tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post6597978381093777452..comments2023-12-21T00:54:01.977-05:00Comments on NATIONALS NEWS NETWORK: Morgan Trade Leaves More Questions Than AnswersDave Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-87136134434872521862011-03-28T13:23:54.449-04:002011-03-28T13:23:54.449-04:00I think that the problem is that Bernadina shows t...I think that the problem is that Bernadina shows that flash of brilliance that gets everyone excited, but he is out to lunch most of the time in the outfield.<br /><br />I think that management was worried about Morgan becoming a distraction even if he won the job.<br /><br />Ankiel is not a starting center fielder, but can play the position better than some of the other slugs the Nats have Deacon Drakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17827411603052143857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-55574172231584767402011-03-28T12:03:22.104-04:002011-03-28T12:03:22.104-04:00@jcj: like I said, my personal opinion is that Ber...@jcj: like I said, my personal opinion is that Bernie is a 4th OF, but you'd think the Nats would owe it to themselves to confirm that at the major league level. we know he can play at the triple-A level. either way, it's only a matter of time before Ankiel works his way out of the job through injury or lack of production and Bernie is the only option they have in center, short of Dave Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-54231149608767469192011-03-28T11:33:20.747-04:002011-03-28T11:33:20.747-04:00I agree that Nix and Stairs don't have huge tr...I agree that Nix and Stairs don't have huge trade value, but the value of the younger players who aren't making the team (Bernadina) is also pretty small.<br /><br />You could argue that Bernadina will have a chance to develop more if he's a starter in Syracuse than a 4th outfielder in DC---to the extent that Bernadina is ever going to develop more at age 26.jcj5ynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-32782193665203539202011-03-28T11:22:38.751-04:002011-03-28T11:22:38.751-04:00@anon re: Harper: I tend to agree with you, but Ha...@anon re: Harper: I tend to agree with you, but Harper is a special case and with a full minor league season under his belt, he could very well contend for the roster next spring as a 19 year old.Dave Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-53941897177120673282011-03-28T11:21:18.348-04:002011-03-28T11:21:18.348-04:00@bdrube: not sure Bernie really got a fair shake i...@bdrube: not sure Bernie really got a fair shake in the CF "competition" this spring, but i do agree with you that his ceiling probably is 4th OF. but i still maintain he's the Nats best option in CF right now.<br /><br />@jcj: not sure about trade value of vets v. developing younger players at MLB level. the possibility of trading veterans, IMO, is widely overvalued by fans.Dave Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-59700213629975036992011-03-28T11:18:12.687-04:002011-03-28T11:18:12.687-04:00"Bryce Harper will be the starting center fie..."Bryce Harper will be the starting center fielder by September, or opening day 2012. All they need is a stop-gap and Morgan is more distraction than help in that regard."<br /><br />No way is B Harp coming up that early short of a miracle playoff run for the Nats. A)The Nats don't want to use up service time. B)He's only 18, hasn't even play minor league ball. Who was the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-25895982067427863592011-03-28T11:15:56.808-04:002011-03-28T11:15:56.808-04:00I hear the argument that dumping Morgan goes again...I hear the argument that dumping Morgan goes against the stated mantra of defense/athleticism. But let's face it, Morgon is a terrible ballplayer even without all the antics. His speed is all he really has and he negates that by running bad routes in the outfield, not being able to get bunts down and constantly getting caught stealing or picked off. <br /><br />I'll be much more bdrubenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-89915520460093983082011-03-28T11:14:30.558-04:002011-03-28T11:14:30.558-04:00I think it's reasonable to view Ankiel as a be...I think it's reasonable to view Ankiel as a better athlete than Morgan. Morgan has plus speed, at least for now (he's over 30), but Ankiel is probably more athletic overall, especially given his size advantage.<br /><br />Stairs is a special case that I'm not particularly inclined to defend, but I don't think we'll see him in the field.<br /><br />If Nix makes the team over jcj5ynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-62147875174855144342011-03-28T10:18:09.371-04:002011-03-28T10:18:09.371-04:00thanks all for the comments.
I think Rizzo is sha...thanks all for the comments.<br /><br />I think Rizzo is shaping this team in the mold that he thinks will be a winner. I'm sure Riggs had some input on Ankiel and Cora, preferring them over the incumbants, but it's still Rizzo's call to acquire the players.<br /><br />ultimately, it's on Rizzo as to the roster construction. Riggleman's job is to motivate the players he getsDave Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-55716683605035052762011-03-28T08:57:34.298-04:002011-03-28T08:57:34.298-04:00I disagree that Morgan couldn't have won the j...I disagree that Morgan couldn't have won the job if he showed up in camp playing like last-half-of-2009 Morgan. He was probably on thin ice, though. <br /><br /><i>Plus, Morgan was the only option to lead off for this team. With him gone, and Ankiel hitting sixth or seventh, Ian Desmond will be forced into a role that does not suit him and could potentially ruin his value with the bat if he Kevnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-1388601988847756992011-03-27T22:27:42.849-04:002011-03-27T22:27:42.849-04:00If you don't like the acquisition of Stairs, A...<i>If you don't like the acquisition of Stairs, Ankiel, etc., I think that's on Rizzo, not Riggleman. I have never seen anything to suggest Riggleman has significant input in player personnel decisions.</i><br /><br />I have and on many occasions so I guess we disagree. In point of fact in Adam KIlgore's post on "What about Gonzalez" Riggleman almost comes out and says as Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-68765376739278834112011-03-27T22:00:14.376-04:002011-03-27T22:00:14.376-04:00I actually think this ST was Nyjer's last chan...I actually think this ST was Nyjer's last chance to show he could be more like the player of 2009 than 2010. But he came out the gate stone cold and that sealed his fate. The Ankiel signing screams of "back up plan" rather than "he's the guy."bdrubenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-44018322857629899072011-03-27T21:54:43.073-04:002011-03-27T21:54:43.073-04:00Bernadina definitely makes spectacular plays with ...Bernadina definitely makes spectacular plays with regularity. My guess is that the Nats are looking at steady play and fewer mistakes (Ankiel) versus more bad routes and more great plays (Bernadina). Not to mention that Ankiel has a game-changing arm.<br /><br />If you don't like the acquisition of Stairs, Ankiel, etc., I think that's on Rizzo, not Riggleman. I have never seen anythingjcj5ynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-37539529072173953532011-03-27T21:31:16.061-04:002011-03-27T21:31:16.061-04:00Look at the first isssues Rizzo mentioned---this m...<i>Look at the first isssues Rizzo mentioned---this move was ultimately about defense. </i><br /><br />Nope, as Mr. Nichols inferred (and what I've been saying) its about Jim Riggleman's philosophy of playing favored veterans even when their performance doesn't bear out that decision. <br /><br />Given the web gem Bernadina had the other day are you seriously going to tell me that Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-42817098318419074652011-03-27T21:14:13.554-04:002011-03-27T21:14:13.554-04:00Look at the first isssues Rizzo mentioned---this m...Look at the first isssues Rizzo mentioned---this move was ultimately about defense. Morgan has value if he plays plus-plus centerfield. For whatever reason, he seemed to lose that ability last season. I'm guessing the Nats' scouts saw Ankiel as a steadier defender with a much better arm, even if he has less range. The offense is a wash.<br /><br />I think the signing as a backup plan jcj5ynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-85545946911555111332011-03-27T20:59:31.174-04:002011-03-27T20:59:31.174-04:00Rick is a career .254/.323/.462 hitter vs. RHP. Su...Rick is a career .254/.323/.462 hitter vs. RHP. Sure, he's a platoon guy, but he'll be more than serviceable against RHP.<br /><br />Morgan > Ankiel as a baseball player, but I don't think the gap is nearly as big as you're making it out to be.Rick Ankiel's Momnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-90132876527665675622011-03-27T20:52:50.227-04:002011-03-27T20:52:50.227-04:00@Donald: i think the organizational hope is that H...@Donald: i think the organizational hope is that Harper ascends that quickly, but they still have to play the games this year, and for all the Nats talk about wanting to be competitive to settle on Ankiel in center is a little disconcerting.Dave Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-87860994864094425692011-03-27T20:43:53.276-04:002011-03-27T20:43:53.276-04:00Bryce Harper will be the starting center fielder b...Bryce Harper will be the starting center fielder by September, or opening day 2012. All they need is a stop-gap and Morgan is more distraction than help in that regard.Donaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12295227567170577873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-69256178265101058672011-03-27T20:36:43.533-04:002011-03-27T20:36:43.533-04:00Tom, that question (why Ankiel?) is one of the big...Tom, that question (why Ankiel?) is one of the biggest that surround this whole escapde.<br /><br />And why did they bother to bring Morgan to camp? As Mark Z. points out in his blog this evening, this move reeks of the way they cut Dukes 2/3 of the way into ST last season without a solid plan behind the move, when they should have handled that situation in the off-season as well.Dave Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05310191107811609232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1850525513629764193.post-33290055800944203122011-03-27T20:31:34.322-04:002011-03-27T20:31:34.322-04:00There was a fairly harsh quote out there from a sc...There was a fairly harsh quote out there from a scout who called this "addition by subtraction." While I find the choice of Ankiel as the starting CF to be uninspired, I certainly won't miss anything about Nyjer Morgan. Between his disastrous base-running and his frequent mental misplay in the field, and his off-field frustrations, it's hard to say he was a guy to like in the Tom Bridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05756059052643563517noreply@blogger.com