2K24: Washington Nationals

[DMT]

Amazing. If the Nats were in it, he’d be MVP no question. Probably finishes 2nd behind Tatis.

Harper has been pretty impressive during the 2nd half as well.

[rhd]

We haven't seen anything like what Juan Soto is doing right now since the big head Barry Bonds days.

I assume you're referring to his walk rate in particular. Yeah, it's pretty impressive. But like Bonds, he has no effective protection in that lineup, so why pitch to him?

Here are his stats since Aug 5:

.394/.575/.708, 8 2B, 11 HR, 34 RBI, 36 R, 59/21 BB/K, 137 AB, 200 PA. His walk rate during this period is 29.5% (!!).

Currently, he is 2nd in OPS in MLB behind Harper after he led MLB in OPS in 2020.

[madducks]

According to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, Juan Soto turned down a 13-year, $350 million contract extension offer from the Nationals prior to the lockout.

Soto did confirm the report: "Yes, they made me the offer a couple of months ago, before the strike we have in baseball," the young slugger told ESPN on Wednesday. "But right now, me and my agents think the best option is to go year after year and wait for free agency. My agent, Scott Boras, is in control of that situation." The extension would have carried an average annual salary of nearly $27 million and contained no deferred money, per Rojas. Soto is arbitration-eligible for the second time in 2022 and is currently slated to reach the free agent market at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

[fuhrdog]

According to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, Juan Soto turned down a 13-year, $350 million contract extension offer from the Nationals prior to the lockout.

I'd guess at least 100M short.

[Sour Masher]

Maybe he ends up with more, but I couldn't imagine turning down that kind of guaranteed money.

[revo]

Some more Nats news - Ryan Zimmerman finally retired

[harmon]

Maybe he ends up with more, but I couldn't imagine turning down that kind of guaranteed money.

He's got more cajones (less sense?) than Acuna and Albies.

[madducks]

Maybe he ends up with more, but I couldn't imagine turning down that kind of guaranteed money.

Yeah, at least take the ARod route by accepting the offer now and then demanding later that you want traded to a team that will pay you more.

[Sour Masher]

I know how it sounds to put forth any kind of optimism after one decent ST outing for a pitcher, but Corbin looked decent against he Marlins today. He went 4 IP, struck out 4, no ER, no walks. I know there is no way that the likely opening day starter for the Nationals (what a sorry state of affairs that is) is ever close to what he was at his peak. But I can't help but see deep sleeper potential for him. No one wants the guy, and who would after last year? But IDK, I kinda feel he could bounce back to not being a total waste of a roster spot this year. Anyone else mildly interested in Corbin this year (as in, a top 80 mixed league SP, top 40 NL SP), or am I being too quick to jump on one decent outing and some praise from the coach? Maybe, but I still know I'd rather take the gamble on him over his teammate, Stras, whose adp is 30 spots higher than Corbin's.

[pitbull]

The line-up he faced was not awe inspiring. I need to see more before I would consider him but yeah if the opportunity to get him cheap and see something that convinces you a return to pre 2020 I would be interested. I just haven't seen it yet.

[whalewang]

Did Corbin gain an velocity on his fastball from last year?

[harmon]

There's a short blurb on Rotoworld, or whatever they call it now, that his velocity was actually down a tick and he had only 4 swing and misses on 57 pitches.

[Sour Masher]

There's a short blurb on Rotoworld, or whatever they call it now, that his velocity was actually down a tick and he had only 4 swing and misses on 57 pitches.

Yeah, I can't find the data, and their note was vague about how down it was, but it is fairly normal for velocity to be a bit down at this point. And really, Corbin has always been a soft tosser. It is about slider and keeping the ball down in the zone. Again, we have not seen enough from him so far to know anything....but I have a gut feeling based on what he is saying, what Martinez saying, and these early results, that he is committed to at least attempting to stick to the things that used to make him great, even if those things only make him average now. And as someone who just traded for him (took him on as a "bad" last year contract to get a good prospect, because I think/hope he can actually earn his salary), I'd be happy with average (mediocre era, subpar whip evened out by a lot of innings and ks).

[pitbull]

There's a short blurb on Rotoworld, or whatever they call it now, that his velocity was actually down a tick and he had only 4 swing and misses on 57 pitches.

Wasn't his average velocity the highest in his career last year? Rotowire shows his fastball at 92.5 last season and that shows the highest since he started in 2012.

[harmon]

Wasn't his average velocity the highest in his career last year? Rotowire shows his fastball at 92.5 last season and that shows the highest since he started in 2012.

I recall it was down early in the year by at least a couple of MPH and he was getting blasted. I think it gradually picked up as the year went along but for the most part he still sucked.