Fielder

[The Chief]

Why is that funny?  I honestly don't get it.  The budget is what it is.  Even if everyone thinks it's too low.  If, given the low budget, Prince prevents you from doing things to improve the team, it's not worth it.  Why is that funny?  Just post LAC LAC 500 times won't change that.

It's funny because you're worrying about 5 years from now.

[spidernat]

It's official. TD is PANatsFan's (and Mark Lerner's) little brother.

[MarquisDeSade]

20+ million dollars is not chump change.  It could mean the difference between making some roster moves to improve the team in 2017 or having a 36 year old Prince Fielder for one more year.

You can't be for real.

[Tyler Durden]

Well, not just 5 years from now.  I'm worried about having to trade Zim or let him go next offseason.  And having a 30+ year old declining Prince and 35+ year old declining Werth will turn us into the Mets or Cubs if the budget doesn't go up by enough.  That's what I'm worried about.

[The Chief]

Well, not just 5 years from now.  I'm worried about having to trade Zim or let him go next offseason.  And having a 30+ year old declining Prince and 35+ year old declining Werth will turn us into the Mets or Cubs if the budget doesn't go up by enough.  That's what I'm worried about.

If it's that big of a problem then we're probably never going to compete, as has been said by many.

[Tyler Durden]

If it's that big of a problem then we're probably never going to compete, as has been said by many.

I don't agree with this, either.  Some teams can compete with lower payrolls.  It's more difficult but it's not impossible. 

The Rays were awful for a decade before they got good.  The Nats are ahead of them.  The Pirates and Royals and O's are still awful and were awful before the Nats existed.  It's not like you can flip a switch and go from 100 losses to a competitive team. 

[¡Vamos Ramos!]

I'm not really worried about signing Fielder and then being in budget hell in 2 years time. Let's be honest. With Prince we're contenders. Being a contender brings butts to seats. Butts to Seat = $$$. $$$ = Contract Extensions.

Hopefully the Lerners are willing to spend money to make money.

[zimm_da_kid]

the jays were able to trade vernon wells and there have been rumors about the cubbies trading alfonso so I'm hoping that we'll get rid of werth before his contract runs out.

[Tyler Durden]

Also, Rangers fans may have said the same - 'we will never compete' nonsense that is said by many on here as you stated.  It just takes time to go from awful to good.

[MarquisDeSade]

The Rays were awful for a decade before they got good.

And play in an empty stadium under threat of contraction even after multiple playoff appearances.

[PowerBoater69]

Well, not just 5 years from now.  I'm worried about having to trade Zim or let him go next offseason.  And having a 30+ year old declining Prince and 35+ year old declining Werth will turn us into the Mets or Cubs if the budget doesn't go up by enough.  That's what I'm worried about.

Zimmm is heading out the door.  We drafted a 3rd baseman and we're not even talking to his agent.  Chances are that he's gone by the upcoming trade deadline.  Funny stuff if we send him to the Pirates right before the Nats make our first ever playoff run.

[zimm_da_kid]

Zimmm is heading out the door.  We drafted a 3rd baseman and we're not even talking to his agent.  Chances are that he's gone by the upcoming trade deadline.  Funny stuff if we send him to the Pirates right before the Nats make our first ever playoff run.

only if we can get McCutch or a package based around Gerrit Cole and Starling Marte

[natsfan4evr]

Zimmm is heading out the door.  We drafted a 3rd baseman and we're not even talking to his agent.  Chances are that he's gone by the upcoming trade deadline.  Funny stuff if we send him to the Pirates right before the Nats make our first ever playoff run.

Let's see if Zimm can play uninjured until the all star break. I'm worried about his growing injury concerns, and as much as I like Zimm, we need him healthy to be able to compete.

[Lintyfresh85]

True, but it's not as if they're an uber-talented bunch.

You've got to be kidding me.

[Tyler Durden]

Zimmm is heading out the door.  We drafted a 3rd baseman and we're not even talking to his agent.  Chances are that he's gone by the upcoming trade deadline.  Funny stuff if we send him to the Pirates right before the Nats make our first ever playoff run.

Maybe so.  If they sign Fielder and trade Zim, then they may come out ahead depending on what they get in return and if Rendon lives up to the hype.  If the payroll remains in the same range, making that exchange might be a smart way to maintain or improve the current level of play and reload a bit.  Even if that is thinking about five years down the road and will produce lots of eye-rolling smilies. 

[Lintyfresh85]

Maybe so.  If they sign Fielder and trade Zim, then they may come out ahead depending on what they get in return and if Rendon lives up to the hype.  If the payroll remains in the same range, making that exchange might be a smart way to maintain or improve the current level of play and reload a bit.  Even if that is thinking about five years down the road and will produce lots of eye-rolling smilies. 

You've bought the Lerners BS hook, line and sinker.

If the payroll remains the same, I'm no longer a fan of this team in three years.

Sig it. I don't care. We have the worst owners in professional sports.

[zimm_da_kid]

If Rendon can get healthy then he will be a fast riser and could be up here very, very soon

[natsfan4evr]

Talks are heating up again according to Pete Kerzel

Stop me if you've heard this one before: The Nationals are again making a strong pitch to sign free agent first baseman Prince Fielder.

The on-again, off-again talks with Fielder and agent Scott Boras are apparently on again, according to a baseball source. Actually, there's some difference of opinion on whether the two sides ever stopped talking or whether the supposed impasse from earlier this week was just a means for Nationals owner Ted Lerner and general manager Mike Rizzo to have some under-the-radar communication with Boras and Fielder.

Fielder needs a home and the Nationals would welcome his bat (even if it means a potentially uncomfortable situation with their projected 2012 first baseman, Adam LaRoche). The sticking point remains the length of the deal, which is, of course, tied to the amount of money Fielder will earn over the course of the contract.

Boras and Fielder are still angling for a 10-year deal in excess of $240 million - which would mirror the payday the Angels gave free agent first baseman Albert Pujols last month at the Winter Meetings. The Nationals would prefer a shorter term, something in the range of six to seven years, at a similar annual salary. But the Nationals - more specifically the Lerner family, who will have the final say on the talks with the slugger - seems willing to entertain the notion of the no-trade clause Fielder's camp is seeking.

http://www.masnsports.com/nationals_buzz/2012/01/nationals-fielder-still-talking-about-deal.html

[The Chief]

Maybe so.  If they sign Fielder and trade Zim, then they may come out ahead depending on what they get in return and if Rendon lives up to the hype.  If the payroll remains in the same range, making that exchange might be a smart way to maintain or improve the current level of play and reload a bit.

That's fine if Zim continues to decline in performance and/or health, but why can't you just accept that there's no reason we should have to remain a sub-average payroll team if he doesn't? 

  Even if that is thinking about five years down the road and will produce lots of eye-rolling smilies. 

It's funny that you nag about making the mistake of engaging and then post crap like this, so here ya go, just for you:

No, wait...

[Lintyfresh85]

If Rendon can get healthy then he will be a fast riser and could be up here very, very soon

To play 2B.

Why anyone would want Rendon to take over for Zimm is beyond me.

Good teams keep their good players while adding others to the mix. They don't just dump them without filling holes.

[MarquisDeSade]

Maybe so.  If they sign Fielder and trade Zim, then they may come out ahead depending on what they get in return and if Rendon lives up to the hype.  If the payroll remains in the same range, making that exchange might be a smart way to maintain or improve the current level of play and reload a bit.  Even if that is thinking about five years down the road and will produce lots of eye-rolling smilies. 

I don't get why you think a team in one of the richest markets in the US should be run like a team based in the Rust Belt.

[PowerBoater69]

We have the worst owners in professional sports.

Mark Davis, owner of the Raiders, has to be worse if for nothing else other than his hair cut.

[Lintyfresh85]

Mark Davis, owner of the Raiders, has to be worse if for nothing else other than his hair cut.

Think he got a bowl of soup with it?

[Tyler Durden]

You've bought the Lerners BS hook, line and sinker.

I would love for them to spend $200 mil a year on payroll. 

It's probably not going to happen, no matter how many times I write LAC on here.  In the meantime, if it makes people feel better to write LAC while the team tries to improve in whatever ways it can based on the payroll parameters laid down by the ownership, then that's fine too.

[zimm_da_kid]

I say offer 7 years with a full no trade and the following breakdown of money:

2012: 30 million
2013: 30 million
2014: 30 million
2015: 20 million
2016: 20 million
2017: 20 million

add an opt out after the third year and I'd do it in a heartbeat