Nationals new 1B discussion

[PANatsFan]

Lee could be a nice short term solution OR Rizzo could be blowing smoke to get LaRoche off the dime.

Rizzo's quotes on MLBTR make it sound like the latter.

[Tyler Durden]

They'd probably go with a Morse/Left handed bat platoon before they pick up Lee.  I'd hope so, anyway.

I wouldn't mind Morse/Overbay if it came to that.

[The Chief]

probably balking at extra years again

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Nationals targeting Lee for first base

how does Cliff field?

[The Chief]

@jca that was my first thought too

[Tyler Durden]

I'm thinking the O's will give LaRoche more years than Rizzo is willing to go.  Just a gut feeling - nothing really to back it up.

[Baseball is Life]

Wait.

I thought the idea was to have the advantage while batting... if you stock the lineup with nine RHB, isn't that a bad thing?

Yes, I know it's not really going to be nine RHB... but it sure feels like it.

I don't know...the Red Sox seem to be going for 9 LHB...

I think I would rather have DLee over Morse at 1B. But, yes, LaRoche or some other LHB would be preferable. But, hey, Rizz may not have a choice..

[Lintyfresh85]

I'd much rather have nine LHB than nine RHB.

Most of the games you'll have the platoon advantage over the pitcher.

It's gotta to be at least a 70/30 split in RHP/LHP Starting Pitchers.

[Baseball is Life]

I'd much rather have nine LHB than nine RHB.

Most of the games you'll have the platoon advantage over the pitcher.

It's gotta to be at least a 70/30 split in RHP/LHP Starting Pitchers.

Well, don't tell that to the Sox if the Yanks get C Lee and bring back Pettite with CC.

[Lintyfresh85]

You know what's awesome though?

The NL East...

Marlins - 5 RHP
Braves - 4 RHP
Phillies - 4 RHP
Mets - 3 RHP - 4 RHP (Depends on health of Santana)

Boy, I'm sure glad the Nats won't be facing a ton of RHP this year!

[Potomac Cannons]

The Marlins should just hand Hanley over the Yankees already so we can get some of their pitching.

On Norris - if Dunn's offense wasn't enough to overcome his defensive issues at 1B, I doubt Norris's offense will be good enough to overcome his defensive issues (at a more important defensive position).

Norris improved his defense by every single account this year and got positive reviews in the AFL.  His defense isn't an issue to anyone who watched him.

[tomterp]

where on earth are these Hill talks coming from?  Is this purley speculation, or did someone report this?  I feel like middle infield is the least of our concerns right now.

It's not purely speculation, nor has it been reported.

I'd call it a "tweener".

As mentioned previously, Dana Brown is now at Toronto, and one can expect he'd make inquiries into Nats he likes.  Is Hill available?  If Spin' says so, good enough for me.

[Spinman]

It's not purely speculation, nor has it been reported.

I'd call it a "tweener".

As mentioned previously, Dana Brown is now at Toronto, and one can expect he'd make inquiries into Nats he likes.  Is Hill available?  If Spin' says so, good enough for me.

Brown likes Desmond. Is Rizzo sold on Desmond? Bally, Desmond, J Zimm are " Brown" guys. Just a thought as to why Hill might be considered.

[Tyler Durden]

Can Lind play 1B?

[Minty Fresh]

Nationals targeting Lee for first base
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com
12/12/10 6:02 PM EST

WASHINGTON -- The Nationals continue to look for a first baseman and they have expressed interest in free agent Derrek Lee, a baseball source confirmed to MLB.com.

If Lee were to go to Washington, it would mean that the team would have an above average defensive first baseman and a character person, who could lead players such as shortstop Ian Desmond and second baseman Danny Espinosa.

Lee could provide power in the middle of the lineup. This past season, Lee played for the Cubs and Braves and hit a combined .260 with 19 home runs and 80 RBIs. He played most of the season with a thumb injury and had surgery after the Braves were eliminated by the Giants in the National League Division Series. Lee is expected to be 100 percent by Spring Training.

Lee is best known for his years with the Marlins and Cubs. He helped Florida defeat the Yankees in the 2003 World Series and was a big factor in the Cubs going to the postseason in 2007 and '08.

During his 14-year career, Lee has a career .282 batting average with 312 home runs and 1,019 RBIs. He has also won three Gold Gloves.

Lee isn't the only player the Nationals are looking at to replace Adam Dunn at first base. They are still in the mix for Adam LaRoche. A source indicated that the two parties are in talks, but are not close to an agreement.

Without saying who he was going after, general manager Mike Rizzo said recently he could be looking for a long- or short-term solution at the position. Rizzo said he is not going to be rushed into any deal.

"We will explore both options, so it expands our pool a little bit more," Rizzo said. "I don't ever want to feel rushed to do a deal. I think when you feel rushed to do a deal, you make a deal that you may not have wanted to do. So we are going to look at our options. We feel there are still good options out there, and we will see where they take us."

    

I would much rather have had Carlos Pena.

[KV]

I'm really surprised that LaRoche hasn't signed with somebody yet.  If it's really just between us and the Orioles I would think the decision would have been made already.

[OldNatsFan]

They need a left handed big bat as their other good hitters are all righties, Zim, Werth, Hammer.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Russell Branyan.  He's Dunn with defense and with less consistency.  A bit of a balky back, but so long as we have Morse, Whitesell or his equivalent in AAA, and Marrero, we probably could put up with him having to miss a week or so at some point in the season.  Depends on his health, but it'd seem we could sign him fairly cheap for 1 year and revisit first next season.

[Minty Fresh]

Russell Branyan.  He's Dunn with defense and with less consistency.  A bit of a balky back, but so long as we have Morse, Whitesell or his equivalent in AAA, and Marrero, we probably could put up with him having to miss a week or so at some point in the season.  Depends on his health, but it'd seem we could sign him fairly cheap for 1 year and revisit first next season.

Did we get Whitesell back????

[EdStroud]

Did we get Whitesell back????

I think he plays for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.

[DPMOmaha]

Who was that other guy in Japan that was mentioned a while back?  I think he played for the Cubs for a while and was tearing it up over there. 

[EdStroud]

Who was that other guy in Japan that was mentioned a while back?  I think he played for the Cubs for a while and was tearing it up over there.  

Rick Short was an Nat who played well in Japan.  Did you mean him?

Edit;  Matt Murton ex-Cub? (Hanshin Tigers)

[DPMOmaha]

Rick Short was an Nat who played well in Japan.  Did you mean him?

Edit;  Matt Murton ex-Cub?

Yeah, Murton, that's the guy.

[DPMOmaha]

I would much rather have had Carlos Pena.

For a year, I think I'd prefer Lee.  I like his chances of bouncing back better than I do Pena's and he actually did pretty well in Atlanta.  He was battling a couple of injuries and I think if he gets healthy, he's got a chance to have a nice year.  The only thing is he's right handed which continues the unbalance of the lineup.

[asindc]

Russell Branyan.  He's Dunn with defense and with less consistency.  A bit of a balky back, but so long as we have Morse, Whitesell or his equivalent in AAA, and Marrero, we probably could put up with him having to miss a week or so at some point in the season.  Depends on his health, but it'd seem we could sign him fairly cheap for 1 year and revisit first next season.

While Branyan's defense is better than Dunn's (hell, what 1B's isn't?), it is nothing worth noting because of the bad back you mentioned.  He would be serviceable, but he is huge an injury risk.  Worth taking a look at, though.