Comments on: The Team that Might Have Been: 2008 Washington Nationals http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/ In-your-face baseball commentary Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:48:13 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Hot Offseason Action: Washington Nationals | umpbump.com http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-58534 Hot Offseason Action: Washington Nationals | umpbump.com Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:28:03 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-58534 [...] 2002, as I have alluded to previously in this space, the Washington Nationals have let more major league talent slip throught their fingers than [...] [...] 2002, as I have alluded to previously in this space, the Washington Nationals have let more major league talent slip throught their fingers than [...]

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]]> By: Nick Kapur http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-55515 Nick Kapur Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:46:20 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-55515 Yeah, good points Ben, although I did hear that the Nats had a tremendous 2007 draft, so maybe things are getting better in that department... Yeah, good points Ben, although I did hear that the Nats had a tremendous 2007 draft, so maybe things are getting better in that department…

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]]> By: Ben http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-55514 Ben Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:10:09 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-55514 Nick, Don't worry, I was just trying to be a jerk and rain on your analysis. There's too many variables, but it is kinda cool to look back on the what coulda been with all else being equal. Now if only they had someone over the last couple of years who knew how to draft or for that matter, traded Soriano. Nick,

Don’t worry, I was just trying to be a jerk and rain on your analysis. There’s too many variables, but it is kinda cool to look back on the what coulda been with all else being equal. Now if only they had someone over the last couple of years who knew how to draft or for that matter, traded Soriano.

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]]> By: Mark http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-55513 Mark Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:40:04 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-55513 The worst thing here is that under MLB's control, Minaya oversaw the fire sale - a true fire sale - of the Expos. Trading Bay, Phillips, Sizemore, and Lee in deals where they got nothing in return. The crime is that after MLB decided not to contract the team, and awarded the team to DC, MLB gave DC no recompensation for what MLB did to the franchise. The worst thing here is that under MLB’s control, Minaya oversaw the fire sale – a true fire sale – of the Expos. Trading Bay, Phillips, Sizemore, and Lee in deals where they got nothing in return.

The crime is that after MLB decided not to contract the team, and awarded the team to DC, MLB gave DC no recompensation for what MLB did to the franchise.

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]]> By: Paul Moro http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-55512 Paul Moro Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:39:25 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-55512 Nick, couple things: One, you can't blame Minaya for what happened. He knew damned well that once the team was sold, he was out of a job. New owners always want their own guys in there. So what would he have gotten out of trying to build a team that has a chance to win in a few years when there was no way he was going to be around for it? MLB made him a lame-duck GM from the moment he took office. Two, I wonder how this roster will stack up against the other teams if this exercise was done for all franchises? I figure it'll still be better than the Pirates, but if we created best-case scenarios for all teams, would it still make the Nats contenders? Nick, couple things:

One, you can’t blame Minaya for what happened. He knew damned well that once the team was sold, he was out of a job. New owners always want their own guys in there. So what would he have gotten out of trying to build a team that has a chance to win in a few years when there was no way he was going to be around for it? MLB made him a lame-duck GM from the moment he took office.

Two, I wonder how this roster will stack up against the other teams if this exercise was done for all franchises? I figure it’ll still be better than the Pirates, but if we created best-case scenarios for all teams, would it still make the Nats contenders?

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]]> By: Nick Kapur http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-55510 Nick Kapur Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:10:21 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-55510 Ben, you are of course correct. Obviously, to be completely accurate, you would have to try to find out all the draft picks they got as compensation for losing free agents, and also try to somehow estimate what their record would have been in all seasons from 2002 to present, and then guess who they would have drafted in lower slots, but that is maybe sort of just a little impossible. I tried to be as accurate as possible, within reason. It took me a pretty long amount of time just to trace through every trade and make sure I could build a team of guys where one guy I wanted hadn't been latertraded for other guys who were later traded for another guy I wanted! For example, I couldn't have both Orlando Cabrerra and Austin Kearns on the team, because Brendan Harris was part of both deals. So basically, I just tried to make a team of guys the Expos once had in their control that weren't ever traded for each other or for people who were later traded for another guy. We're dreaming here anyway, so we don't have to take it so seriously. Ben, you are of course correct. Obviously, to be completely accurate, you would have to try to find out all the draft picks they got as compensation for losing free agents, and also try to somehow estimate what their record would have been in all seasons from 2002 to present, and then guess who they would have drafted in lower slots, but that is maybe sort of just a little impossible.

I tried to be as accurate as possible, within reason. It took me a pretty long amount of time just to trace through every trade and make sure I could build a team of guys where one guy I wanted hadn’t been latertraded for other guys who were later traded for another guy I wanted! For example, I couldn’t have both Orlando Cabrerra and Austin Kearns on the team, because Brendan Harris was part of both deals.

So basically, I just tried to make a team of guys the Expos once had in their control that weren’t ever traded for each other or for people who were later traded for another guy. We’re dreaming here anyway, so we don’t have to take it so seriously.

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]]> By: melissa http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-55509 melissa Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:00:54 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-55509 Now that they have a new stadium and are operating in a bigger market they should have the resources to keep their own talent. The question will be if they can maintain the same level of scouting and player development that they have had in the past. Part of what hurt the franchise in the past was not getting quality prospects back for the players they couldn't afford to keep. That shouldn't be as much of an issue now. Now that they have a new stadium and are operating in a bigger market they should have the resources to keep their own talent. The question will be if they can maintain the same level of scouting and player development that they have had in the past. Part of what hurt the franchise in the past was not getting quality prospects back for the players they couldn’t afford to keep. That shouldn’t be as much of an issue now.

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]]> By: Ben http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-55511 Ben Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:50:52 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-55511 Well you are going a little too far. With all those parts rising, one has to imagine they would have been a better team in 2004 which means no Zimmerman in the 2005 draft. Well you are going a little too far. With all those parts rising, one has to imagine they would have been a better team in 2004 which means no Zimmerman in the 2005 draft.

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]]> By: Tommy http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-55508 Tommy Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:17:47 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-55508 I guess it would be going too far back in time to give them Pedro Martinez, but at the very least they might have kept him longer and traded him for prospects better than *ahem* Carl Pavano. Those prospects may very well have gone on to be Sizemores or Phillipses. Either way, I never realized just how sieve-like they have been at holding on to young talent. Astonishing. I guess it would be going too far back in time to give them Pedro Martinez, but at the very least they might have kept him longer and traded him for prospects better than *ahem* Carl Pavano. Those prospects may very well have gone on to be Sizemores or Phillipses. Either way, I never realized just how sieve-like they have been at holding on to young talent. Astonishing.

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]]> By: tom hoffman http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/27/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/comment-page-1/#comment-48269 tom hoffman Fri, 04 Apr 2008 23:00:42 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/the-team-that-might-have-been-2008-washington-nationals/#comment-48269 One inning doesn't say that much, especially in spring, but if I'm right I'll graciously accept apologies. I hope I'm wrong, but I'd say he's finished. One inning doesn’t say that much, especially in spring, but if I’m right I’ll graciously accept apologies. I hope I’m wrong, but I’d say he’s finished.

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