Shifting Gears
The unofficial rule is “after the third set of cuts.” But even before yesterday’s convo in the comments, it’s painfully obvious that, without an injury or a suspension, no rookie is going to make the Opening Day roster.
It doesn’t help that, aside from a couple of guys (e.g., Seaver King, Orelvis Martinez), the kids aren’t hitting. That the Nats have a winning record thus far in the Grapefruit League is almost entirely a function of the pitching (3.00 ERA) – despite walking nearly six per game.
The Nats are poised to have a rotation of four guys 30 or older, so it probably is prudent to have the likes of Andrew Alvarez, Riley Cornelio, and Luis Perales pitching every fifth day instead of a couple of times a week out of the bullpen. [Insert obligatory remark about options here.]
Fifteen games is a little on the low side, but as I’ve always maintained, this is an indulgence.
The taxi squa…er, Rochester opens the season on March 27 in Florida, but the Red Wings’ home opener is on April 1. Harrisburg starts on the 2nd in Altoona and the “A” teams are home from the 3rd to the 5th.
Until then, with a hiccup for the “Spring Breakout” next week, we’re back to offseason mode of waiting for roster moves, a star to fall, and the minors to begin playing.
Like , Disraeli Gears or Shifting
Gears ? lol
Valentin Linerz RH bullpen addition at AA must by a Horowitz guy from PIT
So are we looking at
SP: Cavalli, Mikolas, Griffin, Gray, Littell
RP: Lord, Henry, Rutledge, Beeter, C. Perez (L), Drew Smith, Poulin (L), some other guy or Lovelady (out of options)
C Ruiz, Ford
IF: Garcia, Abrams, House, Tena, Chaparro and then A. Ortiz or some lefty 1B who we claim
OF: Young, Wood, Lile, Hassell, Crews
Left out: N. Nunez, Franklin, Wiemer, Millas, Irvin, Parker
AAA Rotation: Cornelio, Alvarez, Irvin, Parker, Perales or Shuman or Lara?
Lovelady was DFA’d for Littell.
I have no idea what they’re going to do at 1B. Ortiz and Morales have played themselves out of a roster spot with their Spring so far. And Chaparro is, at best, a platoon bat against lefties. But who plays the other 75% of games? There still doesn’t appear to be appetite to move Wood or Garcia there. Then guys with an outside chance like Bernabel and Mervis have barely been given a look so far.
What of Griff McGarry? Does he get returned to Philly or make the roster? No mention of Eder?
I know Spring Training stats don’t matter, but it definitely not a GOOD thing that our starting line up is looking like this:
Abrams – SS – .150
Crews – CF – .125
Wood – RF – .100
Lile – LF – .100
House – 3B – .429
Chaparro? DH – .214
Ford? (.200) Ruiz? (.263) – C
Ortiz? – 1B – .067
Garcia – 2B – .167
Yikes.
We acknowlede that ST stats don’t matter but then we wring our hands over the bad ones while basically ignoring the good ones (Brady House; Seaver King).
Where is Michael A. Taylor’s .368/.387/.645 Spring Training when you need it?
If we are going to get concerned about the Nats’ Spring Training offensive stats, let’s get fired up at Cade Cavalli winning the 2026 Cy Young, and WAS having the best pitching staff in MLB.