Distinguished Senators, the Washington Nationals Blog That Is Great

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Something Delicious

All right, it's time to try out my new-found positive attitude on all the Nats news I've been ignoring, so that I might continue to be an education to teh internet.

Free Agents! Seven Nationals have filed for free agency. As a very pretentious deep man once said, artistically disobeying the bourgeois rules of grammar, "if you love somebody, set them free." I can't say that I have that kind of emotional attachment to these guys, so I'm amending that bit of gnomic wisdom: If replaceable players want a million dollars, set them free. I fixed the grammar, too.

Here's the list: Tony Armas Jr., Carlos Baerga, Gary Bennett, Esteban Loaiza, Preston Wilson, Joey Eischen, and Deivi Cruz. I don't have much to say about any of these guys that wouldn't violate the editorial policies I instituted when I became pro-everything, but the Nats are going to be fine even without all of them. There is one exception, and his name should have stood out to you even if it weren't figuratively draped in the Mexican flag. Loaiza was really good this year, and I'd have known it all along if only I'd had my change of heart nine months ago. Now he wants three years at $7 million per, and that's a bit rich for my blood. While his ability to soak up innings is important, especially on a pitching staff that was looking a little thin at the end of the year, RFK made him look a lot better than he actually was -- that 2.86/4.77 home/road ERA split is pretty ugly. Bowden's offered him two years at $4 million per. That would be great, and I can't think of many free agents the Nats have a shot at signing who would help us more. I'd be willing to go a little higher than that, and I'd rather give in on money than on years. Please bear in mind, though, that I have conclusively proven that I don't know a damn thing about Esteban Loaiza.

I used to complain about Baseball Prospectus all the time. Not even just about Will Carroll and Dayn Perry, either -- pretty much everyone on the staff wormed his way onto my list at one time or another. But now that my glass is half-full -- of something delicious! -- I've gained a new appreciation of BP. Say you're looking for news and opinion about the Nationals. There are about ninety blogs out there, a couple news aggregators, the incomparable Barry Svrluga, and if that stuff is too much for your reading level, Thomas Boswell. There's just too much, and the pressure to read it all and evaluate hundreds of pounds -- literally -- of opinion can take all the fun out of reading about your favorite team. Sometimes you want to curl up with something unchallenging -- not too many intimidating new ideas or boring research or any of that. Even the snootiest gourmand likes a little Kraft Cheese 'n' Macaroni once in a while, right? Prospectus was kind enough to apply milk to powdered cheese product and come up with some tasty Nats info last week. Here's a sample:
If we estimate that every marginal win is worth $2 million, it’s a no-brainer for the Nats to exercise the $4 million option for Jose Guillen, who’s been worth five wins above replacement level for each of the past two years. Guillen still hasn’t conquered his poor plate discipline, but he’s emerged as a right-handed, slightly more strikeout-prone version of Garret Anderson.
Aah -- it's like a warm bubble bath. I do agree, by the way, the Nats should rush to excercise the option on Guillen before time runs out.

Meanwhile, non-sarcastic website praise.

2 comments:

Rocket1124 said...

There are about ninety blogs out there, a couple news aggregators, the incomparable Barry Svrluga, and if that stuff is too much for your reading level, Thomas Boswell.

Brilliant.

Anonymous said...

How can you give such good grades to Frank? C'Mon, man, be objective!

CYA,

DC Nats at Bat