Brad Lidge Once Taught Me Our Souls Can Be Taken Away

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The Washington Nationals came to a one-year deal with right-handed reliever Brad Lidge on Thursday afternoon. Lidge was 0-2 with a 1.40 ERA in 25 appearances for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2011. He spent four years with that filthy organization so he will have to be put through decontamination. Nats Press Release:

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms with right-handed relief pitcher Brad Lidge on a one-year contract. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

One of the game’s most accomplished active relievers, Lidge is 26-31 with 67 holds, 223 saves and a 3.44 ERA (227 ER/594.0 IP) in 592 career games/one start. In 10 seasons with the Phillies (2008-11) and Astros (2002-07), Lidge has fanned over 31 percent of all batters faced and his strikeout rate of 12.0 per 9.0 innings is the highest all-time among pitchers to throw at least 500 big league innings.

I hope this isn’t the Nationals trying to prove the trickle down theory by taking yet another former Phillies player, but damn if they don’t need bullpen help. The NQ has been wondering when Mike Rizzo was going to pay attention to a pen that really only has Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen as the only reliable options. Lidge will work better than most.

Of course, like myself, most remember Lidge from that infamous 2005 NLCS game where he gave up 3-run home run to Albert Pujols in Game 5. I had never seen a man’s soul taken away from him up until that point and it was crushing. He finally recovered years later, but that was after visiting with several witch doctors and bathing himself in magic salts for two years.

Welcome to the fold, Lidge.

Sorry the NQ didn’t jump all over this until this morning. Yesterday, just as the news broke an old family friend came stomping up the mountain by the name of Burl Logan. Burl came bearing five pounds of hamburger meat and a sixer of Steel Reserve. You can imagine the type of night we had here at the Lodge.

“Wild, dangerous and mythical,” is what Rolling Stone called it.

Nationals Deliver Their State of the Gio Address

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The Washington Nationals introduced pitcher Gio Gonzalez on Wednesday afternoon during a 3:30pm presser that featured Bob Carpenter warming up the media with wit and humor, an ageless Mike Rizzo and of course, the man of the hour, Gio or as I like to call him “Gio Suave.”

Man, that kid is suave. Good looking, rich, impeccable manners…dangerous on the mound– the freaking James Bond of the Nationals rotation.

Washington, hide your women!!!

Looking darn good in those red threads, Gio. Welcome to Washington.

Cat Scratched

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Usually Washington D.C. is very accepting of Panthera tigris or the common household “tiger.” This is most in part to the National Zoo having a litter of them this past year, but if the Zoo was any smart they’d put security on those kit-cats because there might be a contingent of Nationals fans wanting to drown the little buggers in their own wadding pool.

The Prince Fielder Sweeptakes officially reached their conclusion Tuesday afternoon as Fielder Scott Boras was wooed by a surprise mystery team in the Detroit Tigers who signed the free agent slugger to a monstrous nine-year, $214 million deal.

The NQ called it. Kind of. We said Fielder would be a Texas Ranger if it came down to it and Texas is kind of close to Detroit.

Sweet Jesus, nine years at $214 million? Thanks, but no thanks. I’m sort of relieved that Detroit sunk their money into that ship and not the Nats, but that is easy to say. Because what now for the Nationals? With the Miami Marlins strengthening and the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies always powerful it is looking like the Nationals are going to have to play way over their heads now to even think of kissing the postseason. It is still completely possible without Fielder, make no mistake, but it won’t be any easier without a true slugging threat in that line up. Basically what the Nationals have right now is the 2011 Washington Nationals plus Gio Gonzalez and Mark DeRosa– that is not going to get it done.

I’m also willing to bet now Bryce Harper will have his clock started and be in the Opening Day line up. The Nationals will need to put butts in the seats somehow. The Yankees will thank Detroit later for that. And now the pressure has been put most extreme on Michael Morse to duplicate his 2011 season as he is now “the big bat” and he will probably be spending time at first base at some point in 2012 with Adam LaRoche. If he can’t do it then the Nationals line up will be a total mess.

Poor Adam LaRoche. He will be playing with the complete knowledge that the team was trying to go over his head and replace him (while he was still on the team) and the fans are going to eat him alive after every bad swing or strikeout. As I said a few days ago, LaRoche is the loneliest Washington National in the world.

So it is over and the Nationals once again failed to get their man. Can’t totally blame them. That price was outrageous and they were right to pass. But that hardly fills the void that the Nationals are once again a team with too many questions and not enough answers and a team that will be fielding basically the same line up as 2011 who couldn’t hit a lick.

I am looking forward to the official team spin on this one and I am sure “fair market value” will be included in the statement. But for now LaRoche Tebows and the search for a mystical center fielder who can lead-off, hit, have great athleticism and actually wants to play for a third or fourth place team is on.

It is sort of like watching Smokey and the Bandit, but the Nationals and GM Mike Rizzo aren’t the Bandit anymore.

They are Jackie Gleason.

Zimmerman Winks at Nats Seductively as He Slips Them His Numbers

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My God, the Nationals Twitterverse is like a Salvador Dali painting right now. It is almost surrealistic, dripping with rumor, speculation and the Princess Bride. Oh yeah, and Prince Fielder.

But among all the insanity there is solid news and the big Nats story today was All-Star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman has exchanged numbers with the Nationals. For the first time Zimmerman has slipped some numbers across the table to the Nationals to make it known what he would accept in terms of an extension with the team. Zimmerman becomes a free agent at the end of 2013.

It is unknown what Zimmerman’s demands are but if they aren’t met Zimmerman has swore to continue the blockade of Charleston and would turn his armada’s cannons on the city itself. However, conversations are…

No, wait. Zimmerman isn’t blockading Charleston. That was Blackbeard. Sorry. But no one knows what Zimmerman demanded. Conversations are fluid and a deal is “within reach” says sources. Fluid conversations. Now that could get ugly.

The last time I had a fluid conversation it ended up on my shoes and the bar room floor and no one would dance with me.

Adam LaRoche Has Hardware Now

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Lost in the dreams of a power-hitting, game-changing first baseman amidst the Prince Fielder rumors is Adam LaRoche. Yeah, he is still around and yes, currently he is the Washington Nationals 2012 first baseman whether you like it or not. It has to suck for the guy because he seems to be a guy trapped in a baseball team void.

He is a Washington National, but with all the recent Fielder rumors flying you have to think the guy gets the sense that he really has no place in D.C. What is going to make it worse is if the Nationals can’t reel Fielder in. Then he’ll be playing on a team that he knows was trying to replace him in the off season and every time he strikes out or fails to make a big play he will feel the eyes rolling in the stands and the murmurs of “If Prince was here…”

Yes, LaRoche is virtually in a no-man’s land right now and it is sad because he is actually a pretty good guy. However, LaRoche has one thing on his resume that Fielder does not: LaRoche has won not one, but two Golden Moose– or Mooses or Moosees or whatever the plural of the animal is.

LaRoche’s side sport and deer hunting group “Buck Commander” won two Golden Moose Awards for Best Sound Design and Best Graphics from the Outdoor Channel this past week. Congrats to LaRoche and the BC Crew. Photo comes from the BC Facebook page.

I like LaRoche. I really do, even though he might not be the best fit for the team right now. Good guy, good father, good hunter and he probably has like six 20-pointers on the wall in his den. I bet all Prince Fielder has on his wall is a Milwaukee’s Best neon sign.

Psssh.

Ryan Langerhans Was the Best Thing to Happen to Michael Morse

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In 2009 the Washington Nationals made a seemingly aimless trade that sent outfielder Ryan Langerhans to Seattle and a guy named Mike Morse to Washington. Nearly three years later (and a rechristening to “Michael Morse”) the powerful outfielder/first baseman has become a D.C. favorite, a MLB Cinderella and late Friday afternoon he got a two-year extension from the Nationals.

Thank you, Ryan Langerhans. Nats Press Release:

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms with outfielder/first baseman Michael Morse on a multi-year contract extension, thus avoiding salary arbitration. This contract was agreed upon prior to arbitration figures being exchanged and was contingent upon a since-completed physical. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Morse, 29, is a career .296 (338-for-1140) hitter with 69 doubles, 52 home runs and 183 RBI in 383 games spanning seven big league seasons with Washington and Seattle.

The deal is for two-years says Bill Ladson off Twitter. The Nationals obviously want to invest in their diamond in the rough, but not invest too much considering no one truly knows if 2011 was a complete fluke year where he hit .303 and 31 home runs. Two years sounds about right and better yet sounds safe. He earned this extended look.

Of course, if he looks like he is going to bottom out, the deal makes him easier to trade too. You gotta keep that in mind and have all the angles. This extension has some sweating about the possibility the Nationals can’t sign Prince Fielder now. Trust me on this, Nats fans:

The Nationals might shoot themselves in the foot in the Fielder proceedings, but it won’t be over Michael freaking Morse.

Curly W Sighting: Guy Advertising Freaker Beer Sweaters

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Knowing that there are some of you out there who have a fetish for seeking out Washington Nationals hats, jerseys and logos anywhere you can, I present to you a new one you might not have on your list yet.

I have no idea why, but I was cruising the Freaker USA website, a site of a North Carolina based company that specializes in hipster beer sweaters for, well, your beer bottle. They claim they keep your beer cold while warming your hands. I have no idea if these claims are correct (I will have to get one to try it out) and putting your bottle in a sweater seems like a ton of work, but the products look fun, the company looks fun so I was attracted to their online videos.

In one of them appears this bearded guy holding a sign that says, “Christmas?” and wearing a Nationals hat outside of the White House. You can view the full video:

HERE.

Beer sweaters…what a stupid, but glorious idea. Actually, there are a couple of these sweaters I really like. I will have to get my staff to buy me a few and try them out.

Hey, I am comfortable with my hipsterism and I want my beer to be comfortable too.

UPDATE: Small world. I found out I went to college with the Nats fan pictured above. His name is Duncan, he lives in D.C. now and he is a hell of a photographer. He is also a Nats fan and loves America. Check out his portfolios here.

Nats Talk Zimmerman Extension… OMG, ALL HOPE IS LOST FOR PRINCE FIELDER!

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I am not sure if I have been given clearance to believe this or not, but I am going to go with it anyway–

“The Rocket” Bill Ladson reports that the Nationals and All-Star, Gold Glover third baseman Ryan Zimmerman have been in talks about a contract extension. Two sources tell Ladson that the Nationals and Zimmerman’s agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, have had discussions, but it is unknown what the atmosphere in those discussions were like.

Zimmerman, Van Wagenen and General Manager Mike Rizzo were not available for comment which is just so hunky-dory for them.

Hooray! Finally! Zimmerman contract extension talks. This news should have been more than enough to light a powder keg of pixie dust, bunny rabbits, sweet sex and good cheer over Natstown– BUT– no. It seems a good portion of the fan base see Zimmerman extension talks taking place at this time is a sure sign of the End of Days on the Nationals pursuing free agent first baseman Prince Fielder– meaning they believe the Nats have signaled they WILL NOT be signing Prince Fielder.

………..?

I just don’t know where people come up with this stuff. I mean, I am a crabby, pessimistic, (attractive) jerk-off with a blog, but not even I put two-and-two together like this. Where is this coming from? Why do people suddenly believe this?

First off, they are only talking. Talking. That means nothing. It doesn’t mean Ryan Zimmerman will be getting an extension tomorrow or next week or three months from now. They have nearly two years to get an extension done. People argue that dragging it out this long will have bad effects on Zimmerman. If you have Zimmerman saying things like this:

“I said from the beginning that I want to be here my entire career,” Zimmerman said. “It’s a place where I’ve obviously grown up. I’ve learned a lot of things here. I’ve had a lot of great memories here. I’ve been here through the times when it wasn’t nice to be a National, when people didn’t want to come to D.C. Now, I’m here [when] we are starting to become a viable team and people are starting to consider coming here every year.

 

“I want to be here when we go from a team that makes the playoffs … to ultimately winning a world championship. … [I want to be] in the middle of the field with a World Series trophy, which is my ultimate goal.”

…then I don’t think you have to worry too much. They’ll get it done in their own time. It will run its course to the benefit of him and the team. Unless you truly believe a Zimmerman extension is coming in the next month or so, I don’t see how this would scare the Nationals off of Fielder.

Personally, I think it is nervous jitters. It is understandable. This team has never been so close to the prize and unfortunately the fan base is used to disappointment. People are waiting on the conclusion of this off season drama and are expecting the worst to fall upon them and the team at anytime.

It is sort of like that guy in the movie Highlander where he thought he was the toughest sh*t in the world with paper clips in his neck but then he falls through a window and gets his head sliced off by a Scotsman.

I hate it when that happens.

Could the Nationals Throw in With the Mets During Spring Training?

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This little tip off came from Rich The Mets Fan down in Florida…

The New York Mets are in a mad rush to put the finishing touches on some upgrades to their Spring Training facility, Digital Domain Park, in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Seat upgrades are being added, concrete is being poured and everything seems on schedule despite they are pulling the trigger on all this pretty close to their March 5th opening, but things are expected to be done. They’ve also recently signed on to stay at DDP until 2023, extending their lease from 2018 thanks to the $2.5 million renovations.

What does this all mean?

Nothing really, except it seems the Mets have approached two teams to see if they would be interested in moving in with the Mets at Port St. Lucie. With stadium upgrades finishing, you might as well go fishing while the waters are still warm. While it is unknown which two teams the Mets approached, it isn’t that hard to deduce that the Nationals are probably one of them since Washington is also in the process of looking for new Spring Training digs and are the lynchpin keeping Grapefruit League baseball alive on Florida’s eastern coast.

Could it work? Of course it could. Benefits are the cost would be much lower than trying to get a new ST facility built somewhere, travel time for the team to other opponents would be cut down, the Nationals would have a constant opponent for their Major League team and minor league camp and it would keep the Nationals on the East Coast, in Florida and in the Grapefruit League.

Having my ass thrown out of Digital Domain Park before, it is a nice park, but has some sketchy parking and fans lose a little bit of accessibility to the players with how the Park is built. It is a giant, concrete super structure, sort of like The Diamond in Richmond, but not as drab. It isn’t perfect and it is the Mets, but they could do worse. The Nationals need to seriously keep their Spring Training in Florida and not do something as stupid as alienate your fan base from the team by moving them out to some hole in the middle of the desert on the West Coast.

For now 2012 Nationals Spring Training will be in Viera. If the Nats and Mets do decide to go in on such a venture they would have to announce something by mid-summer at the latest in order for the logistics of such an alliance to work the following season so there is plenty of time to make something like this work.

A partnership between the Mets and the Nats. Lordy! Never thought it would ever be feasible. It is like inviting a torch to a AA-Meeting for barrels of leaking oil and gasoline.