Nationals ask Guzman to switch to 2B for 2010

[PANatsFan]

And if Guzman refuses, we're out of his contract. 

Well, not quite. He goes to the restrictred list, where he doesn't accrue service time, so the team would be stuck with him in 2011.

[blue911]

Guzman is not guaranteed a dime if he doesn't meet his end of the contract.  If they tell him he is playing second base, then if he doesn't play second base he isn't meeting his end of the contract.  I'm tired of hearing about the team "asking" him and about whether he will "agree" to play second.

So they asked him, as they should have, in order to maintain the illusion that it's his decision.  And he said he'd think about it, in order to maintain that illusion.  So enough. Now tell him he's playing second.  The ultimatum worked with Soriano.

And if Guzman refuses, we're out of his contract. 

Riggleman has already said that the decision isn't Guzman's to make. Quite frankly all this talk about voiding his contract is just plain silly. The Nationals paid FLop and lord knows he didn't play second either.

[Ray D]

Well, not quite. He goes to the restrictred list, where he doesn't accrue service time, so the team would be stuck with him in 2011.

Looking at:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Restricted_list,
would you consider that a fair description of the restricted list?
Then by what reasoning or process would he go on the restricted list? 

[Ray D]

Riggleman has already said that the decision isn't Guzman's to make. Quite frankly all this talk about voiding his contract is just plain silly. The Nationals paid FLop and lord knows he didn't play second either.

Lopez was a completely different situation.  For all of Guzman's problems, nobody is accusing him of the Lopez type character flaws where he would "go through the motions" at second base. I think that the threat of voiding his contract would be taken quite seriously. 

[PANatsFan]

Looking at:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Restricted_list,
would you consider that a fair description of the restricted list?
Then by what reasoning or process would he go on the restricted list? 

That was the best threat they had for Soriano. . .

I know they made the threat to Jody Gerut when he wanted unauthorized knee surgery - refusing to play must be a valid reason.

[sportsfan882]

Guzman would absolutely pout if he was forced to play 2B. Maybe not on flop's level but still.

He has already punted his play earlier this season when they moved him down in the order and again after they asked him to play 2B and brought Desmond up.

He is not a team player and is clearly not worth $8 Million in 2010. We must find another option.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

You nag about Adam Dunn being a crappy defender and don't understand the value of a plus defender at short?

Care to explain this, SF?...

[Ray D]

Guzman would absolutely pout if he was forced to play 2B. Maybe not on flop's level but still.

He has already punted his play earlier this season when they moved him down in the order and again after they asked him to play 2B and brought Desmond up.

He is not a team player and is clearly not worth $8 Million in 2010. We must find another option.

If he is "not worth $8 million in 2010" and "we must find another option", what option? What better option is there than threat of a  default?  Remember, he would be in his contract year. So he's not a team player; it isn't in his interest to lay down on the job.

[NatsDad14]

I really don't care for the "team player" bullcrap because it's basically propaganda that organizations feed to fans to force players to fulfill their wishes, but Rizzo needs to do everything he can to dump Guzman on somebody. Show off his shiny BA and eat most of the contract. Hope that someone bites.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

If he is "not worth $8 million in 2010" and "we must find another option", what option? What better option is there than threat of a  default?  Remember, he would be in his contract year. So he's not a team player; it isn't in his interest to lay down on the job.

Isn't in his interest?  Why don't you ask the litany of other players in the MLB or professional sports in general about that one.  Has that ever stopped whiny primadonnas from mailing it in?

We have Ian Desmond in our system and can easily go out and get equal or better value than Guzman by signing a defensive specialist.  He's completely expendable.  I say just cut his ass already.  This franchise will remain in neutral as long as we hang onto marginal players like him.  Guzman's glove isn't good enough for SS and his bat isn't good enough for any other position.

[sportsfan882]

Care to explain this, SF?...

I want players that can play defense and can hit. not defensive specialists that hit .200 and not players like Guzman that can't play defense but hits .290.