Fielder

[Kevrock]

I don't see any point in spending money on this team at this point.

[Lintyfresh85]

They don't deserve our money, that's for sure.

[MarquisDeSade]

I don't see any point in spending money on this team at this point.

My wife and I will stay partial STHs until the end of time but, if rumours like these turn out to be true, we won't be sitting money aside for a full season for first crack at WS tickets any time soon.  Pathetic.

[Ray D]

From Buster's piece....

  I would bet they have offered 4 years and 88 million or something similar on a much shorter term deal that is ridiculously team friendly.  And we all know Boras will pull a rabbit out of his hat and get a much better deal.   

As long as Texas doesn't jump in (i.e. Texas signs Darvish) it wouldn't surprise me if no other team is willing to offer more than 4/88, or even that. 

[natsfan4evr]

Who the heck knows what we did and did not offer? Articles like this are absolutely meaningless until Prince actually signs a contract.

[HalfSmokes]

From Buster's piece....

some in the organization are scared by the idea of owing two players $40-45 million. "What if it goes badly?" one official asked rhetorically. "With our budget, it'd wreck us for years."

does this mean no Zimmerman extension and no attempt at Stras or Harper down the road?

[Kevrock]

does this mean no Zimmerman extension and no attempt at Stras or Harper down the road?

OMG, it doesn't have to be either or. They've built a homegrown core through drafts and trades. The time is now.

"With our budget" what a freaking joke. Yeah, their budget that allows them to make profit hand over fist, with more money coming from MASN.

[HalfSmokes]

OMG, it doesn't have to be either or. They've built a homegrown core through drafts and trades. The time is now.

"With our budget" what a freaking joke. Yeah, their budget that allows them to make profit hand over fist, with more money coming from MASN.

I'm mostly joking, but if they have a fear of two guys with a $40 million AAV between them, it definitely means that

[MarquisDeSade]

The time is now.

To pay down more of the team debt!!!! 

[HalfSmokes]

To pay down more of the team debt!!!! 

they need equity for the second LBO to pay off the daughters and IRS when the old man passes

[MarquisDeSade]

I'm mostly joking, but if they have a fear of two guys with a $40 million AAV between them, it definitely means that

[Kevrock]

I'm mostly joking, but if they have a fear of two guys with a $40 million AAV between them, it definitely means that

I'm not sure if they'll re-sign Zim, but I'd bet money that Strasburg and Harper hit free agency no matter how many pennies the Nats claim they are saving for extensions.

Players like them don't play for losers.

If the Nats piss away the best window for championships we'll have in DC for the next several decades I'll be furious.

[MarquisDeSade]

they need equity for the second LBO to pay off the daughters and IRS when the old man passes

If you can use OPM essentially interest free, why not.

[The Chief]

If the Nats piss away the best window for championships we'll have in DC for the next several decades I'll be furious.

Natitude: Expect It.

[HalfSmokes]

if Zimm doesn't get resigned, that's a lot of eggs in the 2013 basket

[houston-nat]

Ha, "with our budget"

I think that Nationals official knows what he wants... someone else's budget.

[BrandonK]

Any chance Werth would agree to deferred payment, if it meant restructuring to keep talent in DC? I feel like Werth wants to win, and if he's going to get paid (either way), that he would spread his AAV out past his contract to free money for the team to use.

I don't even know if that's allowed. Just thinking of the deal Peyton Manning did to free cap room (even though there's no cap in baseball -- LAC!). 

[PC]

"With our budget"...

Easy solution. RAISE YOUR DAMN BUDGET, you cheap bastards!

[HalfSmokes]

Any chance Werth would agree to deferred payment, if it meant restructuring to keep talent in DC? I feel like Werth wants to win, and if he's going to get paid (either way), that he would spread his AAV out past his contract to free money for the team to use.

I don't even know if that's allowed. Just thinking of the deal Peyton Manning did to free cap room (even though there's no cap in baseball -- LAC!). 

  if he wanted to win he'd have signed here. Maybe he accepts a deferred payment if they make it worth his while with interest rates, but then he'd be on our payroll for decades

[Kevrock]

If we can't afford to sign Fielder and keep Zim we won't keep any talent in DC for long, so there's no point to Werth restructuring his deal.

Also, no, lol, he wouldn't agree to that.

[PC]

So let's get this straight, they won't spend $40 million on two players?  I really don't want to believe someone in the FO would say this...but I'm sure they would.

It also means this team will lose forever.

[BrandonK]

if he wanted to win he'd have signed here. Maybe he accepts a deferred payment if they make it worth his while with interest rates, but then he'd be on our payroll for decades

I think he was lured by what's coming. If that makes me SSS, so be it. If the Lerner's approached him and said, "We're cheap bastards, and don't plan on passing a payroll of X. Would you be willing to defer payment?" he'd be willing to listen.

SIGN F'N PRINCE!

[MarquisDeSade]

I think he was lured by what's coming. If that makes me SSS, so be it. If the Lerner's approached him and said, "We're cheap bastards, and don't plan on passing a payroll of X. Would you be willing to defer payment?" he'd be willing to listen.

This isn't directed at you, but if that were the case you might as well find another team to follow if you care about winning.

[HalfSmokes]

I think he was lured by what's coming. If that makes me SSS, so be it. If the Lerner's approached him and said, "We're cheap bastards, and don't plan on passing a payroll of X. Would you be willing to defer payment?" he'd be willing to listen.

SIGN F'N PRINCE!

the only times I can think of players with guarenteed deals deferring iswhenthe interest rates offered were furled by madoff returns

[Five Banners]

From Buster's piece....

Within the industry, the wide expectation has been that the Washington Nationals would jump in, but some highly-ranked Washington executives are telling others: We are not in the Fielder market. The first year of their seven-year, $126 million investment in Jayson Werth went very badly, and some in the organization are scared by the idea of owing two players $40-45 million. "What if it goes badly?" one official asked rhetorically. "With our budget, it'd wreck us for years."

"Scared" is definitely the way the team has operated when it's come to raising the payroll to even middling levels, let alone respectable levels for a team with our top market demographics.  I have a cure for their fear: sell the team.  You'll have money, and we can get interested ownership.