The Nationals and righty Chien-Ming Wang continue to discuss an extension, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, but the two sides aren't yet close to a deal.
Wang, who turns 32 next March, threw 62 1/3 innings of 4.04 ERA ball for the Nationals this year in his first taste of big league action since 2009. The former Yankee demonstrated pinpoint control (1.9 BB/9) but his strikeout rate was dangerously low (3.6 K/9), though that's par for the course for Wang. He did manage to whiff 16 hitters over his final 23 2/3 innings without issuing a walk.
Wang prefers to stay with the Nationals because he appreciates the loyalty they showed him when he was recovering from shoulder injuries for almost two years. He received a big vote of confidence from manager Davey Johnson who said, "If I'm here, he could have my salary."
Wang says money won't be a big issue if it means re-signing with Washington, but his precision and healthy final months could earn him a raise from the $1MM guarantee he received in his last one-year deal with the Nats.
Three words: Incentive laden contract
Between Strasburg, Zimmerman, Wang, and Lannan in the rotation and Clippard and Storen in the pen the Nats could have a pretty solid pitching staff next year. I doubt they can take the division without some serious luck but as a darkhorse for the wild card isn’t out of the question.
As much as I love Nats, they are still at least a true lead-off hitter and a better #3 pitcher away from postseason considering the fact that SS will be shut down in early September. However, I still would not mind going into the season with the rotation of SS, JZ, Lannan, CMW, and Detwiler (out of options I believe), with Peacock and Milone to take over for anyone struggling. It depends if Nats FO thinks they want to compete this season to impress some soon-to-be free agents, then we need better pitchers JZ, SS, and JL.
Mike Axisa discussed the Nationals issue in center and at the lead-off spot earlier today on his blog. He brings up an interesting name in Brett Gardner who makes a lot of sense for the Nationals. I do agree with him however, it would be very difficult to move him. I love this guy as he wreaks havoc on the bases and was born with webs for hands.
I also agree with you in that the Nat’s are one experienced durable #3 pitcher away from having a strong roster. Everyone loves to jump on the hate AJ Burnett bandwagon, but he would be an outstanding fit on the Nat’s, in the National League. Everyone loves to compare him to Lackey and Lowe, neither of which have the pure stuff that AJ does. In addition, AJ hasn’t had as much as a paper cut or toothache in the three years he’s pitched for the Yankees. Unlike Lackey and Lowe, AJ usually beats himself on the mound. The Nationals could really use an experienced, hard throwing, strike out pitcher in that rotation. Cashman could send AJ and Gardner, maybe with some money, maybe not, however I would have no idea what would be returned. And don’t say nothing. This legitimately is a good idea.
The question the Nats have to ask themselves is where do they get an experienced pitcher in an offseason when there are few available via free agency, against many other teams that will be far more competitive and potentially more desirable to free agents. AJ for 2 years would be a good fit. The Nat’s will need to trade for someone.
“He brings up an interesting name in Brett Gardner who makes a lot of sense for the Nationals. I do agree with him however, it would be very difficult to move him. I love this guy as he wreaks havoc on the bases and was born with webs for hands. ”
Gardner’s a fit for a lot of teams, but the problem is that he’s a guy whose trade value will always be less than he’s actively worth. He doesn’t put up particularly flashy numbers and he’ll never be a star power player, but he’s a guy who fills a role exceedingly well. He’s a guy I just imagine it’s impossible to come to a middle ground on in terms of value. He’s a walk machine and a danger on the basepaths with elite defense. Conversely, he’s unable to hit for average on a consistent enough basis to keep his OBP as high as it should be considering his plate discipline and he has essentially no power (What little slugging he has is based almost solely on his ability to motor to second in a hurry).
From the standpoint of someone who would LOVE to have Gardner on his team, I can’t say I’d be willing to give up much of value for him as anything other than a component to a deal. And no, I don’t see the Burnett thing working, he has so much negative value that it kills what value Gardner would represent in trade to the point that packaging them just wouldn’t be worthwhile. That would be similar to offering up something like Ellsbury and Lackey for a bench player just to get out from under Lackey’s salary. On his own, if I’m an opposing GM, I point out that Gardner’s game is predicated entirely on his speed and plate discipline. If that plate discipline gets any worse and he’s a defensive replacement/pinch runner. And closing in on 29, it’s unlikely that his numbers outside of the walks are going to get much better (I’d call his absolute peak for power is a 12 home run guy and he needs to keep his BA over .270 for his walk totals to keep him at a respectable OBP, which I’m not convinced he can do consistently).
I could see him working well as that “one major league ready player” that teams always ask for in trades along with high upside prospects, especially for a small market NL team (His speed and defense are more valuable to a small-ball team than the Yankees, but his counting stats are so thoroughly mediocre that his arbitration figures will probably stay relatively low). Honestly, the best fit I can think of (Though not an NL team) is the Rays. Coupling him with Montero plus a prospect or two would probably be plenty to land Shields.
I can agree with most of this, however the Nationals have shown their propensity to make the deal that sometimes doesn’t actually make much sense. That’s not a knock on them, its just a team like them needs to augment their roster through trading. Unless they start handing out contracts like Werth (overpaying) they are just not the team yet, to attract the right free agents.
As for your last statement regarding Shields, I like the guy a lot, just not for the Yankees and Montero as this point, is not being moved (as part of a greater package) unless guys like Johnson, Kershaw, Hernandez are moved, which is incredibly unlikely.
I can see Yankees trading AJ, but not so sure about Gardner like you said. Gardner should be their lead-off hitter. I think Crisp might be their best bet.
“As much as I love Nats, they are still at least a true lead-off hitter and a better #3 pitcher away from postseason considering the fact that SS will be shut down in early September. ”
A “true lead-off hitter” is overrated. The Red Sox finished 2007 with the best record in baseball and didn’t really have a true lead-off hitter until something like August when Ellsbury came up (And considering Ellsbury’s OBP wasn’t really high enough to be considered a quality lead-off man in ’08, we made the ALCS that year without one, really).
Better #3, sure, but there’s a few of those available this offseason.
Lead-off hitter might be overrated in a Boston or a Yankee offense, but Nationals desperately need someone to get on base and get in scoring position ahead of Zimmerman, Morse, and Werth. These three will be carrying the offense mainly but they can’t do it all by themselves. Thus, we need a lead-off hitter.
Why wasnt Wang part of the deal that sent Fister to detroit and Furbush to Seattle? I mean yea Wang is old and he has alot of structural problems and dont K alot of batters, but he dont allow many men get on 1st base for free. His walk rate is GREAT!!!!
Is this serious? Cuz he isnt on either of those teams.
Comon man. You know I mean a 3 team deal… The best outcome would be for my Tigers to get Wang and Fister. Mabe they coulda kept Furbush too then…
I think he just wanted to see “Wang, fister, furbursh” trade. I mean come on, thats a great name for a trade.
“his strikeout rate was dangerously low (3.6 K/9), though that’s par for the course for Wang. ”
If it “par for the course” how is it dangerous?
Compared to every other major leaguer.
Is this an extenze commercial?
It’s amazing a string of jokes like this can go so long without being moderated…
I have to assume that the moderation crew makes a conscious effort to not bother with threads about Wang. I mean, really, if they bothered, it’d be one guy going on some off-topic tangent and then a bunch of “post removed.”
I imagine they look at it kind of like the idea of Scotland invading England. Sure they COULD do it and are in a good position to do it, but really, what would be the point? It’s not like they’d be accomplishing anything.
Really surprised that his FIP and xFIP aren’t way higher. I was expecting them to be in the 6 range. Turns out that they line up pretty nicely with his ERA.
Still wouldn’t give this guy anything more than a minor league deal with incentives. He hasn’t proven anything yet post surgery.
I was ready to call this the only post in here that a joke couldn’t be made about, but then you had to finish with “post surgery” in a Wang topic.
It’s the laughing I do from threads like these that make me realize how I will never truly grow up