Hot Stove: 2019-2020 Offseason

[Slateman]

Max.

His contract gives him negative trade value at this point.

[Natsinpwc]

His contract gives him negative trade value at this point.

Do you mean the deferred money? I would assume the Nats would be on the hook for all money deferred so far and through the trade deadline. Teams are always looking for another Verlander.

[Slateman]

Do you mean the deferred money? I would assume the Nats would be on the hook for all money deferred so far and through the trade deadline. Teams are always looking for another Verlander.

Verlander was younger. Also, Scherzer has 70 million left of non-deferred money.

[Natsinpwc]

Verlander was younger. Also, Scherzer has 70 million left of non-deferred money.

He wouldn’t at the trade deadline. In any event it’s unlikely the Nats will be out of contention enough to blow it up by then.

[Slateman]

He wouldn’t at the trade deadline. In any event it’s unlikely the Nats will be out of contention enough to blow it up by then.

It's still a lot of money. And if Scherzer is in the block, it's likely because he spent significant time on the IL again.

Scherzer, Strasburg, and Corbin have almost no trade value due to their contracts. The only valuable assets on the team would be Turner, Soto, Robles, and Kieboom. And they have a ton of control, so there would be no point in trading them.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

It's still a lot of money. And if Scherzer is in the block, it's likely because he spent significant time on the IL again.

Scherzer, Strasburg, and Corbin have almost no trade value due to their contracts. The only valuable assets on the team would be Turner, Soto, Robles, and Kieboom. And they have a ton of control, so there would be no point in trading them.

I don't think it is hard for Eaton to be worth his contract..  FG projects him as 2.6 fWAR player, .285 / .365/ .420, with + defense, and he's getting $9.5MM with an option of $10.5MM next year ($1.5MM buyout). At $8MM a win, that's $21MM in value this year alone.  If he projects as 2.1 fWAR next year, someone would be interested.

[Slateman]

I don't think it is hard for Eaton to be worth his contract..  FG projects him as 2.6 fWAR player, .285 / .365/ .420, with + defense, and he's getting $9.5MM with an option of $10.5MM next year ($1.5MM buyout). At $8MM a win, that's $21MM in value this year alone.  If he projects as 2.1 fWAR next year, someone would be interested.

Worth his contract,  sure. But who is giving up anything formal ~2 WAR, slap hitting corner OFer? Not a whole lot.
 
I interested, sure? Getting more than a Livan Soto or Jose Bonilla? Nope

[tenken627]

Imagine having the 3 batter minimum rule with our bullpen last year.

[Greg_SRT]

Imagine having the 3 batter minimum rule with our bullpen last year.

[RyanZimsKazoo]

Imagine having the 3 batter minimum rule with our bullpen last year.

While better on paper, lets not  anoint this bp too soon.

[tenken627]

While better on paper, lets not  anoint this bp too soon.

True. But now that I think about it, one of our biggest gripes during the regular season was Davey leaving guys in way too long. The 3 batter minimum rule might have been a godsend 

[Slateman]

While better on paper, lets not  anoint this bp too soon.

I thought he meant how much of a catastrophe it would have been if every pitcher we brought in had to face at least three batters. . . .

[Natsinpwc]

True. But now that I think about it, one of our biggest gripes during the regular season was Davey leaving guys in way too long. The 3 batter minimum rule might have been a godsend 

Having an extra guy in the pen will help.

[RyanZimsKazoo]

I thought he meant how much of a catastrophe it would have been if every pitcher we brought in had to face at least three batters. . . .

this rule is nice because i got tired of the game slowing down in the late innings for LOOGYs and specialists come in. Such a slow down.

That being said...our BP was not to be trusted outside of Doo/Hudson.

[Dave in Fairfax]

I am just not sure this particular change is all that necessary with the end of September call-ups. With rosters only expanded to 28, that's 12 fewer bench players and arms in the bullpen to play the game-slowing match-up tactics. It seems like the really egregious game-slowing mainly happened with the expanded rosters.

[imref]

ZiPS projects 91-71 and 1st place in the NLE

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-obscenely-early-zips-projected-standings/

[GNatsNoMore]

ZiPS projects 91-71 and 1st place in the NLE

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-obscenely-early-zips-projected-standings/

Ahead of the Braves by one game!

[imref]

Opening day lineup tracker:

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/opening-day-tracker/nationals

[WashingtonWizards23]

I’m worried about our offense, rendon is gone, replace by a rookie who can even bats his own weight. The rotation is a year older. The only good thing is the bullpen can’t get worse than last year

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I’m worried about our offense, rendon is gone, replace by a rookie who can even bats his own weight. The rotation is a year older. The only good thing is the bullpen can’t get worse than last year

It's the old are you better off with a bunch of slightly above league average performance in a bunch of positions or one stud and a few scrubs.  We are trying to replace Rendon with marginal improvements from SS and CF, and maybe 1B, to make up for the drop from Rendon.  That, and you hope Soto has another MVP-discussion kind of season.  You may be right that that's a bit too much hoping in comparison to Rendon's steady elite-level production.  Also, it would have been really nice to have the Turner and Robles improvement with Rendon than without it.

[bluestreak]

I think Rendon will likely regress from last year’s performance. I think Soto will be a 7-8 win player and Turner will be a 5-6 win player (barring injury).  That makes up for most of the loss of rendon.  But I’m a SSS person.

[Greg_SRT]

They aren’t looking to replace Rendon wins with 1 person or even the entire new infield. You have to add the much better pen. Which is scary considering how bullpen arms can be shaky.

Also add complete removal of the curse!

[Slateman]

I think Rendon will likely regress from last year’s performance. I think Soto will be a 7-8 win player and Turner will be a 5-6 win player (barring injury).  That makes up for most of the loss of rendon.  But I’m a SSS person.

Rendon's regression is still to a top 10 player in baseball.

[Slateman]

They aren’t looking to replace Rendon wins with 1 person or even the entire new infield. You have to add the much better pen. Which is scary considering how bullpen arms can be shaky.

Also add complete removal of the curse!

Doesnt your comment on how inconsistent bullpens are negate the pen being "much better?"

[bluestreak]

Rendon's regression is still to a top 10 player in baseball.

I don’t disagree. But we are trying to make up for Rendon’s wins if he had stayed. I was simply saying I do not think he would have performed as well as last year if he had stayed.