Nationals Vs. Mets Game 3

[eagleskins]

That would be awesome if we could get a prospect for Belliard. 

[sportsfan882]

Yeah according to Nats Xtra they're trying to hammer out the details to complete the trade. This could be Belliard's last game in a Nats uniform. That's one less AZ crush we won't have to worry about.

Excellent. Love Belliard as a back-up guy but if we can move him for some prospects it's a great move. Good move for both sides as it gives him a chance to be on a playoff team.

[Air Zimmerman]

and whoever Belly is traded to, they'll instantly become my second favorite team. i really hope it's a contending team, so i'll have a team to cheer for in October.

[Air Zimmerman]

Bonifacio = bona fide bum.

[Air Zimmerman]

Belliard = P.I.M.P.

[sportsfan882]

Belly with a line drive single to LF. 

[eagleskins]

Bonafacio is just a disgusting lead off hitter. 

[sportsfan882]

It'd be funny as hell if they traded us Whitesell (who they claimed off waivers from us last year) for Belliard.

Whitesell (26) plays 1B and he's kicking ass in AAA this season:

(.329 AVG/.426 OBP/.565 SLG) 31 Doubles, 23 HR, 95 RBIs, 66 BBs, 121 Ks in 425 ABs. Pretty good fit for what we need.

[Air Zimmerman]

Bonafacio is just a disgusting lead off hitter. 

co-sign. i think this is another case of Manny playing favorites. he insists on batting Bonifacio lead-off, just like he insisted on batting big ears clean-up, and how he insisted on bringing in Ayala into close games.

need to move Bonifacio to 8th, Harris to lead-off.

[Air Zimmerman]

they're hitting Balester hard, but he's getting outs.

[ronnynat]

It'd be funny as hell if they traded us Whitesell (who they claimed off waivers from us last year) for Belliard.

Whitesell (26) plays 1B and he's kicking ass in AAA this season:

(.329 AVG/.426 OBP/.565 SLG) 31 Doubles, 23 HR, 95 RBIs, 66 BBs, 121 Ks in 425 ABs. Pretty good fit for what we need.

He could be their starter next season if he gets the call-up in September and does well.

[sportsfan882]

Whitesell was a rule 5 pick from us, right?

Not a rule 5 pick, but we took him off our 40-man roster last year and since he had been here 5 years another team could claim him and ARZ did.

[Air Zimmerman]

curious, how much do those tickets directly behind home plate cost?

[sportsfan882]

He could be their starter next season if he gets the call-up in September and does well.

Or our starter if they give us him for Ronnie. Damn, that was a bad move by us just letting him go for free.

[MrMadison]

Not a rule 5 pick, but we took him off our 40-man roster last year and since he had been here 5 years another team could claim him and ARZ did.

arizona did?

well, the dodgers are the one who supposedly claiimed belliard.

[ronnynat]

co-sign. i think this is another case of Manny playing favorites. he insists on batting Bonifacio lead-off, just like he insisted on batting big ears clean-up, and how he insisted on bringing in Ayala into close games.

need to move Bonifacio to 8th, Harris to lead-off.

At this point, he's still expected to be our leadoff hitter next season, so he needs to learn now while we're playing for nothing.

[sportsfan882]

arizona did?

well, the dodgers are the one who supposedly claiimed belliard.

Oh, I thought someone said it was AZ because O-dog is out for the year.

[Air Zimmerman]

well, the dodgers are the one who supposedly claiimed belliard.

MANNY AND RONNIE REUNITED!

if this is true, Dodgers = my second favorite team.

[sportsfan882]

Chico just interviewed Crow's agent:

I caught up by phone today with Randy Hendricks, half of the Hendricks Sports Management team, which represents Aaron Crow.

Take this as just half the story (that's the way it always works here), but here were Hendricks's main points.

* His brother, Alan, told Jim Bowden before the draft that Crow wanted two things: A major league contract and a "premium" signing bonus, well above slot. (Recommended for a ninth overall pick: $2,150,000.) Knowing that, the Nats took Crow. Crow has not changed his demands.

"If they weren't willing to (meet those demands), they shouldn't have drafted him," Hendricks said.

Asked about the Nats stance in negotiations, Hendricks said that the Nats are "sticking to this sanctified slotting position...They've made their position clear throughout negotiations about their adherence to the slotting system."

Other key points...

* The two sides haven't spoken since Tuesday.

* Chances for a deal aren't gone, but it'll require a serious comeback.

"The point is," Hendricks said, "I would doubt they sign Aaron Crow -- because I guarantee we won't change."

[eagleskins]

At this point, he's still expected to be our leadoff hitter next season, so he needs to learn now while we're playing for nothing.

If he's our leadoff hitter next season, we are complete fools. 

[MrMadison]

eh. well, let Crow walk and take the pick.

this "sanctified slot system" crap he is talking is a load of bull, because we paid everyone else above slot, I think.  hell we paid Nieto double his slot.

NFA Brian could clear that up.

that said, the one thing Hendricks said that i agree with, if the Nats weren't gonna pay what he wanted, they shouldn't have drafted him.  I wanted Smoak anyway.

[ronnynat]

Damn, that's a nice fastball.

[Air Zimmerman]

Austin Kearns = big eared bum.

[sportsfan882]

eh. well, let Crow walk and take the pick.

this "sanctified slot system" crap he is talking is a load of bull, because we paid everyone else above slot, I think.  hell we paid Nieto double his slot.

NFA Brian could clear that up.

that said, the one thing Hendricks said that i agree with, if the Nats weren't gonna pay what he wanted, they shouldn't have drafted him.  I wanted Smoak anyway.

Yeah' we've paid all of our top guys well above slot and I'm sure they'd go well over the slot for him but they are not going to go crazy and give him something like $6-8 Million.

[sportsfan882]

good start for the bats. Glad to have Boone back.