![\"how](\"http:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/MartezDave-hiring-pressconference-via-wtop.jpg\")
<\/a>how successful will Martinez be here? Photo via wtop.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Another week, another slow news week.\u00a0 So lets see what questions<\/a> MLB Nats beat reporter\u00a0Jamal Collier<\/strong> took.<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0How will the Nats respond to the new coaching staff? They won so many games with the previous one, why wouldn’t management try and retain more of those coaches (besides Bob Henley)?<\/b><\/p>\n A: Well, lets take the 2nd question first.\u00a0 Because its a good one: why the heck didn’t the ownership group give\u00a0Dusty Baker\u00a0<\/strong>and his staff another shot?\u00a0 We have talked this to death of course, but to review: My opinion is that the ownership made an over-reaction\/rookie mistake and and under-valued what Baker brought to the table.\u00a0 I don’t put the 2017 play off loss on Baker.\u00a0 Baker completely turned around the clubhouse after the\u00a0Matt Williams<\/strong> debacle, and it made more sense from a roster transition stand point to make a staff change after 2018, not after 2017.\u00a0 But whatever.<\/p>\n I can’t see how a veteran team of professionals would respond badly to\u00a0Dave Martinez<\/strong> in particular though; he was a player, he had accomplishments on the field that will speak to the vets, and he comes from a well respected staff in Chicago.\u00a0 But, sometimes you never know.\u00a0 Maybe Martinez comes in and is totally rah-rah and turns off the vets like\u00a0Murphy<\/strong> and\u00a0Zimmerman<\/strong>, which sends the clubhouse into a death spiral.\u00a0 Maybe he makes some bone-headed mistakes early with the pitching staff and turns off the two aces\u00a0Scherzer<\/strong> and\u00a0Strasburg<\/strong>.\u00a0 I don’t know if anyone can predict what will happen here.\u00a0 It isn’t like there was a huge obvious problem with the previous manager that they immediately get respite from; the prior staff by all accounts was respected and successful.<\/p>\n Collier mirrors what I said; we just don’t know what will happen<\/em>.<\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0What are the most realistic options to improve at catcher or do you see us sticking with\u00a0Matt Wieters<\/a>\u00a0all season?<\/b><\/p>\n A: I’m going to ask a different question, because it relates here.\u00a0 Is the team willing to blow past the luxury tax threshold or not in 2018?\u00a0 Because if they’re not … then people need to stop asking about upgrading at catcher.<\/p>\n That being said … my take on his ownership group is that they still cling to the notion that you run a team like a business to a certain extent.\u00a0 And as a business owner, if you were in the hole for $10M in salary would you continue to throw good money after bad or would you just stand pat with what you have?\u00a0 Furthermore …\u00a0Wieters<\/strong> is a\u00a0Boras\u00a0<\/strong>client and i’m sure Boras has already bent their ear about layering his client and effectively destroying his FA value.\u00a0 \u00a0Plus, in case you’re clamoring for a trade for\u00a0J.T. Realmuto<\/strong>, the Nats have already emptied the farm system, so any further prospect trades will be cutting deep.\u00a0 Would you give up\u00a0Soto<\/strong> or\u00a0Robles<\/strong> for a mediocre catcher?\u00a0 I wouldn’t.\u00a0 I’d just suck it up, play out 2018 with Wieters hitting 8th and learn from my mistake (and this is no hindsight is 20\/20 statement; everyone knew Wieters was a bad signing when it happened).<\/p>\n So, for me, i’m guessing they stand pat.<\/p>\n Collier notes that Wieters is in better shape , but also notes the team is pursuing a better backup catcher option than the untested\u00a0Pedro Severino<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0For years we’ve seen Joe Maddon hit players such as Addison Russell ninth in the order behind a pitcher. With how dense the middle of our lineup is, could you see Martinez taking this approach with\u00a0Michael A. Taylor<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Trea Turner<\/a>?<\/b><\/p>\n A: Well, the numbers are definitely there: batting the pitcher 8th definitely makes a difference over the course of a whole season.\u00a0 But it isn’t much of a difference.\u00a0 And you need a contact guy at the 9-hole to take advantage.\u00a0 Is\u00a0Michael A. Taylor<\/strong> that guy?\u00a0 I don’t think so; I think Taylor is hitting 7th and Wieters hitting 8th all year, forcing the pitcher to the 9-spot with Eaton\/Turner<\/strong> 1-2 in some combination.\u00a0 This lineup kind of writes itself.<\/p>\n