2012 Free Agents

by jeffco01 on Aug 2, 2011 4:06 PM EDT

What's up everybody, first time poster here on federal baseball. I have read FB for a while and always appreciated all the commenters, who seem to really know what they're talking about. My boys and I have been debating for a while about what to do this offseason, which seems like the most important offseason the Nats have ever had. I really am not sure what approach we should take. There are some big names out there and it seems like the Nats are always mentioned as being linked to about half of them. Clearly we still need our leadoff man and at least another top of the rotation pitcher. There are some names out there I like and some guys I am scared of. The other issue that is still a little murky is who are we identifying as core players that are staying put and what positions definitely need upgrading. To me Ryan Zim, Espinosa, Morse, Werth (I guess?), Ramos, Stras, J Zimm, Clipp, and Storen are guys that have solidified, or are on their way to solidfying themselves as every day players on this team. Off our bench I like Nix and Ankiel a lot. So I guess that leave SS, CF, and at least another top 3 pitcher? The remainder of the year is huge for Desmond, he needs to put it together. If Desmond continues his "so-so" ways, What do you guys think about going after Jose Reyes? The other day was my first time watching him in person and I came away extremely impressed. He would solve the leadoff hitter problem thats for sure. At the same time, however, I know a lot of people on this website like Lombardozzi coming up. I can't say I know much about him. If he really is legit, I wouldn't want to stunt his growth. One pitcher I would like to go after hard is CJ Wilson but he's another guy who will break the bank. I have seen us linked to Prince Fielder a bunch of times but he scares me a little and I like Morse at first. I dont know, I guess I am confused as to what sort of moves we should make. I wanted to see what you guys thought. I know one thing, a lineup of 1- Reyes 2- Espinosa 3-Zimm 4-Morse 5- Werth 6-Harper 7-? (Bernadina??) 8-Ramos would look good to me. Rotation of Stras, Wilson, J Zimm, Lannon, Livo? Sorry if i rambled. What are your ideas?

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Comments

Reyes would be extremely expensive

And we would have to beat out a lot of other teams to get him. Obviously I would love to have him, but I don’t know if Rizzo would want to give out another huge contract with the Werth one, so far, not looking so great.

by aholla30 on Aug 2, 2011 4:27 PM EDT reply actions

Reyes

In his favor – he just turned 28 (although he’s from the Dominican Republic, so take that with a grain of salt). He is a big time talent when he’s healthy. On the downside, he’s not always healthy. He’s missed time with injuries each of the past three seasons (he barely played at all in 2009). Hamstring injuries to a player whose game is built around speed can be tough to deal with. AND he’s going to be expensive. Tough get, risky choice.

I wouldn’t mind if the Nats sign him, but I can’t see that we will be able to get him out of NY. While the Mets’ ownership situation is in flux, it’s still in NYC and they’ve just cleared a lot of payroll in trading Soriano and Beltran.

by d_c_guy on Aug 2, 2011 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Your premises are pretty close, but I would make one modification

I’m not at all ready to assume that Espinosa is a “core” guy. He had a really hot first half of a season, but he’s got to play a lot more to truly establish himself. As I’ve said elsewhere, Desmond also started his ML career very hot, and cooled considerably after the break last year and into his sophomore season. He may come out of it, and he may not. Espinosa, similarly, could possibly follow the same trends as did Desmond.

Rob

-- In baseball we trust.

by RobBobS on Aug 2, 2011 4:57 PM EDT reply actions

BTW, A fun resource for free agent musings

Is here. Enjoy :-)

by d_c_guy on Aug 2, 2011 5:07 PM EDT reply actions

Don't forget that some of the Nats will be free agents, too

You mention Nix and Ankiel as bench players, but they are both free agents after the 2011 season. So are Alex Cora, Pudge Rodriguez, Livan Hernandez and Chien-Ming Wang.

I’m not sure what “core” means in this context – to me, anyone is tradeable if the result after the trade is that your ballclub is better than it was before the trade. In terms of value, though, you’ve ID’d the right players. I do think that there is the A+ talent group of RZim, JZim and Strasburg. Add Werth – if only because he’s untradeable. Then there’s the next group of Storen, Espinosa, Ramos, Morse and Clippard. They are all very valuable to the club and would be hard to move, but they aren’t established stars yet. There are players have major potential but haven’t reached it yet (Desmond, HRod) and those for whom it’s too early to tell (Mattheus). Lombardozzi may be a Jamey Carroll type of ballplayer, or he may be a AAAA type. Rizzo has some serious work cut out for him, but he has some tools now, too. And of course we can provide our perspective to help him along the way :-)

A lot of these things will play themselves out.

by d_c_guy on Aug 2, 2011 5:19 PM EDT reply actions

...let's not forget a kid named "Bryce".

Rob

-- In baseball we trust.

by RobBobS on Aug 2, 2011 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions

(once again, Espi's going to have to demonstrate more than a half-year's worth for me to lump him in with the big boyz.)

Rob

-- In baseball we trust.

by RobBobS on Aug 2, 2011 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Reyes was really good against us in this past series.

I was impressed, which is hard for me to say considering my hatred of the Mets. It would be fun to steal him from the Mets, but it’s not something we can rely on, and depending on the price, it might not be something we can afford.
You do highlight some good points in this organization and its future, but don’t lose faith in Werth. He struggled at the plate in the first half of his first year here; it’s over. Get used to being able to rely upon him to play some good-great baseball, both on offense and D. As I wrote that sentence, he score a run after getting a hit and stealing a base.

Skins rule

by Horcasitas4 on Aug 2, 2011 7:33 PM EDT reply actions

Stop the Harper hitting sixth in 2012 nonsense

The big mistake here was not trading four kids for “Jason” Bourn……….This was a major mistake made by the “genius Rizzo”………..

I go back and forth, mostly forth on Reyes. Bourn would have ended this debate.

The move this winter is to offer Albert Pujols $1 more then the AROD deal. Then move on to the more serious task of signing a number 1-2 to go with JZIMM, STRAS, Lannen and Detwiller…….

Think long term on Bourn. Our real isssue is leadoff not CF. Bourn takes care of 1 and 1/2 issues………….MISTAKE

by artistfork on Aug 3, 2011 11:37 AM EDT reply actions

Harper will hit 6th for a good part of next season, if not 5th

Bourn is an ok player having a good season, he wasn’t worth it.

Aim for the head baby Jesus

by Doncosmic on Aug 5, 2011 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Shrugs For me, it depends on who the four kids from the Nats system that Houston wanted

It doesn’t matter who the prospects that they got for Bourn were and how you value them, because the important thing is how Houston valued them, vs. how they valued Nationals prospects. If they asked for Peacock, Milone, Lombardozzi and either Marrero or Moore, do you still make that trade?

Bourn would not have been for the long term, because he is a free agent after next season. Bourn also has a career OBP of .338, which (while better than Bernadina’s .308) isn’t great for a punch and judy leadoff hitter. He is fast, though, so he’d look good in CF – at the right price.

by d_c_guy on Aug 3, 2011 12:55 PM EDT reply actions