The Nationals agreed to terms with pitcher Miguel Batista on a minor league deal, according to a team press release.
Finishing up a three-year, $25MM deal with the Mariners, Batista was a $9MM middle reliever last year. He posted a 4.04 ERA, 6.6 K/9, and 4.9 BB/9 on the season. Funny quote from Batista to John Hickey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer before the season:
"You don't pay a guy $9 million to pitch middle relief. Well, maybe the Yankees do. My concern is to stay healthy and help the team and we will find some neutral ground."
Batista shouldn't have a shot at the closer job in Washington, but he might be able to crack the rotation.
I like what the Nats are starting to put together under Mike Rizzo. And, of course, since they signed Marquis, we all know they are automatically going to make the playoffs, right?
Agreed. I really like their farm system beyond Strass; with Storen, Desmond, Norris and Marrero, added to Ryan and Jordan Zimmerman, Detwiler and others, they could be competitive by 2011, and a playoff team by ’12.
I really like Norris. He came out of nowhere.
The winners of this deal: Mariners fans… they finally get to forget about the Bill Bavarsi years.
It’s good to see Batista get a job some where away from Seattle. He is a good man, but oh did he age quick the last two years of that contract. He is serviceable out of the Pen for a team giving him a fresh start.
Not sure if aging was the problem. He was still throwing gas last year, and actually, even though us Mariners fans had an upclose and personal look at him blowing leads all the time, his end of the year stats weren’t horrible.
I think the problem with him was that Bad Bald Bill saw him as a potential number 2 starter, and signed him to a monster deal because of it. Dummy.
Anyway, he’s a good dude, and I wish him the best, and on a minor league deal he should be a good bargain for the NAts.
I’ll figure he’ll put up the cleats and call it quits. I guess he really wants to play to go to the Nationals. Because, no offense, but the Nationals aren’t the right team for someone at this stage of their career.
Well, the Cubs may wind up paying about 7m for a middle reliever in Carlos Silva…that’s pretty close. But we’d be better off if Carlos Zambrano hooks him up with a full-time gig pitching for that Franklin Park softball team he moonlights with.
For the money he’s making, he has a shot to be a middle reliever without being such a burden.
Man, 9 million last year for a guy like this? That still is cheap compared to what Carlos Silva got I suppose. No wonder the Mariners been making all these moves when albatrosses like this come off the books!
Great pick-up for the Nats. Batista has a lot of flexibility and can still throw hard. As a M’s fan, he was never horrible per say, had a good year in 2007, so-so 2008, and last year came up with some pitches when he needed to. He wasn’t worth his contract, but you can do a whole lot worse!
Atleast we signed him for a minor league deal and not 3 yr 25 mill (LOL!) Man Im loving these Low Risk/ High Reward moves that Mr. Rizzo has been making. He and his new front office are really doing their homework and scouting people. Veeeery Nice.
Yea, committing 2 years and 6 million dollars to Pudge is so low risk. As was committing 15 mil to Jason Marquis. Go Rizzo! He’s been average so far, IMO.
Boy, the Nats sure love that scrap heap!! I’m glad I don’t live in the Baltimore/DC metro area. I’d have no good baseball to watch.
You should be glad the Mariners don’t play the Nats except every three years – since they’ve never beaten them – 0 for 6 and counting. See you in DC in 2011!
hahahahaha nice way to throw that in there at a hater lol
Not hating by any means. Just feel bad for DC fans who expected a contending team. I have no idea what makes you think I’m a Seattle fan either. For the record I was a huge Expos fan before the move.
At least we don’t pay guys like Silva, Sexton, Beltre, Bedard and Batista millions of dollars to help us not make the playoffs.
Correct. You take guys who no one else wants, to help you not make the playoffs.
He’s a good veteran on a minor league deal for sure. I’m relatively surprised that’s all he got after hearing how interested the Rockies were. Good move by the Nationals. It was just painful knowing how much Seattle was paying him all these years.
“You don’t pay a guy $9 million to pitch middle relief. Well, maybe the Yankees do. My concern is to stay healthy and help the team and we will find some neutral ground”
Cheap shot from complete, bum, this guy should and will be moving furniture come the all star break. Clown