Comments on: Staying Away From Dontrelle Willis http://districtondeck.com/2012/03/20/staying-away-from-dontrelle-willis/ A Washington Nationals Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More Sun, 15 Jul 2012 19:15:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: 69NatsFan http://districtondeck.com/2012/03/20/staying-away-from-dontrelle-willis/comment-page-1/#comment-1368617 69NatsFan Wed, 21 Mar 2012 01:42:50 +0000 http://districtondeck.com/?p=3149#comment-1368617 kkolchak -- True, the Nats signed Perez last year, so thank's for correcting my mistake. I also agree with you that the Nats are far past "dumpster diving", but many sports fans in the area who do not follow the team as closely as we do, still have that perception of the club -- I hear it in nearly every conversation I have with those folks. Just some examples -- one said to me, "It's a shame the Nats are losing more games and drawing way fewer fans than the Orioles are (huh?); do you think the Nats will go after a lot of Rule 5 picks since they are a small market team?; When will the Nats move out of RFK? -- (asked last year!). I only wish I were making this up. So, when I weigh the possible benefit of signing Willis with the tangible cost of continuing this perception, I think it matters. I agree with you that all appearances become irrelevant and interest spikes if and when the Nationals become a winner. But until they do, things that feed this monster don't help. I also agree with your 6th starter/long reliever point. Wish I had added that to my case. Thanks for commenting. I must also add that Michael presented a strong case and almost won me over -- he did, I guess, convince Dan Duquette! kkolchak — True, the Nats signed Perez last year, so thank’s for correcting my mistake. I also agree with you that the Nats are far past “dumpster diving”, but many sports fans in the area who do not follow the team as closely as we do, still have that perception of the club — I hear it in nearly every conversation I have with those folks. Just some examples — one said to me, “It’s a shame the Nats are losing more games and drawing way fewer fans than the Orioles are (huh?); do you think the Nats will go after a lot of Rule 5 picks since they are a small market team?; When will the Nats move out of RFK? — (asked last year!).

I only wish I were making this up. So, when I weigh the possible benefit of signing Willis with the tangible cost of continuing this perception, I think it matters. I agree with you that all appearances become irrelevant and interest spikes if and when the Nationals become a winner. But until they do, things that feed this monster don’t help. I also agree with your 6th starter/long reliever point. Wish I had added that to my case.

Thanks for commenting. I must also add that Michael presented a strong case and almost won me over — he did, I guess, convince Dan Duquette!

]]> By: kkolchack http://districtondeck.com/2012/03/20/staying-away-from-dontrelle-willis/comment-page-1/#comment-1368616 kkolchack Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:35:05 +0000 http://districtondeck.com/?p=3149#comment-1368616 First of all, the Perez signing was just last year, not "a few years ago."  Secondly, the concern about "dumpster diving" is way overwrought.  The Zimmerman and Gio extensions, Strasburg and Harper signings and Werh's silly contract put an end to all of that.  If Willis could conceivably help the team down the stretch this year, they should sign him, appearances be damned.   A much better argument AGAINST signing him is that we now have plenty of 6th starter/long reliever type lefties in the organization and don't really need him. First of all, the Perez signing was just last year, not “a few years ago.”  Secondly, the concern about “dumpster diving” is way overwrought.  The Zimmerman and Gio extensions, Strasburg and Harper signings and Werh’s silly contract put an end to all of that.  If Willis could conceivably help the team down the stretch this year, they should sign him, appearances be damned.
 
A much better argument AGAINST signing him is that we now have plenty of 6th starter/long reliever type lefties in the organization and don’t really need him.

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