2018-2019 Offseason Moves

[aBaltoNat]

I like it. Worth a shot.

[Slateman]

Desperate? They gave up some international money. Not exactly risky.  In his first year of arbitration. Contract will not break the bank.

For a team that may be rebuilding,  it's not a smart move

[imref]

For a team that may be rebuilding,  it's not a smart move

We’re not rebuilding. 

[Expos]

For a team that may be rebuilding,  it's not a smart move

Scherzer
Strasburg
Doolittle
Rendon
Soto
Turner
Zimmerman
Eaton
Robles

We need to stay healthy and that's as good of a core as it gets.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Scherzer
Strasburg
Doolittle
Rendon
Soto
Turner
Zimmerman
Eaton
Robles

We need to stay healthy and that's as good of a core as it gets.

Really?  That's as good a core as the Astros? 

If you line that team up position by position against Houston's, I think you'd find that in only one or two places (LF, RF) do the Nats have a clearly superior player, and that's without considering Altuve, the rest of Houston's rotation, and that Houston left a catcher off the playoff roster who is better than anyone the Nats have under contract for next year.

Also, saying "we need to stay healthy" with respect to Strasburg and Zimmerman is like commanding the tide not to come in.

[Slateman]

Scherzer
Strasburg
Doolittle
Rendon
Soto
Turner
Zimmerman
Eaton
Robles

We need to stay healthy and that's as good of a core as it gets.

Four of those have extensive injury histories. The likelihood of staying healthy is extremely small.

[Expos]

Really?  That's as good a core as the Astros? 

If you line that team up position by position against Houston's, I think you'd find that in only one or two places (LF, RF) do the Nats have a clearly superior player, and that's without considering Altuve, the rest of Houston's rotation, and that Houston left a catcher off the playoff roster who is better than anyone the Nats have under contract for next year.

Also, saying "we need to stay healthy" with respect to Strasburg and Zimmerman is like commanding the tide not to come in.

Ok. So one or two teams currently have some better positional players. If we stay healthy our lineup will compete with anyone. Especially if Harper comes back.

Point is we are not rebuilding.

[imref]

Ok. So one or two teams currently have some better positional players. If we stay healthy our lineup will compete with anyone. Especially if Harper comes back.

Point is we are not rebuilding.

exactly, just because you aren't as good as the Astros doesn't mean you blow up the team.  Most teams would kill for the core we have, not to mention Carter Kieboom with a decent shot of arriving next year.  We're not rebuilding.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

We absolutely aren't rebuilding.  Retooling a bit, but not rebuilding.  I'm excited to see how this roster comes together.  As mentioned, there is a solid core to build around.  My biggest concern far and away is the future of the pitching staff.  I'm not sure there is anything more than backend starter potential with our younger guys we have right now.  Maybe in the lower minors a few guys will emerge as potential front-line guys.  You always question if Strasburg can stay healthy year to year, and that only will increase as he is now on the wrong side of 30.  Max has to eventually slow down in the coming years. 

I believe we can add to the current rotation and have good starting pitching in 2019 if Strasburg stays healthy, but the future is going to have to be addressed.  It's almost impossible to build a rotation strictly through free agency and trades.  We need some homegrown talent. 

[Slateman]

A bit?

In order to compete in our own division we need:
3 starting pitchers
1 back end bullpen pitcher
1 second baseman
1 catcher
1 back up first baseman who can actually start for extensive stretches

That's way more than a bit. That's basically a total overhaul of your roster and likely some significant pieces of your farm system.

[imref]

David Robertson is likely to be available. 

[UMDNats]

David Robertson is likely to be available. 

I'm skeptical the Yankees let him go. I could see them trading Chad Green.

[bluestreak]

I'm skeptical the Yankees let him go. I could see them trading Chad Green.

Robertson will be a free agent, no?

[UMDNats]

Robertson will be a free agent, no?

Yes but I think he re-signs.

[imref]

Yes but I think he re-signs.

This suggests they don't keep Robertson as they don't need him at his cost:
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-yankees-have-a-lot-of-payroll-to-use/

[sixthree175]

A bit?

In order to compete in our own division we need:
3 starting pitchers
1 back end bullpen pitcher
1 second baseman
1 catcher
1 back up first baseman who can actually start for extensive stretches

That's way more than a bit. That's basically a total overhaul of your roster and likely some significant pieces of your farm system.

The first of those starting pitchers MUST be a solid #3.  The second MUST be a solid #4.  That's a tall order.   
 

[aBaltoNat]

Guys....all of you, and especially Slate, please don't make this a completely insufferable place to read/post.

We will be competitive. Yes, we need quite a bit of change if we want to make another run. I think it's quite possible.

[UMDNats]

This suggests they don't keep Robertson as they don't need him at his cost:
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-yankees-have-a-lot-of-payroll-to-use/

That article is nice and all but it assumes Gray returns (he won't) and assumes Sabathia leaves (he won't). It also assumes the Yankees are happy with Chapman, Betances, Green being their only proven/great bullpen arms when all recent history suggests otherwise. I don't know, I expect Robertson to return to New York but think he'd be great here.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

A bit?

In order to compete in our own division we need:
3 starting pitchers
1 back end bullpen pitcher
1 second baseman
1 catcher
1 back up first baseman who can actually start for extensive stretches

That's way more than a bit. That's basically a total overhaul of your roster and likely some significant pieces of your farm system.

3 starting pitchers?  That's an exaggeration.  Teams are always looking to round out their bullpen.  That is not some unique challenge.  A back up first basemen is EASY to find.  Lind/Adams...how difficult were they to pick up?  The 2nd base market is flooded with options.  We won the division 2 years ago with even worse catcher play than we had last season.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

The first of those starting pitchers MUST be a solid #3.  The second MUST be a solid #4.  That's a tall order.

The tall order is finding aces.  We have 1 mega ace and another borderline ace so long as he's healthy.  That's the hard part.  You can acquire #3 and #4 guys.

[zimm_da_kid]

Wishlist: 
Snell or Corbin
brittain or the lefty formerly known as felipe rivero

a cervelli and Vazquez (rivero) package could be helpful

[Slateman]

3 starting pitchers?  That's an exaggeration.  Teams are always looking to round out their bullpen.  That is not some unique challenge.  A back up first basemen is EASY to find.  Lind/Adams...how difficult were they to pick up?  The 2nd base market is flooded with options.  We won the division 2 years ago with even worse catcher play than we had last season.

Gio is gone
Roark is trash
Ross has shown nothing
Strasburg will end up on the DL.

This rotation needs 3 pitchers

[hotshot]

What's the story on Kendrick for 2019?

[zimm_da_kid]

What's the story on Kendrick for 2019?

still under contract.  Honestly he's very good offensively.  If he can get healthy I wouldn't even mind making him the starting 2B just taking him out late in games for Wilmer.  If Kendrick could play passable defense he could still be a quality starter but despite his .303/.331/.474 line he had a -0.2 WAR according to Baseball REF. 

what a shame

[Slateman]

https://mobile.twitter.com/MarcCarig/status/1050798562513174531



Sounds like Sonny Gray is on the market. Question is, what is he worth?