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|  #1 Posted on 17.11.04 0647.25
Reposted on: 17.11.11 0647.27 | InterestingOriginally posted by AP/Baltimore Sun
The Expos made their first big splash since announcing their move to Washington, agreeing yesterday to a $6.2 million, two-year contract with third baseman Vinny Castilla and a $16.8 million, four-year deal with shortstop Cristian Guzman.
Castilla, 37, hit .271 with 35 homers and an NL-leading 131 RBIs last season for Colorado, the best season for the two-time All-Star since he was with the Rockies in 1990s.
Guzman, 26, batted .274 last season with eight homers, 46 RBIs and 10 steals for Minnesota. He led AL shortstops with a .983 fielding percentage.
"Two big holes on the left side of the infield are filled," manager Frank Robinson said. "It was nice to go out and fill those holes in a short period of time with quality players."
Intersting, because it sounded like the Nats were going to re-sign Tony Batista, and I figured that Guzman would be interesting to one of the contending teams with shortstop woes.
Looks like Alex Gonzales gets to find a new job... | Promote this thread! |             | BWT
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| #2 Posted on 17.11.04 1640.27
Reposted on: 17.11.11 1640.28 | | Two nice signings but you have to attribute a lot of this past season for Castilla on Coors Field. It will be interesting to see how he hits in RFK. | Whitebacon
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| #3 Posted on 17.11.04 1647.06
Reposted on: 17.11.11 1649.16 | | Castilla shores up the defense, no question, but he'll probably be leaving his bat in Denver. | Bullitt
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|  #4 Posted on 17.11.04 1735.39
Reposted on: 17.11.11 1736.17 | Originally posted by Whitebacon
Castilla shores up the defense, no question, but he'll probably be leaving his bat in Denver.
And is replacing a guy that hit 32HR with 110RBI for the Expos last year... | Big Bad
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| #5 Posted on 17.11.04 2012.20
Reposted on: 17.11.11 2019.24 | | Is 'Nationals' the actual name? When did they announce it? I was hoping for 'Filibusters,' myself... | SC
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| #6 Posted on 17.11.04 2130.03
Reposted on: 17.11.11 2130.50 | Originally posted by Bullitt
Originally posted by Whitebacon
Castilla shores up the defense, no question, but he'll probably be leaving his bat in Denver.
And is replacing a guy that hit 32HR with 110RBI for the Expos last year...
And who also managed to hit .241/.272. The fact that Batista drove in 110 runs is about as good an argument as you can get against RBI being a good reason to sign anyone. Castilla hitting .218/.281 on the road this season but having 131 RBI is another really good one, though.
Guzman and Castilla are both rather pointless and bad players; Castilla still fields quite well, so he's got that going for him, but away from Coors he's been mediocre at best, God awful terrible bad at worst. He's also going to be 38 next season. Guzman can't hit and has always been described as lazy, so giving him $17 million over 4 years seems a little...much.
Jim Bowden is really a terrible GM. Castilla getting $6 million over two years is not a big deal; if he sucks, then deal with it and buy him out or trade him if you can. But Guzman is locked up for four years and if HE sucks, then you have a slight problem on your hands. Why are you paying over $4 million/season to an eight-hitter with questionable defensive ability, anyway? Because you're Jim Bowden, that's why. These signings are not a hot start. | Mr. Boffo
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| #7 Posted on 17.11.04 2140.14
Reposted on: 17.11.11 2142.31 | Originally posted by Big Bad
Is 'Nationals' the actual name? When did they announce it?
They haven't. Maybe Grimis is just calling them that because they're in the NL. If you look at the actual article, it still says Expos. And I'm sure that they'll end up being the Washington Senators, again. | PalpatineW
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| #8 Posted on 17.11.04 2159.51
Reposted on: 17.11.11 2159.56 | | Bowden's working hard to make sure he doesn't get past the "interim" stage. | Zeruel
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| #9 Posted on 17.11.04 2240.30
Reposted on: 17.11.11 2241.19 | Originally posted by Mr. Boffo
And I'm sure that they'll end up being the Washington Senators, again.
Out of the question. The Texas Rangers won't allow it. | PeterStork
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| #10 Posted on 18.11.04 0028.35
Reposted on: 18.11.11 0029.01 | Nationals has been rumored as the frontrunner for the past few weeks since Senators is old and busted (as well as owned by Texas) and Nationals is the original hotness; it was the team's name until the early 50's (though everyone called them the Senators.)
I say stick it to the NBA and call them the Bullets. I'm sure the Wizards might have a problem with that, though. | Whitebacon
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| #11 Posted on 18.11.04 0221.12
Reposted on: 18.11.11 0222.09 | Originally posted by PeterStork
I'm sure the Wizards might have a problem with that, though.
It's possible, but there is little they could do about it, unless they infringed upon the old logo's and such. | Zeruel
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| #12 Posted on 18.11.04 0612.01
Reposted on: 18.11.11 0613.28 | Originally posted by Whitebacon
Originally posted by PeterStork
I'm sure the Wizards might have a problem with that, though.
It's possible, but there is little they could do about it, unless they infringed upon the old logo's and such.
New name, same crappy play. They will ALWAYS be the Bullets around these parts until they win it all.
| Lexus
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| #13 Posted on 18.11.04 1021.08
Reposted on: 18.11.11 1021.15 | Yes, Nationals is the name of the team that will be playing in Washington next season.
Frankly, Castilla and Guzman will put butts in the seats better than some crappy mascot.
(edited by Lexus on 18.11.04 1121) | pieman
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| #14 Posted on 18.11.04 1240.18
Reposted on: 18.11.11 1240.18 | Originally posted by Lexus
Frankly, Castilla and Guzman will put butts in the seats better than some crappy mascot.
Ridiculous.
"Come on, Frank, let's skip out of work today to go watch Cristian Guzman play for the hometown team."
Bowden really must think he has money to burn, because signing these two guys is going to bite him in the ass. Castilla is the biggest beneficiary of Coors Field ever (he or Dante Bichette). Guzman is mediocre at best and there's about a bajillion shortstops on the market, too. Additionally, signing these guys before December 7th, cost the Expos their second and third picks in the amateur draft. These signings are not defensible in any way, shape or form. | Whitebacon
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| #15 Posted on 18.11.04 1357.09
Reposted on: 18.11.11 1357.14 | (image removed)
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/041118a | PalpatineW
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| #16 Posted on 18.11.04 1912.29
Reposted on: 18.11.11 1912.39 | They answer to a higher authority.
(image removed) | redsoxnation
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| #17 Posted on 18.11.04 2105.17
Reposted on: 18.11.11 2106.35 | Originally posted by pieman
Originally posted by Lexus
Frankly, Castilla and Guzman will put butts in the seats better than some crappy mascot.
Ridiculous.
"Come on, Frank, let's skip out of work today to go watch Cristian Guzman play for the hometown team."
Bowden really must think he has money to burn, because signing these two guys is going to bite him in the ass. Castilla is the biggest beneficiary of Coors Field ever (he or Dante Bichette). Guzman is mediocre at best and there's about a bajillion shortstops on the market, too. Additionally, signing these guys before December 7th, cost the Expos their second and third picks in the amateur draft. These signings are not defensible in any way, shape or form.
To defend Castilla slightly, he did put up good numbers for the Braves a few years ago. It was with Tampa that he really sucked, but, to be fair, so did everyone else on that Tampa team.
As for Guzman, 4 years to a turf shortstop who will be playing on what probably will be a horrendous natural grass field?
Over/under yet on when Bowden will try to package the entire Montreal farm system to the Reds for Griffey? | SC
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| #18 Posted on 18.11.04 2142.18
Reposted on: 18.11.11 2143.21 | Originally posted by redsoxnation
To defend Castilla slightly, he did put up good numbers for the Braves a few years ago.
AVG OBP SLG HR RBI
2002 ATL .232 .268 .348 12 61
2003 ATL .277 .310 .461 22 76
Even the better of the two seasons he spent with the Braves is pretty mediocre. Going beyond HR/RBI for Castilla (and nothing else is special anyway) isn't important, because he's signed to play a good third and hit for power. He has always played third well, and there's no reason to expect him to suddenly stop THAT, but to give up a draft pick to rush and get Vinny Castilla? That doesn't really seem like good General Managering to me. | pieman
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| #19 Posted on 19.11.04 1451.05
Reposted on: 19.11.11 1451.07 | Originally posted by ScottChrist
but to give up a draft pick to rush and get Vinny Castilla? That doesn't really seem like good General Managering to me.
Or to me, either. Vinny turns 38 on the Fourth of July, so he will be half a year past his 39th birthday when this contract expires. He cannot possibly be expected to put up Coors numbers in Washington and he will be old. | Zeruel
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| #20 Posted on 19.11.04 1652.47
Reposted on: 19.11.11 1653.06 | For the last two days, the DC TV and news radio have been calling them the Nationals.
Expect an official announcement Monday. |
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