Offseason moves?

[hammondsnats]

sign dunn

[imref]

NatsGM looks at our offense.  He proposes we trade for Ryan Doumit and sign John Buck to backup Ramos.  Bench would thus be Hairston, Doumit, Buck, Moore, and one of Walters/Lombo/Kobernus.

http://natsgm.com/2013/11/13/natsgm-hypothetical-2013-2014-washington-nationals-master-plan-part-2-offense/

[Vega]

Doumit is a great idea. His positional versatility is great and he would represent a third catcher already on the roster in case of another Ramos injury. An actual major league caliber catcher as the third catcher instead of Solano/Leon/Maldonado? How cool!

[Mattionals]

My gut says that the Nats end up with one of Price, Scherzer or Samardzija.  Rendon is gone in a trade for either Price or Scherzer.  Samardzija would be acquired more for prospects rather than regulars.  I like the John Buck idea.  The author above (NatsGM) also had the Nats trading Soriano PLUS cash to get Brandon McCarthy.  I doubt that happens.  I'm honestly not sure what other team would be interested in Soriano, but if the Nats eat a portion of the 7 million he receives next year, I think he is easily moveable.  Nats still have to pay the 11 million on the back end later though.  I don't see the Nats trading Span and going out for Ellsbury, but I think that idea has at least been heavily weighed in the FO.  As much as Cano would be awesome, I really don't see a fit unless the price comes way down.

I'd do the following -> Trade 2B Anthony Rendon, RHP Drew Storen and RHP A.J. Cole to the Tigers for Max Scherzer and sign Scherzer to an extension.
Sign FA C John Buck
Sign LHP Boone Logan
Sign LHP Javier Lopez

Rotation - RHP Stephen Strasburg, RHP Max Scherzer, LHP Gio Gonzalez, RHP Jordan Zimmermann, LHP Ross Detwiler
Bullpen - RHP Tanner Roark, RHP Craig Stammen, LHP Boone Logan, LHP Javier Lopez, RHP Rafael Soriano, RHP Tyler Clippard

The final bullpen spot is occupied by either a healthy Christian Garcia, Ryan Mattheus or Ian Krol.  Clippard and Soriano duke it out for closing duties.

Lineup - CF Denard Span (L) - LF Jayson Werth - RF Bryce Harper (L) - 3B Ryan Zimmerman - SS Ian Desmond - 1B Adam LaRoche (L) - C Wilson Ramos - 2B Danny Espinosa (S) - Pitcher
Bench - OF Corey Brown (L), IF/OF Tyler Moore, OF Scott Hairston, C - John Buck

Final bench spot would be a competition in ST between Lombo, Kobernus and Walters.  Espinosa also has to prove he wins the job back at 2B.

[NationalHeat]

My gut says that the Nats end up with one of Price, Scherzer or Samardzija.  Rendon is gone in a trade for either Price or Scherzer.  Samardzija would be acquired more for prospects rather than regulars.  I like the John Buck idea.  The author above (NatsGM) also had the Nats trading Soriano PLUS cash to get Brandon McCarthy.  I doubt that happens.  I'm honestly not sure what other team would be interested in Soriano, but if the Nats eat a portion of the 7 million he receives next year, I think he is easily moveable.  Nats still have to pay the 11 million on the back end later though.  I don't see the Nats trading Span and going out for Ellsbury, but I think that idea has at least been heavily weighed in the FO.  As much as Cano would be awesome, I really don't see a fit unless the price comes way down.

I'd do the following -> Trade 2B Anthony Rendon, RHP Drew Storen and RHP A.J. Cole to the Tigers for Max Scherzer and sign Scherzer to an extension.
Sign FA C John Buck
Sign LHP Boone Logan
Sign LHP Javier Lopez

Rotation - RHP Stephen Strasburg, RHP Max Scherzer, LHP Gio Gonzalez, RHP Jordan Zimmermann, LHP Ross Detwiler
Bullpen - RHP Tanner Roark, RHP Craig Stammen, LHP Boone Logan, LHP Javier Lopez, RHP Rafael Soriano, RHP Tyler Clippard

The final bullpen spot is occupied by either a healthy Christian Garcia, Ryan Mattheus or Ian Krol.  Clippard and Soriano duke it out for closing duties.

Lineup - CF Denard Span (L) - LF Jayson Werth - RF Bryce Harper (L) - 3B Ryan Zimmerman - SS Ian Desmond - 1B Adam LaRoche (L) - C Wilson Ramos - 2B Danny Espinosa (S) - Pitcher
Bench - OF Corey Brown (L), IF/OF Tyler Moore, OF Scott Hairston, C - John Buck

Final bench spot would be a competition in ST between Lombo, Kobernus and Walters.  Espinosa also has to prove he wins the job back at 2B.

I like the way you think. Man, thats a good team.

[HalfSmokes]

My gut says that the Nats end up with one of Price, Scherzer or Samardzija.  Rendon is gone in a trade for either Price or Scherzer.  Samardzija would be acquired more for prospects rather than regulars.  I like the John Buck idea.  The author above (NatsGM) also had the Nats trading Soriano PLUS cash to get Brandon McCarthy.  I doubt that happens.  I'm honestly not sure what other team would be interested in Soriano, but if the Nats eat a portion of the 7 million he receives next year, I think he is easily moveable.  Nats still have to pay the 11 million on the back end later though.  I don't see the Nats trading Span and going out for Ellsbury, but I think that idea has at least been heavily weighed in the FO.  As much as Cano would be awesome, I really don't see a fit unless the price comes way down.

I'd do the following -> Trade 2B Anthony Rendon, RHP Drew Storen and RHP A.J. Cole to the Tigers for Max Scherzer and sign Scherzer to an extension.
Sign FA C John Buck
Sign LHP Boone Logan
Sign LHP Javier Lopez

Rotation - RHP Stephen Strasburg, RHP Max Scherzer, LHP Gio Gonzalez, RHP Jordan Zimmermann, LHP Ross Detwiler
Bullpen - RHP Tanner Roark, RHP Craig Stammen, LHP Boone Logan, LHP Javier Lopez, RHP Rafael Soriano, RHP Tyler Clippard

The final bullpen spot is occupied by either a healthy Christian Garcia, Ryan Mattheus or Ian Krol.  Clippard and Soriano duke it out for closing duties.

Lineup - CF Denard Span (L) - LF Jayson Werth - RF Bryce Harper (L) - 3B Ryan Zimmerman - SS Ian Desmond - 1B Adam LaRoche (L) - C Wilson Ramos - 2B Danny Espinosa (S) - Pitcher
Bench - OF Corey Brown (L), IF/OF Tyler Moore, OF Scott Hairston, C - John Buck

Final bench spot would be a competition in ST between Lombo, Kobernus and Walters.  Espinosa also has to prove he wins the job back at 2B.

so you shore up an already strong rotation (likely spending any budget for extensions in the process) and add back the worst hitter in baseball to a lineup that couldn't produce at all the last time he was there? Sounds like a recipe for more thrilling 1-0 losses

[Slateman]

so you shore up an already strong rotation (likely spending any budget for extensions in the process) and add back the worst hitter in baseball to a lineup that couldn't produce at all the last time he was there? Sounds like a recipe for more thrilling 1-0 losses

That's a better lineup than the Nationals had in 2012.

[HalfSmokes]

That's a better lineup than the Nationals had in 2012.

not unless you expect laroche to repeat a career year and danny to suddenly get healthy

[cmdterps44]

I don't even want to risk putting Espinosa back in the lineup until he proves himself in the minors again.

[Slateman]

not unless you expect laroche to repeat a career year and danny to suddenly get healthy

Having a full year of Bryce Harper and Denard Span automatically makes it a better lineup.

Espinosa is replaceable with Kobernus, Walters, or Lombo. I don't understand the obsession with Rendon. He's a ~.280 hitter with 10-15 homer ability. While that's really nice to have at second base, it's not earth shattering. The ability to get one of the best pitchers in baseball in return is easily worth Rendon.

[HalfSmokes]

I don't understand the obsession with Rendon. He's a ~.280 hitter with 10-15 homer ability. While that's really nice to have at second base, it's not earth shattering. The ability to get one of the best pitchers in baseball in return is easily worth Rendon.

in that case, it's a moot point because Detroit won't give up sherzer for a 'nice' second baseman. as far as worth it, getting raped by boras over an extension makes scherzer's long term value extremely low

[Slateman]

in that case, it's a moot point because Detroit won't give up sherzer for a 'nice' second baseman. as far as worth it, getting raped by boras over an extension makes scherzer's long term value extremely low

I agree. I think the team that gets Scherzer will be a team that views him as a one year rental.

[HalfSmokes]

I agree. I think the team that gets Scherzer will be a team that views him as a one year rental.

as a one year rental he isn't worth a good position player with years of team control left unless you have a replacement lined up. Scherzer was worth 6.4 WAR last year (a career year by 2 WAR). 2.5 seems like a safe projection for Rendon and -2 for a full season of Esponisa. Is one year of 1.9 WAR worth the balance of Rendon's team control and the additional prospects? 

[sph274]

why are we even talking about bringing danny espinosa back up to the majors? if we trade rendon we have to sign a second baseman. loads of people think it is "his shoulder injury" but he isnt getting surgery for it, and it may be that he just sucks.

[Slateman]

as a one year rental he isn't worth a good position player with years of team control left unless you have a replacement lined up. Scherzer was worth 6.4 WAR last year (a career year by 2 WAR). 2.5 seems like a safe projection for Rendon and -2 for a full season of Esponisa. Is one year of 1.9 WAR worth the balance of Rendon's team control and the additional prospects? 

Yea, history doesn't back that up. Segura was traded for Grienke.

[HalfSmokes]

Yea, history doesn't back that up. Segura was traded for Grienke.

Meyers was traded for Shields- trades work out both ways all the time

[Slateman]

Meyers was traded for Shields- trades work out both ways all the time

Shields wasn't a one year rental. There have been several times that an ace quality pitcher has been traded as a one year/half year rental. Sabathia and Lee come to mind.

[HalfSmokes]

Shields wasn't a one year rental. There have been several times that an ace quality pitcher has been traded as a one year/half year rental. Sabathia and Lee come to mind.

and it fails as often as it works (this franchise was part of the biggest one year rental failure ever)

[Slateman]

and it fails as often as it works (this franchise was part of the biggest one year rental failure ever)

Eh, the Brewers and Mariners got what they wanted out of their acquisitions.  There's always a team that is willing to try.

[madj55]

Can't get rid of Rendon without a plan for 2B. Espinosa isn't the guy for the job and the same can be said for Lombo and Kobernus. I wouldn't have much faith in the offense heading into the season with LaRoche AND Espinosa in the lineup.

[Slateman]

To be fair, we don't know if Espinosa isn't the guy until we see him play next season. We don't know how much of his performance was injury related and how much was just him being a head case.

[cmdterps44]

To be fair, we don't know if Espinosa isn't the guy until we see him play next season. We don't know how much of his performance was injury related and how much was just him being a head case.

Sure. But at this point, I'd rather pencil in Kobernus, Lombo, or Rendon before penciling in Espinosa. I could not justify getting rid of a better player to create a larger hole. That's just how I stand.

[Ray D]

To be fair, we don't know if Espinosa isn't the guy until we see him play next season. We don't know how much of his performance was injury related and how much was just him being a head case.

(a) injury related, (b) head case, (c) he stinks.

If it's (a), well he's going to be just as bad, since he hasn't had the surgery he needs.
If it's (c), he'll be just as bad.

So you're saying, maybe he was a head case, and he'll have gotten that corrected?   How does he do that?  Is he undergoing psychotherapy?

[aspenbubba]

To be fair, we don't know if Espinosa isn't the guy until we see him play next season. We don't know how much of his performance was injury related and how much was just him being a head case.

And no one knows if he had off-season surgery or get a lobotomy

[Ray D]

And no one knows if he had off-season surgery

I think it's safe to say he didn't.   I don't see how he could have had surgery without it being reported.