It seemed to work when former Pittsburgh Pirates' Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett went out of their way to encourage Matt Capps to come to Washington, DC, and now Morgan is at it again, appealing through MLB.com's Bill Ladson for Orlando Hudson to join him in the nation's capital where he believes, as he tells Mr. Ladson in article entitled, "Morgan wants Hudson to join Nats", that the combination of Tony Plush and the O-Dog, "...would be a nasty dynamic duo," at the top of the Nationals' order...
In the days after Pittsburgh non-tendered Matt Capps, he was courted by two Cubs, Tom Gorzelanny and John Grabow, both former Pirates, as he was trying to make a choice between Chicago and Washington. Gorzelanny and Grabow spoke to ESPNChicago.com for an article entitled, "Capps admits preliminary Cubs talks", in which they appealed to Capps to join them in Wrigley, but days later Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett spoke to MLB.com's Bill Ladson for an article entitled, "Morgan, Burnett hope Capps joins Nats", with Morgan describing Capps as a "winner" with a , "...a bulldog mentality," while Burnett called Capps, "...a competitor and a bulldog", as both implored the reliever to sign with DC.
After Capps signed with the Nationals, the reliever related how the chance to once again play with his former teammates had influenced his decision, stating in an interview with members of the internet media that Morgan and Burnett, "...both made it very clear that they wanted me to be here, and told me I would fit in," which combined with the clearest route to a closer's role to convice Capps to accept Washington's 1-year/$3.5 M dollar offer...which...is oddly just about what Orlando Hudson might be forced to accept...
To say Nyjer Morgan is excited by the prospect of Hudson signing would be quite the understatement, as quoted by MLB.com's Bill Ladson, here's Morgan selling the whole world on the idea of Hudson in Washington:
"'His veteran leadership is amazing. He comes to the ballpark ready to work hard every day. He is basically what every team wants and needs. He is a Gold Glove second baseman. He will help us out in the National League East. If this happens, we are going to be something. You are going to see a different Nats team in 2010.'"
Sign the contract, Orlando.
--NMIMH!!!
• Yahoo!Sports.com's Jeff Passan was Tweeting Haikus about the Nationals to promote his latest Hot Stove Daily post entitled, "Nationals' buzz hinges on Strasburg" in which Mr. Passan gently mocks the Nationals' moves or at least Matt Capps' opinion of them and looks toward 2010 by declaring, "The Year of Strasburg can't start soon enough." Follow @Jeff Passan on Twitter (he was first to break the Chapman story) and let him know what you think of his Nationals haikus...
• SB Nation.com: Andrew Sharp - "Earthquake In Haiti - How You Can Help."