2012 MLB Regular Season Running Thread

No business playing this often? Who you want in there while Desmond is out?

And I never played the "Playing The Game The Right Way" card, bud.

 

Zimmermann

 

Lombo sucks.
Rizzo is a shitty GM.
Davey and Co. baby all the pitchers.
Morse doesn't walk enough.
Werth and Zimmerman are overpaid borderline All Stars who aren't living up to their enormous deals.

Man, I'll sure be glad when the Nats get things in order so they can think about making a run for the playoffs.

 

Nope, I'll own that one. Damn me anyway.

 

I understand why the Nats want to handle Strasburg this way. I don't even disagree with it that much. But earlier this morning, I watched an interview with Manteo Mitchell, the guy who finished his leg of the 4x400 relay on a broken leg, because it was the Olympics and he wanted to win and give his all in the process, because that's the whole idea of sports.
That's why the Strasburg deal leaves a really bad taste in my mouth. It's not sports. It's business, and maybe not even good business.

 

Manny Machado. That is all.

 

Objectively, I think they are playing this smart. If you did a risk/reward analysis comparing the odds of his presence being the difference in winning a title this year vs. the odds of him getting hurt from ramping up his innings far beyond what he's ever done and costing you titles down the road, I think the math would come out in favor of the Nats' approach.

But there's a little nagging voice in the back of my head that just keeps rebutting with "Flags fly forever."

 

No doubt he's good. I guess the Orioles showed some restraint keeping him in the learning phase for this long. What is he, 14?

 

He's four months older than Bryce Harper. That puts Harper in some perspective.

 

Mark Prior and Kerry Wood agree with this sentiment.
Yes, I know their careers were crushed by arm trouble that likely stemmed from overuse. Point is, after the 2003 playoffs, everyone assumed it was finally a matter of when, not if, the Cubs would ever make it to the World Series. Prior and Wood might have been the best 1-2 starter combo in the league heading into the 2004 season. Then they got hurt and that window slammed shut before it ever really opened.
Nothing is guaranteed. You can't assume another chance will come next year. History is littered with great players and would-be dynasties that never attained the heights they should have.

 

It's not like he was dominating at AA. He was very good, but there was plenty of question if he was ready to come up yet. He's gifted and he had a couple of very good games, but let's not go too crazy just yet.