Comments for NationalsProspects.com

Comment on Morning Reading by Mark L

Mark L — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:13:56 +0000

Luke, I have no idea what a fast-twitch test is, although it sounds like something from an S & M movie.
Please, please don’t put Nolan Ryan & Dusty (blow it out) Baker in the same.

Reminds me of a good Nolan Ryan story………
I lived in England for part of High School and in the early 1980′s had some English friends visit when I was living in Houston. Took them to an Astros – San Diego game. Ryan’s pitching when in the middle of the game he drilled Dave Winfield: Winfield charges the mound and all hell breaks loose. My friends (cricket fans) look to me and say ” You told us baseball was a more sedate game like cricket.”

Comment on Morning Reading by Luke Erickson

Luke Erickson — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:34:53 +0000

I still cringe when Ryan makes comments about pitcher durability, conveniently ignoring that he himself was a freak of nature (something like 80% of his muscles were fast-twitch when he was tested in the ’70s).

Don’t get me wrong: I believe in the Johnny Sain theory that an arm doesn’t wear out, it rusts out. But only Ryan and Dusty Baker seem to think that it’s nothing to have a pitcher throw 150 pitches or four days in a row out of the bullpen.

Comment on Morning Reading by Mark L

Mark L — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:12:41 +0000

I don’t think anyone can project pitchers health. Purke did the ink dye test, which is very comprehensive.
I remember Nolan Ryan struggle with injuries when I was young…………… and then he pitched injury-free for 20 more years!
Rendon — Let’s talk about that April 15th.
Solis — I’m nervous about.

Comment on Morning Reading by jeeves

jeeves — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:45:23 +0000

For me the key to how good the Nat’s prospects are (as you said Luke) is their health. I doubt if Purke will ever be a major league pitcher. Rendon has had several health issues (ankles, shoulder) and Solis has become quite suspect as well. Take those three out and the system is left with only one significant pitching prospect (Meyers) and one major position player (obviously Harper).

Comment on Morning Reading by Other Marc with a C

Other Marc with a C — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:47:10 +0000

That is what I was thinking too. I wonder if there is anything in the contract prohibiting the Nats from offering arbitration to Jackson after the season.

Comment on Watchlist Player Reports Are Finished by Nats Fan

Nats Fan — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:35:17 +0000

Twitter interviews….now there’s an idea to get to know some of the players in the minors a little better. Just a suggestion.

Comment on Morning Reading by peric

peric — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:45:37 +0000

And even if Jackson doesn’t … Jackson would still be effective enough to provide:

1. Trade before the deadline for prospects.
(Because of the new rules have to figure Nats mgmt will be angling to do this more often than not for promising prospects? There wouldn’t be any cap or luxury tax?)
2. An extra draft pick.

Comment on Morning Reading by Luke Erickson

Luke Erickson — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:48:28 +0000

I think it also bears repeating that last year’s draft class was an anomaly. It’s pretty clear that the FO had an inkling that it would be the end of paying over slot and they gambled heavily on some players that have high ceilings (or in Meyer’s case, has to duck when there’s a ceiling fan on) but have some very serious questions regarding their health or mechanics. As we saw yesterday, the Nats are mighty confident that they can make those adjustments, i.e. Steve McCatty will fix what seven other pitching coaches couldn’t with Edwin Jackson the past four seasons.

Comment on Morning Reading by Mark L

Mark L — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:42:36 +0000

While it may be feelgood to the F.O. to be #1 for 2-3 minutes, that is a very distorted ranking; mostly because B.A. especially loves players who haven’t played a meaningful out yet. And we have lots of those players….. Rendon, Goodwin, Meyers et all.
I also am glad that those players are with us, just would like to see some performance first. The Rays & Rangers systems are a whole bunch better than ours, before the trade.
That said, I remember when the Nats system was 30th four (4) years in a row. And Bud wonders why he would still get booed in Washington!

Comment on Morning Reading by Luke Erickson

Luke Erickson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:30:27 +0000

Zuckerman handled it the most professionally… didn’t lead with it in the headline, hinted at it in graf two, immediately deconstructed it w/o going overboard. And he put it out there three days before his colleagues.

Yesterday, however, the Nats PR staff flacked the “fact” and the others “got on the bus,” to borrow from Tim Crouse.

Of course, I’m going to be more critical/pedantic about it because I studied the subject for several years and got a couple of degrees, which, along with $2, gets me a coffee