Danny

Sell the team

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

Nobody ignites a fanbase like AJ Preller on deadline day.

[World Cup Shack @WeAreAllShack]

OWN HIM

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

I sure as hell hope they move more than just those two

[Jim Bowden⚾️ @JimBowdenGM]

The #Nationals are expected to move both right-handed pitchers Mike Soroka and Kyle Finnegan by 6 pm Thursday.

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

This team sold its soul for that 2019 World Series title. Just trade Gore and hit the reset button again in hopes you can compete for 2-3 years until Wood leaves.

[Mark Zuckerman @MarkZuckerman]

Nationals’ top pitching prospect Travis Sykora needs Tommy John surgery, the team just revealed. Big blow for a guy who possibly was poised to reach the majors sometime in 2026.

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@TalkNats @slimceeVA @NavyYardNats @masnKolko @thomloverro @WashTimesSports @Fitz_DC @kevinsheehanDC @DCSports_Talk @EricFlackTV @tomsherwood @Nell_BTP @GWallaceWTOP @TheAthleticMLB I guess that’s the part of your argument that I don’t quite understand, so maybe you can clarify. Yes, the Nats have spent over $44 million, but they cleared nearly $55 million in payroll since last year. Is that spending or is it slashing payroll?

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@TalkNats @slimceeVA @NavyYardNats @masnKolko @thomloverro @WashTimesSports @Fitz_DC @kevinsheehanDC @DCSports_Talk @EricFlackTV @tomsherwood @Nell_BTP @GWallaceWTOP @TheAthleticMLB That’s completely fine. I don’t think there is a huge gripe over Lowe vs Walker though, and Chris said that in his response too. Both are good players. The issue is Mark Lerner won’t spend, and nothing that he’s done since signing Corbin has suggested he will spend in the future.

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@TalkNats @slimceeVA @NavyYardNats @masnKolko @thomloverro @WashTimesSports @Fitz_DC @kevinsheehanDC @DCSports_Talk @EricFlackTV @tomsherwood @Nell_BTP @GWallaceWTOP @TheAthleticMLB You keep dodging the issue to save face for the Lerners. It’s an odd hill to die on. Chris’s point stands:

Issue: Mark Lerner won’t commit money to the team.

Your answer: Rizzo had $50M to spend this offseason (disregarding the fact that nearly $55M came off the books).

[Kev @klwoodjr]

No thanks

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@TalkNats @Y2banana @klwoodjr Maybe that’s the case for some teams, but nobody will be able to convince me that the Lerners taking a bath in the commercial real estate market isn’t playing a role here. Mark is operating a bottom 10 payroll in a top 10 media market. It’s appalling.

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@TalkNats @rajhamann @klwoodjr Looking at it from that perspective, he didn’t “lie” this time either then. His quote references “getting a superstar and paying him hundreds of millions of dollars” which can’t be referring to Christian Walker. It’s all semantics. Problem is Mark doesn’t have much credibility…

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@TalkNats @Y2banana @klwoodjr I think the point is this: whether it’s $26 million under or $12 million under, why are we still slashing payroll when the young guys are either in the majors already accruing service time or on the cusp of getting to the majors? If you won’t spend now, when will you?

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@TalkNats @klwoodjr Which is something he’s done before…I know you’re a huge Lerner guy, but the franchise would be way better off if he sold the team.

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@TalkNats @klwoodjr I don’t know that it’s much of an accusation given Mark Lerner’s history of spending and lack of credibility with anything he tells the media…

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@Y2banana If you can’t see that this isn’t about a specific player but rather about an organizational issue, then I can’t help you.

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

Uh oh. Gonna be a tough day for the Lerner stans who insist the Nats are “spending.” Can’t wait to see how they spin this.

The Nats payroll sits below $100M. It’s pathetic. And don’t let anybody tell you deferrals count towards it. That money has been in escrow for years.

[Kev @klwoodjr]

Just in: Per Thom Loverro reported that Mike Rizzo visited Christian Walker’s house to negotiate a deal this winter. Subsequently, he reached out to Mark Lerner to finalize the deal, but Mark declined and told him to move on

It appears that Mark Lerner was attempting to publish an ego boosting article in the Washington Post yesterday

You had me in the first half, Mark, but not too fast

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

This can’t be accurate because I’ve been told multiple times by Nats fans that the Nats did a great job spending money this offseason.

[Andrew Flax @ajflax]

There are so many free agents who could really help this team, but Mark Lerner is running a bottom-10 payroll. Either he can’t afford to field a competitive team or he’d rather pocket the cash — either way, he needs to sell the team.

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@Y2banana Banana, your next good take will be your first good take

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

It’s clear the Nats get screwed with MASN, but it’s also unfair to compare them to the Phillies. The Phillies get $125M from their RSN deal but run a payroll of nearly $290M. The Nats payroll is hovering around $100M. John Middleton cares. Mark Lerner doesn’t. It’s that simple.

[Nats.Talk @TalkNats]

COMPETITIVE DISADVANTAGE: the RSN deal with NBC Sports Philly per the article says the Phillies made $125MM in 2022. They should be at least that in 2025. Nats will make less than 1/2 of that at $58.3MM this year. Think of what an extra $70 million would buy in free agents!

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

@pdowdy83 @bradc272 Yeah I think adding $30M more would put the payroll around $100M, which I’d be happy with. It’s crazy because the fanbase isn’t asking Lerner to bring the payroll back up to 2012-2019 levels (yet)…we just want him to spend to make the team competitive.

[Danny @Nats_Baseball]

Nobody should be deleting their tweets about the Nats spending. These also aren’t troll tweets. Even after adding Soroka and Lowe, the Nats have a bottom 5 payroll. This is a Mark Lerner issue, not a Mike Rizzo issue. Mark Lerner has Rizzo working with a Pirates/Rays type budget.

[Nats.Talk @TalkNats]

All of the troll tweets that the Nats weren't going to make any moves and weren't going to spend 💰 are getting deleted by the dozens. Rizzo just added this week $20 million to his 2025 payroll. Gets his Gold Glove 1st baseman who bats lefty. Plus he's only 29 years old.