2013 Nationals Trade Deadline

[Slateman]

suspensions don't void mlb contracts. Who is going to take on ARod's remaining salary (14:$25M, 15:$21M, 16:$20M, 17:$20M)? Or do you expect him to retire with over $100 million still owed?

Actually, A-Rod's contract has a PED clause that does void if he gets busted. Even if he's not gone, he's going to have to play third as the Yankees have no one.

[Baseball is Life]

Look at our lineup right now;

Harper
Rendon
Zimmerman
LaRoche
Werth
Desmond
Span
Ramos

The order may change, but that group of players should be putting up solid offensive numbers. The rotation top 3 of Stras-Gio-ZNN is as good as anyone in the majors. The bullpen has some quality arms. Our struggles don't make sense. These are the same guys everyone in baseball, both in the game and in media, predicted to pound people. You can't build a roster much better than this one. You can't hit the reset button because of one season. You stay the course.

This. I forget who but one of the talking heads (Schilling?) said that nobody in baseball can figure out why this team is not hitting and how this team just doesn't make sense. You can call me crazy but it just doesn't make sense that this team will underperform the entire year. Now, they may turn it on and just not get there, but they just have way too much talent not to play above .500.

[sph274]

Because the Mariners are going to hold out for the best deal, and the Yankees farm system is probably not going to match it.

ARod is probably gone after this season. So is Jeter. They will need someone to DH and Tex is probably that guy.

Who are they bidding against? There are loads of 1b rentals available. Young, morse, morales, they all make more sense to laroche(especially young considering arods status). None of them are going to be particularly expensive.

[HalfSmokes]

Actually, A-Rod's contract has a PED clause that does void if he gets busted. Even if he's not gone, he's going to have to play third as the Yankees have no one.

source?

(it looks like you scooped espn)

According to several baseball sources who spoke to ESPNNewYork.com on the condition of anonymity, Rodriguez might be in little danger of having his contract voided, even if the charges turn out to be true. There is no precedent to successfully void a contract in baseball over PEDs.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8894904/new-york-yankees-attempting-void-alex-rodriguez-contract-according-sources

[sph274]

source?

(it looks like you scooped espn)
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8894904/new-york-yankees-attempting-void-alex-rodriguez-contract-according-sources

Lol i also thought this was false about to post a different link saying the same thing. Voiding arods contract is a pipe dream. They are stuck with him

[Slateman]

Who are they bidding against? There are loads of 1b rentals available. Young, morse, morales, they all make more sense to laroche(especially young considering arods status). None of them are going to be particularly expensive.

Phillies aren't letting Young go or at least the asking price will be high. Morse can't stay healthy. Morales is the only legit option and I have the feeling the Mariners will be loath to part with him as they really want to keep hitters if they can.

source?

(it looks like you scooped espn)
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8894904/new-york-yankees-attempting-void-alex-rodriguez-contract-according-sources

At the very least, they would get to void his money for the length of the suspension. And, like I said, he'd be an everyday third baseman for the Yankees. Still leaves first base as a struggle for them, which is unacceptable in that park.

[sph274]

Phillies aren't letting Young go or at least the asking price will be high. Morse can't stay healthy. Morales is the only legit option and I have the feeling the Mariners will be loath to part with him as they really want to keep hitters if they can.

At the very least, they would get to void his money for the length of the suspension. And, like I said, he'd be an everyday third baseman for the Yankees. Still leaves first base as a struggle for them, which is unacceptable in that park.

They have teixeira next year who is a good defensive 1b. He has nit shown he needs to be moved to dh. He is the 1b next year they dont need laroche next season. Why woukd the mariners want to hold on to morales? He is the best pure rental available. No other team but the yanks really even needs a 1b.

[Slateman]

They have teixeira next year who is a good defensive 1b. He has nit shown he needs to be moved to dh. He is the 1b next year they dont need laroche next season. Why woukd the mariners want to hold on to morales? He is the best pure rental available. No other team but the yanks really even needs a 1b.

He's DH'd before.

Rays and Orioles could both be looking for first base/DH help soon.

[sph274]

He's DH'd before.

Rays and Orioles could both be looking for first base/DH help soon.

But with a heavy emphasis on the dh part. They wouldn't trade for laroche to be their dh this year and next. There arent many teams looking for it and morales, morneau, morse, or young make way more sense for any of them than laroche. The idea that the mariners will ask for too much for morales is unfounded.

[Slateman]

They'd trade for him to be their first baseman and let Tex DH next year, play first against lefties with a specific RH hitter to DH against lefites.

ALR is better than Morneau, and Young is, for whatever reason, hard to trade for. Plus, if the Yankees were to get him this season, he'd be going to third. They'd still want an improvement at first base.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Morales has an expiring contract and will be a free agent next year (6+ years of service time).  3 months before free agency, if Seattle has not signed him yet, he is going to test the market.  Unless Seattle is planning on offering him $13MM+ to keep him, they can't even put a lead weight on him to discourage contract offers.  Planning on keeping Morales is planning at most on a wish.

[Mattionals]

Morales likely will hit FA this offseason even if he is traded.  The teams that have a 1B/DH hole that could use a bat to contend this year are the Yankees, Rangers and Pirates.  I don't see him being traded to the Yankees (no prospects) or the Pirates (not willing to give up prospects) at the deadline.  The Rangers could sign him early, but I have a feeling that Morales wants to hit FA and get paid as he is a Boras client and the Rangers probably won't pay him top dollar just to be a DH as they like Moreland at 1B.

This thread has evolved from a trade deadline thread to an off-season target thread.  Maybe the Nats move LaRoche, but again that is punting the season.  I think moving him is less focused on the return and more focused on either letting Moore play everyday and develop for the rest of the season, or to open up a hole for a FA signing in the offseason.  I doubt that Span goes anywhere (he should) because Rizzo traded Alex Meyer for him and will give him the benefit of the doubt and let him try to turn it around.

[Slateman]

I think if we're discussing trading ALR, we're effectively talking about the offseason.

And I don't think we'd have to get a first baseman, necessarily, but we'd have to fill in the hole at 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, depending on what was available. And, who knows, maybe Espinosa figures it out.

If we move ALR, we may as well move Span. I didn't like the trade before the season, and I like it a lot less. It's not so much the player, as the idea that we traded a big arm for a guy we simply could have bought (Michael Bourn). I honestly feel as though Bourn would have signed here on a 3 year deal, which is essentially what we have with Span. He would have cost more, but, frankly, he was a better player. Better defender, better hitter, and better baserunner.

Now, if anyone knows of a player we can trade for RIGHT NOW that will help the offense, I'm all ears. But I can't think of anyone.

[Mattionals]

I think if we're discussing trading ALR, we're effectively talking about the offseason.

And I don't think we'd have to get a first baseman, necessarily, but we'd have to fill in the hole at 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, depending on what was available. And, who knows, maybe Espinosa figures it out.

If we move ALR, we may as well move Span. I didn't like the trade before the season, and I like it a lot less. It's not so much the player, as the idea that we traded a big arm for a guy we simply could have bought (Michael Bourn). I honestly feel as though Bourn would have signed here on a 3 year deal, which is essentially what we have with Span. He would have cost more, but, frankly, he was a better player. Better defender, better hitter, and better baserunner.

Now, if anyone knows of a player we can trade for RIGHT NOW that will help the offense, I'm all ears. But I can't think of anyone.

I was all for the Span trade because I was swayed by Rizzo's assessment of Span.  I really liked Meyer but I thought Span was the white whale.  Now I'm sitting here hoping the Nats give up on Span and get Ellsbury to fix the OF.

[mimontero88]

I was all for the Span trade because I was swayed by Rizzo's assessment of Span.  I really liked Meyer but I thought Span was the white whale.  Now I'm sitting here hoping the Nats give up on Span and get Ellsbury to fix the OF.

The history of trying to find a pure leadoff hitter here has been dubious at best.  I'm really hoping Span turns it around.

[aspenbubba]

I think if we're discussing trading ALR, we're effectively talking about the offseason.

And I don't think we'd have to get a first baseman, necessarily, but we'd have to fill in the hole at 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, depending on what was available. And, who knows, maybe Espinosa figures it out.

If we move ALR, we may as well move Span. I didn't like the trade before the season, and I like it a lot less. It's not so much the player, as the idea that we traded a big arm for a guy we simply could have bought (Michael Bourn). I honestly feel as though Bourn would have signed here on a 3 year deal, which is essentially what we have with Span. He would have cost more, but, frankly, he was a better player. Better defender, better hitter, and better baserunner.

Now, if anyone knows of a player we can trade for RIGHT NOW that will help the offense, I'm all ears. But I can't think of anyone.

Just throwing my 2c worth. I also didn't like the Span trade and I am on of 5 who voted to keep the team exactly as it was in 2012. I also posed the question of why we didn't go after Bourn. It would have cost us a draft choice but we already gave one up for Soriano so what was the big deal..

[LightningMcQueen]

ALR won the Silver Slugger and the GG last year. To give up on him the next year while still in contention would be considered, uh, unconventional thinking.

QFT

[HalfSmokes]

The history of trying to find a pure leadoff hitter here has been dubious at best.  I'm really hoping Span turns it around.

how many true lead off hitters are there? Just looking briefly at the top 20 in OBP, and it's mostly sluggers, with three or so speed guys (trout leads the group in stolen bases- my proxy for speed, but he's not really a lead off hitter). Carpenter, Kipinis and Flowler are the only 'lead off' hitters in the group. I'm much rather the team give up on trying to find an prototypical lead off hitter and just concentrate on assembling the best players possible, then worry about lineup. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Should this thread be locked so we can split the topic into two threads: 2013 trade deadline - Nats as buyers, and 2013 trade deadline - Nats as sellers?  It seems the give up and sell crowd has more posts here, but there are enough "buy a bat / 5th starter / reliever" posts to make for two decent conversations.

[Smithian]

Should this thread be locked so we can split the topic into two threads: 2013 trade deadline - Nats as buyers, and 2013 trade deadline - Nats as sellers?  It seems the give up and sell crowd has more posts here, but there are enough "buy a bat / 5th starter / reliever" posts to make for two decent conversations.

That would be good.

[Mattionals]

Should this thread be locked so we can split the topic into two threads: 2013 trade deadline - Nats as buyers, and 2013 trade deadline - Nats as sellers?  It seems the give up and sell crowd has more posts here, but there are enough "buy a bat / 5th starter / reliever" posts to make for two decent conversations.

Yes.  I'll take the blame on that one.  As the ASB got closer and the Nats went on that wonderful road trip, I started thinking about the offseason.

My wild speculations about Samardzija are better served as a potential offseason trade target and not something the Nats should try and get now, that is unless they have the bullets now to do it (They probably don't).  The offseason will open up some new avenues that may yet be unexplored too.  Who knows, maybe the Cubs sign Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and the deem Samardzija as expendable now that they have a younger more controllable MLB pitcher?  Maybe the Nats actually sign the guy like SPH has been saying they should?  It's a long way until October and November and anything can happen.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Locking because this has begun to be incoherent with buying and selling ideas as well as offseason moves.  Two new threads up - Nats as buyers and Nats as sellers at the deadline.  Comment there. 

If I'm inspired, I'll pull posts and ideas out of this thread and move as appropriate.  Otherwise, I think you can copy and paste your quotes to the new thread if you like.