Offseason moves?

[Jordanz Meatballz]

Prolonged periods of excellent performance lead to big contracts, not big contract years.  The best explanation for last year is age, and he should only decline from there.

[varoadking]

Prolonged periods of excellent performance lead to big contracts, not big contract years.  The best explanation for last year is age, and he should only decline from there.

Especially since he chooses not to work on his craft in the offseason...

Lazy nag...

[welch]

Gardner, Ellsbury, Ichiro start; Soriano to infield; Beltran to DH?

Soriano could not play 2B when he was a kid with the Yankees. The "succession" went (more or less) Knoblach->Soriano->Cano.

Some Yankee fan / NY media suggesting the team trade Gardner because he's about the only player they control who has any value. Not likely. Will be interesting to watch the team try to patch all the remaining holes.

Back to the Nats. I don't feel comfortable with any situation that has Espinosa start more than two games in a row.  Can anybody explain why I shouldn't worry about, for instance, Rendon's leg/ankle/foot?

[Squab]

Back to the Nats. I don't feel comfortable with any situation that has Espinosa start more than two games in a row.  Can anybody explain why I shouldn't worry about, for instance, Rendon's leg/ankle/foot?

You always have to worry about injuries. But Espinosa is primed to get a little better. He'll be healthy for the first time in a long while and motivated (hopefully). Even if he can't crack the Nats roster, good performance will land him a shortstop gig somewhere.

But if Espinosa looks like crap, Kobernus/Walters can play second base. You could go out and get another utility infielder, but at this point I feel like having Kobernus on the roster would be helpful (utility at multiple positions, lots of speed).

If Rendon/Desmond were to go down long-term and no one was stepping up, I'm confident that Rizzo would go out and get someone.

[Jordanz Meatballz]

Espinosa was supposed to be healthy last year. I'm guessing he lied about it; he has that track record.

He certainly hasn't earned his way back onto the 25, I expect him to start the season in AAA.

[Mattionals]

Espinosa was supposed to be healthy last year. I'm guessing he lied about it; he has that track record.

He certainly hasn't earned his way back onto the 25, I expect him to start the season in AAA.

Espinosa has earned his way back onto the 25 man because he is more versatile than Kobernus or Walters.

[NJ Ave]

Yanks picked up Ellsbury, McCann, Kuroda & Beltran for roughly 300M while Cano got 240M.

This is kind of a strange comparison. They could have also had Cano, Beltran and Kuroda for $300 million, and I'd rather have that.

Basically, they paid McCann and Ellsbury what Cano got. I'd rather have Cano and Russell Martin but they made that mistake last year.

[Mr Clean]

Espinosa has earned his way back onto the 25 man because he is more versatile than Kobernus or Walters.

How is that?  He wasn't even called up in September while Walters and Kobernus were.   

[Mr Clean]

Rosenthal tweeting Nats are going hard after O'Flaherty.

[Rasta]

This is kind of a strange comparison. They could have also had Cano, Beltran and Kuroda for $300 million, and I'd rather have that.

Basically, they paid McCann and Ellsbury what Cano got. I'd rather have Cano and Russell Martin but they made that mistake last year.

I'd agree.  I was just comparing the sheer size of the Cano contract.  A lot of the Yanks beat reporters believed that if the Yanks had offered Cano 200M he would have bypassed FA altogether.  I'm not a huge fan of Ellsbury because of the injuries.  If I were the Yanks I would have found a way to keep Cano if at all possible.

[Rasta]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 13m
Sources: #Nationals making strong run at free-agent LH reliever O'Flaherty. #Dodgers, #Phillies also have shown interest.

Adam Kilgore ‏@AdamKilgoreWP 1m
Nats in talks with Eric O'Flaherty, per source. Here's background on their interest, O'Flaherty's health from Friday. http://wapo.st/1d2jvwI

The talk keeps getting stronger of our interest in O'Flaherty.  If he can get back to what he was before the injury then that's a great pickup.

[Mr Clean]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 13m
Sources: #Nationals making strong run at free-agent LH reliever O'Flaherty. #Dodgers, #Phillies also have shown interest.

Adam Kilgore ‏@AdamKilgoreWP 1m
Nats in talks with Eric O'Flaherty, per source. Here's background on their interest, O'Flaherty's health from Friday. http://wapo.st/1d2jvwI

The talk keeps getting stronger of our interest in O'Flaherty.  If he can get back to what he was before the injury then that's a great pickup.

I like this one.  He was dominant before.

[Jordanz Meatballz]

Is he the former Brave?

He was pretty dominant. I'm loving the moves so far.

[Rasta]

Adam Kilgore ‏@AdamKilgoreWP 10m
Heard J.P. Howell was Nats' top lefty relief target to start the winter, but differed on length of contract. Logan, Downs other top names.


I'm wondering if Howell wanted a 3 year deal like Javier Lopez

[HalfSmokes]

Howells numbers justify a three year deal

[imref]

What's oflaherty's status next year?  Innings limit? 

[Rasta]

Howells numbers justify a three year deal

I think you're right.  If not for his tough 2011 he has really good numbers.  I'm wondering if Rizzo is looking for 2 free agent LHR's or if he's going in house for 1 with another via free agency. 

[Rasta]

What's oflaherty's status next year?  Innings limit? 

He probably won't even pitcher until mid to late May.  As a reliever I don't think he'd be on one.  Probably just be cautious as he starts back up. 

[blue911]

Howells numbers justify a three year deal

Which numbers suggest that?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Espinosa has earned his way back onto the 25 man because he is more versatile than Kobernus or Walters.

the current Danny Espinosa has not earned his way onto the 25 man roster.  He has to beat out Walters and possibly Kobernus.  Walters can play SS.  He's not the glove guy Espinosa is, but he has to show some offense now, not in 2011.

[HalfSmokes]

Which numbers suggest that?

2 era last year,  3 the year before,  one bad year out of the last five is as consistent as relievers get

[blue911]

2 era last year,  3 the year before,  one bad year out of the last five is as consistent as relievers get

ERA for relief pitchers is highly unstable. Fangraphs and BP rate him as a negative value in 2011 &  2012. A ground ball pitcher that relies on his defense to a large degree and his best year comes after switching leagues. 3 years is asking for a lot.

[tomterp]

Uh oh

Social Nazi is not pleased

 

[Lintyfresh85]

Not a bad choice.

Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports that the Nationals are interested in adding free agent catcher John Buck to serve as a backup to Wilson Ramos.

Ladson reports that the team is looking for an established backup who would be able to play full-time should Ramos suffer a significant injury. The 33-year-old backstop came out of the gate strong in 2013, but limped home with a .222/.288/.278 slash with one homer and 14 RBI in the second half of the season.

[imref]

NatsGM argued for a Buck a few weeks ago, he's a perfect fit for this team.