Rehabbing Nats- Day 2

Both Michael Morse and Rick Ankiel had great Double A stats today. Michael Morse went 2-3 with a HR, 2B and an RBI. Ankiel went 1-3 with a HR and 2 RBI. Both of these stats are promising because it shows that both the injuries these players were facing before are going, if not gone, away. Morse is hitting the bat well and his swings are looking like Morse from last year. Ankiel is seeing the ball well and is being patient at the plate. Both are good signs that these two guys will be with the Nats in this coming week.

John Lannan Requests Trade

    John Lannan has told Nationals GM Mike Rizzo that he would like to be traded according to an email he sent to the media, including Amanda Comak of The Washington Times. The left-hander was recently optioned to Triple-A despite his $5MM salary.

   "I believe that I belong in a big league rotation," said Lannan in an email according to Comak on Twitter. The club's fifth starter job went to Ross Detwiler in the wake of Chien-Ming Wang's hamstring injury. A number of teams expressed interest in acquiring Lannan last month, but Rizzo held on to him while insisting for fair value in return. The Nationals are under no obligation to satisfy his request

Cubs interested in John Lannan

 


   The Cubs have inquired about John Lannan this week, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The Cubs have talked to the Nationals about Lannan and another left-hander: pitcher Tom Gorzelanny. Marlon Byrd came up in discussions between the two teams, Wittenmyer reports.

   Lannan requested a trade after being optioned to the minor leagues earlier this week. GM Mike Rizzo said there's "mild" interest in the 27-year-old, but manager Davey Johnson said the Nationals are "not trading him."

   John Lannan is a good guy and has been with the Nationals for the REALLY bad times. He was the Opening Day pitcher for 2 years but let's be honest, he's not a great pitcher. Lannan posted a 3.70 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 184 2/3 innings last year. He's a good number 5 pitcher in an organization that doesn't have much pitching. The Nationals have a rotation with Strausburg, Gonzalez, Zimmerman, and Jackson. Those are 4 really good pitchers and Lannan doesn't fit the bill for the 5th man in the rotation. Wang is expected to be back in late April and he's a Cy Young runner up pitcher (he was a runner up in 2007 and 2008, losing by a few points) Lannan just doesn't fit with the Nationals anymore and until the team has an injury, Lannan will only pitch in Triple A. He’ll earn $5MM in 2012 and will remain under team control in 2013, so the Nationals don't have to trade him. The Nats will trade him if they can get something good in return and personally any trade that involves Gorzelanny going to another team is supported fully by me

Nats win Opening Day game against Cubs!

    Ian Desmond is in a tough spot. He could easily be replaced by Steve Lomardozzi or Danny Espinosa as starting shortstop. Davey Johnson wants Ian Desmond to be an on base, run producing leadoff man for the Nationals. He did exactly that today on Opening Day. 





   Desmond had three hits, and his RBI single in the ninth inning delivered the winning run as Washington defeated the Cubs, 2-1, at Wrigley Field. Stephen Strasburg pitched seven superb innings in his first-career Opening Day start, allowing a run on five hits and striking out five batters. The run scored in the fourth inning, when Ian Stewart scored on a single by Marlon Byrd.


  The Nationals were able to tie the score in the bottom of the eighth inning. With Kerry Wood on the mound after Ryan Dempster's exit with one on and two out, the Nationals loaded the bases. Werth came through for the Nationals, drawing a walk, and scoring Desmond. The score was tied at 1 when the Nationals rallied off Cubs closer Carlos Marmol. With two outs in the ninth, Chad Tracy doubled to right field. Desmond followed and singled to right field, scoring Brett Carroll, who pinch-ran for Tracy.


   Brade Lidge came out for the bottom of the ninth and gave up one hit and striking out two, earning his first Nationals save.




The Nationals take on the Cubs again Saturday afternoon at 1:05pm at Wrigley Field

Nationals Rehab Assignments- Michael Morse and Rick Ankiel

   If you ask anyone in the Nationals organization how important Michael Morse is in the Nationals current plans, they'll tell you. HES VERY IMPORTANT! Morse was acquired by the Nats in a trade with Seattle in June 2009 and his stats from 2009 and 2010 weren't terrific.

   However, that all changed in 2011 when Morse smashed 31 HRs, 95 RBI and a batting average of .303. Suddenly the Nationals found a big power bat in their lineup. Then he got injuried during Spring Training and didn't play. This years Nationals NEED that power because this is the first time the Nationals are actually contenders. With Morse currently "injured" it really created a whole in the Nats lineup. The Nationals had Mark DeRosa start in LF in today's opener and Morse started in LF in Double A Harrisbug.

  Rick Ankiel has a long history in baseball. He was originally a pitcher and made his debut in 1999 and pitched until 2001 and then randomly again in 2004. Ankiel lost his ability to throw strikes as a pitcher and converted to the outfield. The Cardinals had him as an outfielder for 2 years before he went to Kansas City for 6 months and then traded to Atlanta. Anyway, The Nats signed him in 201, hoping for him to turn into a great Center Fielder. Well, they were wrong. Ankiel got injured and 2011 wasn't a great season at all.

  So why does he factor into 2012? Well for one Ankiel is a great sport and a great clubhouse present. Two, he is willing to accept his role as a "poorer" Center Fielder. The problem is he's not great from an offensive standpoint. His defense is AVERAGE to ABOVE AVERAGE but not fantastic. The Nationals don't have a center fielder so Ankiel would fit in a platoon role with Roger "The Shark" Bernadina, who is equally as bad. With Ankiel injured in Spring Training as well, the Nats outfield looks pathetic. Until Bryce Harper comes up (which I'm guessing he'll be up on June 2nd) the Nats are going to settle for below average center fielders.

 So, how did Morse do in his first rehab game? Not terrific. He went 0-3 with 2 strikeouts.

 Did Rick Ankiel do any better? Not really. Ankiel went 0-2 with a walk and 2 strikeouts

  Now, these stats don't mean much but still they aren't impressive. The good news is Morse will be ready to come off the DL on Tuesday (April 10) in time for the Nats game against the Mets and Ankiel will be ready on April 13, in time for the Reds. Both these guys, especially Morse, are BIG for the Nationals. Having them in a game could be the difference between playing October baseball (the playoffs) or sitting at home, waiting for next year.