Friday, February 3, 2012

You Can Never Have Enough Starting Pitching

Leave it to Mike Rizzo to sign a starter the day after we post our 2012 Pitching Predictions...

Check with us next time Mike. Yes. The Nats, already 7 or 8 starters deep, signed Edwin Jackson to a one-year deal yesterday, adding yet another arm to a crowded rotation. Now, 4 out of the 5 spots are basically locked down with Wang, Lannan, and Detwiler squeezed (squoze? squozen?) into the 5 spot, and with the rumors swirling about Lannan, it might come down to just Wang and Detwiler.

This move by Rizzo indicates to me that he wants to launch the Nats not only into relevancy, but into a deep playoff run this season; imagine the Nats new top 4 in a short series or even a 7 game series. That is a scary proposition for a potential playoff opponent. Most-importantly, he has done this without turning 2012 into an all-or-nothing year. Gio, Strasburg, and Zimmermann are all long-term pieces and should Detwiler step up, the Nats would have 4 young core starters. So, by signing EJax to a one year deal the Nats become serious contenders this year, without sacrificing the future.

Mike Rizzo called this signing and the Nats desire to add a centerfielder through the trade market "mutually exclusive". Methinks that a declaration of shenanigans is in order. Of course they are related, Rizzo can now shop Lannan, an eminently serviceable back of the rotation arm. Paired with several other pieces (Desmond, LaRoche, Bernandina, a rehabbing Chris Marerro, et al.), Rizzo may be able to swing a deal.

How likely is that? Lannan doesn't blow anyone's skirt up, but he is still young, he has shown the ability to pitch in the major leagues, and he is under team control for another 2 years. These are all things that have proven to be valued in the current baseball economy.

The saying "you can never have enough starting pitching" is true. Injuries happen and sometimes players just don't perform to the level their are capable, and in those instances, it's nice to have back-up. But the main reason this nugget is true is that a wealth of starting pitching gives you confidence. Today, Mike Rizzo paid $10 million dollars to Edwin Jackson. While it improved the on-field product, it also opened up 100 more options for the Nats in the trade market, bullpen make-up, and player development.

And that's why you can never have enough starting pitching.

7 comments:

  1. Do you beleive that a capable CF of the kind the Nats seek -- high OBP, terrific defense, etc. -- could be acquired for a #4/#5 SP?

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  2. gotta package him with a few other pieces. thanks for reading!

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  3. I doubt any trade involving Lannan would include Desmond at this time. We have no idea if Lombardozzi can be an everyday player and Desmond is at least a known quantity and a serviceable starting middle infielder for a team making a playoff push now rather than waiting until next year. It also won't be the injured Marrero or the rehabbing LaRoche.

    More likely it would be Lannan and Bernadina and/or a minor leaguer.

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  4. Once again, if anything happens, it will be out of the blue - Rizzo is a crafty guy and never shows his cards. I think he likes messing with writers and bloggers and making them re-write their stuff. This could get real interesting, real fast. And not long from now!

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  5. Could get interesting? I think that it is already pretty darn interesting!

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  6. Mac It is for sure. I was mostly thinking about when they all arrive in Viera and start competing for those spots. I know they are supposed to be working on specific things in st games, not supposed to be "winning" - but there is going to be some, shall we say, urgency, involved in showing that they are in shape, ready and able to get major league hitters out.Seems like they are a close knit group - I wonder if this musical chairs atmosphere will affect that. What is it now, 8 guys?, 5 seats - when the music stops, what then?

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  7. you can not have too much pitching....ecspecially when most of our pitchers throw with the dreaded inverted W(a.la mark prior,kerry wood,bonderman,and many more)(tom verducci,don cooper,scouts,rick peterson,orthopedic surgeans have shown this causes arm injuries) check out this analysis of strasburg by a well respected(biomechanic expert)cross checking mets scout and tom verducci
    http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/PitchingMechanics101/Analyses
    /StephenStrasburg.html

    and an interview dc 106.7 the fan did with the same guy http://nyc.podcast.play.it/media/d0/d0/d0/dV/dG/dF/dJ/VGFJ_3.MP3

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