Nats Sign Matt Whitney To Minor League Deal

[Nat of the Living Dead]

http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/11/nationals_sign_whitney_to_mino.html

The Nationals and first baseman Matt Whitney have agreed to terms on a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training, according to Whitney's representative, Jim Munsey.

Whitney, who was Washington's top pick in the 2007 Rule 5 Draft, went 3-for-26 with a home run and six RBIs last Spring Training before he was sent back to the Indians in late March.

The new Christ?

[MrMadison]

welcome back, Whitney.

if only we would have kept Whitesell though....

[PANatsFan]

not surprised - we wanted him last year too - seems like a good fit

[sportsfan882]

Cool although his power numbers went down the tank last year in AA.

[houston-nat]

We need to be signing potential relievers instead from the minor league pool.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Who knows, this could be a precursor to offering Tex a deal. Now that they have Whitney, they have a sort of back up plan (though a weak one) that might give the FO a little more confidence at throwing the dog a bone.

[Obed_Marsh]

We need to be signing potential relievers instead from the minor league pool.

Of course. Ignore the minors and focus on the MLB roster exclusively. Now there is a radical new plan for the future.

No offense bud. Just feeling snarky.

[hammondsnats]

just please freaking sign mark teixeira

[UMDNats]

start the parade

[tomterp]

start the parade

Trying to field a competitive club at Syracuse, nothing wrong with the signing.

[UMDNats]

Trying to field a competitive club at Syracuse, nothing wrong with the signing.

Oh, no, I know. Just venting about the lack of ANY free agency news.

[PANatsFan]

Oh, no, I know. Just venting about the lack of ANY free agency news.

Nothings going to happen until after 12/2. Teams won't give up picks if they don't have to.

[The Chief]

Nothings going to happen until after 12/2. Teams won't give up picks if they don't have to.

I didn't realize there was a time limit on that.  That doesn't make sense to me.

[PANatsFan]

I didn't realize there was a time limit on that.  That doesn't make sense to me.

Correction, if Johnson signs prior to December 1, the D-Back get a supplemental pick:
CBA Article XX, Section B, Paragraph 4 (c)

I bow to the contract expertise of NatsAddict. The 12/2 date penalizes teams that sign players early in the signing period before the players' former teams can offer arbitration.

[shoeshineboy]

I didn't realize there was a time limit on that.  That doesn't make sense to me.

It makes sense based upon the rules. The league rules give compensation picks to those teams that lose FAs - A draft pick from the "raiding" team for Type As, and a sandwich pick for Type Bs. But in order to receive the compensation, the team needs to have at least offered the FA arbitration. If they don't offer arbitration, there is no compensation. So the deadline to offer a guy arbitration becomes an important date. Since December 1st is the last date for former clubs to offer salary arbitration to ranked free agents in order to be eligible for compensation, many scenarios will involve waiting until December 2nd.

Edited: Here's a useful link for various mlb dates
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/important_dates.jsp

[tomterp]

Christina Kahrl, BP, on the Whitney signing:

Signed 1B-R Matthew Whitney to a minor league contract with a spring training NRI. [11/16]

At times, Jim Bowden is baseball's answer to Inspector Javert, because you may rely upon him to get his man, although you may be left wondering what the bother was all about. The latest Jean Valjean to draw Bowden's long-term interest is Whitney, a Rule 5 pick last winter that the Nats wound up returning, only to finally get their better shot at him as a minor league free agent this week. Once seen as a premium power prospect, Whitney's going to be 25 next season, and still hasn't really mastered Double-A, having hit only .268/.356/.404 for the Aeros last year. While Akron was tough on him last season, it wasn't that tough. I think it's safe to come to a few conclusions, like that Bowden's probably innocent of any perfunctory Orleanist sympathies, nor do I think his moral turmoil over what to do with Whitney now that he's finally got him will eventually lead him to drown himself in the Anacostia.