This thread is for all the baseball fans out there that dont have a big market team that is in playoff contention every year, this is for teams like the Nationals, Rockies, Royals, Marlins, Reds, Devil Rays, and the Blue Jays. If i named your team above you have permission to post on this thread. :))

My team is the nationals, there lovable and i live in the DC area, so how can i not like them, i feel they are 1 or 2 players away from being a "team" to be reckoned with.

The Nationals are the worst team in baseball hands down. Kansas City is close but not as bad.

the nationals have the same record as KC, but the nats dont get a DH which i think is a load of bull, AL pitchers are girls.

Another Nats victim, er uh, fan here. It'll be bad for this year, but when the Red Sox pitching staff earns more than triple your entire team salary, what can you do?

All I gotta say is, Tim Hudson for Cy Young baby.

Well. The Giants would of been included in your list by the so called "Experts" who said the Dodgers Diamondbacks and Padres would all finish ahead of us. LOOKS like they were wrong. 10 game winnin streak baby!

10 game winnin streak baby!

So are you guaranteeing wins in the next two games? Because the Giants have only won eight straight.

All I gotta say is, Tim Hudson for Cy Young baby.
Beckett has to be leading the AL Cy Young race at this point.

no one cares about the Giants, becasue everyone knows 75% of the roids come from ports in SanFran, thats how Bonds gets his hands on so many :ha:

I'm an Astros fan. They signed Carlos Lee but they still can't hit when it matters. It doesn't matter who comes to the plate with RISP, three things are guaranteed. Pop-up, weak ground out, or the whiff. Been a problem for over two years now. That Everett, Ausmus, pitcher's spot in the lineup is brutal. Oh well, go 'Stros!

IMO there is no reason Washington should be such a low market team, you look at KC, they have a reason, there in the middle of no where, Washington is one of the most populated cities in the country, i feel when they get there new stadium there revinue will go up drastically.

Too much split fan base because of Baltimore at this point; Metro area fans STILL can rarely see Nats play on TV. However, the support for the team has been positive, so I see increased market in the coming 5 years, especially when the new stadium is built.

Moment of silence for the Cards pitcher.

with the new stadium, we might actually be able to get an ACE, Bergmann and Hill cant do it themselves, Williams shouldnt be able to pitch in the MLB, Patterson is a disgrace, Chico is good but at times inconsistent, and maybe we can get a big bat.

ryan can you help me out, when i type in paint, the text box is always there when i wanna put the text over my sig, how do i make the textbox the same color as my sig backround?

Well so far, im very impressed by the Devil Rays, Padres, D-Backs, and the Indians as all look to have great futures w/ young guys.

who all is playing fantasy baseball here. just wondering.

i am, pulling last place tho, my pitching staff owns, but i dont have any big hitters, trying to trade Johan Santanna for A-Rod

I'm playing fantasy baseball on Yahoo. I'm in first place right now. Won my league last year (got incredibly lucky when I drafted both Jonathan Papelbon and Francisco Liriano). I have a pretty damn good pitching staff with Tim Hudson, John Smoltz, Jered Weaver, Justin Verlander, Tom Glavine, Adam Wainwright, Bobby Jenks, and Bob Wickman.

the trick in my league is to only keep 3-4 pitchers on my team, right now my "sure to stay" pitchers are

1. Johan Santana
2. Verlander
3. Zito
4. sometimes glavine

i usually drop all my pitchers then pick up Probable starters and after they have made an outing i drop them and do the same thing, stacks your K's.

Thats the trick, as long as you have a solid hitting staff you can win series like 6-2 every time. im starting to pull myself out from the depths with it.

rotisserie is the only way to go

nah head to head, more realistic...funner to matchup against other people and play.

I effin hate the Yankees man. And screw Roger Clemens while we're at it. I swear if that signing gets them the chip, I will be pissed.

28 million? Yikes, i can't wait until they don't win the World Series. New Yorkers will riot!

Clemens screwed my Astros. But it's ok. We'll get 'em in the world series.

So should we making a bigger deal about the Andy Pettitte- Roger Clemens relationship? Roger seems to be in love with that dude. Followed him to Houston, now following him back to New York. Either that, or Clemens is just money hungry. I'll go with the latter

He's held the Astros hostage the last two years. I think he's money hungry even tho he did give the Stro's a cheap first year. But Damn, he's raking it in. If he pitches half a season, that's what, about $350,000 a game. Let's break that down. However, he only pitches every 5. So that's 1.6 million a start. Let's put that into perspective. It's around $20,000 a pitch. God damn.

He makes more pitching to one batter than most of us make all year. And here's the kicker. If he wants he can hit the batter with the $20,000 pitch.

ABC Evening News said it was $10,000 a pitch FWIW...

I don't think he's in it for the money anymore...after this season he will have made $149 million on the playing field alone. Nevermind endorsements...

worst team in baseball = nationals

nationals, 4 in a row, that walk-off grandslam by zimmerman (aka superman) has gotten them 2 almost no hitters by a below average pitching staff, and a win vs the top team in there division....13-25, i think they will get to 50-60 at one point, possibly end the season 84-80, a reach, but i hope for the best.

84-80, a reach, but i hope for the best.

How can they finish 84-80 if there is only 162 games?

Technically, you could get to 84-80, I think. If you had a three way tie for the division, one team would have to play 2 games in the playoff. And those games go to your regular season record if I am not mistaken.

The Astros for example, finished 93-70 in 1980.

really i thought there was 164 games???

anyone wannna verify this?

nationals 6 of there last 7, watch out

Too funny I forgot to laugh

lol, they are a big hitter away from really making a splash in the NL, we just owned Atlanta 3-1 the first place team in our division and almost in the whole NL.

You do realize that it's only May right? Talk to me in August. Just like the Wizards can't see the Cavs, the Nats can't see anyone in the National League East.

You do realize that it's only May right? Talk to me in August. Just like the Wizards can't see the Cavs, the Nats can't see anyone in the National League East.

dude i think they are like 7.5 games out of first, and they just owned Atlanta the first place team in there division 3 out of 4. And the wizards were in first place at one point.

The last 3 years, the astros have made up like 30 games in the standings in the last two months. It's not over till it's over.

The last 3 years, the astros have made up like 30 games in the standings in the last two months. It's not over till it's over.

Quick... name someone on the National's roster that isn't Ryan Zimmerman. I'll wait.

Nick Johnson, Austin Kearns, Felipe Lopez, Shawn Hill (2.70 ERA, 33 SO), Justin Bergman (2.76 ERA, 42 SO, .165 OPA) have all been impact players lately. 3/5 players in our rotation are on the D/L, and our most consistant offensive player (Nick Johnson) is still out with a broken leg. Our rotation has been one of the better saviors of this team with breaththrough performances from Jon Rauch, Jesus Colome, Saul Rivera, and Miach Bowe (Combined ERA: 2.90, Combined BA: .225). John Patterson and Chad Cordero, usual staples of the staff, have been bad lately due to rustiness, injuries, and a unusual lapses in control, all things that CAN be improved. The Nats play in a putrid NL league. I'm not saying we're on the rise already, but there are reasons to believe they can be a challenging team. Why is it so hard to believe that they can improve?

I wouldn't be suprised to see Cordero traded to a contender around the deadline.

On the bright side of things though, my team won 83 games last year & ended up winning the World Series ironically. As long as you make the playoffs, you have a legit shot at the title.

I wouldn't be suprised to see Cordero traded to a contender around the deadline.

well cordero jsut lost his job, he's had like 3 BS's this season, i want him out, Rauch has starter stuff, but at reliever hes 3/3 on save opportunities.

Cordero is still an above average or better closer I wouldn't mind seeing him in Philly we need all the bullpen help we can get.

I'd be all for giving them Pat Burrell........what a fricken bum he is.

Whoever gave him the Nickname "Pat the Bat" regardless that it rhymes should be sued. I've never seen a guy what more first 2 pitch strikes then whiff on the 3rd uhh that makes me mad plus he doesn't fit in well.

We want dirtball leave it all out there type of players. Pat Burrell wouldn't dive if he knew he was going to get dirty to save his wife if he has one IDK.

Chase Utley
Jimmy Rollins
Ryan Howard
Shane Victorino
Cole Hamels

That's a solid core but we need pitching our #1 starter last year is doing closer duties while Flash get's healthy and Freddy Garcia has shown nothing yet to be called a #1. Burrell and maybe Rowand ( I hope not that's the reason I don't have him in the core) might be gone soon.

If only we had Flash healthy and Garcia returned to form. Our top 3 would be tough. But bullpen has blown countless wins so far after solid outings from our starters.

Garcia
Hamels
Myers

nationals take 1 from the O's, in a close series where all 3 games were decided by 1 run. get this, the Nationals payroll is $40M, the yankees payroll is $200M, and yet the Nationals (16-27) are only 3.5 games behind the yankees (18-22) and the yankees are losing right now 1-0 to the Mets.

OK PhiSlammaJamma, I'd like to get your take on certain Astros players. Personally, I want to see Ensberg, Ausmus, Everett, and Jason Lane jettisoned as soon as possible. You can predict the outcome of their at bat almost every time. The pop-ups, strikeouts, and weak grounders from those guys are numerous. They are all pretty good defensively but can't hit their weight. I know in baseball you have to be patient but when is enough going to be enough?

Ausmus - I agree. You almost hate to see him come to the plate. He is an offensive liability. He's old. He grounds into like 30 double plays a year too. That is ridiculous for someone with decent speed. The one catch is that all the pitchers love him for his ability to call a game. When he left for two years and we replaced him with a hitting cather, the Astros fell apart at the seems. We were horrible. And that made me rethink the whole thing. Clemens, if I am not mistaken, wouldn't even play for us if Ausmus wasn't there. So he's a catch 22. I don't know what to do. But at some point, he's gotta go. And now is as good a time as any. Maybe play out this year and if we miss the world series dump 'em.

Everett: I think he's expendable. He does save some hits on the defensive end, but I think if you have Ausmus and Everett in your lineup together, it amplifies the problem of not hitting the damn ball. Because now you have two major gaping holes in the line up. They are almost useless at bats. The pitchers have no fear when these two step to the plate. So I see Everett as expendable. We won plenty of Division championships with lesser shortstops in Houston who could hit. I think we could do it again. Everett's greatest play was his phantom tag in the playoff series. Which is kind of funny.

Ensberg: Well, he's one of those players who at least strikes fear in a pitcher. He may not be threatening, but he gives the appearance of being a threat. Which I can live with at 3b. He's an enigma, no doubt about it, but I can live with that after years of Walling and Garner at 3b, pluse some utllity guys. Caminiti was the only thrid basemen with talent that we've had, but was he any better than Ensberg, probably not. Just a little more consistent offensively and a better glove. So Ensberg, while demoralizing, and causing utter frustration, I don't mind as much.

Jason Lane: The most dissapointing thing with Jason is the rbi's. 78? That's his high. C'mon. He's gotta do better than that. I could live with 15-20 hr's if you drive some people in. But now his Batting average is a joke too, which really makes him all but useless. He has no speed, no glove, and no bat. What is the point. Seriously.

If all these players were jettisoned, I would feel a lot better. You can get young kids to fill almost every position and do just as well. Ausmus is the biggest loss. As he takes some knowledge with him. But all the rest are expendable.

I saw on ESPN.com today that the Braves cut Mark Redman. That has to be one of the worst acquisitions they've ever made. He was utterly terrible in his few starts this year. Everytime I saw that he was starting, I went ahead and assumed that they were going to lose. And even if the game was close, I was pleasantly surprised.

Felipe Lopez went yard against the Red's yesterday, Grand Slam, nats win 8-4, today they play cincinatti, there winnning 7-1 in the 6th, i think they are really starting to come around, they have won 8 of there last 12, this one will be 9 of 13 (9-4), it should be 10 of 12, but we blew a 6 run lead against the Reds, because our two best pitchers are on the DL so we have to play releivers as starters, and we lost a Extra inning game to the O's on some BS calls..

nats take 3 of 4 from cinci, that ballpark is wierd tho, really easy to knock them out. 10 of the last 14 for the nationals (10-4), climbing out of the cellar, no longer the worst team in the MLB.

nationals, hottest team in the MLB, win again, beating the defending world champs, the Washington Nationals, now have a better record then the Defending World Champions, thats pretty insane.

Cordero is back on track, only problem is Rauch is struggling now, Jesus Colome might be my favorite player on the nationals, if any of you know about him, watch him come in, hes given a task, and he doesnt disapoint. 1 game against the philies. botom 12th inning, nats up 3-2, bases loaded, 3-0 count, Colome comes in and throws 3 straight strikes and gets teh guy looking, then just last night, Rauch gave up 2 ER's, Colome comes in, man on 2nd and 1st, gets 3 outs easily. Nationals 20-29 won 4 in a row, 11 of there last 15

Hottest Team In The MLB = Washington Nationals

12-4 last 16

Dmitri Young( 1B, Nationals) , is the hottest hitter in baseball right now, brought his avg up from .265 all the way up to .333, rumor is he is on the trading block, because when we get nick johnson back we will have no room for him. Yankees are first on the list because fo the situation with there first basemen, if we can get a good pitcher are 2 from new york, id make that deal in a heartbeat.

It's about that time again boys! :woohoo:

Astros going after;

Colon, or
Loshe, or
Hernandez

Anyone will help us, but nothing grand unless Colon comes back to life. Astros could take the Division with Tejada, but our pitching and Berkman have to come to life.

Hernandez is probably your best bet out of those 3. Colon is done and Lohse seems way too inconsistent to be anything more than a #4.

Hitting won't be the 'stros problem, it will be the pitching. Bourn and Matsui give you speed at the top, and Lee/Berkman/Tejada will do their part, but the only question is how will Pence, Wigginton, and Towles do at the bottom of the lineup?