Mack’s Morning Report – 8-28-15 – BoSox, Nats, Summer A-Ball Heat, Playoff Lineup

Good morning.


Nats' Denard Span back on DL with hip inflammation... unlikely to return this season. 


I don't know if you noticed but it's been a long time that I haven't reduced the magic number by at least one every night. I can't even remember the last time the Mets lost while the Nats lost causing a net change in the magic number of 'O'. It seems everything the Mets lose, so does Washington... and every time Washington wins early, guess who comes back and wins last?

 Biased Boston Sports had a great article earlier this week on whether or not the Boston Red Sox should rebuild their team through the system or go outside, as usual, for their next team:

Having a highly-ranked farm system has its advantages, and one of them is having the resources to trade for Major League talent. The old regime had a tendency to hold on to prospects past their peak in value. When a player's value is at its peak, the front office needs to evaluate their future and look at the depth of talent already at the position. If they then feel he offers more value as part of a trade, the team needs to pull the trigger on a deal rather than just burying them in the minors. Now, if the future value he presents is more valuable than a return in a trade, then by all means, keep him. Cherington constantly chose the second option, even when logic and reason said otherwise. That is a big part of why the team is where they are today.

Jonah Keri on when the Washington Nationals were supposed to be the best team in baseball –

          The Nationals were supposed to run away with the NL East. That’s what we told you — more than once. Heck, that’s what everyone told you. Even the computers: The Nats had such high playoff odds to start the year (94.5 percent) that there was even some talk about Matt Williams’s squad as a clear World Series favorite, even amidst the inherent randomness of the playoff system. 

So, um, about that. Bryce Harper is putting together a better season than any of us expected — the best age-22 campaign this side of Ted Williams — and yet Washington recently just scraped its way back to .500. With one-quarter of the season left to play, they’re four games back of the Mets, but remain heavy underdogs to win the East and have almost no shot at getting a wild-card berth.

Chris Gigly writes about the hot conditions of playing summer baseball in the South Atlantic League -

As soon as players arrive at the ballpark, they make a beeline for the clubhouse beneath the stadium to escape the heat. Most bring their own subs and salads for lunch because the spreads at low-A are pretty meager. All those stories about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? They’re true. That’s one reason why most of these guys have trouble keeping on weight.

Back in April or May, players trickled out onto the field early to take extra batting practice and throw bullpens, but not now. Not in this heat. They wait until scheduled batting practice about three hours before the game, and it’s a lazy affair set to the classic rock radio station blaring over the public address stadium.

Derek asked –

        Mack, Long time… hope you are doing well. Is MRS. Mack still doing the short bread cookies??

                  Mack – No Derek, sorry. Mrs. Mack has  retired the bake pans.

Even though I am superstitious, Sept 1 is coming soon and the playoff rosters are picked from the end of August if I am right.

Can you give me your playoff roster starting 8, bench and rotation with pen. My 4 starters in rotation would be deGrom, Harvey, Niese and Thor. (If we have home field I would start Thor at home)

          Mack – Wow.

It’s impossible to figure this out right now and, whatever I would predict, 100 readers would have 100 other opinions.

I’ll guess this…

Baring injuries, Lucas Duda will be at 1B, David Wright will be at 3B and (my guess because of his timely bat) Daniel Murphy will play 2B.

My guess also is Curtis Granderson will bat first and play right field throughout the playoffs. In addition, I expect Yoenes Cespedes to start 

every game, either in center or left field.

Lastly, because of days where no games are played, Travis d’Arnaud will probably start every game behind the plate.

Past that, I’m sure Ruben Tejada, Wilmer Flores, Juan Lagares, Michael Cuddyer, and Michael Conforto will be on the roster.

Pitching wise…

You could see a three man rotation, with Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, and Noah Syndergaard.

Jeurys Familia and Tyler Clippard are lock for the pen, but anything goes right now for the rest of the slots. You could see Jon Niese, Bartolo Colon, Logan Verrett, and Steven Matz all added to the bullpen.

That's 20... you guys take it from there.

Would you rather face the Dodgers or Giants? Thanks

          Mack – For me, that’s easy.

I know the Giants are World Series veterans, but I never want to face the Dodgers bats.

          I’ll take a series against the Giants every time.