As the Mets kickoff a three-game series versus the Nationals at CitiField tonight, I did a quick Q&A with Ed Chigliak from Federal Baseball: 
Brandon Eddy: After starting the season 1-10, which included blowing three straight games last weekend, Nationals management didn’t waste time by shaking up the bullpen on Monday. Do you see the trio of Garrett Mock, Kip Wells and Jason Bergmann stabilizing the bullpen for the long or short term? And what kind of message do you think it sent through the clubhouse?
Ed from Federal Baseball: I’ve been arguing for Jason Bergmann moving into the bullpen for some time now. In his first Spring Training working strictly in relief, Bergmann threw 11.1 innings without allowing an earned run, and the fact that he had an option remaining was cited as one of several reasons he was sent to Triple-A to start the season, so you can argue that he should have been here from the beginning.
“Acting” GM Mike Rizzo was with Arizona when the D-Backs drafted Garrett Mock in 2004, and Mr. Rizzo was the Nationals’ Assistant GM when Washington acquired him in a trade in ‘06. There’s talk that Mock’s being groomed as the next closer should Joel Hanrahan falter, so Mock and Bergmann could both play important roles the rest of the way. Kip Wells is 10 years removed from being a 1st Round pick, he’s bounced around and he’s one of those guys you sign and hope he still has something. He earned a job and a promotion so far, so who knows?
If the Nationals do trade Nick Johnson or one of their outfielders this season, it will be for pitching, but I think the biggest boost to the pitching might come from the Draft…if the Nationals can sign San Diego State University’s Stephen Strasburg. As for the message the bullpen moves sent, along with Lastings Milledge’s demotion, the Nationals have let the players know that there are other options in the organization, which hasn’t been the case until recently with this franchise.
Brandon Eddy: Despite a two-hour rain delay in his MLB debut, Jordan Zimmermann was impressive on Monday night. He worked out of trouble and stayed aggressive in his six innings of work. How important was that win, not only for Zimmermann, but for the team after their poor start to the season?
Ed from Federal Baseball: That two-hour wait to make his major league debut must have been excruciating for Jordan Zimmermann. DC’s “Acting” GM Mike Rizzo predicted early this spring that Zimmermann would make the rotation, and he was ranked as the top prospect in the organization by just about everyone who makes lists, so his debut generated a good deal of interest from the core of the fanbase and even registered in the baseball world more than most Nationals’ debuts.
I see Zimmermann’s rise as a sign that the work the Nationals have done to replenish the system is finally paying off. The fact that he went toe to toe with Derek Lowe and earned the win was impressive, and the fact that Zimmermann’s win is one of only 3 the Nationals have so far, with 22-year-old Shairon Martis having won the other two, is one of the few positives to point to early.
Brandon Eddy: My last question is in regards to Ryan Zimmerman’s contract extension. Would you agree or disagree that the Nationals potentially got a discount on Zimmerman? Nine million a season is definitely nothing to sneeze at, but if he reaches his offensive potential in 2009 and beyond, his price tag could have gone much higher when he hit free agency. Please break down the deal in a positive and negative view.
Ed from Federal Baseball: I think it’s tough to judge Ryan Zimmerman’s worth since he’s succeeded on a losing team in what’s generally been considered an inferior lineup. The comparisons I always hear are Dustin Pedroia (25yo, 6-years/$40.5M), and Ryan Braun (25yo, 8-years/$45.0M). Zimmerman, (24yo, 6-years/$45.0M) is a year younger, and has more MLB experience than either Pedroia or Braun, so I think Zimmerman got about what the market dictated, (though Pedroia has won a World Series and an AL MVP Award, and Braun has put up far better power numbers).
I think Zimmerman enjoys his position as the cornerstone and face of the Nationals’ franchise, and the Nationals have marketed him as such, so as they continue to struggle this was an important move to make to show the fanbase they’re serious about building around their young stars. Zimmerman may have been able to get more in a few years, but it’s impressive that he got $45 million now when there’s not a lot of money being handed out.
As for a negative view of the deal, with the Dunn signing, and now Zimmerman, the Nationals have spent a lot of money just months before they’re going to have to try to sign a #1 pick, and the #10 pick. They better keep the checkbook open.
Brandon Eddy: Great stuff. Thanks Ed!
{ 93 comments }
Ed Coleman just ripped the Mets a new one on the radio…..
deservedly so. what did he say?
This team defies analysis….
Pujols stole two bases in two days….the Mets entire team has 6 for the season….
Duncan (pitching coach in St Louis) may be the only person alive who can fix OP……
etc
Hahaha…who “can fix OP”. I love it. What a disaster. I agreed with his re-signing, but now i wish he would just resign.
i too was something of an avid proponent of the resigning of ollie, and now i’m experiencing feelings of shame and remorse. he’s so quirky and aloof, i think in a way i feel bad for him. when he’s effectively wild and skipping over the foul line, it’s a real show. it’s even entertaining watching him take a few cuts two or three times a game. it’s too bad he s-u-c-k-s
You shouldnt feel too bad for the guy, i mean he dioes make 12 mil a season.
There’s no way I’ll ever feel bad for Perez. He is a scam artist.
Okay, totally off the wall, but I just went and ran some sim-games between the 06 Mets and the 09 Mets. The 06 team won the majority of the games (as you’d expect), but the underlying reason seemed to be the difference the catchers. Lo Duca continually produced in the sim-games, and Castro/Schneider were not producing. Very interesting considering the season Lo Duca had that year. He had a very solid average, great two hole attributes, and power (not with homers, but in the form of doubles). I realize are current problems are the rotation, but really this rotation is better than that rotation. Situational hitting? If you recall, Lo Duca did it…
our* current problems (oops, that was lame…lol)
well, I think it’s clear that Castro and Schneider needs some roids stat
LOL…fair point.
So in a matchup of Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Delgado, and LoDuca vs. Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Delgado, and Schneider/Castro….the main difference is LoDuca vs. Schneider/Castro?
Wow, that is brilliant!
You don’t think that the year has anything to do with it either? Hmmmm…I guess Wright of 06 = Wright of 09 and Griffey of 95 = Griffey of 09. You may be better served hiding your head under a rock rather than opening your mouth…
how are you going to compare a 14 year gap toa 3 year gap. And Wirght is still 26.
Okay, you don’t like the spacing of my example? Delgado of 06 to Delgado of 07. The point is that the season makes a HUGE difference, regardless of age. While Wright may be a poor example because he is so consistent, age isn’t the reason for that. Look at Tulowitzki… there’s lots of examples.
Delago and tolu were both hurt. Next Example?
Now Delgado’s issue was injury? He claimed he wasn’t hurt. But…Andruw Jones, Barry Zito, Carlos Baerga, Cecil Fielder, Kevin Mitchell, Travis Hafner, … this is too easy. Next convo please.
Barry Zito, Carlos Baerga, Cecil Fielder, Kevin Mitchell, Travis Hafner, … this is too easy. Next convo please.
Baerga, Juiced, Fielder Juiced, Andruw Jones Juiced, Hafner Injuries, he missed 100 games last season
Dude just ZIP it, Your embarrasing yourself
It’s a 3-year difference. All 4 players I listed are performing at the same level, including Delgado whose 2008 stats mirror his 2006 numbers.
I think it has more to do with leadership, especially as provided by Valentin and Floyd in addition to LoDuca.
So back to the original point, does a simulator factor in leadership and heart?
It could also be that our starting pitching was average but very consistant 1-4.
So does that factor in that Loduca needed a relay man to throw to 2B?
Yes. It apparently also figures in that Schneider couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat.
True.
Lo Duca was awesome for the team that year.
I was never a huge Lo Duca fan and when we traded for him I was a little disappointed that that’s what we ended up with behind the plate, but that season I became a fan as he continued to come up with big hit after big hit for us.
I felt the same way when we got him. I wish we had someone like Russell Martin to put in that 2-hole.
DId he retire?
Not before doing the obligatory tour of Kansas City, Florida, and Washington on the way out.
Yeah, he’s gone. He’s done now anyway. I just can’t help but think what could have been had Heilman not surrendered a homer to an overweight, no good-for nothing Cardinal… (not that I’m bitter).
it still hurts, that was our year
Yeah, but Mota didn’t throw the changeup, either…..
Molina is actually one of the best catchers in the game…but yeah, we all do.
yeh, him and his .216 BA that year
questions that didn’t make the cut:
Brandon Eddy: Why is it, in your estimation, that the Natinals suck?
Brandon Eddy: Is there any truth to the rumor that the Nats are going to go wtih an alternate uni, marketed by MLB. It’ll be similar to their current home jersey, but will read “N – A – T – I – N – A – L – S” on the front.
i dont think NATS fans would even notice
If I hear one more DWright sound bite I’m gonna puke.
Can we bring in Billy Wagner to give all the post game interviews ?.
Yeah right after he comes back and starts blowing games.
Shocker
two in the —-, one in the —–
I don’t understand how people can say this team has no heart or desire to win (something that can’t be measured), but at the same time can’t see that Billy Wagner is totally full of BS.
Agreed, can you find A team mate that really likes him? Has he ever left a team on good terms? I am guessing all of his little league team members still have him at the top of their hit list.
its because met fans live for a sound bite….they want their players to feel like they feel as fans w/o realizing it will never happen. Players dont hold on to half the emotional garbage the fans live with and obsess over. A baseball player is an athlete that has a job to do. While it bothers some met players about the last 3 years..im sure they dont bring that emotional crap to the plate with them. If they dont come thru and dont throw a temper tantrum..they have no heart.
dirty,
If i made millions i would forget quickly as well
but unfortunatly most of us dont make millions……does that mean that fans should expect the met players to feel the way they feel…..and if they dont, they have no heart?
Not at all. We fans are just too critical
See below, as I said I did not see any HEART or FIRE at the single A minor league game. I don’t see any heart or fire when I watch the local HS teams play either. I see some people get pissed off but I see Mets players do that.
These guys are taught what to say to the media. Why do we even listen to them and if we are going to why does it matter what they say. They are like politicians.
TRS, i agree, i mean we dont know what goes down in the clubhouse, whose yelling at who, whose throwing what, we just go by what we hear and see, and since like you said they are told how to act in public, that really doesnt say much
I feel like I am teaching my kids now but yes that is completely true. EVERYTHING in the media is a form of propaganda. It’s like saying you are going to give free health care but then do not tell them where the money is coming from or the end result of it. You tell part truths so you can get your agenda across and get he questions to stop.
I still can’t figure out what heart is on the baseball field. I went to watch a local single A team play last night. They are in the Rangers organization (side note as they are supposed to have one of the best systems). I watched a very good game but yet did not see any FIRE. Is fire gritting your teeth harder? Breaking a bat when you get an out? Crying? Stomping? Fighting? Other examples of a kid in little league?
as a poster posted a few days ago and i think its the best definition on heart
Heart=win
If they win, they have heart. If they lose, they have no heart. Thats pretty much it….i think that definition covers it
Agreed, I really can’t stand it.
In football and basketball heart are big things. In baseball they really don’t make much difference at all.
In football if you want it more than the other guy then you push him out of the way. In basketball if you want it more then you go get that lose ball. In baseball you uh…. run over the catcher?
I think heart is more about losing and taking it “to heart”, as opposed to having one guy give all the interviews with the politically correct language.
I wanna see a Mets player tell Burkhart to go away, and slam the clubhouse door right behind him, then I want Burkhart to report that he could hear screaming and banging going on…….
Then, the following day the various SNY reporters can talk about the cleanup crew and painters going in and out of the clubhouse all day.
Then, that evening, they can score 15 runs, 7 of them requiring SLIDES at home, and the other 6 via a pair of 3 run jacks.
Then they can go on a 12 – 3 tear……
Then I can stop taking these pills…..
So you want them to act like immature babbies?
Yes.
Any sign of life would be good.
I think the guy’s who are labled as having a lot of heart are the ones who typically have less talent and use other means to get by and be successful. And there is absolutely nothing wrog with that. Lets be honest, as fans, we love taht kind of stuff.
That said, at the end of the day in the big leagues you take TALENT over that other stuff any day of the week. Take a guy like Derek Jeter who has all these great intangibles, if he couldn’t play (i.e. if he weren’t talented) he is not held up in the same regard. That is just the way it is.
BTW, given this crew, the screaming and banging would probably be from a DVD their are watching…….
The painting would be to change the color of a wall perhaps to Orange and Blue.
Nevermind you are like the dang tinman from wizard of oz. LOL. You keep on searching for heart and we will keep looking for talented players.
Reminds me of the time I saw Garagiola on Carson many years ago. He said if a team has older players and wins, it’s because they have “experience.” If they lose it’s because they’re too old.
What you really want to puke? Stick your finger down your throat or down Billy’s. Don’t make all of us have to listen to Billy, PLEASE. Could there have been a more arogant person to interview?
We can always agree on that TRS, guy makes me so angry. I really dislike him.
He may be my most disliked player of this decade.
Guys….chill out.
I was only kidding.
Still we have a lot of venom right now. Why not take it out on Wagner instead of each other?
Good point.
Haha – that dude just really pisses me off. He talks a real good game though…
This team could use a little arrogance about now…
Not saying it should be in the form of Billy Wagner.
Just saying….
Funny but I thought everyone was saying they already were too arrogant.
Mets havent been arrogant since the late 80s
I think you must be confusing arrogance with complacency.
I dunno about that. Some of those early 90 teams were pretty arrogant…they sucked, but they were arrogant.
It’s 1:00 PM……here comes the fat one to start his radio show.
Hopefully he’ll spend most of his day wetting himself over the Red Sox / Yankees……
Omar will be on with him sometime this afternoon.
Which means he will spend the first 3 hours killing the Mets and then kiss up to Omar for the 10 -15 minutes he is on only to go back and start spitting on the Mets again.
Yeap.
He won’t touch the Mets – he will be all over Yankees-Red sox all day. He will disregard the Mets as a “non-story” when the Yanks and Sox are resuming their battle for 2nd place.
I just posted this in another thread but I feel like its worthy of discussion…
What happened to Oliver Perez’s bow that he did from the windup? That seemed to work for him for a few starts..
Anyways this is my theory… Oliver Perez needs something new in his delivery every 4 games. It keeps his head on his mechanics and focused. So Warthen can come up with small changes that Perez can perform every few starts I think it will help his mind stay focused and confident. Sure its a gimmick but Oliver needs gimmick to keep is mind occupied.
I have a similar situation with my golf swing. When I find a new lesson that changes its position slightly I find my mind/body become more focused and I swing better. I may not be explaining the way I like but I think you guys get the idea.
You have to keep him always working on something new.
In other words, he should pitch in a garter belt like Nuke LaLoosh…to keep his mind slightly off what he’s doing.
You mean like a wedgie ?
whatever works.. but something new every few starts. Preferably something with his mechanics.. Cause it really does help focus your mind to your body a bit more..
I think I see what you are getting at, but the goal (which clearly hasn’t taken yet) is to ensure that he has the same delivery and arm angle each and every time so that it becomes second nature. Ollie, unfortunately, is just a head case. I hate to say it, but sometimes I get the impression taht a hamster is running around on a wheel upstairs. Hopefully something will click with him one day. I dunno.
But see thats the problem… He does have a hamster running a muck upstairs. It will never become second nature to him because of the way his mind works.. He has ADD with his muscle memory.. So it will never work.. He needs constant change
After further thought it might even benefit him to do something new every 4 innings..
I wonder if the guy does have ADD??? You would have to think that they would have checked this out already….right?
Inattention ADD Symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder:
Often fails to give close attention to details.
Often makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities.
You would hope.. but ADD drugs only help certain people. I have ADD and when I take adderall it makes the Hamster run faster.. So I have a feeling is something more complicated.
Yeah I guess we wont be able to come up with a diagnose on metsblog before his next start. Just going to have to rely on good old faith that, like I said, maybe somethig will click with him. There are always late bloomers.
Wagner is just a good ‘ol country boy that doesn’t mince words…..when he sucks, he says ” I suck “…….
There is something to be admired about the level of eloquence.
Disagree, he just cops out and points to others. I am a fellow VA guy and a country boy. I can’t stand him.
But even that “down home, folksey, tell it like it is” schtick is exactly that…a schtick. It plays well with the media, but couls you imagine if anyone else on the tea, threw teamates under the bus like he did last year. He’s the type of guy who wants to be a leader, and thinks he is a leader, but just isn’t. Like TRS said earlier, he left Philly with bad blood, and I think ultimately he will leave here the same way.
Fair enough……
So what you’re saying is that the Mets need Ross Perot?? :-)
I have one more suggestion for the mets…
Please buy a motion capture setup… When guys are swinging/pitching at their best put them in the suit and record the motion… Please!!!! Then when they are struggling repeating the motion or are doing something differently at the plate, Put them back in the suit and analyze the differences…
So easy and so informative…
GREAT idea.
*multiple
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