Tex and the Nats...

[hammondsnats]

What's wrong with Youk? I hate the Sox. Maybe they'll trade us Youk!!!! Or maybe they'll move him to 3rd now that Lowell is gone.

No way I want that POS Youkilis over here on this team.  Zimmerman is younger and better fielder.

[houston-nat]

No way I want that POS Youkilis over here on this team.  Zimmerman is younger and better fielder.

So let's hypothetically say the Houston Astros trade Ty Wigginton. If they do, the only other third basemen in their system are Geoff Blum (useless backup) and some guy who batted .218 at AAA last year. Would you consider a multi-player package dealing Ryan Zimmerman and change to the Astros for Roy Oswalt? And if so, would you consider trading for Youkilis?

I'm just being silly, but TBH, when I saw in the Chronicle this morning that the Astros are going to deal Wigginton and have zero other options for 3B, my first thought WAS "Give us Oswalt!"

[PANatsFan]

No way I want that POS Youkilis over here on this team.  Zimmerman is younger and better fielder.

Wow - can Zim play 1st and 3rd? Otherwise I think we can have both.

What's Zim's lifetime OBP? How many pitches does Zim see per AB? That was a sportsfan post

[UpperDec]

Yeah, we can't find a place for the guy who finished 3rd in MVP balloting. 

[PANatsFan]

Yeah, we can't find a place for the guy who finished 3rd in MVP balloting. 

[wpa2629]

Heyman:



The Washington Nationals are indicating they are preparing to seriously pursue some marquee free agents in an effort to remake their last-place team, sources tell SI.com. Star first baseman Mark Teixeira, who is a local player from Severna Park, Md., is expected to be one of the Nats' top targets.
While Nats president Stan Kasten was quoted in the Washington Post saying, "I don't want people to have unrealistic expectations,'' he said in an interview with SI.com that nothing should be inferred from that comment or any other public remark he may make.
Kasten simply doesn't want anyone to have expectations. That doesn't mean they hope to do nothing bold.
"I want to be careful not to convey any guidance whatsoever,'' Kasten said. "I don't need people ahead of time to know what we're doing.''
Specifically, as for whether they plan to pursue Teixeira, Kasten in his own way stuck to his word to convey nothing. "We are exploring all possibilities,'' he said.

[hammondsnats]

Yeah, we can't find a place for the guy who finished 3rd in MVP balloting. 

yeah he's also in one of the best line-ups of all of baseball.  put dave wright/ryan zimmerman in that line-up and they'll put up solid numbers too. 

also a problem i have with youkilis is that he called out manny ramirez a while back.  say what you want about manny, but he has done so much for that organization and for some player who hasn't come close to what manny has done to call out the superstar publicly, screw him. 

we already have a third baseman and i'd rather have teixeira than youk. 

[hammondsnats]

Heyman:

The Washington Nationals are indicating they are preparing to seriously pursue some marquee free agents in an effort to remake their last-place team, sources tell SI.com. Star first baseman Mark Teixeira, who is a local player from Severna Park, Md., is expected to be one of the Nats' top targets.
While Nats president Stan Kasten was quoted in the Washington Post saying, "I don't want people to have unrealistic expectations,'' he said in an interview with SI.com that nothing should be inferred from that comment or any other public remark he may make.
Kasten simply doesn't want anyone to have expectations. That doesn't mean they hope to do nothing bold.
"I want to be careful not to convey any guidance whatsoever,'' Kasten said. "I don't need people ahead of time to know what we're doing.''
Specifically, as for whether they plan to pursue Teixeira, Kasten in his own way stuck to his word to convey nothing. "We are exploring all possibilities,'' he said.

me likey.  i still think kasten was just coming out and saying "hey fans just because we have been linked to have interest doesn't mean we're going to shell out the bucks for mark" (as directed to say by mr. ted lerner). 

i'm really interested to see what our "offer" will be.  i hope we're serious about going after him.

[spidernat]

we already have a third baseman and i'd rather have teixeira than youk. 

Yeah we all know the Lerners are cheaper than cheap and we won't get him, but let us dream for now.

[The Chief]

me likey.  i still think kasten was just coming out and saying "hey fans just because we have been linked to have interest doesn't mean we're going to shell out the bucks for mark" (as directed to say by mr. ted lerner). 

i'm really interested to see what our "offer" will be.  i hope we're serious about going after him.

What you consider a "serious" offer is relative.  200 million over 10 years is a serious freaking offer, but it still doesn't mean we'd land him.

[hammondsnats]

and why are you even bringing up youkilis?  there is no way the red sox are getting rid of him?  we have a better shot of getting Teixeira than Youkilis.

[HalfSmokes]

i'm really interested to see what our "offer" will be.  i hope we're serious about going after him.

We'll probably never know what the offer is/was

[spidernat]

i'm really interested to see what our "offer" will be.  i hope we're serious about going after him.

5 years/45 million and 100 boxes of Wonka Bars.



With the prospect of finding one of these.

[hammondsnats]

What you consider a "serious" offer is relative.  200 million over 10 years is a serious freaking offer, but it still doesn't mean we'd land him.

it's a very good offer.  and hopefully we do throw a number like that his way.

i'm just tired of hearing "we can't compete with the big boys".  in terms of fielding competition that's true, for now, but for when it comes to shelling out money on a marquee free agent ... then why can't we hang when it comes to spending top dollar?  we've been saving up money for all the years (not bringing in any major FA's last year, not signing first round pick of last season, etc), it should be time for us to do whatever it takes to sign this guy.

[houston-nat]

The thing is, he did find one. 

[spidernat]

The thing is, he did find one. 

So I'm covered either way. If we don't get Teixeira, then the golden ticket was nothing but fiction. If we get him, then we found the golden ticket. However, I think the only ones finding the golden ticket are the Lerners and Kasten. We're getting the counterfeit ticket that will be exposed when we learn that our big acquisition was Willingham. I hear season ticket sales are going fast. 

[hammondsnats]

So I'm covered either way. If we don't get Teixeira, then the golden ticket was nothing but fiction. If we get him, then we found the golden ticket. However, I think the only ones finding the golden ticket are the Lerners and Kasten. We're getting the counterfeit ticket that will be exposed when we learn that our big acquisition was Willingham. I hear season ticket sales are going fast. 

Haha I hate to turn this into another HammondsNats-bashing-The Lerners thread, but if they use Willingham as the major acquisition (much like the stadium last season), I can't get it out of my mind that everyone from our President to our GM to our Manager to our ballplayers to the fans to the clubhouse manager .... want this team to get better, but the Lerners only care about how much money they are making and saving.

[PANatsFan]

yeah he's also in one of the best line-ups of all of baseball.  put dave wright/ryan zimmerman in that line-up and they'll put up solid numbers too. 

also a problem i have with youkilis is that he called out manny ramirez a while back.  say what you want about manny, but he has done so much for that organization and for some player who hasn't come close to what manny has done to call out the superstar publicly, screw him. 

we already have a third baseman and i'd rather have teixeira than youk. 

Wow that was an outer-space post. Youkilis is a fantastic hitter, hard worker, and a model citizen. Manny faked a knee injury and was going to get suspended if he wasn't traded. Did you take Soriano's side when he literally went took his ball and went home rather than play LF. Youkilis was contributing a hell of a lot more to the team than Manny was at point, since Manny was standing at the plate and refusing to swing. I don't care if you are a superstar, I care if you produce.

Signing Tex means we will have a 40 year old 1B someday. He needs to go to the AL for a 10 yr contract.

[hammondsnats]

Signing Tex means we will have a 40 year old 1B someday.

That's a better option than a stable comprised of:

a) an overweight first basmean
b) a fragile, oft-injured first baseman
c) a 33 year old second baseman playing first base
d) a third base/left field prospect playing first base

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Oh boy, it looks like we've found another hammondsnats mancrush.

He seems to get really hot and bothered when someone disses Manny Ramirez.

Kinda reminds me of another certain someone here getting worked up when people dis a certain oafish, big-headed NFL quarterback with a reconstructed jaw.



Group photo.  See if you can spot hammondsnats along with Roethlisberger's biggest fan.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Signing Tex means we will have a 40 year old 1B someday. He needs to go to the AL for a 10 yr contract.

No, it means we'll owe him money when he's 40.  We won't have to play him.  Why do people act like we have to give playing time to players if they're a bust?

[PANatsFan]

Oh boy, it looks like we've found another hammondsnats mancrush.

He seems to get really hot and bothered when someone disses Manny Ramirez.

Kinda reminds me of another certain someone here getting worked up when people dis a certain oafish, big-headed NFL quarterback with a reconstructed jaw.



Group photo.  See if you can spot hammondsnats along with Roethlisberger's biggest fan.

Sore spots:

Hammondsnats=Manny/Tex
Spidernat=Techno music
UMDNats=Roethlisberger

This is getting up there with Bacsik/Dukes issues.

Anyone who doesn't want the best player that won't hamstring the team financially and can't look past personal player preferences and biases is a total loon.

Adam Dunn and Manny had VERY similar seasons, and you can't tell me Manny is a good defender. Adam Dunn wants what, a 4 year deal? How long before Marrero is ready? Jeez people are really on something lately. And there are anger issues going around.

[PANatsFan]

No, it means we'll owe him money when he's 40.  We won't have to play him.  Why do people act like we have to give playing time to players if they're a bust?

I didn't say start, I said have. We can always send him to Syracuse.

I want someone to prove mathematically that Tex will that much better than Dunn.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

It's starting to get dicey on the boards.

Okay, who is looking to get Rowdy up in here?!

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Dunn would be a terrific acquisition as a 1B.  He's a very good hitter, he has immense power, and he's a left-handed bat.  He's only a really crippling fielding liability in the outfield.  Put him at first and he'll at least be able to use his size to make some good stretches.

But you know the knocks on Dunn.  "Strikes out too much."  As if strikeouts are so much worse than other outs, especially when you have guys like Milledge and Zimmerman who ground into DP's.  "He doesn't hit for enough average."  Oh yeah, forget the fact that his four-year average in OBP is in another stratosphere.

Edit: I don't think Tex is markedly better than Dunn at all, for the record.  I just don't think we should shy away from Tex just because of his contract.  There's no salary cap in baseball, so that kind of thing shouldn't be a huge concern.