TheDoyler23
March-11th-2005, 04:47 PM
Michael Farber, Si.com
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/baseball/mlb/specials/spring_training/2005/03/11/nationals.postcard/index.html
Player I Saw Whom I Really Liked
Vinny Castilla stood in the cage Friday morning, stroking one rainbow after another over the leftfield fence at Space Coast Stadium. You could fall in love with that swing, which I did. (Hey, it's spring. You're supposed to fall in love.) But as always when Castilla is the subject, you are advised to consider the environment. A stiff breeze was blowing straight out to left and Castilla, a classic pull hitter, was simply riding some batting-practice fastballs on the wind. His career was made at Coors Field, where he is a career .334 hitter -- he returned to the Rockies last year and had a 35-home run, 131-RBI season -- but he was only ordinary, or worse, during stops in Tampa Bay, Houston and Atlanta. Still, 21 of those 35 homers in 2004 were on the road, which begs the question: Can you really believe what you see when it's 65 degrees and sunny in Florida and snowing sideways back home? Sometimes the answer is blowing in the wind.
Team's biggest strengths
The Nationals have quality major leaguers sprinkled throughout their lineup: Castilla; switch-hitting second baseman Jose Vidro, who is recovering from knee surgery; Brad Wilkerson, a 30-home run outfielder; No. 1 starter Livan Hernandez; five-tool outfielder Jose Guillen, who notoriously wore out his welcome in Anaheim down the stretch last season; Brian Schneider, a first-rate defensive catcher. Washington also has a passel of decent players in their mid-to-late-20s, and in his mind's eye interim general manager Jim Bowden sees a chance for this team to have an upstart season like that of his Cincinnati Reds in 1999. It's unlikely, but this is the point: the Nationals appear to be riding a baseball boom in Washington, one that should be reinforced when MLB sells the team this year. The Nationals will generate enough revenue to create a major-market franchise, in every sense of the word, by the end of the decade. Ultimately the Nationals' biggest strength will prove to be an ability to take this core and improve on it with the benefit of a stable, and rich, workplace.
Team's biggest weakness
The erstwhile Expos simply will not score enough runs, a problem that can be traced to the top of the order. The franchise has had trouble finding leadoff hitters who thrived in the role since Tim Raines' early years in Montreal more than two decades ago. Endy Chavez, who has the job by default for the moment, has speed but fails to reach base often enough to justify a regular spot in the lineup. If he sticks, he figures to be followed by Cristian Guzman, another impatient, low-OPB hitter (.309 in 2002). Guzman turns 27 this month, the age when many players finally figure out how to hit. Wilkerson has filled the role capably enough on occasion, but his power makes him better suited to the middle of the order. The offensive burden on Guillen and Castilla might be insufferable.
Clubhouse confidential
Guzman, the ex-Twin, never has played home games on anything but turf, but he has looked spectacular handling the grass and dirt in Florida. With Edgar Renteria now in Boston, no National League shortstop goes into the hole better. Guzman had a .981 fielding percentage the past three years. ... There appears to be a nice blend between the core of former Expos and the Cincinnati connection headed by Bowden, advisors Bob Boone, Barry Larkin, Jose Rijo, and Guillen. "The club's been through so much in the past few years (as the nomadic Expos), it really toughened us up," Wilkerson said. "The chemistry of this group and the new people is real good."... Major League Baseball hopes to have an owner in place for the Nationals by July. The Washington Post, meanwhile, reported that team president Tony Tavares wants Bowden to continue in the job even after a sale. Bowden said no matter what happens, he will approach his job as if he will be running the team for the rest of his life. ... A few Montreal touches remain around Space Coast Stadium, including Expos mini bats, autographed baseballs and seat cushions at the souvenir stands. For $3, you can put your butt on the old Expos logo, which is pretty much what MLB did the last three years before relocating the team. The only other Montreal connection to the camp is former major league pitcher Denis Boucher, who is helping during spring training and will scout Canada for the Nats during the season. ... Viera, just north of Melbourne, began its big-league connection as the spring home of the expansion Florida Marlins, but now is on the cusp of being something more than a lazy Grapefruit Lague redoubt. For the first time in memory, not one head of cattle could be spotted beyond the walls of the complex. (No, this was not the origin of the term "bullpen.") There are still empty fields, but beyond them are new buildings, plenty of construction cranes and Interstate 95 in the distance. Viera's city motto: "Future Home of ..."
2005 Team Preview
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/baseball/mlb/specials/spring_training/2005/athlon/nationals.html
That light at the end of the tunnel for the erstwhile Montreal Expos is new ownership and a new ballpark but not, alas, a legitimate chance at a postseason berth. General manager Jim Bowden and manager Frank Robinson will do well this year simply to lay the foundation for the complete transformation of the franchise under new ownership. This is an organization whose scouting and player development staff was bare-bones for the past three seasons, and it will take a few months to put some meat back on the franchise.
Rotation
Livan Hernandez is a workhorse who led the Major Leagues in complete games, but beyond him the Nationals will be keeping their fingers crossed. Tony Armas Jr. has electric stuff and would be a logical No. 2 starter, but last year he and fellow starters Zach Day (shoulder tendinitis, fractured finger), Tomo Ohka (broken radius), John Patterson (groin strain) and Jon Rauch (oblique strain) all missed time with injuries. Armas had a strong early season pitching in winter ball in his native Venezuela, throwing free and easy and seeming to be over the shoulder and elbow injuries that have plagued his career. He has the greatest upside of the pitchers behind Hernandez. Esteban Loaiza, signed to a one-year deal in January, will fill one spot in the rotation. He won 21 games two years ago with the White Sox but struggled in 2004.
Bullpen
Few pitchers have been rushed to the major league faster than Chad Cordero, who was closing for what was then the Expos two years ago just two months after he was drafted in the first round out of Cal State-Fullerton. He and crafty Luis Ayala figure to see most of the work as the Nationals’ short relievers. Ayala’s sinking fastball will make him a more effective pitcher on a grass field. Lefthander Joey Eischen will be given a responsible role if he stays healthy. Robinson will mix and match the rest of the way with workhorse T.J. Tucker, Joe Horgan, Claudio Vargas, Antonio Osuna and Gary Majewski. Tucker was used by Robinson in short and long relief and as a spot starter.
Middle Infield
Freed up from the wear and tear of playing on Olympic Stadium’s artificial turf, second baseman Jose Vidro should re-establish himself as the best hitter on the team. A lifetime .304 hitter, Vidro has seen his range hampered the past two seasons by knee injuries, but he relies mostly on instincts and positioning. Most baseball observers believe the Nationals overpaid for shortstop Cristian Guzman, but Bowden believes Guzman is a better offensive player than he’s shown and likes the fact he brings a winning pedigree from his days with the Twins.
Corners
Vinny Castilla, another of Bowden’s free agent signings, is a superior defender at third base, and his bat will fit in nicely in the middle of the lineup. He’s a career .280 hitter with 303 homers, and he’s coming off a season in which he led the National League with 131 RBIs, but 80 of those RBIs came at Coors Field. The bigger question is, what happens at first base? When healthy, lefty-swinging Nick Johnson sees a lot of pitches and wears down pitchers, but he has been on the disabled list at least once in each of the last five seasons. Johnson missed 89 games last season with a lumbar strain and a broken right cheekbone. It’s possible that Brad Wilkerson — arguably Robinson’s favorite player — could be used at first base.
Outfield
The Nationals could find themselves with four outfielders capable of playing every day: Wilkerson, an offensive force who, in addition to starting 78 games at first base, opened 51 games in left field, 16 in center and nine in right; Terrmel Sledge; Endy Chavez; and Jose Guillen, who was acquired by Bowden after being suspended late in the season by the Anaheim Angels for disciplinary reasons. As a group, they’ll cover a lot of ground. Wilkerson and Chavez are options for the lead-off spot. Robinson is infatuated with Wilkerson’s on-base percentage and would like to see Chavez be more aggressive both at the plate and on the basepaths. Sledge had a solid rookie season, finishing third in runs batted in (62) while slugging 15 home runs.
Catching
Catching Brian Schneider has been a rock for the past two years as the team’s player representative. He’s led all major league catchers in throwing out opposing baserunners during that time (47.8 percent last year) and posted career highs in home runs and runs batted in last year in his first season as the team’s everyday catcher. Free agent Gary Bennett brings experience as a backup.
Bench
Jamey Carroll and Henry Mateo are handy players who are best utilized playing ‘small ball’ in late innings, but like many small-payroll teams, the Nationals won’t be loaded with experienced bench strength. Signing former Expo Wil Cordero was a smart move; he impressed Robinson during his stint with the Expos as a player capable of exercising clubhouse leadership.
Management
Bowden’s background with the Cincinnati Reds made him an interesting choice for the Nationals job. He’s a wheeler-dealer — it took just 21 days on the job for him to sign free agents Castilla and Guzman and trade for Guillen — on a club that doesn’t have an abundance of tradable commodities. Robinson, a Hall of Fame player who is a larger-than-life personality, still rubs some of his young players the wrong way. But in three years managing a team that had more off-field distractions than every other club combined, he has compiled a respectable record of 233–253 (.479).
Final Analysis
It will be another year of treading water in the NL East, although not having to split a home schedule between Montreal and Puerto Rico, as has been the case in the past two years, should be worth a few more wins alone. There are pieces in place that hint of a decent everyday lineup, and Wilkerson is on the verge of becoming an All-Star. But this club is likely too threadbare in pitching to make a significant run in 2005.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/baseball/mlb/specials/spring_training/2005/03/11/nationals.postcard/index.html
Player I Saw Whom I Really Liked
Vinny Castilla stood in the cage Friday morning, stroking one rainbow after another over the leftfield fence at Space Coast Stadium. You could fall in love with that swing, which I did. (Hey, it's spring. You're supposed to fall in love.) But as always when Castilla is the subject, you are advised to consider the environment. A stiff breeze was blowing straight out to left and Castilla, a classic pull hitter, was simply riding some batting-practice fastballs on the wind. His career was made at Coors Field, where he is a career .334 hitter -- he returned to the Rockies last year and had a 35-home run, 131-RBI season -- but he was only ordinary, or worse, during stops in Tampa Bay, Houston and Atlanta. Still, 21 of those 35 homers in 2004 were on the road, which begs the question: Can you really believe what you see when it's 65 degrees and sunny in Florida and snowing sideways back home? Sometimes the answer is blowing in the wind.
Team's biggest strengths
The Nationals have quality major leaguers sprinkled throughout their lineup: Castilla; switch-hitting second baseman Jose Vidro, who is recovering from knee surgery; Brad Wilkerson, a 30-home run outfielder; No. 1 starter Livan Hernandez; five-tool outfielder Jose Guillen, who notoriously wore out his welcome in Anaheim down the stretch last season; Brian Schneider, a first-rate defensive catcher. Washington also has a passel of decent players in their mid-to-late-20s, and in his mind's eye interim general manager Jim Bowden sees a chance for this team to have an upstart season like that of his Cincinnati Reds in 1999. It's unlikely, but this is the point: the Nationals appear to be riding a baseball boom in Washington, one that should be reinforced when MLB sells the team this year. The Nationals will generate enough revenue to create a major-market franchise, in every sense of the word, by the end of the decade. Ultimately the Nationals' biggest strength will prove to be an ability to take this core and improve on it with the benefit of a stable, and rich, workplace.
Team's biggest weakness
The erstwhile Expos simply will not score enough runs, a problem that can be traced to the top of the order. The franchise has had trouble finding leadoff hitters who thrived in the role since Tim Raines' early years in Montreal more than two decades ago. Endy Chavez, who has the job by default for the moment, has speed but fails to reach base often enough to justify a regular spot in the lineup. If he sticks, he figures to be followed by Cristian Guzman, another impatient, low-OPB hitter (.309 in 2002). Guzman turns 27 this month, the age when many players finally figure out how to hit. Wilkerson has filled the role capably enough on occasion, but his power makes him better suited to the middle of the order. The offensive burden on Guillen and Castilla might be insufferable.
Clubhouse confidential
Guzman, the ex-Twin, never has played home games on anything but turf, but he has looked spectacular handling the grass and dirt in Florida. With Edgar Renteria now in Boston, no National League shortstop goes into the hole better. Guzman had a .981 fielding percentage the past three years. ... There appears to be a nice blend between the core of former Expos and the Cincinnati connection headed by Bowden, advisors Bob Boone, Barry Larkin, Jose Rijo, and Guillen. "The club's been through so much in the past few years (as the nomadic Expos), it really toughened us up," Wilkerson said. "The chemistry of this group and the new people is real good."... Major League Baseball hopes to have an owner in place for the Nationals by July. The Washington Post, meanwhile, reported that team president Tony Tavares wants Bowden to continue in the job even after a sale. Bowden said no matter what happens, he will approach his job as if he will be running the team for the rest of his life. ... A few Montreal touches remain around Space Coast Stadium, including Expos mini bats, autographed baseballs and seat cushions at the souvenir stands. For $3, you can put your butt on the old Expos logo, which is pretty much what MLB did the last three years before relocating the team. The only other Montreal connection to the camp is former major league pitcher Denis Boucher, who is helping during spring training and will scout Canada for the Nats during the season. ... Viera, just north of Melbourne, began its big-league connection as the spring home of the expansion Florida Marlins, but now is on the cusp of being something more than a lazy Grapefruit Lague redoubt. For the first time in memory, not one head of cattle could be spotted beyond the walls of the complex. (No, this was not the origin of the term "bullpen.") There are still empty fields, but beyond them are new buildings, plenty of construction cranes and Interstate 95 in the distance. Viera's city motto: "Future Home of ..."
2005 Team Preview
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/baseball/mlb/specials/spring_training/2005/athlon/nationals.html
That light at the end of the tunnel for the erstwhile Montreal Expos is new ownership and a new ballpark but not, alas, a legitimate chance at a postseason berth. General manager Jim Bowden and manager Frank Robinson will do well this year simply to lay the foundation for the complete transformation of the franchise under new ownership. This is an organization whose scouting and player development staff was bare-bones for the past three seasons, and it will take a few months to put some meat back on the franchise.
Rotation
Livan Hernandez is a workhorse who led the Major Leagues in complete games, but beyond him the Nationals will be keeping their fingers crossed. Tony Armas Jr. has electric stuff and would be a logical No. 2 starter, but last year he and fellow starters Zach Day (shoulder tendinitis, fractured finger), Tomo Ohka (broken radius), John Patterson (groin strain) and Jon Rauch (oblique strain) all missed time with injuries. Armas had a strong early season pitching in winter ball in his native Venezuela, throwing free and easy and seeming to be over the shoulder and elbow injuries that have plagued his career. He has the greatest upside of the pitchers behind Hernandez. Esteban Loaiza, signed to a one-year deal in January, will fill one spot in the rotation. He won 21 games two years ago with the White Sox but struggled in 2004.
Bullpen
Few pitchers have been rushed to the major league faster than Chad Cordero, who was closing for what was then the Expos two years ago just two months after he was drafted in the first round out of Cal State-Fullerton. He and crafty Luis Ayala figure to see most of the work as the Nationals’ short relievers. Ayala’s sinking fastball will make him a more effective pitcher on a grass field. Lefthander Joey Eischen will be given a responsible role if he stays healthy. Robinson will mix and match the rest of the way with workhorse T.J. Tucker, Joe Horgan, Claudio Vargas, Antonio Osuna and Gary Majewski. Tucker was used by Robinson in short and long relief and as a spot starter.
Middle Infield
Freed up from the wear and tear of playing on Olympic Stadium’s artificial turf, second baseman Jose Vidro should re-establish himself as the best hitter on the team. A lifetime .304 hitter, Vidro has seen his range hampered the past two seasons by knee injuries, but he relies mostly on instincts and positioning. Most baseball observers believe the Nationals overpaid for shortstop Cristian Guzman, but Bowden believes Guzman is a better offensive player than he’s shown and likes the fact he brings a winning pedigree from his days with the Twins.
Corners
Vinny Castilla, another of Bowden’s free agent signings, is a superior defender at third base, and his bat will fit in nicely in the middle of the lineup. He’s a career .280 hitter with 303 homers, and he’s coming off a season in which he led the National League with 131 RBIs, but 80 of those RBIs came at Coors Field. The bigger question is, what happens at first base? When healthy, lefty-swinging Nick Johnson sees a lot of pitches and wears down pitchers, but he has been on the disabled list at least once in each of the last five seasons. Johnson missed 89 games last season with a lumbar strain and a broken right cheekbone. It’s possible that Brad Wilkerson — arguably Robinson’s favorite player — could be used at first base.
Outfield
The Nationals could find themselves with four outfielders capable of playing every day: Wilkerson, an offensive force who, in addition to starting 78 games at first base, opened 51 games in left field, 16 in center and nine in right; Terrmel Sledge; Endy Chavez; and Jose Guillen, who was acquired by Bowden after being suspended late in the season by the Anaheim Angels for disciplinary reasons. As a group, they’ll cover a lot of ground. Wilkerson and Chavez are options for the lead-off spot. Robinson is infatuated with Wilkerson’s on-base percentage and would like to see Chavez be more aggressive both at the plate and on the basepaths. Sledge had a solid rookie season, finishing third in runs batted in (62) while slugging 15 home runs.
Catching
Catching Brian Schneider has been a rock for the past two years as the team’s player representative. He’s led all major league catchers in throwing out opposing baserunners during that time (47.8 percent last year) and posted career highs in home runs and runs batted in last year in his first season as the team’s everyday catcher. Free agent Gary Bennett brings experience as a backup.
Bench
Jamey Carroll and Henry Mateo are handy players who are best utilized playing ‘small ball’ in late innings, but like many small-payroll teams, the Nationals won’t be loaded with experienced bench strength. Signing former Expo Wil Cordero was a smart move; he impressed Robinson during his stint with the Expos as a player capable of exercising clubhouse leadership.
Management
Bowden’s background with the Cincinnati Reds made him an interesting choice for the Nationals job. He’s a wheeler-dealer — it took just 21 days on the job for him to sign free agents Castilla and Guzman and trade for Guillen — on a club that doesn’t have an abundance of tradable commodities. Robinson, a Hall of Fame player who is a larger-than-life personality, still rubs some of his young players the wrong way. But in three years managing a team that had more off-field distractions than every other club combined, he has compiled a respectable record of 233–253 (.479).
Final Analysis
It will be another year of treading water in the NL East, although not having to split a home schedule between Montreal and Puerto Rico, as has been the case in the past two years, should be worth a few more wins alone. There are pieces in place that hint of a decent everyday lineup, and Wilkerson is on the verge of becoming an All-Star. But this club is likely too threadbare in pitching to make a significant run in 2005.