Offseason moves?

[NJ Ave]

That's another good comp though. Adam Jones is basically projected as valuable as Chris Davis going forward, and was also projected as similarly valuable at the time he signed a 6/$85 extension. Unless you are the one person in baseball who thinks Chris Davis is actually a 6 win player going forward, 6/$80 is a perfectly reasonable offer for a poor fielding 1B.

[HalfSmokes]

first basement who can hit 50 homers with a respectible average make more than Adam Jones.

[sph274]

chris davis is just entering his prime as a 28 year old, loads of teams would sign him to 6/80 ASAP. Davis didn't have a real starting role until 2 years ago, when he started to put it all together, and last year was an MVP candidate. Josh Hamilton, a former heroin addict, just got a 5/133 mil contract at the age of 32. Chris Davis would ever sign a 6/80 contract, the idea is insane. Brian Mccann just got 5/85 and his last three seasons combined are less than Davis' WAR last year. The guy was insanely valuable last year. In the second half of the season, as you say, his OPS was .854, exactly the same as Bryce Harper last season. The guy was amazing last season and is def gonna wait for his massive payday. 6/80 is laughed out of the room.

edit: it is similar to saying that ian desmond(whose WAR over the past two seasons is similar to Davis') has a lot to prove and should sign a team friendly deal quick because nobody else in MLB thinks he has proved anything and he will def suck in two years. crappy BB%, average at bets fielder who is a replacement level SS if his power disappears. Desmond's extension would be much higher than 6/80

[NJ Ave]

Chris Davis will get that massive deal....if he makes it two more years. That's a long time for a guy who just tripled how valuable he'd ever been before. Desmond just put up 2 straight 5 win seasons with plus defense at SS. It's not comparable to Davis, no matter how great Davis' one season was. Neither is Hamilton, who had an 8.4 win season and followed it up with two more 4 win seasons. If Davis does that the next two years, he'll break the bank.

But we can revisit in two years. I bet he doesn't break a .900 OPS again or sniff a 6 year deal in 2016.

[imref]

anyone else out there nervous about our bench again next year?  Still no backup catcher.  A reliance on Espinosa and his .185 BA to replace Lombo, and while I like the McLouth signing, he's not exactly an offensive powerhouse off the bench.  Moore didn't show he could hit last year.

So right now we're looking at:
Hairston (OF/2B)
McLouth (OF)
Moore (1B/LF)
Espinosa (or possibly walters/kobernus) (2B/SS/3B)
Catcher

I'm still confident Rizzo makes a move for a backup catcher who can play 40-50 games and step in as a starter if need be rather than relying on in-house options.  But I'm nervous about the Moore/Espinosa slots.

[NJ Ave]

Moore doesn't necessarily have to be there. Hairston and McClouth make 5 OFs. Hairston, McClouth and Espinosa supposedly give some power. I don't think its crazy if they think someone else is a better fit, especially if they're planning to play Zimmerman some games at 1B already. Where does Moore fit if Hairston and McClouth are the OF platoon and Zimmerman is the 1B backup?

[varoadking]

Moore doesn't necessarily have to be there. Hairston and McClouth make 5 OFs. Hairston, McClouth and Espinosa supposedly give some power. I don't think its crazy if they think someone else is a better fit, especially if they're planning to play Zimmerman some games at 1B already. Where does Moore fit if Hairston and McClouth are the OF platoon and Zimmerman is the 1B backup?

Hopefully, Zimm will be backing up Moore at 1st...

[NJ Ave]

Jesus, its difficult to navigate these boards, what with everyone having baseless reasons for liking or disliking so many players on the roster. Just when you finish ridiculing someone for saying they should keep Mattheus over Stammen, another person comes up preferring Tyler Moore to LaRoche. Ugh.

[NJ Ave]

What about Eury Perez for CF?

Jesus.

[NJ Ave]

I still think Kory Casto has untapped potential!

[varoadking]

Jesus, its difficult to navigate these boards, what with everyone having baseless reasons for liking or disliking so many players on the roster. Just when you finish ridiculing someone for saying they should keep Mattheus over Stammen, another person comes up preferring Tyler Moore to LaRoche. Ugh.

I'm not locked in on Moore...I'd prefer anyone over LaRoach...and I've been saying that for the past 12 months.  LAR is done, and was done in 2012.

LaRoach got $24MM last year...is due $12MM of it in 2013 and a $2MM buyout after 2013.  He has no incentive because he will be out of baseball after next year anyway. 

Let him go hunting now instead of holding this team back...

[NJ Ave]

Uffff. This is my point. A sub 300 OBP and a 30 percent K rate is no replacement.  LaRoche was not good last year. That doesn't mean he'll be as bad this year, and it certainly doesn't mean you can't do worse than .240/.330/.430 with good defense. You can absolutely do worse than that.

[varoadking]

You can absolutely do worse than that.

I've no doubt that LaRoach has worse in him...waiting to unleash it on us in 2014...that's why I want him gone...

[NJ Ave]

Solid argument. I'll take your word for it.

[varoadking]

Solid argument. I'll take your word for it.

Wish Davey and Rizzo could have seen that 12 months ago.  This ain't rocket science...

[NJ Ave]

That much is clear.

[Mattionals]

What I'm guessing is the likely case here is that Espinosa is given every opportunity to show that he is his "old self" by being the Utility guy off the bench.  After they asked Ryan Zimmerman if he would back up LaRoche at 1B, it's obvious that they are using next season as a sort of transition to 1B everyday in 2015 for Zim.  That likely means moving either Rendon or Espinosa over to 3B in 2015 if Espinosa "returns" and Rendon stays healthy and gets better.

[Mr Clean]

So if LaRoche goes into one of his patented sustained slumps, will Williams bench him?

[NJ Ave]

I don't know if it means.they're shifting Zimmerman over in 2015 so much as it means they have a new century manager and realice that LaRoche can't hit lefties and that Zimmerman, Rendon and a healthy Espinosa can. Other teams have been shifting guys for years now to maximize platoon advantages, including "starters" at other positions.

[HalfSmokes]

Now if only Espinosa could actually hit lefties

[varoadking]

Now if only Espinosa could actually hit lefties

QFT

[PC]

So if when LaRoche goes into one of his patented sustained slumps, will Williams bench him?

ftfy

[PC]

JimBo:

Washington Nationals -- Grade: A
The Nats entered the offseason with four major needs: A manager, starting pitcher, lefty reliever and fourth outfielder. GM Mike Rizzo has fulfilled all of them. First, he signed Matt Williams to replace Davey Johnson at the helm, then he traded three nonelite players for Doug Fister.

At the winter meetings, he snagged lefty Jeremy Blevins from Oakland and signed outfielder Nate McLouth to a two-year deal. The Nationals were a disappointment in 2013, but expect them back in the playoffs next year.

[cmdterps44]

I want baseball. And I want it now!

[madj55]

I want baseball. And I want it now!

The Redskins make me long for baseball season.