Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
***OFFICIAL*** Washington Nationals ongoing thread (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter JZilla
- Start date
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
Yup, that's why I think they want to give him a chance to bump his numbers up after his miserable 1st half and get himself a good deal. He's been very good to the org for a long time, easily the most beloved Nat off the field in the history of the franchise, so they want to pay it back and maybe help their reputation for treating players right. And if his next deal happens to come from the Mets, all the better (that was a rumored destination for him before Wilmer Flores' post-crying hot streak).Desmond is a free agent
That's my guess, at least. Because otherwise I don't see why you'd keep Turner off the field for him.
Don Quixote
Footballguy
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
Fun fact #1: even after this series sweep the Phillies have a better post-break record than the Nats (27-29 vs 27-31).
Fun fact #2: the Nats have actually gained a half-game on the Mets since April 27.
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Fun fact #1 is surprising to me, but I guess I haven't paid too much attention to the Phillies. I don't know H2H off-hand, but I was thinking more that we have been able to beat the Phillies and Braves all year.
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
The Phils were ridiculously hot out of the break- at one point they were the best team in baseball over a 3 week stretch or something like that.
Anyway, obviously it's easy to beat up the Phils but the Nats played pretty well this series. Too little too late, unfortunately ... although it's frustrating to think that they're two Drew Storen meltdowns away from being right in this thing at 3.5 back.
Ramblin Wreck
Footballguy
I guess it's more important to beat up on the Phillies with 37 year old vets and use the future SS as a pinch runner. And then go back to grabbing your ankles against teams not named Philadelphia. This year has been terrible on so many management levels.
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
To be fair if they'd won last night's game sites like fangpraphs would probably have put them around 2% to make the playoffs, and that estimate would probably be lower than the actual odds since the Mets' three aces are currently faltering and/or on innings limits and the Nats' offense is finally clicking with Rendon hitting like Rendon and Werth hitting like Werth for the first time all season. I was OK with going relatively close to all out for wins as of last night.
After the loss moved them back to 8 games out, though, it's officially over. Time to let the kid play. Although maybe Jose Fernandez isn't the time to start.
Doctor Detroit
Please remove your headgear
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
Don't know why they didn't pull him after 4 when the had a chance for a big inning (first and second one out, one run already home- Gio bunted into a double play) They have all the arms they need in the bullpen, Gio ain't exactly Strasburg or Scherzer, and Williams needs to be managing as if every game is an elimination game, they likely can't afford to lose more than 1 more game tops.Doctor Detroit said:
Ramblin Wreck
Footballguy
Leave Scherzer in 122 pitches into his start? I don't get it
Harper sounded pretty pissed at Papelbon.
Harper sounded pretty pissed at Papelbon.
The_Man
Footballguy
I'm an O's fan first, but have adopted the Nats as my NL team and I hope last night was the final cherry on the turd sundae of Williams' managerial stint. Scherzer has 6 years and $180M left on his contract - so of course you want him throwing 122 pitches in his 210th+ inning of the season in a meaningless game.
And then you have no control over your closer who comes in and throws a heater right at a guy's frigging head, including in the post-game where you pretend it was an accident instead of calling the guy out for his idiocy.
I'm not suprised Harper was pissed. He's been on the other end of that kind of foolishness - getting thrown out for no other reason than being so good at such a young age. And you know he's going to be on alert today for getting one in his ear as payback. That being said, I would be very surprised if Buck hasn't already spread the word that he won't abide such foolishness. That's one of the differences between having one of the best managers in MLB vs. one of the worst.
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Williams pinch hits for Zimmermann in his likely final home start. Of course.
Ramblin Wreck
Footballguy
Officially out of it and still no Trae Turner. But den Dekker getting a start. Awesome.
JZilla
Footballguy
Doctor Detroit
Please remove your headgear
Don Quixote
Footballguy
I cheered in Nats Park when Papelbon gave up the homer. That's what this season has come to.
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
The Wizards returned to respectability after they dumped Terrence. Maybe the Nats can do the same.
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
So far. I think he's probably full of ####, but I don't think it matters. My
theory is that once Harper retreated to the clubhouse he figured the safest thing to do was to send Papelbon out to the mound to keep them separate for a couple minutes.Since Williams is gone next week there's probably no reason to hold him over the fire here or deal with having to appoint a one-week interim manager in a lost season. More trouble than it's worth, also Harper loves Williams and at this point his opinion is the most important one. A lot of fans want him gone now just so people see the club doing something, and I kind of agree, but I'm guessing they'll suspend Papelbon for the rest of the year today and that'll placate everyone until this miserable season mercifully ends.
Ramblin Wreck
Footballguy
Williams is Rizzo's guy. You sure he's getting canned?
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
The quotes over the last couple weeks have gotten decidedly less supportive. It's gone from "he's doing a great job" to "we'll evaluate at the end of the season."
And I really don't think Rizzo has much choice. The fans are the customers and they absolutely hate him. Harper's support might actually be Williams' best/only hope.
Last edited by a moderator:
Don Quixote
Footballguy
That is a bit incredulous. I was about 20 rows above the dugout and a couple of sections over. My eyes were elsewhere, but when the fight happened, the whole first base side stood up and someone a couple of rows back from me shouted, "Did you see that? Papelbon just went after Harper." Hard to believe our real-time information was better than someone's "on the other end of the dugout."
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Sounds like Matt Williams' press conference has been delayed. I'm guessing they realized they need to have some announcement/suspension ready, I hope.
Starting the 3 day suspension is the obvious move. It gives everyone time to figure out what to do.
If Papalbon didn't already have a suspension waiting to happen, the Nats would have to suspend him or something. And they still could.
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Live stream for Williams press conference here: http://www.wusa9.com/videos/news/2015/04/29/4053085/
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Team announced Papelbon suspended for rest of season: https://twitter.com/Nationals/status/648551487937736704
The_Man
Footballguy
What a dumpster fire.
The drama of Baltimore's beloved Cal Ripken - who is no Angelos fan - becoming the Nats' manager would be amazing.
I don't know if he'd be much of a manager. But he sure couldn't be worse than Williams.
I thought Williams' defense of Papelbon when he threw at Manny was bush league, and it gives me satisfaction that his inability to handle that situation correctly helped create the scenario that put the final nail in his coffin.
The drama of Baltimore's beloved Cal Ripken - who is no Angelos fan - becoming the Nats' manager would be amazing.
I don't know if he'd be much of a manager. But he sure couldn't be worse than Williams.
I thought Williams' defense of Papelbon when he threw at Manny was bush league, and it gives me satisfaction that his inability to handle that situation correctly helped create the scenario that put the final nail in his coffin.
Koya
Footballguy
Is this anything close to a possibility? Don't see it happening - Angelos or no, Cals history with the franchise and Baltimore community would, I'd think, preclude this from being a real possibility.
Ramblin Wreck
Footballguy
Speaking of new managers, who is going to be on Rizzo's short list?
Don Quixote
Footballguy
I remember reading that Ripken was in talks with the Nats the last time around, but eventually decided he didn't want to be a manager. I'm not sure if his mind has changed, but I could see them checking in with him again.
Last edited by a moderator:
Koya
Footballguy
dgreen
Footballguy
The one doing the choking is usually wrong.
Ramblin Wreck
Footballguy
Don Quixote
Footballguy
I can't tell if that is schtick with the user name and post or not. I'll pretend that it is.
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
It's been fun watching the inevitable "contrarians" scramble to come up with pro-Papelbon or anti-Harper arguments. They're so obvious and silly. It's pretty much all old ballplayers or ex-ballplayers age 35 or over, most of whom clearly don't watch Harper play on a regular basis, probably didn't even see the pop fly in question (since he did jog to first just like everyone else does), and are likely jealous of his talent and the attention he receives. So predictable.
Kilgore's column was outstanding, should be the final word on the incident. Should have been the only word, really.
I have heard Cal's interviews. He had on recently on one of the sports talk stations. First of all, Cal come across as extremely knowledgeable, very personable, and very good handling the media and questions. He also gets across exactly what he wants to say and nothing more.Koya said:
He said he had extensive talks with the Nationals about being their manager, but they did not move into serious consideration. Cal also said he is older now and kids are grown, and he won't rule anything out. But he likes what he is doing now. Certainly hinted that we would enjoy managing a team or a different role, but never said he definitely wanted to do it.
He also said he thinks very highly of Mike Rizzo. When asked about Matt Williams, he said Matt is an outstanding baseball man.
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Yeah, Kilgore's column was pretty great. It really is an out of date perception of Harper. I'm sure Papelbon reminisced with his buddy Cole Hamels afterwards about that time Hamels plunked Harper for no reason.
TobiasFunke
Footballguy
JZilla said:
Ramos for Capps
Roark for Guzman
Ross and Turner for Souza
Drafting Rendon and Giolito when others backed off due to injury
Not giving in to fan pressure to throw money at now-fading homegrown stars Zimmermann and Desmond
Turning a 100+ loss team into the team with the second-most wins in baseball over the last four seasons.
As bad as the Papelbon trade and the Williams hire were I still think he's a long way from burning up all the rope he earned with those moves.
