The Nationals final home game was canceled by the steady rain the DC area experienced on Thursday. The game will not be made up. Meanwhile, the Mariners lost to the Angels and the Padres defeated the Dodgers so the standings headed into the final three games of the season are …
| Team | W | L | PCT | ‘GB’ | G to go | Tragic # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 58 | 101 | 0.365 | - | 3 | 5 |
| Washington | 59 | 99 | 0.373 | 1.5 | 3 | - |
| San Diego | 62 | 97 | 0.390 | 4.0 | 3 | 1 |
The Padres can no longer clinch the 1st overall selection in the draft (and the Mariners no worse than the 2nd).
With last night’s game leaving the Nationals with only 161 games while Seattle and San Diego will finish with 162. It’s now a matter of counting losses (assuming no more rain outs).
If the Nationals finish with the same number of losses as the Mariners or Padres, they will finish with a record 0.5 game worse than either team. It’s much more likely to happen with San Diego than Seattle. The next Padres win or Nationals loss locks in the 2nd overall selection. However, the likelihood of getting the 1st overall selection became much more unlikely. A “tragic” number of five means that the Mariners need to sweep the Athletics while the Nationals drop two of three to the Phillies or the Phillies need to sweep the Nationals while the Mariners take two out of three from the Athletics.
Positively Half St. | 26-Sep-08 at 8:01 am | Permalink
Oh, well. If the Nats need Seattle to win out, and good luck with that, they might as well put a beating on the Phillies and spread the pain around a little.
estuartj | 26-Sep-08 at 8:41 am | Permalink
Ok new plan, we sweep the Phils and knock them out of the playoffs like we did to the Mets last year, then we pick Green or White and let Boras torture the Ms instead. Who knows, maybe those bozos in SEA will come up with some excuse to pass on Strasburg.
pahou | 26-Sep-08 at 8:47 am | Permalink
estuartj- I like the new plan, there is nothing better than listening to Phillies fans cry.
Marc | 26-Sep-08 at 9:47 am | Permalink
Wow - we can’t even LOSE properly. =)
Ok, snark off, let’s keep the Phils out of the playoffs.
Jeff | 26-Sep-08 at 10:00 am | Permalink
Draft Grant Green. GOD KNOWS we need some hitters in this organization especially in the middle infield. Knock the Phills out! We still have the #10 pick as well this year…
Berndaddy | 26-Sep-08 at 10:17 am | Permalink
I’m with you all knock the Philly out of it… Go Nats!!!
Berndaddy | 26-Sep-08 at 10:18 am | Permalink
I mean Phillies…I’m not awake yet…
EdDC | 26-Sep-08 at 10:18 am | Permalink
estuartj,
On Seattle maybe passing on Strasburg:
Seattle is not cheaper than the Nats, judging by their $117 million 2008 payroll, compared to the Nats’ $55 million. But could it be is that Seattle is more poorly run than the Nats? Wow, no wonder we are only the second-worst club in MLB. We can take solace in that.
Andrew Stebbins | 26-Sep-08 at 11:00 am | Permalink
Let’s print up some Selig shirts, like the Astros did.
Did Bud kill our chances @ Strasburg?
natsfan1a | 26-Sep-08 at 11:04 am | Permalink
Upset Utley and the Fillies!
Scott | 26-Sep-08 at 12:23 pm | Permalink
That exhale you just heard was from Ted Lerner. Looks like he will not have to hand out the money to sign Strasburg.
Pilchard | 26-Sep-08 at 1:17 pm | Permalink
Assuming the Nats get the #2 pick, I would not give up on Strasburg yet.
First, there is a lot that can happen over then next 9 months. Never know who might blow up or get injured in the Spring. Always thought that some were getting a little ahead of themselves in appointing Strasburg as the number 1 pick almost a year out from the draft.
Second, Scot Boras is the devil, but he is very good at positioning his clients for break the bank deals. He is very aware that the Nats took a big hit by not signing Crow and have essentially said that will not happen again. Got to believe that Scot Boras is salivating at the thought of getting one of his clients, especially a hyped-talent like Strasburg, in a negotiation with a desperate team. Boras will look to set bonus signing history, and the Nats would be the perfect patsy. To do that, would not be surprised to see Boras send signals to the Mariners advising do not draft Strasburg unless you are going to pay $10 million plus.
A lot can happen even if the Nats do not get the top pick.
Berndaddy | 26-Sep-08 at 1:44 pm | Permalink
I’m now imagining Scott Boras with a grey jump suit, pinky to lips saying $10 mil-li-on dollars… Or as a Russian mafia dude screaming, ” Giv da man hes mun-ey”
Oh how the agents have hi-jacked this process. Nasty bugger they are indeed.
theredskin | 26-Sep-08 at 1:53 pm | Permalink
Scott | 26-Sep-08 at 12:23 pm | Permalink
That exhale you just heard was from Ted Lerner. Looks like he will not have to hand out the money to sign Strasburg.
My thoughts exactly
Sue Dinem | 26-Sep-08 at 2:32 pm | Permalink
Can people please stop the Boras-bashing and actually think about it? The guy is paid to get his clients the most money and/or leverage he can and he has delivered on that promise time and time again.
He has found multiple loopholes (see: http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8012) and is continually a step ahead of MLB — why wouldn’t a top player want to sign with this man?
EdDC | 26-Sep-08 at 2:46 pm | Permalink
Agree with Sue D. Even in the A-Rod mega-contract, it was an orchestrated dance, with Boras as the conductor. A-Rod jettisoned the bad cop Boras, and signed for $275 million.
Scott | 26-Sep-08 at 2:52 pm | Permalink
Yes, of course, we should be praising a greedy lawyer that exploits an imperfect system which results in higher ticket prices for all of us. Who should question someone who breaks a deal because his client wasn’t the highest paid! He truly is a model of business ethics.
I just needed to stop and actually think about it.
MiLB Fan | 26-Sep-08 at 3:30 pm | Permalink
The blame for high contracts lies solely with the owners. An agent can only ask for/demand the money on behalf of his client. An owner can make a business decision to say “no.”
If a system is “imperfect,” fix it. Is it unethical to use weaknesses in a system when those weaknesses are known to those that created it? These are business dealings not schoolyard games.
In this context, preaching about ethics in agents or lawyers is absurd. If MLB had clarity and consistency in its draft and dealings with players, Boras’ advocacy for his client would be fruitless. He is just doing the best he can for his clients.
The issue is ethics of owners - and baseball has a long rich history of owners with poor ethics.
Boras may be a pain for owners to deal with, but any power he has is due solely to what owners grant him. Some agents are poor advocates…some agents are poor businessmen….some agents lie….no more or less than any other profession.
Who is more foolish - the emperor who has no clothes or the tricksters who make his robe?
Dick | 26-Sep-08 at 6:36 pm | Permalink
Wow, the philosophy that goes on here! I pick the emperor, with great trepidation however.
Regarding the baseball side of it, philosophers far smarter than me have noted ‘it ain’t over ’til its over’ and the Nats ain’t eliminated from the first pick yet. Pilchard correctly notes that the Strasburg race actually won’t be decided until early next June.
Cole | 26-Sep-08 at 7:37 pm | Permalink
The BBA web-edition seemed to offer more of an explanation for Detwiler’s struggle that I remember seeing:
Potomac pitching coach Randy Tomlin worked with him to get him to stop throwing across his body and take a more direct line to the plate, a move that Detwiler didn’t embrace initially. “He went through some tough times,” Potomac manager Randy Knorr said. “Mechanics-wise, he was dealing with a lot of issues. He didn’t know what to do with a lot of the changes made, but he battled through it.” Detwiler’s stuff was rarely questioned, even as his ERA rose to 5.87 in early July. His sinking fastball reached 95 mph, his plus curveball had good velocity and bite and his changeup showed nice fade at times. He induced a lot of grounders throughout the season and did a better job of throwing strikes with his revamped delivery.
And on Marrero:
Marrero is extremely advanced and polished at the plate for his age. He incorporates his powerful lower half into a compact swing that allows him to drive balls to all parts of the ballpark. He usually makes consistent contact but sometimes gets aggressive and chases pitches.
Mark | 26-Sep-08 at 9:27 pm | Permalink
Brian, who can the Nats get At #2 and #9a?
j | 27-Sep-08 at 7:01 am | Permalink
Not so fast…the M’s won last night! Go Mariners!
Old Senators Fan | 27-Sep-08 at 8:34 am | Permalink
We’ve clinched #2 pick! Now let’s go get the #1 pick!
Andrew S. | 27-Sep-08 at 9:26 am | Permalink
Seems atleast plausible now…Mariners win tonight or tomorrow, Nats lose tonight and tomorrow.
natsfan1a | 27-Sep-08 at 9:45 am | Permalink
Go NATS!
estuartj | 27-Sep-08 at 7:48 pm | Permalink
Nats now have the worst record in baseball.
Nice work guys, way to see you goal and keep focused.
One to go!