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Imagining The 2013 Nats and O’s Super-Roster [GUEST POST]
By Jamie Mottram | December 12, 2012
Here now with his guest post from winning the Cowboys game predictions is illformula, who’s sure to piss at least some (and probably most) of you off.
Let us briefly step away from the herd of RG3 injury coverage, put some of our differences aside, and revisit some of those posts/threads from this summer when both regional MLB teams were, um, actually successful for once. Anyone who frequents Mr. Irrelevant knows all too well the bickering between O’s and Nats fans ’round these parts, which over the course of last season went from fighting over “who’s the least shitty team in MLB” to “who’s fans are the most annoying” to “justifying each individual’s association with either team.”
Was this a product of two fan bases unsure how to react to this new feeling of winning? I’d like to think so. When it comes to local professional sports (excluding hockey and the Ravens), it’s pretty evident from the comments in those posts that most of us saw some success with our teams in our youth but then went through puberty, then into our 20s (and some 30s, damnit!) without a local team maintaining any kind of success or giving reason to think there would be in the near future. Those are developmental years, damnit. I grew into a numb sports fan, because, outside of MD’s 2002 hoops national title, there hasn’t been shit to root for around here since the Rypien era. That’s 20 years of suck.
So today I’m putting my baseball differences aside and taking what I think is the best starting nine (plus starting rotation) from two solid baseball teams, both coming off impressive seasons. I’m sure you all disagree, so feel free to throw out your own.
2013 roster:
1. Nick Markakis – RF
2. Bryce Harper – LF
3. Ryan Zimmerman – 3B
4. Adam Jones – CF
5. Mike Morse – DH
6. Matt Wieters – C
7. Chris Davis/Jayson Werth – 1B
8. Manny Machado – SS
9. Danny Espinosa – 2B
#1 – Stephen Stasburg
#2 – Gio Gonzalez
#3 – Jason Hammel
#4 – Jordan Zimmerman
#5 – Wei-Yin Chen
Besides the potential disaster at 1B, this squad is the tits.
Topics: Guest Posts, Nationals, Orioles | 18 Comments »
December 12th, 2012 at 6:05 PM
Is Laroche not on the list b/c he hasnt’ resigned yet? that would solve your 1st base problems.
December 12th, 2012 at 6:09 PM
Machado over Desmond? Ridiculous.
December 12th, 2012 at 6:35 PM
I feel like Bryce is probably better in center then Adam Jones.
December 12th, 2012 at 6:41 PM
even thinking about putting Hammel and Chen in the DMV rotation is an absolute joke. I can understand Chen, but Hammel? I’d take Det/Jackson/HAREN over either of those Baltimore clowns.
and markakis too… scratch that and put a healthy werth
December 12th, 2012 at 7:35 PM
Machado over Desmond? In 2013? Really???
This is adorable.
Stick with…anything else, Jamie.
December 12th, 2012 at 7:37 PM
interesting take… wondering what the Baltimore Redskins roster would look like. Washington Ravens?
December 12th, 2012 at 7:51 PM
I wouldnt touch anyone from the Baltimore rotation. Nats 1-5. Chen had a 4+ ERA with an average record.
Machado over Desi NOW is a bad call…Machado in a few years will be a beast. Maybe put him at second. Love Espi but that dude strikes almost as much as Reynolds.
December 12th, 2012 at 8:13 PM
Espinosa should not even be in the conversation. Love his power/switch hitting, but there is too much talent between the O’s and Nats to have one of the MLB strikeout leaders on the field.
2013 roster:
1. Nick Markakis – RF
2. Bryce Harper – LF
3. Adam Jones – CF
4. Ryan Zimmerman – 3B
5. Mike Morse/Tyler Moore – DH
6. Matt Wieters – C
7. Chris Davis/Jayson Werth – 1B
8. Ian Desmond – 2B
9. JJ Hardy – SS
#1 – Stephen Stasburg
#2 – Gio Gonzalez
#3 – Jordan Zimmerman
#4 – Wei-Yin Chin
#5 – Dylan Bundy
I’m not sure where you go at 1B or DH, really comes down to if you value power vs average or righty vs lefty.
**If Tyler Moore does not get 400 AB’s this year, then the Nats will have really dropped the ball.
December 12th, 2012 at 8:50 PM
Machado gets the nod over Desi for two reasons: Desi has reached his ceiling and his defense is nowhere near Machado’s, sorry.
I didn’t include Larochce b/c he hasn’t signed yet, and I forgot about Haren.
If you think Werth is a better fit at RF than Markakis then i can’t take you seriously about anything.
Also wouldn’t be opposed to subbing Bundy for Hammel, but that’s 2014. Bundy isn’t ready for a starting rotation role.
December 12th, 2012 at 8:57 PM
And Bryce Harper is NOT a better CF than Adam Jones.
December 12th, 2012 at 8:58 PM
Ravenskins 1 Deep Roster (Assuming no injuries)
QB: Griffin III
RB: Rice
FB: Leach
WR: Garcon
WR: Smith
TE: Davis
LT: Williams
LG: Reid
C: Montgomery (playing like a beast this year)
RG: Yanda
RT: Oher
DE: Coefield (I know skins have him at NT, but…Ngata)
NT: Ngata
DE: Bowen
OLB: Orakpo
MLB: Lewis
MLB: Fletcher
OLB: Suggs
CB: Wilson
CB: Williams
FS: Reed
SS: Merriweather
As you can see, the linebacking corps is pretty ridiculous, if a little old. Perry Riley and Kerrigan are waiting in the wings.
The secondary isn’t great, but at least Hall isn’t on the team.
December 12th, 2012 at 11:06 PM
Hard truth-
Strasburg was the nats’ third best starting pitcher last year. He goes deep in the count to everyone, and he hits 100 pitches around the 5th inning consistently. His wins are dependent on good relief pitching.
Yeah, and get Desi in that lineup. Espinosa and no Desmond is nonsense.
December 13th, 2012 at 9:39 AM
Excellent guest post, Mr. Illformula. This might be bending the rules, but if we can move Desmond to second base and drop Espinosa, then that solves our problems. And for the record, I don’t find picking Machado over Desmond as OUTRAGEOUS as most seem to.
December 13th, 2012 at 10:00 AM
If the Nats had Jim Johnson in the playoffs, maybe they beat St. Louis. Then again, I guess Johnson was pretty horrendous against the Yankees.
December 13th, 2012 at 11:04 AM
Not sure how you cannot include LaRoche. It appears almost guaranteed that LaRoche will be back for 2013.
RF – Nick Markakis
LF – Bryce Harper
CF – Adam Jones
3B – Ryan Zimmerman
1B – Adam LaRoche
DH – Michael Morse
C – Matt Wieters
2B – Ian Desmond
SS – JJ Hardy
SP – Stras
SP – Haren
SP – Zimm
SP – Gio
SP – Hammel
Set-up – Storen
CP – Johnson
December 13th, 2012 at 2:09 PM
great post
December 13th, 2012 at 5:23 PM
Original super-roster was perfect, if you complained about any of it, you’re dumb. And yes, bend the rules and move Desmond to 2B if you like (he sure as hell isn’t a SS).
December 13th, 2012 at 8:42 PM
Appreciate the opportunity to create some controversy, but I did see objectively as the best possible lineup.
It would be interesting to see what the response would have been if both teams hadn’t played well last season.