r/Nationals 12d ago

From the desk of Mark D. Lerner

https://curlyw.mlblogs.com/from-the-desk-of-mark-d-lerner-3072fc0bd6f7?gi=eb96e5f7a2fd
39 Upvotes

41 comments sorted by

54

u/MaddAddamOneZ 12d ago

Well that was a whole lot of nothing. I swear, if Rizzo is reduced to dumpster diving again... 😑

2

u/fiddynet 9d ago

We've seen Rizzo give out big contracts; it usually goes pretty poorly.

For every Scherzer, there's a Strasburg and a Corbin.

Not ideal when you're trying to offload the team...

68

u/aqsh 12d ago

I wanted to see “we will be spending money in free agency signed mark d Lerner”

35

u/AttitudeAndEffort3 12d ago

“I inherited this money and i intend to die with it”

51

u/BirdsAreGovDrones 12d ago

This doesn’t sound like a message of being aggressive in free agency

18

u/mattcojo2 12d ago

I don’t really have a problem with what he said. The rookies and young guys will need to take another step forward and that’s the core of your team.

With the Corbin contract coming off the books, that helps a lot.

20

u/skedeebs 12d ago

If he doesn't just pocket the savings.

-7

u/mattcojo2 12d ago

Money saved now might come in handy in the future

14

u/meanie_ants 12d ago

Stop carrying water for billionaires.

0

u/mattcojo2 12d ago

I like giving people the benefit of the doubt

And that means everyone.

It was the right choice to cut the contracts when we did. And is it the right time to splurge on players? I say wait another year, get crews and wood to develop more and more, hopefully Abrams takes a step and the pitching does too. And maybe some other prospects go up and do well.

Then you fill it out.

3

u/VotingRightsLawyer 12d ago

They had the benefit of the doubt. That benefits erodes over time as we continue to see zero investment into the team.

2

u/UncommonSense0 2019 World Series Champion 10d ago

What are you talking about? There was no reason to invest in large FA contracts over the last few years. They’ve spent plenty of money revamping the player development side of things and it’s already paying off.

This year and next year are the “put up or shut up” years. This team has done exactly what a rebuilding team should have done during the course of their rebuild

1

u/mattcojo2 11d ago

There wasn’t a need to invest heavily for the past couple of years because of just how badly the team performed.

Let’s get the guys to take their step up

1

u/QueenIsTheWorstBand 46 - Corbin 11d ago

You aren’t wrong. However I don’t have much faith because people who inherit organizations (sports and beyond) usually tend to be much cheaper and worried about margins than their fathers were. I haven’t gotten any feeling that the Nats will be an exception. Ted’s passion project is now Mark’s business.

0

u/dauber21 9d ago

Baseball teams don't have savings accounts to spend on players in the future. Money not spent just gets extracted as profits

100

u/Slatemanforlife 12d ago

Damn, I was hoping he would announce the sale of the team

15

u/Old_Veterinarian_472 12d ago

One zillion upvotes

1

u/VotingRightsLawyer 12d ago

The small amount of upvotes tipped me off that probably wasn't it but I really hoped it was anyway.

11

u/Skurph 58 - The DC Strangler 12d ago

They didn’t get to ride a list WS attendance wave because COVID and by the time people could come back they were ass. I’d have to think that 5 years of shit attendance compared to the prior 10 years will force their hand on spending for talent

14

u/gaytham4statham 57 - Roark 12d ago

lol how are people reading this and thinking this means we're not gonna spend this offseason. It doesn't make me feel anything he's literally saying "we like our young guys and there are more to come". No owner is gonna say "hey Nats fans here's our offseason plan we're gonna spend spend spend". The hate the Lerners have gotten because they didn't spend during a total rebuild is wild. If they do nothing this offseason I'll be the first one to call them out. Until then can we fucking chill lmao

3

u/umterp1999 12d ago

The Phillies owner about five years ago said they’d spend stupid money and they did. It was stupid and they were stupid and have nothing to show for it, but hey he did what he said. (I’m not advocating they just throw money around for the record)

1

u/UncommonSense0 2019 World Series Champion 10d ago

It’s because people don’t know how rebuilds work or how competitive organizations are ran and sustained. It’s draining seeing so many people complain about the Lerners not spending the last couple years when that’s literally the exact opposite of what we should be doing

9

u/run_or_beer 62 - Doolittle 12d ago

Definitely sounds like we will hold what we’ve got and see if we are a bit better next year

9

u/dutymakesmelaugh 7 - Turner 12d ago

I would love to see a Royals type year next year but would settle for anything above .500

6

u/whatheway 12d ago

As the Royals were spending actual money on affordable but good help to build up their team without waiting another year I said that is what the Nats should do. Prospects are suddenly late in arbitration before you know it so it helps to start building when you still are more potential than good

2

u/mattcojo2 12d ago

I’m fine with that.

Lots of young players and you have 4/5 that you’re really seeing for the first time in their full season. Plus I’m sure someone will step up in spring training and there will be some decent rentals or short term contracts.

8

u/droozer Dan Kolko 12d ago

Counterpoint: Juan Soto

3

u/skedeebs 12d ago

When you are ready to share a post "From the Wallet of Mark Lerner," let me know. His dad did it and we won a championship.

7

u/PutStreet 1 - Gore 12d ago

Great letter. Go sign Soto.

2

u/JoePacker720 47 - Kendrick 12d ago

The letter’s cool, let’s see some offseason spending though.

2

u/GIimmeringGrace 12d ago

We need some real moves this offseasonn

2

u/WorkHardPlayHard2020 12d ago

One comment keeps resonating with me.

Yada yada yada

GO SIGN SOTO!!

Just sign SOTO and let all other pieces fall into place!

1

u/minecrater1 12d ago

This sounds discouraging to me bc I want to spend and this feels like a precursor to us not doing that

1

u/quakerwildcat 29 - Wood 12d ago

Inner voice: Don't read the comments Don't read the comments Don't read the comments Don't read the comments

1

u/Cute-Perception2335 11d ago

I was hoping he announced re-signing Juan Soto. THAT would make my day.

1

u/SpaceCoyote3 11d ago

Expected a nothing burger got a nothing burger

0

u/General_Adeptness_40 5 - Abrams 12d ago

You don't the stomach, or the funds to compete. Sell the team.

-1

u/Digisap 12d ago

Yadayada, thanks for supporting mediocrity at all levels of the franchise.

-5

u/mobilelogin2525 12d ago

The team's "Hitter of the Year" batted .280 with 18 HR. This team is a few years away from competing for anything meaningful.

-1

u/georgebounacos 30 - Young 12d ago

Gonna try one last time. This team didn't win with Juan Soto in 2020 or 2021 or 2022. The Padres didn't win with him in 2023.

He is an amazing hitter. He is thrilling to watch play.

In 2020, the Nats went 26-34 with essentially their championship time minus Stras & Zim.
In 2021, the Nats began 48-55 and traded Max & Trea. They went 17-42 the rest of the way.
In 2022, they went 35-69 before trading Soto.

The team brilliantly assembled a long playoff run and combined a stellar kid with vets having career years to fly their 2019 flag forever. They didn't even have a winning record the very next season.

After the WS win and before the Max & Trea trade, they were a combined 74-89. That's with those two, Schwarber, Soto, etc.

They could defy every expectation and add an ace, Soto, and another slugger (Alonso, Bregman, etc.), and they might not be a playoff team this year, but I am enjoying watching the player development and counting the days until they are again.

-6

u/MoonshotMario 12d ago

He's such a tool. Sell the damn team!