Plan "B"

[Nat of the Living Dead]

to play 1B?  No.  J-Max is close, but he's in the same boat as NJ, can't stay healthy.  Hasn't since Maryland.  I think Leonard Davis makes the team out of spring training or shortly after.  As for Hood, he's going to be a good one, but he's years away.

And NOTLD, I wasn't in a frat, but it was a good analogy.  We've had our name involved in a lot of discussions, but nothing came out of it.  Are Swisher/Barton that much better options than what we have?  Maybe.  Better than Dunn?  No. 

The only reason I bring up Dunn is because he is the only one left.  We aren't trading for Gonzalez/Fielder like some of the fantasy posts we've had. 

I rest my case. You can't see any other options other than Dunn. You can't help but writing his name in a posting.

Okay, let's pretend Dunn goes to a contender. Since Dunn is gone he is no longer an option. What options do you see the Nats having or are you just going to go on your "Lerners Are Cheap" schpeel again?

[R-Zim#11]

If Maxwell proves he can stay healthy I think he'd get a call up. Davis has his destiny in his own hands. Yeah, I don't think we'll be seeing Hood anytime soon.

Yeah -- Davis started off slow at AAA but heated up towards the end. He is tearing the cover off the ball in Winter League. He's 25, it's time for him to put up or shut up.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

rotoworld.com:

   
In a radio interview Thursday with Atlanta radio station 790 the Zone, Andruw Jones indicated no interest in a minor-league contract.

He's going to have to change his tune if he wants a shot to continue this major league career. Even on a minor league contract, teams won't be lining up to hand out opportunities for a notoriously out of shape player who hit .158 with just three home runs and 76 Ks in 209 at-bats last season.

Forget about AndrUw Jones. We shouldn't even want this guy standing out in the parking lot.

[natsfan4evr]

I rest my case. You can't see any other options other than Dunn. You can't help but writing his name in a posting.

Okay, let's pretend Dunn goes to a contender. Since Dunn is gone he is no longer an option. What options do you see the Nats having or are you just going to go on your "Lerners Are Cheap" schpeel again?

There will be plenty of guys available for 1 or 2 year deals if we are that desperate.
Abreu, even Darryl Ward is a possibility again.

[natsfan4evr]

One less suitor for Dunn... Brewers say they're out

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090116&content_id=3746807&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp&partnerId=rss_mlb

[Nat of the Living Dead]

One less suitor for Dunn... Brewers say they're out

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090116&content_id=3746807&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp&partnerId=rss_mlb

What? There was another suitor? I was led to believe here we were the only ones interested!

[hammondsnats]

I rest my case. You can't see any other options other than Dunn. You can't help but writing his name in a posting.

Okay, let's pretend Dunn goes to a contender. Since Dunn is gone he is no longer an option. What options do you see the Nats having or are you just going to go on your "Lerners Are Cheap" schpeel again?

I'm not the only one who thinks the Lerners are cheap and you know what, there is nothing wrong with any of us thinking they are/aren't.  Ultimately they are the ones who spend the money and when you are in the spotlight you know you're either going to be liked/disliked.  (and I'm not saying I dislike them)

But the LAC campaign has nothing to do with what we are arguing.  You just like to bring up "oh you're going to go on a Lerners are cheap" tirade when in this particular instance, we're talking about the best option at 1B.  When it comes down to offers/numbers, then yes the owners can be brought in.  Right now I am arguing what is the best option we have for 1st.

You named Swisher/Barton as possible routes to go ... I'm going with Dunn.  And I have said before I'm not his biggest fan, but IMO he's THE BEST OPTION.  And I do say his name a lot, but this is a message board, of course stuff is going to be repeated.  You'd be a fool if you didn't know that.  Unless you want to go with one of the options I posted earlier, the only way I can see is to get Adam Dunn.  I don't understand how I get heat for bringing him up, when he hasn't signed with anyone yet and he fits our needs. 

You're just in Dunnial 

[Bags]

I was thinking Hood in Center or Left and Willingham to 1st.

 
You do realize that Hood hasn't even reached Low-A Ball yet, don't you?  He's still on the GCL Nats roster and hasn't played a full season of pro ball yet.  Even a rapid rise through the system puts him 2-3 years away from playing in DC, but 3 or 4 years is the most realistic.
 

[hammondsnats]

What? There was another suitor? I was led to believe here we were the only ones interested!

Who said that?  We had/have a very good chance at landing him if the price is right.  The Dodgers seemed like potential fits, but they like Manny.  The A's were interested, but they picked up Giambi.  The Angels were intrigued, but said they are going with a younger option. 

Of course there is competition out there, but we seem like a good fit.

[HalfSmokes]

 
You do realize that Hood hasn't even reached Low-A Ball yet, don't you?  He's still on the GCL Nats roster and hasn't played a full season of pro ball yet.  Even a rapid rise through the system puts him 2-3 years away from playing in DC, but 3 or 4 years is the most realistic.
 

So you not ok with a guy who would probably bat .095? His swing is supposed to be very raw- there is no way he could hit major league pitching

[hammondsnats]

So you not ok with a guy who would probably bat .095? His swing is supposed to be very raw- there is no way he could hit major league pitching

We already have one.  His name is Roger Bernadina.

[DCFan]

Watch out dcfan you may get tarred and feathered for showing your displeasure with the offseason.

I know.  I'm used to it.  The thing that gets me is the Nats are the worst team in baseball, by far. It's indisputable.

So why do posters continue with these inane questions of "what would you do" or "who would you sign" as if maintaining the status quo is perfectly acceptable and trying to improve the roster is some bizarre, off the wall strategy that's too fraught with danger. You know, the player could get hurt and we'd be out all that money so why bother, let some other schmuck take that risk.

Trotting out the same roster year after year with a smattering of new acquisitions from the dumpster is not the way to win games or fans.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

I'm not the only one who thinks the Lerners are cheap and you know what, there is nothing wrong with any of us thinking they are/aren't.  Ultimately they are the ones who spend the money and when you are in the spotlight you know you're either going to be liked/disliked.  (and I'm not saying I dislike them)

But the LAC campaign has nothing to do with what we are arguing.  You just like to bring up "oh you're going to go on a Lerners are cheap" tirade when in this particular instance, we're talking about the best option at 1B.  When it comes down to offers/numbers, then yes the owners can be brought in.  Right now I am arguing what is the best option we have for 1st.

You named Swisher/Barton as possible routes to go ... I'm going with Dunn.  And I have said before I'm not his biggest fan, but IMO he's THE BEST OPTION.  And I do say his name a lot, but this is a message board, of course stuff is going to be repeated.  You'd be a fool if you didn't know that.  Unless you want to go with one of the options I posted earlier, the only way I can see is to get Adam Dunn.  I don't understand how I get heat for bringing him up, when he hasn't signed with anyone yet and he fits our needs. 

You're just in Dunnial 

You can't do it, I can't believe you can't actually do it! You can't give or accept any other options other than either "it's Dunn or The Cheap Crusade."

I asked you a simple question that had Dunn taken out of the equation, a simple question! What did I get in return? Adam Dunn and The Lerners Are Cheap.

Dude, you are a riot!

[HalfSmokes]

I know.  I'm used to it.  The thing that gets me is the Nats are the worst team in baseball, by far. It's indisputable.

So why do posters continue with these inane questions of "what would you do" or "who would you sign" as if maintaining the status quo is perfectly acceptable and trying to improve the roster is some bizarre, off the wall strategy that's too fraught with danger. You know, the player could get hurt and we'd be out all that money so why bother, let some other schmuck take that risk.

Trotting out the same roster year after year with a smattering of new acquisitions from the dumpster is not the way to win games or fans.

Then who would you sign? Seriously if you have such a problem with the off season, who would you have signed? What bothers me is people who say we should go out and get a young stud hitter, who there was only one this year and we tried, or we need an ace - again there was only one and he cost over 160 million.

We made one move that was minor, but brought us a starter who will slot into one of the top two spaces in our rotation, and a power hitter.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Who said that?  We had/have a very good chance at landing him if the price is right.  The Dodgers seemed like potential fits, but they like Manny.  The A's were interested, but they picked up Giambi.  The Angels were intrigued, but said they are going with a younger option. 

Of course there is competition out there, but we seem like a good fit.

Give me a break, Hammonds. Two weeks ago I said that it would be naive to think we were the only suitors and the "Dunnces" jumped all over me for believing that the Great Adam Dunn couldn't possibly want to go anywhere else in the prime of his career than to a 102-loss team.

[hammondsnats]

I asked you a simple question that had Dunn taken out of the equation, a simple question! What did I get in return?

I addressed your remarks.  I said this has nothing to do with the Lerners and yet you are the one who keeps bringing them up. 

I'm not sold on Barton and honestly I'd rather have Swisher than Dunn.  Give me more options than the ones we have already talked about?  Oh there are none being reported.

1) Barton/Swisher
2) Dunn
3) One of our guys
4) Trade for Fielder/Gonzalez

[R-Zim#11]

Then who would you sign? Seriously if you have such a problem with the off season, who would you have signed? What bothers me is people who say we should go out and get a young stud hitter, who there was only one this year and we tried, or we need an ace - again there was only one and he cost over 160 million.

We made one move that was minor, but brought us a starter who will slot into one of the top two spaces in our rotation, and a power hitter.

And that's the thing that drives me crazy. The LAC Campaign doesn't actually offer any solutions -- they just complain.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

I addressed your remarks.  I said this has nothing to do with the Lerners and yet you are the one who keeps bringing them up. 

I'm not sold on Barton and honestly I'd rather have Swisher than Dunn.  Give me more options than the ones we have already talked about?  Oh there are none being reported.

1) Barton/Swisher
2) Dunn
3) One of our guys
4) Trade for Fielder/Gonzalez

You still can't do it! #2 was taken out of the equation! The question what hypothetical at best and you still aren't willing to crash your fantasies.

[hammondsnats]

Give me a break, Hammonds. Two weeks ago I said that it would be naive to think we were the only suitors and the "Dunnces" jumped all over me for believing that the Great Adam Dunn couldn't possibly want to go anywhere else in the prime of his career than to a 102-loss team.

And I don't remember saying that.  I only said he could be a good fit because most of the other teams that have had interest in him are going other routes. 

Haha and I have said the only way we're going to get a guy to come to a 102 loss team is to overpay him a bit.  Not 4/56 kind of money.  It will go down. 

But most likely we'll have to settle for what we already have in place. 

[hammondsnats]

You still can't do it! #2 was taken out of the equation! The question what hypothetical at best and you still aren't willing to crash your fantasies.

YOU'RE IN DUNNIAL!!!

[sportsfan882]

It could have been worse too. We could have taken the blO's path to um, "competition" and thrown money at every overrated FA out there.

That's exactly what hammondsnats and the others are advocating. It didn't help them and it surely won't help us.

[BerkeleyNat]

We already have one.  His name is Roger Bernadina.

Don't tell that to Sportsfan. He's got the high hard one for Roger. 

[hammondsnats]

That's exactly what hammondsnats and the others are advocating. It didn't help them and it surely won't help us.

We're not talking about giving Albert Belle 8 years and 100 million dollars.  We're talking about finding a slugger who can give us 30-40 home runs, stay healthy and play first for three years.  We thought that guy was Nick Johnson but it's not.  He has never hit that many homers, hasn't stayed healthy and hasn't lived up to his three-year deal. 

But let's sit back and continue to suck though. 

[DCFan]

Seriously if you have such a problem with the off season, who would you have signed?

Sorry, but your response precludes an answer because it presumes that finishing as the worst team in baseball is okie dokie and no improvements are needed. 

[HalfSmokes]

That's exactly what hammondsnats and the others are advocating. It didn't help them and it surely won't help us.

Wait, you mean Lowe isn't a savior