{"id":2248,"date":"2011-09-01T09:25:54","date_gmt":"2011-09-01T13:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=2248"},"modified":"2011-09-25T10:20:45","modified_gmt":"2011-09-25T14:20:45","slug":"my-answers-to-boswell%e2%80%99s-chat-questions-82911","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=2248","title":{"rendered":"My Answers to Boswell\u2019s Chat Questions 8\/29\/11"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Is this your 2nd baseman\/leadoff hitter of the future? Photo via midatlanticredsox.net<\/p><\/div>\n

Man, back to back chats and inbox responses this week.\u00a0 Boswell did his weekly chat on 8\/29\/11<\/a> and managed to fit in some Nats questions.\u00a0 Here’s how i’d have answered them (you know, if I was a nationally known writer and had thousands of people eagerly asking my opinion on things…).<\/p>\n

Q: If Steve Lombardozzi (pictured above) hits during his 9\/1 call-up, is it time to move on from Desmond?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I’d say not quite.\u00a0 Desmond may have over 1000 major league at bats<\/a> by now, and clearly has been regressing at the plate over the past few years, but the team loves him and probably gives him one more year before pulling the plug.\u00a0 I think we all know Espinosa can take over at SS and that Lombardozzi is a great fit at 2b\/leadoff.\u00a0 The problem is; how do you evaluate Lombardozzi if you want to play Espinosa every day?\u00a0\u00a0 Boswell says Desmond will be a tough call, but says he’s coveted by other teams.\u00a0 A trade may be in the future<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: Why didn’t the Nats factor into trades for CFs Rasmus or Bourn?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Good question frankly.\u00a0\u00a0 The team was making noise about wanting a CF all spring and all summer.\u00a0 The questioner called the trade packages “middling” for both players, but I’d hardly call it that.\u00a0 Both acquiring teams gave up good players to get these guys.\u00a0 I think the Cardinals in particular will regret trading Rasmus and may think about what it is about their manager that makes it so difficult to get along with him.\u00a0 Here’s an interesting point: The Nats just don’t trade with either team; there’s only minor league swaps between Washington and Houston\/St. Louis over the past decade.\u00a0 Perhaps Rizzo just doesn’t have a relationship with the GMs there.\u00a0 Or more to the point, the Nats probably didn’t want to give up what it was going to take to get a guy like Rasmus (likely one of our good starters as it cost Toronto).\u00a0 Boswell thinks the Nats didn’t want to overspend on a CF since Werth can play there and we have a couple of CF prospects (specifically mentioning Goodwin) that could fit in there later<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: Should the team take advantage of Harper’s 40-man status to just call him up for the experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Nope.\u00a0 There’s no reason to give him service time in September, which would delay his 2012 call-up deeper into June.\u00a0 Plus he’s got a pulled hamstring that seemed like a relatively serious issue.\u00a0 The plan is and should stay the same; let him heal, send him to the Arizona Fall League for a bit more playing time, then shut him down til spring training.\u00a0 Boswell says you have to earn call-ups and he doesn’t think Harper did.<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: Is Davey Johnson the answer at manager?\u00a0 Should we target a younger more inventive mind?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It is hard to say.\u00a0 Unlike in other sports, Baseball’s landscape moves slowly.\u00a0 Johnson already embraces most of the “newer” technologies or theories in the sport (advanced sabremetrics, video monitoring, lineup theories, reliever-leverage use).\u00a0 So he should be ok.\u00a0 He clearly deserves respect from his players, both based on his own playing career and his managerial accomplishments.\u00a0 It is a big concerning that the team almost immediately started to underperform once he took the helm … but the team also couldn’t sustain its winning streak that Riggleman tried to make use of when he threatened to, and ultimately, resigned.\u00a0 Boswell points to Davey Johnson’s career W\/L percentage and says don’t be too quick to judge.\u00a0 Fair enough<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: Since Gorzelanny and Wang cleared waivers, should we try to trade them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Wang no, Gorzelanny yes.\u00a0 Clearly Gorzelanny has fallen out of favor with this manager and the team.\u00a0 Exactly why, i’m not sure; his numbers weren’t really that bad<\/a> and are almost identical to Livan’s on the season.\u00a0 He’s a lefty and his k\/9 rates were the best of any starter on the team.\u00a0 Once banished to the bullpen he didn’t appear for 13 days and had to beg to be used.\u00a0 Sounds like a guy who is surplus to requirements and should be traded.\u00a0 Meanwhile Wang is someone who I doubt anyone else would experiment with at this point in the season.\u00a0 He is still a wild card.\u00a0 Boswell advocates keeping Gorzelanny since he’s under team control through 2013<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: Follow up: will the Nats try to hold on to FAs to be Wang and Nix this off season?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Wang; it depends on how he does the rest of the way out, clearly.\u00a0 But the team has invested $3M in these 11-12 2011 starts, so hopefully that good will turns into an offer to stay, if it comes to that.\u00a0 Nix?\u00a0 We seem to have too many outfielders.\u00a0 Morse is going to start in left with LaRoche coming back in 2011, so that leaves Nix and Gomes without starting positions.\u00a0 Nix has shown value but he hit better in 2010 and was non-tendered.\u00a0 And his splits against lefties are beyond awful (3-27 on the season<\/a>).\u00a0 I’m guessing he’s released when the time comes and Gomes is in line to be the 4th outfielder in 2012.\u00a0 Boswell says we should keep Wang if possible, and agrees with Nix being in a numbers game for LF\/1B positions<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: Why did the Nats call up Marrero before 9\/1?\u00a0 Who else do you want to see come up? <\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Marrero filled a 25-man slot vacated by Mattheus, as the Nats had been playing with an extra bullpen guy since the trades.\u00a0 No other special reason.\u00a0 The questioner suggests that Bernadina is coming back up; I hate to say it but I think Bernadina is closer to a release than a callup.\u00a0 We’ll definitely see Strasburg mid-next week.\u00a0 We’ll probably see Lombardozzi, Peacock and Milone.\u00a0 Meyers seems to be in shutdown mode so I doubt we’ll see him.\u00a0 That’s about all I can think of.\u00a0 Boswell points out an interesting tidbit: apparently Rizzo is worried about “exposing” someone off the 40-man if he calls up too many guys.\u00a0 As I pointed out in this space, there’s clearly maneuvering room<\/a> on the 40-man.\u00a0 Not sure what the problem is.\u00a0 If Rizzo is still obsessed with Garrett Mock, then this team has a bigger problem.<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: Does the team just have a blind spot when it comes to Center Fielders?\u00a0 Both Nyjer Morgan and Endy Chavez are hitting well for first place teams.\u00a0 Is Rick Ankiel the answer for 2012?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Morgan clearly had to go (worn out his welcome).\u00a0 Chavez was a trade in 2005, and we got Marlon Byrd for him.\u00a0 He was nothing in 05 and now suddenly is halfway decent.\u00a0 Hard to fault this team for that.\u00a0 Meanwhile what to do about Ankiel?\u00a0 I think he sticks around for 2012 as at least a 4th outfielder, probably a starter in CF until a prospect is ready.\u00a0 Unless Rizzo pulls of a blockbuster trade (which I doubt).\u00a0 Boswell doesn’t really answer the question, just gripes about Willingham’s production in Oakland<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: We have 3 catchers right now.\u00a0 What happens next year?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Pudge is a FA and signs elsewhere.\u00a0 And we have Ramos and Flores, with decent depth in Solano (AAA).\u00a0 I don’t think Pudge is coming back; he can find work elsewhere with a contender and get another shot at the postseason.\u00a0 Boswell wants Pudge back instead of Flores … which I’d agree is better but probably not happening<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: If lower minor leaguers are continually successful against MLB pitchers on rehab assignments, why don’t MLB hitters adopt the same approach?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: A great question.\u00a0 I’ve wondered this myself to a certain extent.\u00a0 After watching Strasburg get lit up in Hagerstown but then shut down AAA hitters, you have to wonder what is going on?\u00a0 I’d guess that the answer is something like, “if you swing out of your ass the first time up, you’re not going to see that pitch again and have to adjust.\u00a0 And low-A hitters don’t adjust.”\u00a0\u00a0 Small sample sizes.\u00a0 Boswell says the kids in low-A got lucky.\u00a0 Sorry that’s a punt.\u00a0 You can see Strasburg’s performances in low-A, AA and compare it to AAA and its night and day.\u00a0 There has to be a better answer.<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: Should Harper try to make it back for Harrisburg’s AA playoffs?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: If he’s healthy, why not?\u00a0 Good enough to start, good enough to play.\u00a0 However, if he’s not ready then he’ll continue to stay on the DL.\u00a0 Boswell agrees I guess<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: Does Scott Boras ever turn down a player?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I’m sure he does, as any agent probably has players he’s turned down.\u00a0\u00a0 Boswell says he’s selective, but finds it interesting that he represents some common-man players such as Alberto Gonzalez<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: How much lead time will we get for Strasburg’s first MLB start back?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Probably depends on his last start.\u00a0 If he’s a go, and looks good, they’ll make the announcement the next day.\u00a0 I’m sure they’re not really that worried about ticket sales.\u00a0 Those tickets will go, fast. Boswell reiterates that one rainout blows all well-laid plans<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: Ross Detwiler; future trade bait or future rotational starter based on his 2011 numbers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: You can do a lot worse than a #5 starter with a sub 3.00 era (which he has for 2011 right now).\u00a0 But we clearly have a surplus of young arms.\u00a0 Assuming that 1-2-3 next year is Strasburg-Zimmermann-Lannan, we have some decisions.\u00a0 Livan?\u00a0 Probably gone.\u00a0 Wang?\u00a0 We’ll see but he could very well be #4 starter next year.\u00a0 Then there’s Milone, Meyers and Peacock chomping at the bit in AAA.\u00a0 And this doesn’t mention Gorzelanny.\u00a0 I’m guessing some of these guys get traded, not sure which.\u00a0 Boswell mentions two good points: Detwiler’s fip is far higher than his ERA, and that Detwiler is out of options so he may stick in 2012 just based on that fact<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Q: Baseball strategy question for you: Bottom of the 10th, runners on first and second, nobody out. Tie game. Batter at the plate is oh-fer, with three Ks, two looking. What do you do? <\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I think its pretty clear you bunt.\u00a0\u00a0 Trick question b\/c this was the situation facing our $126M man Jayson Werth last week. I forgot to take into account a 3-4-5 guy.\u00a0 In the playoffs or in a complete do-or-die situation even Werth bunts in this situation.<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: What should we expect from Strasburg upon his return?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I’d expect decent to good numbers, but nothing other-worldly.\u00a0 He’s still recovering and still working his way back.\u00a0 2012 we can expect greatness again.\u00a0 Boswell agrees<\/em>.<\/p>\n


\n<\/em><\/p>\n

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Man, back to back chats and inbox responses this week.\u00a0 Boswell did his weekly chat on 8\/29\/11 and managed to fit in some Nats questions.\u00a0 Here’s how i’d have answered them (you know, if I was a nationally known writer and had thousands of people eagerly asking my opinion on things…). Q: If Steve Lombardozzi […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,14,5],"tags":[123,164,37,124,174,137,178,146,115,112,177,175,129,122,179,51,180,38,142,125,176,147],"class_list":["post-2248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nonnatsbaseball","category-chatmailbag-responses","category-natsgeneral","tag-albert-pujols","tag-bryce-harper","tag-chien-ming-wang","tag-chris-marrero","tag-colby-rasmus","tag-davey-johnson","tag-endy-chavez","tag-ivan-rodriguez","tag-jayson-werth","tag-jesus-flores","tag-laynce-nix","tag-michael-bourn","tag-mike-rizzo","tag-nyjer-morgan","tag-rick-ankiel","tag-ross-detwiler","tag-scott-boras","tag-stephen-strasburg","tag-steve-lombardozzi","tag-tom-boswell","tag-tom-gorzelanny","tag-wilson-ramos"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2248"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2248\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2588,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2248\/revisions\/2588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}