16/17 Offseason Thread

[JCA-CrystalCity]

If we are serious about finding a CF or an SS, then I don't mind having ONE of Revere or Espinosa back as a 4th OF / backup infielder.  That's one - just one.  Lobaton is the only other final year arbitration guy, but I think you make an offer for him and either go with him and Severino and perhaps try to sign Ramos to rehab; look for him to be your late season addition rather than needing to trade.  Right now, the veteran bench depth of Heisey and Drew are gone, so that needs to be replaced. 

Just to know what is coming, besides the last year arb guys and Werth, the other contract expiring after 2017 is Perez. Petit I think has an option that can be exercised for 2017.  In addition to Murphy and Harper, Kelley is off the books after 2018.

MDS is onto to something.  It may be time to figure out what this team will look like after 2017 / 2018 time frame.  There's Turner, and what else?  Even Murphy's contract expires after 2018.  Do you try a blockbuster built around Rendon or Harper?  Rendon has team control through 2019, so I think he's a piece to build around.  Roark also has team control through 2019. 

A guy on the Dodgers I'd be tempted to chase might be Josh Reddick to play a corner post-Werth.  Use Harper to plug maybe two positions, sign Reddick, hope Robles is your solution in one of the outfield spots by May 2018.  For grins and giggles, something like Harper plus Ross for Swihart, Benintendi, and Ed Rod gives you the catcher, CF, and lefty rotation piece while they backfill for Ortiz with a huge bat and even some speed and get a righty into their rotation.  They have the resources to sign Bryce long term, too, and get at least a 2 year run with him.  I'm valuing team control and cost for the Nats as well as the talent in the targets. 

[MarquisDeSade]

You can't roll with MAT, Espinosa, or Revere getting significant playing time and not have a repeat of this season. Ship Danny out of town for what you can get (likely nothing), send MAT to AAA and leave him there, and non-tender Revere. Rizzo is a hard headed idiot though so he'll do none of that and the Nats will have another season of hoping a MASH unit of streak hitters can catch lightning in a bottle and get out of the first round.

If I were Rizzo and I really wanted to make a move that would fix the CF issue I'd send Giolito, Espinosa, and MAT to the Twins for Byron Buxton and have him but second behind Trea Turner. I seriously doubt the Twins are going to build a team around Buxton but he's "toolsy" enough to get Rizzo excited about the potential to overlook the actual production. The thing is, I don't see any pieces Rizzo can deal to make upgrades and there's no one on the farm that can hit so I guess he'll have to find another guy willing to get paid a decade after his playing days are done to get a bat.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

If I were Rizzo and I really wanted to make a move that would fix the CF issue I'd send Giolito, Espinosa, and MAT to the Twins for Byron Buxton and have him but second behind Trea Turner. I seriously doubt the Twins are going to build a team around Buxton but he's "toolsy" enough to get Rizzo excited about the potential to overlook the actual production. The thing is, I don't see any pieces Rizzo can deal to make upgrades and there's no one on the farm that can hit so I guess he'll have to find another guy willing to get paid a decade after his playing days are done to get a bat.

Man, you can just see the Twins drooling over Taylor's "tools." "He's fast, have you seen how far he can hit it, he can leap against the wall and dive for catches!"  Rizzo will be there saying "tricked them out of a super prospect for a high prospect pitcher we've given up on and some extra bits." You think Giolito is enough to get Buxton basically 1 for 1? 

[bk1998]

You think Giolito is enough to get Buxton basically 1 for 1?

Not in a million years.

[BrandonK]

Not in a million years.

By who? I think it's the Nats that would say no.

[Optics]

Get another big bat to play in the OF. Move Harper to CF. Werth can give us one more year in the OF.

Turner full time SS. I'll drive Espi to the airport myself I don't give an F.

Get a legit lefty hitting 1B that can at the very least platoon with Zimm.

Try to resign Ramos to a cheap 1 year deal while he rehabs. If not, let him walk and roll with Severino. Go after a veteran C who can hit(would love Ruiz after he killed us again).

Trade Gio and get a couple veteran starters who can at least eat up innings. Scherzer/Stras/Roark is still a damn good 1-2-3. 4-5 guys just need to be inning eaters who won't walk 5 guys a start.

Keep the bullpen as intact as possible.

Fire Bob Henley.

[MarquisDeSade]

Man, you can just see the Twins drooling over Taylor's "tools." "He's fast, have you seen how far he can hit it, he can leap against the wall and dive for catches!"  Rizzo will be there saying "tricked them out of a super prospect for a high prospect pitcher we've given up on and some extra bits." You think Giolito is enough to get Buxton basically 1 for 1? 

The Twins don't currently have a GM but when they finally hire one I doubt they'll want to build around Buxton. That said, MAT is throw in and I doubt they'd take Giolito straight up for him not that th top prospect label has worn off.

[DPMOmaha]

Zimmerman's going to be here and playing 1B. I'm fine with that, honestly. I'm expecting his luck to rebound which will be a nice boost. I see no reason why a healthy Rendon won't be what he was most of this year and in 2014. He's just gotta stay healthy. Anyone writing off Harper just likes rousing rabbles. I'm fine with Severino/Lobaton at catcher. Probably won't get much on offense, but should be great at catching games.

I'm with everyone that says it's time to part ways with Espinosa, or at least back to a utility, 5th infielder role. Trea should probably be the SS going forward, but I have no doubt that he could be an excellent CF. If they tell him that will be his position going forward, I'm convinced he could spend the offseason and spring training and be an excellent CF for a very long time. He's got some refining to do, though. Whichever way they decide to go there, they need to be aggressive to fill the other spot. If Dexter Fowler hits the market, that's the way I'd go and move TT back to SS. Not sure what's out there on the SS market. Trades are always out there, too.

Pen needs to be bolstered, too. They were mostly good in the playoffs, though, so probably doesn't need to be a ton of work done here. I like what I saw from Solis and Treinen this year. Glover has potential, but might need some more time in AAA. I'd like to see them be aggressive in upgrading with an top relief ace or two. Playoff experience preferred.

A lot of this will come down to whether or not Rizzo has any interest in the Arizona job and whether or not he comes back. I don't think there's a ton that needs to be done, but I still think it could be a busy hot stove anyway. This is probably a 90-93 win team with no drastic changes. Some improvements up the middle and in the pen and it could be a fair bit better than that. How the handle the year after winning the division remains to be seen, too. The last two times didn't go so well, as we all know.

[Slateman]

The Twins don't currently have a GM but when they finally hire one I doubt they'll want to build around Buxton. That said, MAT is throw in and I doubt they'd take Giolito straight up for him not that th top prospect label has worn off.

Buxon had a good September/October. I think they're willing to hang with him for another year.

Moreover, if we're trying to build an offense around Murphy and Turner's style, not sure Buxon is the right guy to look at. A lot of strikeouts.

On top of that, maybe some of you haven't noticed, but we kind of need Giolito. Our rotation is Max Scherzer, Tanner Roark, and then ... ??? No one wants Gio back. Strasburg is probably headed towards second TJS. Even if he isn't, neither he nor Ross can be relied on. I think we're going to want to hang on to Giolito and Lopez, particularly as Max starts to regress.

We hang on to Ben Revere for another year. Frankly, I think he can bounce back. I'd get Wilmer Difo some outfield reps though, as he would make a good utility guy. \

Free Agency is bleak. If you want to get a catcher, you're going to have pay a king's ransom for Weiters. Not worth it to me. Clearly we need to get a closer. We're not even sure if Shawn Kelley will be back. I'd like to get Kenley Jansen, as I think his stuff will stay good longer. However he'll cost a pick and Chapman won't. Both will be expensive as crap. Koji Uehara might be worth looking at.

Need to find at least one more starting pitcher. Brett Anderson, Rich Hill, Hellickson ... but need one.

Make AJ Cole a reliever. He doesn't have it to be a starter, just convert him. Give Voth a serious look in Spring Training.

Maybe sign Jon Jay and package Espinosa and Revere for a reliever?

[bk1998]

By who? I think it's the Nats that would say no.

That's what makes this fun. 

I see Buxton as a generational-type talent.  Not quite Harper level, but not far off.

I love Lucas, but I'd say no if I was the Twins.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The Twins don't currently have a GM but when they finally hire one I doubt they'll want to build around Buxton. That said, MAT is throw in and I doubt they'd take Giolito straight up for him not that th top prospect label has worn off.

well, if MAT and Danny are throw ins, and Giolito isn't enough to do the deal, then this isn't the deal, right?

[imref]

So who do we want closing next year?  Melancon or Jansen?

[Smithian]

By who? I think it's the Nats that would say no.

The Nats would laugh and hang up if the Twins offered Buxton for Giolito straight up.

[imref]

What do you guys think about John Jay in CF, moving Turner to SS?  .291 / .339 / .389 last year.   He's been remarkably consistent putting up those kinds of numbers year after year.  No speed or power though.

I doubt he gets a QO, we could probably get him for something like 3/$9 million a year and slide him over to LF in 2018.

[BrandonK]

The Nats would laugh and hang up if the Twins offered Buxton for Giolito straight up.

Some here seem to think that Twins would. No way.

[BrandonK]

So who do we want closing next year?  Melancon or Jansen?

Mark - setup Chapman - closing. No draft picks lost

What do you guys think about John Jay in CF, moving Turner to SS?  .291 / .339 / .389 last year.   He's been remarkably consistent putting up those kinds of numbers year after year.  No speed or power though.

I doubt he gets a QO, we could probably get him for something like 3/$9 million a year and slide him over to LF in 2018.

I said John Jay awhile back, and now I forget what the argument against was. I'm about it. Better option over Revere, IMO

[MarquisDeSade]

well, if MAT and Danny are throw ins, and Giolito isn't enough to do the deal, then this isn't the deal, right?

Giolito alone wouldn't get it done, you have throw in a replacement (MAT) and a guy that can flip at the deadline (Danny).  Buxton has a ton of talent (just not at the plate), can legit play CF, but strikes out a ton and has no eye.   He is very, very fast and a great defender though. 

The reason I mentioned Buxton is if you look around MLB and the minors there aren't a lot of legit CF options that teams would be willing to part with for prospects the Nats have in a rebuild.  Charlie Blackmon has two years of team control left but you know the Rockies are going to want a haul for him and I just don't see that as a trade to make if you can't extend him.  Cameron Maybin will be a FA but his defense is awful, though he does still have speed.  Just not a lot of options out there at CF so you're going to have to overpay to get something that's an upgrade. 

[MarquisDeSade]

The Nats would laugh and hang up if the Twins offered Buxton for Giolito straight up.

And they'd be fools to turn that down.  Giolito isn't the top prospect he once was and good luck finding someone as fast and as good of a defender as Buxton is that's still under team control and not close to either making bank in ARB or straight up FA. 

What do you guys think about John Jay in CF, moving Turner to SS?  .291 / .339 / .389 last year.   He's been remarkably consistent putting up those kinds of numbers year after year.  No speed or power though.

I doubt he gets a QO, we could probably get him for something like 3/$9 million a year and slide him over to LF in 2018.

Jon Jay can't play CF to save his life.  I know he hasn't had a ton of experience in Petco but I watched him misplay flyballs there that Matt Kemp (not even a CF) could make easily.  His 2015 season was really bad though and he's going to be 32 when the season starts and has zero base stealing skills or speed at this point. 

[Slateman]

What do you guys think about John Jay in CF, moving Turner to SS?  .291 / .339 / .389 last year.   He's been remarkably consistent putting up those kinds of numbers year after year.  No speed or power though.

I doubt he gets a QO, we could probably get him for something like 3/$9 million a year and slide him over to LF in 2018.

Can't Ben Revere duplicate that?

[MarquisDeSade]

Can't Ben Revere duplicate that?

Revere also steals bases, something Jay hasn't done in a while.

[BrandonK]

Can't Ben Revere duplicate that?

Obviously not...

[zimm_da_kid]

Strasburg, Petit, Perez, 2Ptbnl types
-->
Gary Sanchez, Brett Gardner, Domingo Acevedo

Ross, Werth, $8M
-->
Jackie Bradley

SS Turner
RF Harper
C  Sanchez
2B Murphy
3B Rendon
CF Bradley
1B Zimmerman
LF Gardner

1.  Scherzer
2.  Roark
3.  Gio
4.  Hill
5.  Lopez

[Slateman]

Obviously not...

Until this season he did (well, not defensively). But offensively he's a similar hitter.

[Slateman]

Harper, Petit, Perez, 2Ptbnl types
-->
Gary Sanchez, Brett Gardner, Domingo Acevedo

Ross, Werth, $8M
-->
Jackie Bradley

I fixed it for you.

[skippy1999]

Zimmerman's going to be here and playing 1B. I'm fine with that, honestly. I'm expecting his luck to rebound which will be a nice boost.

What luck? why does anyone expect a year-older Zim to be BETTER?? He's on the downward slide of an injury-plagued career, I think expecting him to get BETTER as he ages is kind of nuts.