Plan "B"

[Bags]

Vindicator signs with the Mets, as expected.

looks like they won't be looking at Randy Wolf anymore.

Late reply here, but why would you say that?  I hope the Mets don't go after Wolf, but we're talking about the biggest spending team in our division, that relatively small salary they gave to Redding shouldn't stop them from wanting to sign Wolf too.

Consider the source (lol), but the consensus on the Mets board is that Redding will be a 5th starter at best, quite a few of them only figure him to be an insurance policy at AAA.

[natsfan4evr]

Chico totally agrees with Minty and I, in reference to Dunn and Hudson. This is all a game. We remain very much interested.

For the time being, especially as Washington tries to tries to get leverage with its free agent targets, it's in the team's interest to send those free agents a message: i.e., 'We have other options if you don't come here. We are not desperate to have you.' In other words, having the Swisher-Nady rumors around helps Nats... even if Swisher and/or Nady is a longshot to ever help the team himself.

I have full faith that the literate NJ crowd can read between the slimmest of lines, but let me just do my own interpretive work. Just to be clear: Washington is still very much in interested in obtaining Adam Dunn and Orlando Hudson. The Nats' hard-line bargaining with those guys -- declaring their value too high... saying they've moved on to other targets -- is just part of the posturing.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal/2009/01/a_few_rumors_a_few_fas_a_few_y.html

[DCFan]

'We have other options if you don't come here. We are not desperate to have you.' In other words, having the Swisher-Nady rumors around helps Nats... even if Swisher and/or Nady is a longshot to ever help the team himself.

That's all well and good if agents worked in a vacuum but they can read this stuff too and they knows who's bluffing and who isn't.  And they know what our chances are of pulling off a trade with the Yanks. And with Nady's agent being Scott Boras (same agent for either Dunn or Hudson??) this can all get pretty incestuous.

[MrMadison]

That's all well and good if agents worked in a vacuum but they can read this stuff too and they knows who's bluffing and who isn't.  And they know what our chances are of pulling off a trade with the Yanks. And with Nady's agent being Scott Boras (same agent for either Dunn or Hudson??) this can all get pretty incestuous.

nah. Dunn and Hudson don't have Boras.  but they both do have the same agent. it's just not Boras.

[sportsfan882]

nah. Dunn and Hudson don't have Boras.  but they both do have the same agent. it's just not Boras.

Greg Genske is his name.



These are some of the players he represents:

   1. Jeremy Bonderman RHSP Detroit Tigers
   2. Pat Burrell LF Tampa Bay Rays
   3. Darin Erstad CF Free Agent
   4. Shawn Green RF New York Mets
   5. Orlando Hernández RHSP New York Mets
   6. Mark Kotsay CF Atlanta Braves
   7. Shannon Stewart LF Toronto Blue Jays
   8. Brad Penny RHSP Boston Red Sox
   9. CC Sabathia LHSP New York Yankees
  10. Vernon Wells CF Toronto Blue Jays
  11. Adam Dunn RF Free Agent
  12. Liván Hernández RHSP Minnesota Twins
  13. Scott Kazmir LHSP Tampa Bay Rays
  14. Travis Hafner DH Cleveland Indians
  15. Orlando Hudson 2B Free Agent

[PANatsFan]

Greg Genske is his name.



These are some of the players he represents:

   1. Jeremy Bonderman RHSP Detroit Tigers
   2. Pat Burrell LF Tampa Bay Rays
   3. Darin Erstad CF Free Agent
   4. Shawn Green RF New York Mets
   5. Orlando Hernández RHSP New York Mets
   6. Mark Kotsay CF Atlanta Braves
   7. Shannon Stewart LF Toronto Blue Jays
   8. Brad Penny RHSP Boston Red Sox
   9. CC Sabathia LHSP New York Yankees
  10. Vernon Wells CF Toronto Blue Jays
  11. Adam Dunn RF Free Agent
  12. Liván Hernández RHSP Minnesota Twins
  13. Scott Kazmir LHSP Tampa Bay Rays
  14. Travis Hafner DH Cleveland Indians
  15. Orlando Hudson 2B Free Agent

watch, we'll end up with both + Livan

[blue911]

Greg Genske is his name.



These are some of the players he represents:

   1. Jeremy Bonderman RHSP Detroit Tigers
   2. Pat Burrell LF Tampa Bay Rays
   3. Darin Erstad CF Free Agent
   4. Shawn Green RF New York Mets
   5. Orlando Hernández RHSP New York Mets
   6. Mark Kotsay CF Atlanta Braves
   7. Shannon Stewart LF Toronto Blue Jays
   8. Brad Penny RHSP Boston Red Sox
   9. CC Sabathia LHSP New York Yankees
  10. Vernon Wells CF Toronto Blue Jays
  11. Adam Dunn RF Free Agent
  12. Liván Hernández RHSP Minnesota Twins
  13. Scott Kazmir LHSP Tampa Bay Rays
  14. Travis Hafner DH Cleveland Indians
  15. Orlando Hudson 2B Free Agent

If I were Dunn, I'd get a new agent.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

These are some of the players he represents:

   1. Jeremy Bonderman RHSP Detroit Tigers
   2. Pat Burrell LF Tampa Bay Rays
   3. Darin Erstad CF Free Agent
   4. Shawn Green RF New York Mets
   5. Orlando Hernández RHSP New York Mets
   6. Mark Kotsay CF Atlanta Braves
   7. Shannon Stewart LF Toronto Blue Jays
   8. Brad Penny RHSP Boston Red Sox
   9. CC Sabathia LHSP New York Yankees
  10. Vernon Wells CF Toronto Blue Jays
  11. Adam Dunn RF Free Agent
  12. Liván Hernández RHSP Minnesota Twins
  13. Scott Kazmir LHSP Tampa Bay Rays
  14. Travis Hafner DH Cleveland Indians
  15. Orlando Hudson 2B Free Agent

Burrell was fairly inexpensive, so I'm hopeful that Dunn and Hudson can be had for fair prices relative to the market.

[Bags]

Greg Genske is his name.

I'm just very glad to hear it's not the Hendricks Brothers...   

[DCFan]

If I were Dunn, I'd get a new agent.

Does anyone know if the Phillies ever offered an extension of some amount to Burrell and whether he turned them down only to have to "settle" for a lesser amount from Tampa?

[natsfan4evr]

That's all well and good if agents worked in a vacuum but they can read this stuff too and they knows who's bluffing and who isn't.  And they know what our chances are of pulling off a trade with the Yanks. And with Nady's agent being Scott Boras (same agent for either Dunn or Hudson??) this can all get pretty incestuous.

That goes both ways.
Dunn and Hudson don't have the offers they are claiming either. If they did, they would have signed already.
I think they are waiting to the last possible minute, because I think we are probably their last choice. Either that, or their agent is making them hold up.

He can't be happy about Pat Burrell's deal. I bet you he expected much more than he got. He did pretty well with CC though.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Livan's agent, huh? Don't break your bank too much, Lerners. Greg Genske would probably take a few boxes of twinkies for certain players and be happy.

[houston-nat]

Some Yankees fan posted a comment on MLBTR saying:

The Yankees should trade for Austin Kearns, then they should trade away Xavier Nady for a pitcher (not to the Nationals, but to whoever). If Kearns is healthy and in RF, then an OF consisting of Kearns, Damon and Swisher would be sound from both sides of the coin (offensive and defensive). Swisher could play CF with the defensive upgrade in RF and such a trade would free up payroll for the Nationals to make a move on Dunn or O-Dog.

Please let the Yanks hire this guy within the next two days to replace Cashman!

[sportsfan882]

Hill aims to be ready for spring camp

http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090112&content_id=3740843&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was

WASHINGTON -- Nationals right-hander Shawn Hill is cautiously optimistic that he will be ready for Spring Training, saying Monday afternoon he is currently throwing the ball on flat ground and hopes to pitch off a mound in about 10 days.

Hill had arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow in September. Some small spurs in the posterior elbow were removed, and Dr. James Andrews, who performed the surgery, didn't find any further damage to the elbow.

"I'm working out," Hill said. "I'm doing my normal throwing program -- not a regimented throwing program. It's whatever I feel. I'm back to playing long toss, getting what I need to get in. I'm just starting to throw on flat ground. I get on the mound in about 10 days and get cranked up."

During Spring Training, Hill is expected to compete for a spot in the rotation. The Nationals are tentatively looking at Collin Balester, Daniel Cabrera, John Lannan, Scott Olsen and Jordan Zimmermann as the projected starters.

No one has questioned Hill's talent as a pitcher. However, staying healthy for a full season is something he hasn't been able to do since entering the Major Leagues in 2004 with the Expos. Besides the arthroscopic surgery, Hill has had elbow reconstruction and forearm surgery. The injuries have limited him to only 37 games during his career.

Hill is hoping 2009 is finally the year he can stay healthy. If he makes the Opening Day roster, Hill is looking to make 25-30 starts and pitch 175 innings. Hill figures manager Manny Acta and pitching coach Randy St. Claire will be cautious and rest his arm once in a while.

"It's tough for me to say I will put it all together until I really crank it up, get going and throw day after day -- throwing a lot," Hill said. "I feel like the arm is better. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and keep doing what I have to do. I hope it holds up. If it does hold up, I think everything will fall into place. It's just a matter of whether or not I can feel reasonably well going out there."

[natsfan4evr]

Hill aims to be ready for spring camp

http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090112&content_id=3740843&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was

He'll be on the DL by April 30th

[ronnynat]

Nationals right-hander Shawn Hill is cautiously optimistic that he will be ready for Spring Training

Cautiously Optimistic Shawn Hill, or COSH.

[houston-nat]

Cautiously Optimistic Shawn Hill, or COSH.

OshKosh B'Cosh!

[Nat of the Living Dead]

I give Shawn Hill ST and 5 regular season games before he is back on the DL.

[BerkeleyNat]

I give Shawn Hill ST and 5 regular season games before he is back on the DL.

I wonder if he'll even make it out of spring training before his arm starts hurting again.

[tomterp]

I give Shawn Hill ST and 5 regular season games before he is back on the DL.

I wonder if he'll even make it out of spring training before his arm starts hurting again.

Guess we better start ragging on him now, lest he get hurt before we really get all our shots in.   

[spidernat]

Cautiously Optimistic Shawn Hill, or COSH.

Perfect! 

He'll probably go on the DL with his arm experiencing flu like symptoms. 

Guess we better start ragging on him now, lest he get hurt before we really get all our shots in.  

Hill will be so grateful to you.    

[UMDNats]

a healthy hill would be nice but i'm not holding my breath. hopefully he does stay healthy, our rotation could use him

[Minty Fresh]

I give Shawn Hill ST and 5 regular season games before he is back on the DL.

I'll take the under...   

[houston-nat]

Adam Dunn's current asking price is $14 million a year for four years ($52m total) per MLBTR. That's just ridiculous.

[ronnynat]

Adam Dunn's current asking price is $14 million a year for four years ($52m total) per MLBTR. That's just ridiculous.

Wouldn't that be $13 mil per year?