tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post6589411032369753989..comments2023-10-17T10:45:07.796-04:00Comments on FJB: Position-by-Position Off-Season Outlook: Third BaseUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-30949809716313697142008-10-15T13:18:00.000-04:002008-10-15T13:18:00.000-04:00It all comes down to how you evaluate the player. ...It all comes down to how you evaluate the player. If you don't think Zimmerman is going to be as good as I do, then going year to year is the right thing to do. We shall see.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-85410941053346765982008-10-15T10:23:00.000-04:002008-10-15T10:23:00.000-04:00Why should Zimmerman get a premier contract if his...Why should Zimmerman get a premier contract if his performance has not been up to that level? You sling numbers around to "project" Zimmerman as being better over a full season than he has ever been in any cherry-picked 162 games of his career. How is that any different than what you castigate Bowden for doing with Austin Kearns? If Zimmerman had been performing better when that Tulowitzki-like offer was made, he would have gotten a better offer. As it is, Zimmerman has been trending down ever since his very good rookie year in 2006. Whatever the reasons for that, why should he get a premium long-term offer before he at least demonstrates that he can trend up over the course of a season or more? Just because he's the best we've got? That sounds like you're advocating spending money just for the sake of spending money.An Briosca Morhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06855174362787324401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-36426572350727189712008-10-15T03:34:00.000-04:002008-10-15T03:34:00.000-04:00ABM--Yes the Tulo contract offer was referenced in...ABM--Yes the Tulo contract offer was referenced in my above post. That was a low-ball offer no different than telling Crow "you get what Ross D. got period..." Tulo signed that deal at the end of his first year of service time. Zimm was offered the same deal after his year 2 of service time. It's not the same. The player has less incentive to sign at a "discount" at that point.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-67067862159088903642008-10-15T00:13:00.000-04:002008-10-15T00:13:00.000-04:00The team offered Zimmerman a long-term deal early ...The team offered Zimmerman a long-term deal early in the 2008 season. Reportedly it was in the Tulowitzki range, i.e. much more than 2 years $10M. Zimmerman chose not to take that deal. Obviously it is not entirely the Lerners' doing that Zimmerman hasn't signed a long-term deal. It takes two to tango, and Zimmerman apparently doesn't want to open up his dance card yet.An Briosca Morhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06855174362787324401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-3340681049179465882008-10-14T19:50:00.000-04:002008-10-14T19:50:00.000-04:00Don't forget the 3 years and 17.5 to Kearns and 2 ...Don't forget the 3 years and 17.5 to Kearns and 2 years and 16 to Guzzy.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-31565184645325707842008-10-14T19:36:00.000-04:002008-10-14T19:36:00.000-04:00the Lerners have a long way to go to catch up with...the Lerners have a long way to go to catch up with Leonsis on how to run a customer-oriented business.<BR/><BR/>honestly, what have they done at this point to indicate that they would even contemplate giving Zimmerman a long-term deal? long-term to them is 2-year, $10M to overweight, out of shape past-their-prime players.<BR/><BR/>ah, bitterness. just as i thought relishing the early-season Caps success would mellow me, it takes just one Nats article to push me back over the top.Dave Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-29433149085324881222008-10-13T17:47:00.000-04:002008-10-13T17:47:00.000-04:00Ted Lerner should take a cue from the other Ted L....Ted Lerner should take a cue from the other Ted L. owner in Washington. Leonsis wisely recognized that Ovechkin was a special player and a fan favorite. So what did he do? Locked him up for the rest of his career. He didn't wait until he became a free agent to do so. And while Ovechkin got the biggest contract in NHL history, he'd have paid <I>much</I> more if he waited until other teams could begin offering Ovie money.<BR/><BR/>Zimmerman isn't quite as good as Ovechkin but he's in the same situation. The brighest spot on a team with a history of losing. Ted, get the deal done soon.Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01902355704452340677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-61069221017940818342008-10-13T10:35:00.000-04:002008-10-13T10:35:00.000-04:00Fully agree with your assessment Steven about the ...Fully agree with your assessment Steven about the Nats needing to sign Zimmerman long term ASAP. And honestly give a bone to the Fans don't just lock up his first year or two of free agency, sign him to an 8 or 10 year deal. Let us fans know that the Nats will retain their talented young players.<BR/><BR/>One other thing I want to mention is I think Zim's slow start this year and overall lack of power can also be attributed to the Hamate injury. They always say it 'saps' the strength for upto a year. Also zim couldn't have been as in shape for the season as he would have been otherwise. Here's hoping he does break out for a .290-30-100 year this year (after we sign him long term).Steve Shouphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995967113869172494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-85505494193224135842008-10-12T20:33:00.000-04:002008-10-12T20:33:00.000-04:00The only revision I'd make to you Athan is that he...The only revision I'd make to you Athan is that he IS a 25-HR, .280 guy NOW. The only question is whether he'll get substantially better than that. <BR/><BR/>Even with the shoulder injury, he hit 14 this year. His 162-game average up to this point in his career is 21 HR and .282. He hit 24 dingers last year, and I don't think there's any question that with 600 healthy ABs that he would have gotten 11 more.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-66064870908936219072008-10-12T20:18:00.000-04:002008-10-12T20:18:00.000-04:00I agree with Section222 - not signing Zimmerman wo...I agree with Section222 - not signing Zimmerman would be another kiss off to the fans. I agree FJB assessment of Zim's skill - he'll be a solid 280 - 25 HR guy and he's under 25 years old. But more importantly, he's the face of the franchise and the most popular player on team. Sign him to show the fans you are serious about your vaunted 'plan' to build around young, home grown talent.Athanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326494931204569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-72743443236488942142008-10-12T18:57:00.000-04:002008-10-12T18:57:00.000-04:00No one can argue with this analysis Steven. If th...No one can argue with this analysis Steven. If the Lerners sign Zim to a long term deal, they make a major and necessary statement about their commitment to a winning team. And if they don't, there is nothing that will kill fan interest and support for the Nats faster. It's that simple. The longer they wait, the more expensive it will be.<BR/><BR/>It's actually mind boggling how penny and pound foolish they have been so far on this issue. If they had made a generous offer last year, they would easily have saved enough money for several Aaron Crows over the next six years. Now they will pay through the nose to keep him in Washington. For a supposedly tough minded and long term thinking business family, that was a colossal mistake.Section 222https://www.blogger.com/profile/17106128453333996193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-1316802368647443192008-10-12T12:45:00.000-04:002008-10-12T12:45:00.000-04:00My understanding is that Davis projects as an outf...My understanding is that Davis projects as an outfielder not an infielder, and a bench guy at best, but if that's wrong, you're right, he would be another potential 3B in the system.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the link. That's not a site I was aware of.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-91490456173100502122008-10-12T11:40:00.000-04:002008-10-12T11:40:00.000-04:00One more thing. I just came across this great mino...One more thing. I just came across this great minor league stat site. It's <I>much</I> better than any other minor league sites (The Baseball Cube, MiLB, etc) that I've seen.<BR/><A HREF="http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/index.html" REL="nofollow">Minor League Split Stats</A><BR/><BR/><BR/>Anyway, to clarify based on this new-found knowledge, Davis apparently spent most of his time at 3B last year. Despite every Nationals site/article listing him as an outfielder (leftfielder), he didn't make the transition to LF until he got to Columbus in July. Up until then, he was still playing 3B.Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01902355704452340677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-79524057621090182762008-10-12T10:59:00.000-04:002008-10-12T10:59:00.000-04:00Leonard Davis, MVP of the Nats' farm system this y...Leonard Davis, MVP of the Nats' farm system this year, played at thirdbase the four years prior to this year. If he proves he can play at the big-league level during ST, he could play a role similar to Hinske. Davis spent the majority of his time at third, while getting some time in at second, then this year moved to the outfield.<BR/><BR/>The only problem is he hasn't shown he would be major league ready any time soon. He played poorly in Columbus and hasn't come out strong in the AZ Fall League.<BR/>Either way, he's worth keeping an eye on.<BR/><BR/>And I wholeheartedly agree about signing Zimmerman as soon as possible. This waiting game the FO is playing is only going to cost them more and more money the longer they wait. I can't see Zimmerman faring any worse next year. I think the odds he puts together another 2006 in 2009 are fairly good. The FO should sign him now, it's in everyone's best interest.Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01902355704452340677noreply@blogger.com