 6:34 AM  

    • when I looked up from brushing my teeth to see Cordero on the mound in the top of the ninth, I thought, "Oh, crap." The problem isn't Cordero per se, but his style of pitching to contact, and inducing a lot of fly balls, is just as wrong for Coors Field as it is right for RFK. In this case, I question Manny's judgment in sending him out there. When the Nats play in Denver, Chad needs to take a three day hiking trip in Rocky Mountain National Park. He can meet up with the team in L.A.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/25/2007 8:21 AM  

    • That game hurt. Don't think I've ever seen my favorite Nat implode so badly. I personally would've let Hill go for the complete game (this might've been our last chance for one this season), but that's no excuse for Chad. Ugg. With 6 ER over 0 innings, his ERA jumped from 2.80 to 3.39... up 59 points in one game!

      Poor Shawn Hill... three stellar outings (3 runs over 20 innings) and still not a single curly W since he's been back.
      -cass

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/25/2007 9:03 AM  

    • I am not saying that Chad is the man for the future, and jim does make a good point regarding future value, but it's one really bad game. Chris did the math a few weeks back, Chad is league average in the long term. Would I bet my house on him closing out a game, hell no, but there aren't that many closers that I would bet on. It's a game, things go wrong.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/25/2007 9:20 AM  

    • Maybe it's a good thing that work and baby had me snoring by 10:30 pm.

      That said - games like this happen to Hall of Fame closers, which Cordero is most certainly not.

      By Blogger Rocket1124, at 8/25/2007 10:41 AM  

    • Wonder what the Chief will blame his awful performance on now? When he sucked earlier in the season, he blamed it on his grandmother, but she's gone now.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/25/2007 11:05 AM  

    • I don't have a problem with Cordero as a closer per say, given that the Nats seem to have few other viable options for the job (Ayala maybe?). All closers go through rough stretches, especially "league average" guys like The Chief.

      That said, I hope this game is exhibit A at Cordero's arbitration hearing this offseason. No way he deserves a big raise like the one he got last year. He just isn't good enough.

      By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8/25/2007 12:06 PM  

    • The Nats have three pitchers (Cordero, Rauch and Ayala) who are above-average relievers, but not exceptional either. All three are basically the same and if you juggled up their roles, the team's bottom line wouldn't change a bit.

      By Blogger Chris Needham, at 8/25/2007 12:07 PM  

    • That's a bit cold, Anonymous 11:05 am...

      By Blogger Rocket1124, at 8/25/2007 3:31 PM  

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