Jayson Werth signs w/ Nationals for 7y/$126m

[Potomac Cannons]

Exactly, which is why I said possibly better. He's an OF, defense only matters so much. He's good for five to ten less HRs or so than Dunn on average. He's clearly better than Dunn, but it isn't by a mile.

Dunn's last three years by WAR:  1.1, 1.2, 3.9

Werth: 5.1, 4.9, 5.0

The ONLY advantage Dunn has is power.  In every other facet of the game Werth is a clearly superior player.

[Kevrock]

I don't know, ask all the people nagging about the "nagging".  They're the ones doing the real nagging, IMO

Hey, quit nagging about the nagging about the nagging.

[NatsDad14]

Dunn's last three years by WAR:  1.1, 1.2, 3.9

Werth: 5.1, 4.9, 5.0

The ONLY advantage Dunn has is power.  In every other facet of the game Werth is a clearly superior player.

But's he's not superior enough to justify an extra 70 Million.

[ZIM4MVP]

Hey, quit nagging about the nagging about the nagging.

I love nages

[NatsDad14]

I wonder if Crawford would have signed for a similar contract? I would have preferred him over Werth.

[mitlen]

I don't know, ask all the people nagging about the "nagging".  They're the ones doing the real nagging, IMO

There's a difference between nagin' and whining.   I hear lots of whining.   You say hello and I say goodbye .. goodbye ... goodbye

[EdStroud]

I thought maybe it was Dunn, so is all the nagging really Werth it?

Sorry about that one

[PebbleBall]

I don't know, ask all the people nagging about the "nagging".  They're the ones doing the real nagging, IMO

Some of it's understandable, it is a huge commitment after all.  But I've gotta say calling it a shell game by the Lerners is absolutely ridiculous given the amount they spent.

[mitlen]

I thought maybe it was Dunn, so is all the nagging really Werth it?

Sorry about that one

Oh, Ed .... questionable

[EdStroud]

I wonder if Crawford would have signed for a similar contract? I would have preferred him over Werth.

Lead-off man, lefthanded hitter and 3 years younger.  Are some of the differences

[EdStroud]

Oh, Ed .... questionable

Kind of a Bernie Carbo bad swing foul tip there.

[imref]

And this is why I said I would hold off judgement of Rizzo until the winter meetings conclude.  This is a great move for this franchise, we get on one of the top 3 free agents, and we massively upgrade our terrible RF situation.  Yes, we overpaid, but that's what you have to do when you lose ~100 games a year for 3 years.  And, we took him from Philly which is always a plus.

Ryan Zimmerman has got to be happy right now - not only is there another big bat in the line-up, but Zimm is probably looking at $20 million a  year in 2014 if not sooner.

Now let's see what the rest of the week brings.....

[ronnynat]

I wonder if Crawford would have signed for a similar contract? I would have preferred him over Werth.

I'm sure they tried to get him.

[imref]

Kilgore:

"He'll be a centerpiece of our ballclub on the field and in the clubhouse," Rizzo said. "It kind of exemplifies phase two of the Washington Nationals' process. Phase 1 was a scouting-and-player development, build-the-farm-system type of program. We feel that we're well on our way of doing that. We feel that now, it's the time to go this second phase and really compete for division titles and championships."

In taking that step, the Nationals also took a major risk. Werth's contract will run until the 2018 season, at which point Werth will be turning 39. Rizzo believes Werth will continue improving as he enters his mid-30s, which would buck a trend deeply established in the entire of history of baseball. Rizzo also acknowledged that a team with the Nationals' reputation, having lost 298 games in three seasons, sometimes must pay more than more successful competitors. And so the Nationals paid more than anyone expected.

"I think anyone is a little uncomfortable with giving anyone a seven-year deal," Rizzo said. "But we're in a position with the Washington Nationals at this place and this time that we have to do a little bit more than the championship-caliber, win-today teams. I think that it's kind of a two-fold process. Sometimes you have to give the years to get the player. We feel, with that said, this is the type of guy to give a long-term deal with. He takes such good care of his body. Our evaluators have seen him improve the last three years to a point where we still his best days are still ahead of him."

Some around the game thought the contract excessive.

"It makes some of our contracts look pretty good," new Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson told New York reporters, according to ESPNNewYork.com. "That's a long time and a lot of money. I thought they were trying to reduce the deficit in Washington."

Werth, a client of Scott Boras, had been seriously pursued by the Boston Red Sox, among roughly eight other teams. Werth joined a plethora of Nationals -- including first overall draft picks Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper -- as client of Boras who have signed recent megadeals with the Nationals.

"The Lerners and I don't share Thanksgiving dinner," Boras said. "But we've shared a lot of dinners lately, that's for sure."

Said Rizzo: "It's always more comfortable dealing with someone when you have a relationship with them. We've done several deals in the past. We know each other's style. We know which buttons to push and which buttons not to push."

[UMDNats]

Holy crap.

[sportsfan882]

The negative posts are nauseating. Puke.

If this is the only big move of the off-season and they make no SP acquisitions then it's OK to complain. But this is a huge move for the franchise. Since when do teams like the Nats land guys like Jayson Werth? It doesn't happen.

[mitlen]

Kilgore:

Gotta smile when a Mets' GM has a comment about payroll.

[cmdterps44]

The negative posts are nauseating. Puke.

If this is the only big move of the off-season and they make no SP acquisitions then it's OK to complain. But this is a huge move for the franchise. Since when do teams like the Nats land guys like Jayson Werth? It doesn't happen.

You're trying to tell people to stop being negative? How will one take you seriously?

No one's really negative, they are just discussing the seven year part. EVERYONE knows this is a good deal.

[2k6nats]

This has probably already been said, as I haven't taken the time to read this entire thread, but this gives us the flexibility to put Willingham at first and Werth in the outfield.  Also, Buster Olney said following the signing that it was a panicked move following the failure to lure Dunn back to DC.  Considering it's a smart move to assume the OPPOSITE of whatever Buster Olney says, wouldn't it be great if ownership said "Ehh, Dunn's a good player and all, but we'll let him walk...we like Werth better."  If this signing ushers in the era where we see our team having the richest owner in baseball come into fruition, then I'm excited.

[The Chief]

The negative posts are nauseating. Puke.

sigged

[Baseball is Life]

I actually have read the entire thread. Look, you don't judge the offseason in December. Let's wait until Opening Day and see what our lineup looks like.

If they don't do anything else, then, yes, it's a step back. But if they go out and get a 1B and SP, then OK, we will have a better lineup in 2011.

As for the deal, well, uh, yeah, a crummy team with very little credibility and history has to overpay to get players at first. Think of Werth as a loss leader.

[imref]

I actually have read the entire thread. Look, you don't judge the offseason in December. Let's wait until Opening Day and see what our lineup looks like.

If they don't do anything else, then, yes, it's a step back. But if they go out and get a 1B and SP, then OK, we will have a better lineup in 2011.

As for the deal, well, uh, yeah, a crummy team with very little credibility and history has to overpay to get players at first. Think of Werth as a loss leader.

this.

[2k6nats]

sigged

Damn, you beat me to it

[PebbleBall]

Also, Buster Olney said following the signing that it was a panicked move following the failure to lure Dunn back to DC. 

This is beyond idiotic of Buster.  So let me get this straight - they lose Dunn on Thursday, so on Friday they wake up remorseful and fly to L.A. to meet with Werth and best their offer to Dunn by 4 years and $90 million?  I can understand hating the Werth deal but any theory that ties this to Dunn is asinine. 

"Mom and Pop's plan was to move into the neighborhood, establish trust for 48 years and then run off with Jerry's sneakers?"

[mitlen]

"Mom and Pop's plan was to move into the neighborhood, establish trust for 48 years and then run off with Jerry's sneakers?"

whoa ... wow