Dunn Signs with White Sox for 4y/$56m

[hammondsnats]

Per Ladson's tweet.  http://twitter.com/washingnats/status/8380516686

 

[cmdterps44]

Nice. I'd like to keep him at first until we know for sure Marerro is ready or we get someone else.

[The Chief]

If you object to this, you must be an assclown

[Lintyfresh85]

Nice. Finish your career here big fella.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Lets' not give him Jason Bay money.   I'm more skeptical about his value than most here, and would not mind him being traded to the AL, but I'd be willing to give him 1 -2 years @ $10/yr, which he ought to take in this market given what Vladi, Thome, Matsui, are getting as DHs.

[Lintyfresh85]

Yeah... I don't think he'd balk at that.

[Obed_Marsh]

Nice. Finish your career here big fella.

This.

[hammondsnats]

This.

I'll third that!!! 

[CatsEye]

If you object to this, you must be an assclown

              #2  assclown here, on this subject....I object to an extension....no surprise there....  
       Although Dunn would be good trade bait for season 2011................


       Marrero should be given his shot in the Major Leagues..............

[Kevrock]

Good news! 

[cmdterps44]

I guess the talks haven't begun

"The contract extension talks between Adam Dunn and the #Nats are at stage 0.

[CatsEye]

I guess the talks haven't begun

            No surprise there. I mean no one (in the Nats Promotion Office)even knows if Dunn is showing up for any of the events at the FanFest 2010.

    There is plenty of time for negotiations for an extension with Dunn, no need to rush into this............. like all next season to ponder and weigh this action..........

[hammondsnats]

"Well, this has all been one big tease"
-kramer

[UMDNats]

Meh, no need to worry about an extension right now.

[Obed_Marsh]

[JCA-CrystalCity]

                    Although Dunn would be good trade bait for season 2011................

      Marrero should be given his shot in the Major Leagues..............

I'm not for conceding Marrero a spot.  Until he has a super-productive year in the high minors, I can wait to clear a path for him. Call it the Nolan Reimold plan.  If we do extend Dunn at 1 - 2 years at $10m per, then if 2011 comes around and an AL team is looking for a DH (LAA, Sea, Bos, Chi, come to mind), then we can trade Dunn to clear a path for Marrero after his great year in AA / AAA.

[JMW IV]

Adam Dunn contract extension talk at Nationals hot stove lunch
Friday afternoon the Nats hosted their second annual "Hot Stove" season ticket holders luncheon, where the menu included chicken marsala, cheesecake, and some news about budding contract talks with Adam Dunn. The first baseman (wearing a camo Texas Longhorns trucker hat) was actually among the players in attendance, but word of his contract talks only became public during the post-lunch Q&A, moderated by David Gregory. The panelists: team president Stan Kasten, GM Mike Rizzo, manager Jim Riggleman and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.

At one point, Rizzo was asked by a fan in attendance if there was a timetable to extend Dunn's contract, because "we'd really like to see him retire as a National."

The crowd of several hundred applauded.

"It's something that we've discussed with Adam and his people," Rizzo said. "We had a little conversation this afternoon about it. ... Seriously, he's become one of the family. We love him here. He had a terrific season for us last year, he's one of the most consistent players in the league, and he's a guy that fits for us long-term."

After the luncheon, I asked Rizzo a few follow-up questions. Turns out, Friday afternoon marked the first day that parameters of a new deal were discussed.

"It's the first time we had a sit-down conversation," Rizzo said. "We'd like to get an extension done. There's no time parameter or anything, so I have no expectations. No timetables, no time limits."

Dunn's take on the matter?

"It's something I want to do."

Asked whether talks were still at stage 1, Dunn said, "I would say it's still at stage zero. It sounded a lot cooler up there than it really was. We're just getting everything going; kind of one of those deals."

But suffice to say, the Nats now see Dunn not just as their first baseman for 2010, but presumably for several years beyond that. It's almost strange to think that one calendar year ago, Dunn was still a wayward free agent and GM Jim Bowden was handling questions at a similar hot stove Q&A about the Nats' search for a middle-of-the-order bat. Now, Dunn is entering the final season of his two-year, $20 million contract. (He'll earn $12 million for 2010.)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal/2010/01/hot_stove_lunch_dunn_contract.html?wprss=nationalsjournal

there is more stuff in there, i just copied the Dunn stuff.

[PANatsFan]

I'm not for conceding Marrero a spot.  Until he has a super-productive year in the high minors, I can wait to clear a path for him. Call it the Nolan Reimold plan.  If we do extend Dunn at 1 - 2 years at $10m per, then if 2011 comes around and an AL team is looking for a DH (LAA, Sea, Bos, Chi, come to mind), then we can trade Dunn to clear a path for Marrero after his great year in AA / AAA.

Just trade him. Why play a guy who might someday be as good as Dunn when you have Dunn?

Rizzo, Lerners, Kasten

Great attitudes at the corners

[tomterp]

Just trade him. Why play a guy who might someday be as good as Dunn when you have Dunn?

Well, disparity in compensation would be one reason.  Less $ tied up at first means more available elsewhere.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Just trade him. Why play a guy who might someday be as good as Dunn when you have Dunn?

Well, you don't have to make a decision on Marrero for a few more years. I forget when he'd have to be added to the 40 man roster (I think 4th or 5th year after drafting for a high school draftee), then you have 3 options.  

I think that with Marrero, sometimes we've heard his name so long, he came with such Bowdenized hype, and he had some success in 2007, we think he is a 28 year old AAAA / independent league guy in his decline years.  What will he be this year, 21 on opening day?  That's still young for AA. The average age in Eastern League in 2009, for position players was 24.3, per B-R.

I'm not saying he's untouchable, and if we do sign Dunn for more than a couple of years, he's prime trade bait, but I think with a reasonable progression this year, he will be valued as a potential major league regular by other organizations.  Right now, he's still enough of a question mark that he'd be discounted in trade.  

Dunn might be one ankle sprain from ballooning up to big to even play first (think Mo Vaughn).  Dunn's best position is still DH.  Not that I'm against an extension, but color me a skeptic if it is beyond 2012.

[The Chief]

I'd be surprised if they were talking about more than one additional year.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I wonder if a one year extension would make sense for your twin and role model.  Two ways to look at it:  There is a fair number of DH positions open in the AL (LAA, BOS, SEA, CHI, TEX, TB ...) in 2011, but there may be a glut of candidates (Ortiz, Matsui, Guerrero, Burrell, maybe Damon, Konerko, Thome . . .).  Maybe it is better to be tied up for 2011 rather than compete in that market,

[PatsNats28]

What do you guys think of 2 year, 30 million extension? Brings the total contract to 4 years, 50 million; I feel like Dunn is worth that.

[tomterp]

What do you guys think of 2 year, 30 million extension? Brings the total contract to 4 years, 50 million; I feel like Dunn is worth that.

I bet that's close, perhaps a little high.  Maybe 2 / $25m total.

[PatsNats28]

I bet that's close, perhaps a little high.  Maybe 2 / $25m total.

I thought of that first, but then I thought that Dunn would feel like "I signed on for 2/20, I've been great for this franchise, I deserve more than a 5 million raise". Granted, he's getting older and all, but just saying, I think the sides could agree on that number.