Offseason moves?

[sph274]

Not so sure about Aramis. He's missed a lot of time this year, playing in only 54 games. And, he's owed $16M next year and also has a $4M buyout...

We have loads of short term cash. We should overpay veterans on short years to avoid long term commitments. Get ramirez for a year(if he doesnt exercise the option no buyout) at big money sign beltran short term big money, push span and laroche to bench. Drop tracy and bernadina. I dont see why the lerners shouldn't spend more money on soriano like deals they have it until 2017. I know rafael gets loads of heat but it really doesnt matter since he is still one of our only good relief pitchers. I want more vets on short term high dollar deals. This team lacks "leadership". Let's buy some on the FA market

[monkeyhit]

Gonna really have to overpay any good FA now.   

[Slateman]

I don't know if Lincecum, Hughes or Josh Johnson are any better now than Karns or Taylor Jordan.  Aramis Ramirez isn't what he used to be, and unless someone is convinced that Zim's bat will fully play at 1B, then that isn't an upgrade.  Ellsbury would be great, but I don't think the Nats intend to spend Werth money again until Strasburg and Harper need to be re-signed.

Zim's bat will play better than Laroche's.

I'd much rather see Danny Espinosa win his old job back and move Rendon to third.

[HalfSmokes]

Zim's bat will play better than Laroche's.

I'd much rather see Danny Espinosa win his old job back and move Rendon to third.

So you want to replace LaRoche 's awful bat with espinosa' s worse bat?

[WhiteWhale]

If we enter next year with span in cf, laroche at 1b and zim at 3b, we have already ceded the year

you should prepare yourself for dissapointment

[WhiteWhale]

I planned to mourn our playoff hopes with a black sweater vest over my nats polo (I guess I thought it would be cooler weather?) but since it is still fairly warm, it's just a black t-shirt under the polo today.

Lombo should play everday giving span, zimm, and werth days off. September call ups should include Perez and Moore, which I'm sure is the plan anyway, but when we call them up, they should play everyday.

I still don't think this team will be constructed much different next year, but we need to play some guys everyday against MLB pitching.

[Slateman]

So you want to replace LaRoche 's awful bat with espinosa' s worse bat?

If Espinosa is healthy, yes. Go ahead and play Zach Walters too.

[Hondo]

Jose Bautista anyone?  word is he could be on the block..... two years @ 14 mil per left on his deal. Might be a nice stopgap.

[madj55]

Jose Bautista anyone?  word is he could be on the block..... two years @ 14 mil per left on his deal. Might be a nice stopgap.

I'd love to have him, put Harp back in CF and Werth in LF. Bautista has a cannon

[cmdterps44]

I'd love to have him, put Harp back in CF and Werth in LF. Bautista has a cannon

I would love to have him on the team as well. And a 1b too. Or we can do:

Choo in the outfield and Bautista at 1b. Bye Span and LaRoche!

[sph274]

you should prepare yourself for dissapointment

If they enter next year with the same lineup and we receieve the same performance, i think rizzo should be fired. I think rizzo and the lerners understand they cant have another season like this if they want to establish a fan base here and will spend some money this offseason

[cmdterps44]

I am 80% sure that we won't upgrade any position player. My guess is that we'll get a bullpen arm and a bench player or two.

[MorseTheHorse]

Utley agreed to a 2 year deal with Philly, so there goes that option at 2B next year if we move Zim and Rendon

[Smithian]

First base has to be addressed. I think the majority of us wanted Adam LaRoche back but we all knew there was a risk and it turns out he has been a failed experiment. Maybe if they add a big time CFer (doubtful) then you could live with LaRoche's bat in the 6 or 8 spot but you can't have him in the middle of the order. I half expect he'll be back regardless, but that is a spot where if you can find an upgrade then make it happen.

In CF I don't think Span is a huge issue to solve. He is who he is. Not the impact we wanted, but he is a competent bat and a big plus in center field. You can improve there but Span is still a serviceable CFer or good 4th out fielder.

Time to retool the bench again. The bench was massive in 2012 delivering clutch hits, having the best PH average of any team in the majors, and spelling well for injuries. This season the bench has given absolutely nothing.

Those are my three big ways to improve the offense. Fix two of three and it is a good offseason.

[Tokeydog]

I am 80% sure that we won't upgrade any position player. My guess is that we'll get a bullpen arm and a bench player or two.

Sadly I agree with this.  Though I don't want a fire sale like the Marlins, somethings have to be done, mainly 1B and possibly CF.

[cmdterps44]

Sadly I agree with this.  Though I don't want a fire sale like the Marlins, somethings have to be done, mainly 1B and possibly CF.

If this team isn't going to make any big moves for the 1B spot then I hope they at least bring in/up some guys who could challenge the position. At least have Moore up here and play him everyday for awhile. Screw LaRoche. He's getting paid to fail (at least offensively). I'd rather he get paid to be on the bench. Heck, bring in Morse and have him be a bench bat/that starter that replaces LaRoche. We just can't sit through another season with our cleanup hitter batting this horribly. We also can't be this terrible with RISP but you get the idea.

[Lintyfresh85]

I'd pick up Mark Reynolds off waivers from the Indians. He was DFA'd this morning.

Give him a look as a potential 1B/3B/PH for next year. It only costs money.

Career .843 OPS against LHP. Doesn't get much better than that for a masher off the bench.

[zimm_da_kid]

Sign Ellsbury at all costs.  I'd be down for a bautista trade too. 

[Mattionals]

First base has to be addressed. I think the majority of us wanted Adam LaRoche back but we all knew there was a risk and it turns out he has been a failed experiment. Maybe if they add a big time CFer (doubtful) then you could live with LaRoche's bat in the 6 or 8 spot but you can't have him in the middle of the order. I half expect he'll be back regardless, but that is a spot where if you can find an upgrade then make it happen.

In CF I don't think Span is a huge issue to solve. He is who he is. Not the impact we wanted, but he is a competent bat and a big plus in center field. You can improve there but Span is still a serviceable CFer or good 4th out fielder.

Time to retool the bench again. The bench was massive in 2012 delivering clutch hits, having the best PH average of any team in the majors, and spelling well for injuries. This season the bench has given absolutely nothing.

Those are my three big ways to improve the offense. Fix two of three and it is a good offseason.

I'll agree with 1B and the bench, but I don't think a CF upgrade is a huge concern.

Denard is who he is.  Rizzo likely overpaid for him, but he is a glove first CF and could put it back together in the hit column next year, but if he provides a .265/.320/.380 bat, he isn't that atrocious.  If he continues to have this year's splits, then move him down to 8 against lefties and lead him off against righties.  His defense is great in CF too, just not his arm.

LaRoche is a hard piece to trade, and either benching him or cutting him is a hard piece to swallow with the money still owed.  I'm a believer in Zim's arm returning to form and I'm also less of a believer that his bat perks up to 1B standards.  I'm also think Rendon profiles more towards a 2B then a 3B with his size and his bat.  Given those things, and the shallow pools of talent in FA and the trade market for both 2B and 3B, I think it's easier to sign someone like Kendrys Morales or Mike Morse to fill the hole at 1B.

The last issue is starting pitching I think.  What is good is that A.J. Cole, Taylor Jordan and Nate Karns are all looking good.  If the Nats decide to go with an in house candidate for the fifth spot, Taylor Jordan or Karns would fit there fairly well, and leaving one in AAA provides insurance for injury.  I don't see the Nats paying big for another FA starter especially with the crop of FA talent.  I see the multi year guys as being Garza, Santana and Hughes.  They all come with some level of concern whether that is health, consistency or performance related.  The one year guys are Kuroda, Lincecum, Halladay and other back end question marks.  Aside from Kuroda, EVERY guy on this list has some question mark next to their name.  The trade market could be interesting with Price and Samardzija, if either are moved.  I'd look into either starting one of the young guys, or trading some of the pitching prospects that are putting together good seasons to get a controllable piece like a Price or a Samardzija.

[cmdterps44]

Getting Price would be nice but it would only hurt more when we have 4_ACES_R_U_KIDDING and we can't get a single win for any of them.

[sph274]

That team is not a World Series team. Maybe a wild card. That is stagnation and a refusal by management to evaluate what they have. They need to make some noise in the offseason. If they don't find a way to improve the outfield offense(sign Beltran) and 1B this team isn't going anywhere. We aren't "really talented". This year has proven that. Laroche isn't gonna get better and I don't wanna hope ryan(one of the worst defensive 3b in the game) improves. Aramis Ramirez is probably an upgrade at third defensively and offensively. He has been injured this year but he was a 5 war player last year. We prob could get him for nothing if we take on his salary which we can afford

[sph274]

There is no way in hell we get price. It is a fantasy that will never happen. Samardizja isn't gonna get traded either. I wouldn't be surprised if the cubs make some moves this offseason in the FA market. They have money and theo won't be afraid to use it. We didn't have the prospects to compete with the garza package and if they stupidly decide to trade samardizja it will be for way more than that

[comish4lif]

The #1 piece that this team needs is a frightening, middle of the order bat. A Masher. A Complete Freaking Stud. And to get one, will cost the Nats. And I don't think that they'll do it.

The whole L-R-L that Davey tried is good in theory. But no one produced. And with a bunch of injuries early on, Rizzo's lack of depth on the roster was exposed. Now, it still looks OK. Because we have good players throughout the lineup. But no one capable of carrying the team. And way too many players that are prone to slumps. And luck-wise this year - many have chosen to slump together. And we are buried.

[cmdterps44]

There is no way in hell we get price. It is a fantasy that will never happen. Samardizja isn't gonna get traded either. I wouldn't be surprised if the cubs make some moves this offseason in the FA market. They have money and theo won't be afraid to use it. We didn't have the prospects to compete with the garza package and if they stupidly decide to trade samardizja it will be for way more than that

Obviously. Neither of those are going to happen. Gio was probably the only star caliber trade that we'll do in the next couple of years. I was just saying if we did get one of those guys, it'd be a waste with how weak this offense is.

[Slateman]

The season is, officially, over. We need to do several things to prepare for next season.

Right Now
1. Zimmerman and Harper are shut down. Zimmerman gets a full workup on his shoulder. If he needs surgery, he can get it. Harper can get his surgery and should be ready for rehab stuff right as the season is ending. Neither one will like it, so someone needs to explain to them that they are vital for long term success.

2. Danny Espinosa needs to be shut down as well. I understand if he doesn't want surgery, but he is done playing. It seems to be the only way to help him make a decision at this point. Put him on the 60 day DL and keep him from playing. Get a full workup on his shoulder too. He can ride the pine on the DL, or he can go get healthy to come back to the big league club.

3. Call up Tyler Moore and Jeff Kobernus. Rendon plays third the rest of the way, Moore plays LF, Kobernus and Lombo can alternate series at second base. Let's find out who can play and who can't.

4. Jordan Zimmermann to the 15 day DL, call up Karns to take his spot. Detwiler stays there probably for the rest of the season.

In September
Marrero, Perez, and Storen all need to be called up. If Laroche is hot and crushing the ball, we work Marrero in sparingly. If Laroche is still hitting like he is now, Marrero gets the majority of the starts. Eury Perez should, at the least, start against lefites. He should, actually, be getting a lot of starts. We can alternate Span and Werth getting nights off.

Storen should be used as often as possible. He gives up a big inning, send him back out there for the next batter. Use him two days in a row. Force him to keep pushing through it.

There are several other call up candidates, mostly pitchers. They should get some spot starts or split starts (one guy starts the game and goes three innings, the other guy piggy backs off him and takes over in the 4th as if it were a fresh game). Let's get some of these young guys some big league time, so they know what they have to work on in the offseason and in the minors next year.

We'll finish below .500

Offseason

Laroche, Soriano, and Span are traded. We eat salary to do it. We deal these guys for prospects. I'm not expecting to get a lot, but we should be able to get something. We use those prospects and some of the ones we've highlighted in September to work a trade. First off, anyone and everyone not named Strasburg or Harper is available for Stanton. Period.

Beyond that pipe dream, look for a guy like David Price, Justin Masterson, or Jeff Samardzija. Buy low candidates could be Gallardo orBud Norris (if he struggles with Baltimore). For position players, I'd really like to see them trade for Chase Headley or Jurickson Profar, but I think those are pipe dreams without giving up a lot more than I want. I think it's far more likely they trade for a starting pitcher.

Top of the free agent list should be another outfielder to replace Span. Preferably, one who can hit lefties. I think Shin Soo Choo is a good candidate. I don't think he'll stay in Cincy and I don't think he'll cost more than Bourn did. He can play LF/RF and move Harper to CF. Alternatively, we break the bank for another Boras client and get Ellsbury. Don't care, either way, we've upgraded over Span. 

Also, to bolster the pen, the Nationals should try and sign Eric O'Flaherty. Nightmare against lefties but also pitches well. This guy could close. I actually think if we signed him, it should be an open competition at closer between him and Clippard.

Bernadina and Tracy are gone. Perez should be replacing him anyways and Tyler Moore needs to learn how to pinch hit because, frankly, he isn't an everyday starter at first or in LF. Rizzo can sign a couple bench bats as well.

So, our lineup looks like this:

RF - Choo
3B - Rendon
CF - Harper
1B - Zimmerman
LF - Werth
SS - Desmond
C - Ramos
2B - Espinosa/Lombo

Bench:
Lombo/Espinosa
Eury Perez
Tyler Moore
Scot Hariston
Kurt Suzuki

Rotation and Pen:

Strasburg
Gio
Zimmermann
Samardzija
Phil Hughes/Taylor Jordan/Insert other player that comes out ST looking good

CL: Clippard
SU: O'Flaherty
Storen
Krol
Mattheus
Abad
Stammen