Follow the Non-Prospects: Danny Espinosa, 2B

[madj55]

How much time would he have missed if he got the surgery the day after we were eliminated last year?

[NJ Ave]

No surgery is "routine" when it is on you. I can understand why he is trying to avoid it.

Look, Danny enters arbitration next year. Neil Walker is going to make $5+ million next year for being no better than a healthy Danny Espinosa while Gordon Beckham is making less than $3 million for being better than an injured Danny Espinosa.

I'm not saying the guy's delusional just because he wants to avoid surgery. I'm saying he's delusional because he's risking millions and millions of dollars by avoiding surgery.

[NJ Ave]

Not to mention the possibility that he spends next year in the minors proving himself again and pushes his timetable back a year. In addition to how much he could cost himself in arbitration, he could also cost himself a year's worth of free agency compensation. This year could easily cost him $15 million.

[NJ Ave]

How much time would he have missed if he got the surgery the day after we were eliminated last year?

He would have missed no time. I think it's a 4-month recovery.

[HalfSmokes]

Not to mention the possibility that he spends next year in the minors proving himself again and pushes his timetable back a year. In addition to how much he could cost himself in arbitration, he could also cost himself a year's worth of free agency compensation. This year could easily cost him $15 million.

this is his last option year (I'm almost certain), so he either makes good money in arbitration and stays in the majors, or gets to go somewhere as a free agent

[NJ Ave]

Why would this be his last option year? This is the first time he's been optioned since coming up to the majors, and I don't see why he would have been on the 40-man roster before then. A team can keep a player in the minors for 3 years before adding him to the 40-man roster and then has 3 option years after a player's added to the 40-man roster.

The Nats would not have used any options on him in 2008, 2009, and 2010 which were his regular minors years. This is his first option since then.

Once a player has 5 years of major league experience, they cannot be optioned without their consent - this does not apply to Danny, who only has 2+years of service. I bet they can option him the next 2 years if they want.

[NJ Ave]

Oh I see, so it's only years 4-6 that you can use those options?

[HalfSmokes]

I might be wrong- when was he added to the 40 man?

[NJ Ave]

I have the answer, but it's an arcane (and interesting) piece of baseballia. Basically, yes, Danny can be optioned the next two years if the Nationals want. He just has to pass through optional waivers, in which another team could technically claim him (but never do because the Nats could just take him back and probably teams don't out of courtesy to each other given roster limitations).

Optional Waivers:

Optional major-league waivers are required when optioning a player who is more than three calendar years removed from his first appearance on a major-league roster. This procedure allows a club to send a player to the minor leagues while keeping him on the 40-man roster. Because optional waivers are revocable, players usually clear in this scenario. In the unlikely event a player is claimed, his club may not option him to the minor leagues, and any subsequent waiver request during the same period becomes irrevocable. Never has a player been claimed on optional waivers (which are obviously different from trade waivers and outright waivers).

[HalfSmokes]

I think his first option year was 2010, this is his second. That would make next year his third, and I don't think danny qualifies for a forth.

edit: i think i was wrong about this year being his last

[NJ Ave]

So this year is Danny's first "option year" - since he's never been sent to the minors since being added to the 40-man roster. They have two additional "option years" on him that he can't refuse since he doesn't have 5 years of major league service, although he must first pass through a waiver system where another team could technically claim him, which doesn't happen.

Baseball is so weird.

But the bottom line is, as I originally thought, he's wasting a LOT of money this year.

[HalfSmokes]

So this year is Danny's first "option year" - since he's never been sent to the minors since being added to the 40-man roster.

what about 2010?

[NJ Ave]

Nope, 2010 was a minors year. It doesn't count as an option year since he wasn't on the 40-man roster at the beginning of the season and was called up during the year.

Here are when options years are burned:

1. If a player is on the 40-man roster in spring training but optioned to the minors before the season begins.

2. If a player is sent down to the minors during the regular season.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

what about 2010?

he was not on the 40 man until he was called up and he was never sent down after that.

[welch]

He would have missed no time. I think it's a 4-month recovery.

Rock-head.

[imref]

2-4, double, SB last night.  Heating up. 

[TigerFan]

2-4, double, SB last night.  Heating up.

Oh goodness.  If he keeps this up I really think Davey will get him back up.  I'm not talking another couple days but weeks. 

[MtnJax]

I would hope that if he keeps improving, a trade could be on the horizon

[welch]

I would hope that if he keeps improving, a trade could be on the horizon

If Espi has learned how to hit, he is a better utility infielder than Lombo. He throws well enough to play a fine SS. My definition of "has learned how to hit" is his K%. If he still strikes out 30% of the time, the only way to justify him is if he also hits about 40 homers a year. Hitting 20 homers doesn't justify keeping him if his BA is about .220 and he has about 180 strikeouts.

"Utility infielder" because Rendon is going to play 2B almost every day. Maybe next season, if the Nats trade LaRoche, move Ryan Z to 1B and Rendon to 3B, then a spot open, but only of Espi has learned to hit. That's a lot of learning, since he hit about .265 in the minors and struck out often...though not as bad as he has in the majors.

[Mr Clean]

1 for 2 with a triple so far tonight.

Now 3 for 4.

[imref]

1 for 2 with a triple so far tonight.

Now 3 for 4.

Lombo might be getting nervous.

[hammondsnats]

Lombo might be getting nervous.

they wouldn't call up espinsoa to sit on the bench.

[Slateman]

Just in time for Rendon's slump. I'm sure Davey can't wait to bring him up.

[Smithian]

I would hope that if he keeps improving, a trade could be on the horizon

If he keeps improving, he needs to come back up to the majors and help the big club win games. He can play both middle infield spots and when Zim needs a day off Rendon can shift to 3B so Espinosa can be at 2B.

Quality depth is a huge reason why the Nats succeeded last season. Our depth is shoddy this season. Espinosa is probably a couple weeks from the Nats even considering bringing him back, but it would be a big boost if he could get his rhythm back and come up and give us quality at bats.

[madj55]

Saw some video of Espinosa swinging from the left side of the plate in AAA, he looks much better.