The release came out via email and thankfully Chico Harlan over at Nationals Journal has a link to the PDF version (So I do not have to copy/paste).
{ 2008 09 24 }
We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future - FDR
{ 2008 09 24 }
The release came out via email and thankfully Chico Harlan over at Nationals Journal has a link to the PDF version (So I do not have to copy/paste).
e | 24-Sep-08 at 12:35 pm | Permalink
Brian –
will you be able to get any updates on the Instructional League games starting this week down in Viera?
Brian Oliver | 24-Sep-08 at 12:49 pm | Permalink
Only if I have feet on the ground from commenters. There typically is very little released about the happenings there from the organization.
Pilchard | 24-Sep-08 at 1:31 pm | Permalink
I assume McGeary has now left the IL for Stanford?
Will he have the same deal at Stanford as last year (unable to use Stanford’s baseball facilities and essentially be forced to work out on his own until next May)?
MO Nats Fan | 24-Sep-08 at 1:53 pm | Permalink
Good question Pilchard, I’m curious what the Organization does for or with players during winter break. Do we give them a workout schedule and say see you in March? Are there facilities available to them in FL if they want to stay there to work out, aside from the instructional league what are the limitation on minor leaguers playing winter leagues?
natsfan1a | 24-Sep-08 at 2:44 pm | Permalink
Just noticed on the P-Nats site that league champion tees are now available for purchase (just thought I’d mention that in case others may have been waiting for them to come out).
Willy | 24-Sep-08 at 5:22 pm | Permalink
Brian
Not to return to a tired issue, but what is your take on Callis’ point in his chat today (reprinted below)? Any chance of this happening?
Danny (Washington DC): Why aren’t the Nationals trying to use the Alvarez situation to re-open the negotiations with Detweiler [meaning Crow]. If my understanding is correct, the league gave the extension because the Pirates asked for it, and Alvarez backed out because he said the agreement was invalid because it came after the deadline. Why are the Pirates getting a special exception and the Nat’s not…this seems to be making a joke of the whole 8/15 deadline, don’t you think you should have a deadline enforced, or not have it at all?
Jim Callis: Yes, I agree, the deadline became a joke this year. MLB and the MLBPA agreed to give the Pirates and Alvarez a new window to negotiate, apparently because MLB and the Pirates wanted the grievance to go away. I think Boras and the MLBPA believed they would win the grievance though not achieve a significant remedy, so Alvarez took a major league contract. And yes, if I ran the Nationals, I’d want to know why I could have some extra time to sign Crow at this point too. If I were the Overlord of Baseball, and this case was brought to me and there was proof (as there seemed to be) that Alvarez didn’t agree to terms until after the deadline, I would have said no deal and sent him back into the 2009 draft. Which, incidentally, I don’t think Boras would have broken up about.
Los Doce Ocho | 24-Sep-08 at 10:24 pm | Permalink
Brian-
BA just released the top 20 international signing period bonuses. Shockingly, no WAS bonus babies listed.
Any word from Stan if the Nats signed an international free agent(s)?
Brian Oliver | 24-Sep-08 at 10:32 pm | Permalink
No international signings of note
R | 24-Sep-08 at 10:41 pm | Permalink
Hi Brian,
As always, great work. We are most appreciative!
Did I miss your interview with Kasten? I am anxious to hear you pester him about international signings (or the lack thereof).
R
Hoagie | 25-Sep-08 at 12:33 am | Permalink
An FYI to all:
At the end of the series I’m currently running over at DCSportsPlus (sometime this Friday…my name will link you over there), I’ll post my prediction for the opening day 25 man roster, including offsesaon acquisitions, callups, etc. I’d like for all other bloggers, commenters, readers and fans of the Natmosphere (and anyone else, for that matter) to do that as well. I’ll tabulate everything and post it up and we’ll give bragging rights to the winner. Feel free to have any Nats fan you know post there (or email me) their predictions-the more the merrier!
Jane | 25-Sep-08 at 7:09 am | Permalink
GREAT information!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the link, Brian. I have enjoyed reading information on this informative web site this year! Keep up the GREAT work.
EdDC | 25-Sep-08 at 9:49 am | Permalink
Yes, please pester Kasten about:
the lack of big-deal international signings,
the small budgets for signing draftees (”If we sign this guy for over slot, then we have no money to sign these other guys.”),
the small budgets for signing free agents (Lo Duca at $5 million was the biggest money guy last season),
the apparent unwillingness to pay for Zimmerman’s long-term contract–what’s happening there?,
and the unwillingness to make trades if the Nats get a large contract in return. (The Nats only seem to trade for financial bargains.)
I’m sure Kasten has great answers for all those things. We just need to hear them.
e | 25-Sep-08 at 9:55 am | Permalink
I thought I read somehwere that the Nats offered Zim a contract that was similar to what Tulowitzki got from the Rockies (6yr/$31M) but that Zim turned it down.
EdDC | 25-Sep-08 at 10:37 am | Permalink
Tulowitzki’s average season in MLB, based on 530 AB: .276, 16 HR, 75 RBI. Zim figures to be pretty good. The Nats should pay up now before Zim gets “too good” and plays beyond his affordability range in DC.
I’ll bet Zim also is looking at the Nats management –i.e., the ownership–to see if they are going to make a commitment to building a winning ball club here. Is this the franchise he wants to make a long-term commitment to? So far the signs are not all that great. A change in philosophy is needed soon. Kasten probably agrees with that, though he would never say so publicly.
Pilchard | 25-Sep-08 at 11:34 am | Permalink
The Tulo situation is not comparable to Zimmerman’s (even though the Nats want you to believe it is) because Tulo signed his 6 year deal right after his rookie year and Zimmerman has played 3 seasons+ for the Nats. So, a 6 year deal for Zimmm cuts into 3 free agent years for Zimmerman (the highest earning time for him), while Tulo’s deal only cuts into 1 of his FA years. So, Tulo’s deal is only buying out 3 years of arbitation and 1 FA year, while the Nats offer was to buyout 3 years of arbitration and 3 years of free agency (after the Nats paid the Zimmerman the league minimum for 2 plus years).
It is an apples to oranges comparison, and given the current market, would not be a fair deal. It kills me when Bowden spouts off how fair the Nats have been because they offered Zimmerman a Tulo type deal when their situations are completely different.
Sue Dinem | 25-Sep-08 at 12:27 pm | Permalink
Let’s not forget the position Ryan plays, either. It’s not like power-hitting 3B with a decent glove are common, never mind one with nearly 500 games of MLB experience that hasn’t even turned 24 yet.
Sec 204 Rw K Seat 11 | 25-Sep-08 at 12:42 pm | Permalink
Zimmerman has to stay healthly and have good numbers that have been trending down from rookie year to now. His glove has been amazing (there were two plays last night Zim would have made that Orr could not) his bat less so. Hence the wait on both sides part.
EdDC | 25-Sep-08 at 1:52 pm | Permalink
204 K
The Nats, through their waiting strategy, seem to be betting that Zim is not all that good. They evidently hope that Zim plays his way down to their offer. This is a lousy bet.
We know Zim is going to be better than he has shown this year. Still he is hitting .281 after hitting much lower earlier in the year. What’s his average over the last 200 AB? And who doesn’t think he will reach 30-35 HR power at least?
Yes, 204 K, the Nats feel they should wait until Zim proves his value. But what happens when he does break out–as he will? Will the Nats step up and pay the much bigger bucks? And the bucks could be very big. The price of waiting is greater than the price of signing Zim.
As far as I can remember, the biggest contract this ownership has given anyone is $16 million for Guzman. They don’t think MLB.
EdDC | 25-Sep-08 at 2:29 pm | Permalink
PS
Cal Ripken was a lifetime .276 hitter who hit over 30 HR only once and drove in over 100 runs four times.
Not saying Zim is Cal. But you can be valuable even without putting up Pujols type stats.