Comments on: Flores on Fire http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/ Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:30:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Mike http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1138 Mike Thu, 15 May 2008 19:00:56 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1138 Speaking of Flores.... 1-1 today with two walks, and he just scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 8th inning. I was really getting worried that the Nats were going to become the Mets' first no-hit victim ever until Boone got that single in the top of the seventh. Speaking of Flores….

1-1 today with two walks, and he just scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 8th inning.

I was really getting worried that the Nats were going to become the Mets’ first no-hit victim ever until Boone got that single in the top of the seventh.

]]> By: Mike http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1137 Mike Thu, 15 May 2008 17:41:31 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1137 Those are good points you raise in your first paragraph Dave. The flip side could be that it's good to have Corrales working with him everyday, and I can imagine that it's probably a good learning experience to be in on the daily pitcher/catcher meetings with St. Claire and the staff. Those are good points you raise in your first paragraph Dave. The flip side could be that it’s good to have Corrales working with him everyday, and I can imagine that it’s probably a good learning experience to be in on the daily pitcher/catcher meetings with St. Claire and the staff.

]]> By: Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1135 Dave at Bottomfeeder Baseball Thu, 15 May 2008 17:05:53 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1135 the ONLY defense i can bring for the team leaving Flores in the minors is the time-honored feeling that it takes catchers a longer time to develop than positional players. catchers have a LOT of responsibility back there. they're with the pitcher in being the only players invovled in EVERY PLAY, and with that, there are alot of situations that catchers have to see and experience so they know how to handle it in the bigs. that being said, it's hard to watch a guy that had some success last year start off in the minors, while a douchebag (pardon my French) and malcontent waste at bats in the bigs. LoDuca and Estrada are both past their expiration date as big league players, and it's pretty obvious by now why JimBow was the only GM to extend contracts to either one in the off-season. the ONLY defense i can bring for the team leaving Flores in the minors is the time-honored feeling that it takes catchers a longer time to develop than positional players. catchers have a LOT of responsibility back there. they’re with the pitcher in being the only players invovled in EVERY PLAY, and with that, there are alot of situations that catchers have to see and experience so they know how to handle it in the bigs.

that being said, it’s hard to watch a guy that had some success last year start off in the minors, while a douchebag (pardon my French) and malcontent waste at bats in the bigs. LoDuca and Estrada are both past their expiration date as big league players, and it’s pretty obvious by now why JimBow was the only GM to extend contracts to either one in the off-season.

]]> By: Lindsey http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1132 Lindsey Thu, 15 May 2008 16:47:08 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1132 I also agree with all of the above. It's time the Nats just realize they made a 6.5 million dollar mistake and leave it at that. Let's face it, Lo Duca is a has been. I'm ecstatic that I no longer have to watch him lay out the red carpet for runners stealing bases and barely covering home when he has the chance to get someone out at the plate. Yesterday's antics with the radio station just put me over the edge. I'm also tired of the double standard with Milledge and Flores. Flores plays a much better game than Milledge and we all know that he'd still be in Columbus if our other two "catchers" hadn't gone to the DL. On the bright side, I was somewhat impressed with Dukes yesterday. He certainly seemed a lot more comfortable out there than Milledge does. I also agree with all of the above. It’s time the Nats just realize they made a 6.5 million dollar mistake and leave it at that. Let’s face it, Lo Duca is a has been. I’m ecstatic that I no longer have to watch him lay out the red carpet for runners stealing bases and barely covering home when he has the chance to get someone out at the plate. Yesterday’s antics with the radio station just put me over the edge.

I’m also tired of the double standard with Milledge and Flores. Flores plays a much better game than Milledge and we all know that he’d still be in Columbus if our other two “catchers” hadn’t gone to the DL.

On the bright side, I was somewhat impressed with Dukes yesterday. He certainly seemed a lot more comfortable out there than Milledge does.

]]> By: Mike http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1130 Mike Thu, 15 May 2008 15:26:13 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1130 I thought Dukes looked pretty good in centerfield, too. There was one play where he went pretty far over to his left(towards rightfield, so it's probably one of those times you're referencing Stephanie) that I thought showed a lot of range. He didn't scare me last night near as bad as Lastings does out there. Thanks for looking up the Wright numbers versus Ayala. That's a pretty solid reason, and at least it was only for one batter. I still am worried that they are overworking him, though. I thought Dukes looked pretty good in centerfield, too. There was one play where he went pretty far over to his left(towards rightfield, so it’s probably one of those times you’re referencing Stephanie) that I thought showed a lot of range. He didn’t scare me last night near as bad as Lastings does out there.

Thanks for looking up the Wright numbers versus Ayala. That’s a pretty solid reason, and at least it was only for one batter. I still am worried that they are overworking him, though.

]]> By: Rob http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1129 Rob Thu, 15 May 2008 14:51:12 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1129 Great point about the hypocrisy of the 'learning' situation. Chris broke it down on Capitol P, and it basically amounts to wanting Flores to save as much of his MLB playing time as possible before becoming a free agent, so in theory, he will be playing regularly when we are supposed to be contending in 2010, or whatever the latest time-frame is. (This also has the convenient side-effect of saving money for the Lerners, as they will get all-star performance from a rookie contract) My problem with this strategy is that is just sounds like throwing in the towel and saying 'wait till next year'. I thought we did that last season with all the rebuilding, farm system, and 'historically bad' talk. Just because you're predicted to finish dead last doesn't mean you can't be competitive in your division (see Rays, Tampa Bay) Great point about the hypocrisy of the ‘learning’ situation. Chris broke it down on Capitol P, and it basically amounts to wanting Flores to save as much of his MLB playing time as possible before becoming a free agent, so in theory, he will be playing regularly when we are supposed to be contending in 2010, or whatever the latest time-frame is. (This also has the convenient side-effect of saving money for the Lerners, as they will get all-star performance from a rookie contract)
My problem with this strategy is that is just sounds like throwing in the towel and saying ‘wait till next year’. I thought we did that last season with all the rebuilding, farm system, and ‘historically bad’ talk. Just because you’re predicted to finish dead last doesn’t mean you can’t be competitive in your division (see Rays, Tampa Bay)

]]> By: Kristen http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1128 Kristen Thu, 15 May 2008 14:30:26 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1128 I'm with all of you on this. I think Flores has lots of fans in DC and Lo Duca has yet to make a good impression. I would like to see the Front Office eat the 6.5 million and keep Flores as the everyday catcher. If he continues to play like this, I think they'll have no choice. Especially given the hypocrisy of saying Milledge is just "learning" in the major leagues but Flores should "learn" in AAA. On Ayala, I looked it up real quick. Wright is .250 career against Ayala in 12 at bats. Wright, however, is hitting .500 off of Rauch - also in 12 at bats. Wright is pretty clutch, so I think Manny made the right move. Hopefully all that work with St. Claire gets Ayala back on track. I’m with all of you on this. I think Flores has lots of fans in DC and Lo Duca has yet to make a good impression. I would like to see the Front Office eat the 6.5 million and keep Flores as the everyday catcher. If he continues to play like this, I think they’ll have no choice. Especially given the hypocrisy of saying Milledge is just “learning” in the major leagues but Flores should “learn” in AAA.

On Ayala, I looked it up real quick. Wright is .250 career against Ayala in 12 at bats. Wright, however, is hitting .500 off of Rauch - also in 12 at bats. Wright is pretty clutch, so I think Manny made the right move. Hopefully all that work with St. Claire gets Ayala back on track.

]]> By: Rob http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1127 Rob Thu, 15 May 2008 14:19:03 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1127 Flores was our best catcher LAST year. No disrespect to Schneider, but the kid is better all-around. It's not a question of when he goes to an all-star game, but how many times he goes. He is special, and it will be fun to see him develop over the next few years. I don't understand why it's taken this long for him to get this exposure; all we do is win when he plays. It will be a shame if they send him back to AAA. I don't know how JimBo and company are going to handle this one, what with $6.5 MILLION sitting on the DL in LoDuca and Estrada. However the decisions get made in our front office, they can't keep going back to the Kearns/Lopez deal to prove their 'expertise.' That ship went over the horizon long ago....... Flores was our best catcher LAST year. No disrespect to Schneider, but the kid is better all-around. It’s not a question of when he goes to an all-star game, but how many times he goes. He is special, and it will be fun to see him develop over the next few years. I don’t understand why it’s taken this long for him to get this exposure; all we do is win when he plays.

It will be a shame if they send him back to AAA. I don’t know how JimBo and company are going to handle this one, what with $6.5 MILLION sitting on the DL in LoDuca and Estrada. However the decisions get made in our front office, they can’t keep going back to the Kearns/Lopez deal to prove their ‘expertise.’ That ship went over the horizon long ago…….

]]> By: Stephanie http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1126 Stephanie Thu, 15 May 2008 13:50:04 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1126 Personally, I am so over Paul Lo Duca. What kind of a guy calls into a radio show on his own without any invitation to bash his own team? Personality aside, his level of play didn't impress me very much either during the beginning of the season. As I watched Flores slide into home last night, I thought to myself, I don't think Lo Duca could do that. I hope we do see Flores and Nieves for the rest of the season. After our outfield discussion yesterday, I was pretty impressed with Dukes in center. He seemed like a natural. He got some good jumps and made some nice plays. He even called off Kearns a few times, something we don't normally see Milledge do. I'd like to see him play more in center. I'd like to see him start hitting also! Personally, I am so over Paul Lo Duca. What kind of a guy calls into a radio show on his own without any invitation to bash his own team? Personality aside, his level of play didn’t impress me very much either during the beginning of the season. As I watched Flores slide into home last night, I thought to myself, I don’t think Lo Duca could do that. I hope we do see Flores and Nieves for the rest of the season.

After our outfield discussion yesterday, I was pretty impressed with Dukes in center. He seemed like a natural. He got some good jumps and made some nice plays. He even called off Kearns a few times, something we don’t normally see Milledge do. I’d like to see him play more in center. I’d like to see him start hitting also!

]]> By: Mike http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1125 Mike Thu, 15 May 2008 13:24:10 +0000 http://wevegotheart.com/2008/05/15/flores-on-fire/#comment-1125 I mentioned this the other day when Lo Duca went on the DL, but I'd really much prefer to see Flores and Nieves the rest of the season. I hate to speak bad about anyone on the team, but Lo Duca's perfomance on WFAN the other day only cements my feeling on this. Was anyone else a little surprised to see Ayala yet again last night, even if it was only for one out? Sutton seemed to think that Manny was trying to get him into the game to reward him for working so hard with St. Claire to make some adjustments. Also, after the talk about defense yesterday, what did everyone think about Dukes in centerfield? I mentioned this the other day when Lo Duca went on the DL, but I’d really much prefer to see Flores and Nieves the rest of the season. I hate to speak bad about anyone on the team, but Lo Duca’s perfomance on WFAN the other day only cements my feeling on this.

Was anyone else a little surprised to see Ayala yet again last night, even if it was only for one out? Sutton seemed to think that Manny was trying to get him into the game to reward him for working so hard with St. Claire to make some adjustments.

Also, after the talk about defense yesterday, what did everyone think about Dukes in centerfield?

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