Tags
"Tu ere maricon", "You are a faggot", baseball, MLB, Nats, Tyler Clippard, Washington Nationals, Yunel Escobar
“Tue ere maricon” – “You are a faggot” – Just a joke? Some of his best friends are gay!
I read last night as the story was developing about the Nats trading Tyler Clippard for Yunel Escobar.
I understand that baseball is a business.
I understand there are problems with the Nats at second base.
I understand that Ian Desmond has only one year left on his contract and could go elsewhere. I understand Escobar could play second base this year and move to shortstop next year if that’s necessary.
I understand Escobar’s hitting has averaged .276 over his career, (tho only .258 in 2014) and he has averaged 145 games a season over that career.
I understand Escobar “has a team-friendly contract that will pay him $5 million in 2015 and $7 million in 2016…(and) the Nationals hold a $7 million club option for 2017.”
I understand the trade “saves the Nationals somewhere between $3 million and $4 million, depending on Clippard’s arbitration process.
I understand that this is Tyler Clippard’s last year of arbitration before being eligible for free agency and that there are “”young arms behind him” in the Nats’ organization.
However,
I also understand Tyler Clippard is one of the best (certainly in the top five) at what he does, late inning set up for the closer.
I also understand he has averaged 74 games and 79 2/3 innings in the last five seasons, posting an ERA of 2.18 and a .995 WHIP. (I could go further with what he has done and what he has meant to the Nats out of the bullpen).
I also understand how well Clippard is liked (an understatement) by both the Nats’ players and the fans.
I also understand Escobar has been with five teams in eight seasons (including this trade).
I also understand Escobar has played almost no second base and his defense at shortstop (a possible reason he was attractive to the Nats) has fallen off considerably last season (“runs saved above average fell below average for the first time, and he committed 16 errors, fourth most among MLB shortstops).
Now,
I also am reminded of the picture above when Escobar wore black eye strips which the words “Tu ere maricon” (“You are a faggot”). He was suspended for three games and said it was all a joke and some of his best friends are gay.
In a trade that was already questionable in my opinion (and I admit I may not know all of the Nats’ thinking on this), trading Clippard for Escobar is simply a terrible move.
Clippard has been part of what has made the Nats’ a contending and likeable team. He probably has not reached his prime yet and is valuable in so many ways. (And yes, it costs money to hire the best.)
Escobar’s defense is questionable, his batting, while better than what the Nats have now, is not a game changer for the Nats, and most egregious, to me anyway, is who Escobar appears to be.
Just a terrible, terrible decision on the part of the Nats’ management.
unknown said:
terrible move
Jim Cooke said:
It’s a great move. Clippard was a great set-up man, but as in all things in baseball, after extended exposure, a pitcher is read more and more often so that the deception in his out pitch is understood and adjusted to, and he loses games he used to hold. Clip is at that stage, so moving him now to the AL is a good move for both parties.
Richard/MillersTime blogger said:
Even, even, even if you’re correct, to trade him for Escobar is a bad decision on many levels. He is not worth Clippard.
Tim Malieckal said:
Everyday player is worth more than a setup man – as long as he’s reasonably replaced.
But your point is valid – jerks don’t help fans stomach a long season . . .
Stick with the Sox. I know rooting for a NL team is tantalizing – real baseball! – but no amount of ‘Nattitude’ will give you a piggyback ride to the mountaintop. The haven’t got the bottle, as the English would say.
Meet me in Boston on Patriot’s Day instead!
Peter said:
I think you have to look at this in the context of the rapidly closing window of having J Zimm, Strass, and Fister together. 2015 is THE LAST YEAR in a long while the Nats will have arguably the finest starting pitching in baseball. We likely will not re-sign J Zimm. Even Fister will be tough to re-sign. If I were GM I would do everything I could to win in 2015. Let’s face the truth–the Nats must make the World Series to validate this team. They have choked their first two appearances in the playoffs–no way to sugar coat that. By trading one of the best set-up men in baseball for a shortstop who has rarely played second, whose defense is on the decline, and is just an okay hitter, Rizzo and the Lerners have clearly shown this was a business move. Which team is better–one with Escobar and without Clippard, or one with Clippard and say Asdrubal on a one year contract that he received with the Rays? The small improvement in offense that Escobar provides over Cabrera is offset by the loss of Clippard and a worsened defense. This was clearly a long term move to give the Nats leverage against Desmond when he enters free agency, and avoids paying Clippard big arbitration dollars for a year, and then likely lose him after that to free agency.
On the one hand I understand that ultimately this is a business and I shouldn’t be critical of how they spend their money. But on the other hand, the goal is to win the World Series. I know that they want to stay competitive for years to come and they have done a good job stockpiling the farm with good talent. I know they don’t want to be like the present day Phillies who are mired with huge contracts on aging ineffective players. But to have J Zimm, Strass, Fister, Gio and Roark together is a special opportunity that won’t necessarily come again. That is why I’m against this trade. They could have kept Clippard and gone after a better second baseman like Zobrist or even just kept Cabrera for another year and been a better team. But who knows? Rizzo is a smart guy–certainly smarter than I. Time will tell. I hope I’m wrong.
David Price said:
Terrible move or not, the pompous Washington Nationals need that little ‘je ne sais quoi’ like Mr Escobar to enhance any chance they might have to ever progressing past Round 1 of the play-offs. When I lived in DC (not so many moons ago) the team was AWFUL and the fans knew it. Nationals Park was a nice day out in the sun but that was it. Nowadays (5 years later) they talk and assume that they fit into the ‘big boys’ circle after a couple of above average season’s against injury prone opposition. As you may have read numerous times over these airwaves, I (and most of NYC) dislike Bryce Harper with a passion. He is an average player in an average team but ask any ‘Nats’ fan and they think he is the resurrection. I still ask myself – ‘why is this person who likes to be petulant and snaps his bat over his knee frequently, the face of things like Gatorade’? Its a gentleman’s game isn’t it and Harper acts like an arrogant little boy? What example does he set for little leaguer’s? Any aspirations that he might have had of one-day heading North to the Mecca of baseball (NYC) are gone. We just don’t like him! Escobar on the other hand ‘can play’ and for my money will fit in well. Whether he shows up each day and struts his best stuff is anyone’s guess. Please remember that whatever he has done in the past (a la A-Rod) he is VERY capable and has a fighting spirit. Be thankful ‘Nats’ fans with your Walgreen’s curly W that you have acquired this guy and gotten rid of the flotsam that is Clippard. Zimmerman (why are there so many on your team with the same name?) will be the next to go.