The Nats Thread (old thread link inside, too many load issues)

[Warhead36]

I wish the NL would adopt the DH rule so we could have kept Mikey Mo.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I wish the NL would adopt the DH rule so we could have kept Mikey Mo.

Ughh. The DH is such a bastardization of the sport. Nothing I hate more. Thank God the Nats are in the NL.

[Buford]

I hate the DH too. Seems like it makes the manager "manage" less. Having to decide whether or not the pitcher will bat is all strategy once you hit the middle of the game.

We'll see if he has a monster year in Seattle.

Regardless, he's a Nat for life to me. Good guy, loved playing here, loved the fans, knew how to connect to us.

Good Luck 38

[Forehead]

They've added Morse, Kendrys Morales, Jason Bay, & Raul Ibanez this offseason.

So they've added a power guy who has played close to a full season once in his career (who I admittedly liked), a second guy who similarly has trouble staying healthy, a pretty much washed up Jason Bay who hasnt has a good season in three years, and a sneakily decent Ibanez who is 40 years old, ancient in pro sports terms. Forgive me if I'm not sold on Seattle's prospects for the upcoming season.

[DCranon21]

Ughh. The DH is such a bastardization of the sport. Nothing I hate more. Thank God the Nats are in the NL.

I hate the DH too. Seems like it makes the manager "manage" less. Having to decide whether or not the pitcher will bat is all strategy once you hit the middle of the game.

We'll see if he has a monster year in Seattle.

Regardless, he's a Nat for life to me. Good guy, loved playing here, loved the fans, knew how to connect to us.

Good Luck 38

What these guys said about the DH. It's an abomination to the Majors, and I'm glad it's not in the NL.

But about the beast, hate to see him go. God luck and God speed 38.

[StillUnknown]

Ughh. The DH is such a bastardization of the sport. Nothing I hate more. Thank God the Nats are in the NL.

I too abhor the DH. It takes damn near all strategy out of the game.

[stevemcqueen1]

Man, I wish Morse was part of this next title run. Gonna miss Beast Mode. Adam had better produce. Can another player continue Take On Me?

Yes he had. BUT, it's not just LaRoche vs. Beast. It was LaRoche + the prospects, which will hopefully tip the scales no matter if Morse outproduces LaRoche.

Plus LaRoche had the grizzled vet intangibles you want in the locker room. Morse did not seem to be as stabilizing an influence.

Gonna miss him though. He single-handedly made the 2011 season fun. Some will remember that was the year Stras was out, LaRoche was out, Zim missed a ton of the year, Werth and Desmond struggled hard and people were extremely miserable about that. The Phillies seemed like a juggernaut and embarrassed us filling up our stadium with their fans. Our manager up and quit. The only positive things to take from that year were the emergence of Clip and Sto, Ramos playing pretty well, Danny hitting walkoffs, Zim having a nice little run at the end of the year, and Morse dominating at the plate. Morse was THE story for the Nats that year.

[skins_win]

Morse had the best bobble head in baseball. Who wants to sell me theirs?

[Dan T.]

The best "Take on Me" moment... NLDS Game 5 against the Cards, 8th inning, perfectly timed shot to centerfield just after the high note is hit:

http://deadspin.com/michael-morse/

[STBonecrusher21]

Gonna miss seeing all of this.

2011:


2012:

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

The best "Take on Me" moment... NLDS Game 5 against the Cards, 8th inning, perfectly timed shot to centerfield just after the high note is hit:

http://deadspin.com/michael-morse/

Yeah that's what shuler74's vid is of and what I was talking about in my reply. Such a magical moment

---------- Post added January-17th-2013 at 04:06 PM ----------

And glad to see others agree with me about the DH. Baseball is my first sport, my first love. Played for 13 years and would've played longer, like muy brother did, if I wasn't such a **** up. Our dad was an all state football player who had a scholarship to pay at JMU, the same class as Bruce Smith. Unfortunately he blew out his knee and could never play again (has issues to this day with it and are getting worse with age). As such, he wouldn't let us play football. So it was basketball and baseball. And we ****ing played, both, year round. So many camps, clinics, factories and the like. As I've said before, the Potomac Nats current hitting coach was our private coach. He had a baseball school in some warehouse in Manassas. We were there 3-4 days a week for years. Mark Harris. I love baseball. (The whole Roid Age turned me off for years. As a nerd I also love the history of baseball and steroids did so much damage, made it a joke. Took me awhile too get over. Us finally getting team was the big part of that.) So with my credentials, believe me, the DH is ****ing horrible. Its not how baseball is meant to be played. As others have said, it takes out all the strategy. I despise it so much. It would be the one rule, in all of sports, that I would change. Thank God the Nats are an NL team. I'm so grateful for that.

[StillUnknown]

http://topprospectalert.com/2012/12/...pect-rankings/

WAS Nationals

1) Anthony Rendon
2) Lucas Giolito
3) Brian Goodwin
4) A.J. Cole
5) Michael Taylor
6) Matt Skole
7) Tony Renda
8 ) Nate Karns
9) Sandy Leon
10) Matt Purke
11) Eury Perez
12) Brett Mooneyham
13) Estarlin Martinez
14) Jason Martinson
15) Destin Hood
16) Chris Marrero
17) Robbie Ray
18) Jeff Kobernus
19) Sammy Solis
20) Zach Walters

[Duckus]

http://topprospectalert.com/2012/12/...pect-rankings/

1) Anthony Rendon
2) Lucas Giolito
3) Brian Goodwin
4) A.J. Cole

That is just unreal. Amazing amount of talent in that top 4.

[Forehead]

Talent yes...will it be realized. The only one of those that's close to a "sure thing" to have a long career is Goodwin. Rendon and Giolito are injury risks, and Cole is young but got shelled most of the past year in High-A ball. I'm surprised Destin Hood is as low as he is, I thought he had been doing better. And after seeing him in person a few times, I'm completely unsurprised at Marerro dropping. I just don't think he has it.

[STBonecrusher21]

I really liked what Leon showed when he was up on the squad last year.