Fielder

[PowerBoater69]

Drug testing needed at the Post...

and even without Fielder they’re probably an 85- 90 win team

[Lintyfresh85]

Drug testing needed at the Post...

The beat writers always seem to be a bit out of touch with what's really going on with the team... or maybe, since they cover the team so closely, they don't see how the Nats truly fit in the hierarchy of the overall talent level of the MLB.

[Slateman]

Drug testing needed at the Post...

No need for drug testing. They just need some sort of analytical skills test. Or a writing test ...

[Lintyfresh85]

No need for drug testing. They just need some sort of analytical skills test. Or a writing test ...

Clearly MLB.com didn't require one.

[zoom]

I'd have no problem with that if that's what he wanted.  Might even the best possible scenario for all parties.

+1

Time to monitor Tyler Moore and Skole.

[InsaneBoost]

The latest rumor, this one listing a person as the source:

Better not be some crappy ass "fair" market offer. I will BURN my Nats gear if that's the case.

[natspride]

If Werth's contract prevents us from signing Fielder, I'll die.


Literally. 



I wish I knew what Rizzo/Lerner was thinking when Werth was signed to his deal. 

[Lintyfresh85]

Better not be some crappy ass "fair" market offer. I will BURN my Nats gear if that's the case.

Make sure to YouTube that, if that actually happens!

[Slateman]

Come on!!! We sign Fielder, we go to the playoffs!!!!

[Bloo]

If Werth's contract prevents us from signing Fielder, I'll die.


Literally. 



I wish I knew what Rizzo/Lerner was thinking when Werth was signed to his deal. 

Rizzo had to make a move or else he would risk losing the entire Nationals fan base. People will calling for his head a few days before the Werth signing.

[HalfSmokes]

Rizzo had to make a move or else he would risk losing the entire Nationals fan base. People will calling for his head a few days before the Werth signing.

In retrospect, it was a short sighted move. I wonder if he was under pressure to win soon? It seems like the kind of contract a gm under pressure would sign; if the team starts winning and his job is saved great, if they play well enough to buy him a couple of years, ok the real pain in the contract isn't until 2014 (he makes $16 million in 2013 and $20 in 2014), and if the team flops, the contract is the next guy's problem

[InsaneBoost]

Make sure to YouTube that, if that actually happens!

If it's a good deal, then sure, I'll be okay with Prince just being greedy, but if it's one of the Lerners, we'll sign you to 5 years, at 15mil each, freak EM.

[Lintyfresh85]

In retrospect, it was a short sighted move. I wonder if he was under pressure to win soon? It seems like the kind of contract a gm under pressure would sign; if the team starts winning and his job is saved great, if they play well enough to buy him a couple of years, ok the real pain in the contract isn't until 2014 (he makes $16 million in 2013 and $20 in 2014), and if the team flops, the contract is the next guy's problem

Doubtful. I honestly believe had JimBo not been under investigation by the Feds... he'd still be the GM of the Nats right now.

[HalfSmokes]

The way it's back loaded, just makes it seem like Rizzo didn't expect to be here after 2013, or just didn't care

[natsfan4evr]

The way it's back loaded, just makes it seem like Rizzo didn't expect to be here after 2013, or just didn't care

Or they were waiting for the TV deal and an increase in merchandise and attendance revenue.
I think Ted Lerner was very influential in the Werth signing. I remember him saying he didn't care what people thought about him overpaying, he got the guy he wanted.

[Lintyfresh85]

Or they were waiting for the TV deal and an increase in merchandise and attendance revenue.
I think Ted Lerner was very influential in the Werth signing. I remember him saying he didn't care what people thought about him overpaying, he got the guy he wanted.

Hmm. Seems to be a bad judge of talent then.

Owners should be owners.

They should leave the baseball decisions to the guys they hired, who actually know the game.

[JMW IV]

All years are a gamble on Fielder. 

Sign him.

yup.

[natsfan4evr]

Hmm. Seems to be a bad judge of talent then.

Owners should be owners.

They should leave the baseball decisions to the guys they hired, who actually know the game.

It's his money, he has close to 4 billion dollars to waste, so 127 million is really a drop in the bucket to him (not to mention the fact that the net present value is probably somewhere in the range of 80-85 million after interest and inflation is accounted for).

[Ray D]

It's his money, he has close to 4 billion dollars to waste,

If he's willing to write off the 127M as if it had never been spent for purposes of future spending, fine.  If that expense influences future spending then he needs to stay out of it.

[Tyler Durden]

So you're suggesting you're fine with not getting Fielder as long as we get a leadoff hitter... but in the next breath you're admitting that you don't know of any leadoff hitter available.

So... doesn't that mean Fielder or bust?

Cause, I'd much rather have a lineup with Desmond leading off and Prince hitting fourth than I would a lineup with Desmond leading off and Morse hitting fourth.

It means that I'm just a message board poster so I may not know everyone who might be available. 

[Five Banners]

If Werth's contract prevents us from signing Fielder, I'll die.


Literally. 



I wish I knew what Rizzo/Lerner was thinking when Werth was signed to his deal. 

The other side of the Werth deal is something that really hasn’t come up much since the signing, but is worth [sic] addressing in the midst of all of this.  No one was going to give Werth at his age near what the Nats did, especially length-wise and with a no-trade clause, a lopsided deal which greatly pleased Boras.  This was coming off of negotiations with Boras phenoms Strasburg and Harper, and I and others mused after those deals got done that a Boras-friendly quid pro quo bailout would be in the Nationals’ future as the price of getting two fair deals done.  Werth’s deal make more sense under that perspective, especially as the team sits on the sidelines while a player that fits the articulated team contention plan to a tee remains unsigned. 

[imref]

i'm still going to give it another year before judging the Werth deal.  Despite his crappy year, he solidified a position that has always troubled us, gave us flexibility to play him in a few different positions, and I think he changed the attitude of this team (as well as the way we're viewed by the rest of the league).  Signing guys like Fielder should be easier now that we have Werth.  We don't have to make the pitch to him that he'll have to carry the team on his back, rather he would be the missing piece in an already good team.

If Werth keeps watching strikes go past him come April though, I may move up my judgement date.

[aspenbubba]

So you're suggesting you're fine with not getting Fielder as long as we get a leadoff hitter... but in the next breath you're admitting that you don't know of any leadoff hitter available.

So... doesn't that mean Fielder or bust?

Cause, I'd much rather have a lineup with Desmond leading off and Prince hitting fourth than I would a lineup with Desmond leading off and Morse hitting fourth.

Weren't   Fielders' and Morse slash lines fairly close last year except for Fielders 7 more HR's?

[The Chief]

a lot of people still seem to be expecting Morse to turn into a pumpkin... personally I'd feel a lot better about it if I knew we'd be playing him at first rather than shoe horning him back into left to make room for Buck Commander

[natsfan4evr]

I know this has nothing to do with Prince, but I'm excited to see who is going into the HOF. The announcement is expected in the next 12 minutes.