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Nationals Extend Michael Morse

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | January 20, 2012 at 6:15pm CDT

6:15pm: Morse's deal is worth about $10.5MM over two years, according to the Associated Press.

4:17pm: It's a two-year deal, MLB.com's Bill Ladson tweets. The agreement buys out Morse's two remaining seasons of arbitration eligibility.

3:25pm: The Nationals announced that they agreed to sign Michael Morse to a contract extension. The team agreed to extend Morse before this week's deadline for exchanging arbitration figures and Morse has since passed his physical, making the deal official. The ACES client filed at $5MM with the Nationals countering at $3.5MM.

Morse, 29, broke out with his best season yet in 2011. He posted a .303/.360/.550 line and hit 31 home runs while playing left field and first base. The Nationals acquired him from the Mariners in a 2009 trade.

Tim Dierkes recently previewed a possible deal between Morse and the Nationals, suggesting a three-year, $18.5MM extension with a club option for a fourth year might work for both sides.

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69 Comments

  1. nats2012

    13 years ago

    Morse is a beast.

    Reply
    • cedarandstone

      13 years ago

      A 30 year old one year wonder.

      Reply
      • Tko11

        13 years ago

        Not to mention the steroid issue earlier in his career.

        Reply
  2. venn177

    13 years ago

    So I’m assuming by now that MLBTR has pre-written “Nationals extend” posts for every Nationals player. Or at least a template. They’re extending everyone.

    Reply
    • tony_mciv

      13 years ago

      It does seem that way. Although the players they’re extending are young and have potential. The NL East is going to be very interesting this year and years to follow. Especially this year if they decide to implement the 2nd wild card. That would be awesome 🙂

      Reply
      • Taylor Haberle

        13 years ago

        because 30 years old is considered young (?)

        Reply
  3. diesel2410

    13 years ago

    Awesome move

    Reply
  4. LUWahooNatFan

    13 years ago

    Smart move, don’t think it should be for more than 2 or 3 years without some kind of option though

    Reply
  5. Thomas Cassidy

    13 years ago

    Fantastic move. Hopefully this will stop all of the “Morse and Desmond for Wade Davis!!!”

    Reply
    • diesel2410

      13 years ago

      Morse and Desmond for Wade Davis?

      Reply
      • nats2012

        13 years ago

        ???????? Who said that ???????

        Reply
        • Thomas Cassidy

          13 years ago

          Whenever Morse’s name is mentioned.

          Reply
      • Tim

        13 years ago

        More like “Morse and Desmond for [insert name of someone else’s star rookie here]”

        Reply
        • Thomas Cassidy

          13 years ago

          Morse and Desmond and Harper and Strasburg for Francisco Cervelli!!!

          Reply
  6. tony_mciv

    13 years ago

    Can the Nats still get Prince then? My first reaction to this extension was no, because he plays OF/1B. After checking their roster, they already have 4 outfielders. Does this move mean that they’re out of the Prince race?

    Reply
    • Thomas Cassidy

      13 years ago

      No. Morse can play LF and and they deal LaRoche to someone. Although, I actually think the Rangers are going to land Prince.

      Reply
      • tony_mciv

        13 years ago

        Oh. Really?!
        Dang the Rangers have more money then I thought. That TV deal they signed is obviously paying off.

        Reply
        • Thomas Cassidy

          13 years ago

          Their GM said they are still interested.

          Reply
          • tony_mciv

            13 years ago

            Poor Jon Daniels. Scott Boras hasn’t given a player a huge contract yet this year. And Scott Boras needs his money. How on Earth would he survive an unproductive offseason!

            Reply
        • KyleB

          13 years ago

          The Rangers have the money (TV deal in ’14), but we also have a lot of key guys to re-sign so idk about Fielder.
          If the Nats were to drop out of the running, Idk what will happen in the Prince sweepstakes.

          Reply
        • RangersFan4ever

          13 years ago

          The Tv deal doesn’t kick in for 2 more years. So it’s not paying off yet.

          Reply
      • nats2012

        13 years ago

        If the Nats dont get Fielder I hope the Rangers do, than we can go after Hamilton next year.

        Reply
    • nats2012

      13 years ago

      Morse is a left fielder, he played first because Laroche was injured.

      Reply
      • tony_mciv

        13 years ago

        Ah that explains it. Thanks 🙂

        Reply
    • LUWahooNatFan

      13 years ago

      Morse plays LF, Werth CF, and RF is still up for grabs

      Reply
      • KyleB

        13 years ago

        As a Rangers fan, there are a few pieces that the Nats have I would want to work a trade out for (I’m not talking about obviously off-limits guys). If I were the Rangers I would maybe even bring Nelson Cruz up, just to see what comes of it.

        Reply
      • diehardmets

        13 years ago

        RF is most likely Harper’s when he comes along, and it seems that might be even sooner than we thought. 

        Reply
        • LUWahooNatFan

          13 years ago

          I doubt Harper starts the year in D.C. though

          Reply
          • diehardmets

            13 years ago

            My point was that they really can’t make a trade for anyone long term there, so likely just a stopgap out there for now.

            Reply
      • slider32

        13 years ago

        RF Harper.

        Reply
  7. KyleB

    13 years ago

    I was only able to watch about 2 or 3 Nats games last season. So are the Nats looking to move him to 3B so they can get Fielder? Or is he staying at 1B?
    Either way, great move for the Nats. He’s a beast.

    Reply
    • venn177

      13 years ago

      Yeah, they can easily move him to third. Can’t even remember the name of that quad A scrub there now.

      Reply
    • LUWahooNatFan

      13 years ago

      LF

      Reply
    • Thomas Cassidy

      13 years ago

      Back to LF unless they trade for Ellsbury, Granderson, and Kemp.

      Reply
    • nats2012

      13 years ago

      Morse plays left. He moved to first after Laroche injury. 3rd base?????

      Reply
      • KyleB

        13 years ago

        Just asking. We don’t exactly get to see alot of Nats games in Texas. I had MLB TV, but only so much time lol.

        Reply
        • redsx968

          13 years ago

          Right… but I think the point is that Zimmerman is one of the young studs of the MLB and that you should know him regardless of how many games you watch. I’ll excuse the brain fart for now…

          Reply
          • KyleB

            13 years ago

            Forgot Zimmerman was at 3B. So can you tell me every single player, and their position on every team?

            Reply
            • KJ4realz

              13 years ago

              I guess this just proves how underrated Zim actually is.

              Reply
              • KyleB

                13 years ago

                I just forgot about him for a second. It’s not like i’m unaware of him. I voted for him in the All-Star game a couple of seasons ago.
                He is underrated though.

                Reply
    • tony_mciv

      13 years ago

      Morse has played 9 games at 3B in his career, 2 of those he started. That would be a fun spring training.

      Reply
    • popular_mechanics_for_pitchers

      13 years ago

      Zimmerman

      Reply
  8. LUWahooNatFan

    13 years ago

    Sign Fielder and with the addition of Harper this lineup could be deadly

    Desmond SS
    Espinosa 2B
    Zimmerman 3B
    Fielder 1B
    Morse LF
    Werth CF
    Harper RF
    Ramos C
    Pitcher

    Reply
    • coreif

      13 years ago

      I would very much like to see that lineup happen.

      Reply
  9. nats2012

    13 years ago

    Maybe if the Rangers do get Fielder, we can go after Josh Hamilton next year.

    Reply
    • LUWahooNatFan

      13 years ago

      Move Morse back to 1B?

      Reply
      • nats2012

        13 years ago

        Yeah if that was the case, I think thats the only thing stopping us from signing Fielder, Morse playing the outfield long term. Because if we do sign Fielder the long term outfield has to be Morse, Werth (CF), and Harper.

        Reply
        • Natsfan89

          13 years ago

          There’s a glut of good centerfielders hitting the market after this season. With Morse only getting a 2 year deal I think Rizzo is leaving the door open for a trade if he signs a CF next year.

          Reply
    • KyleB

      13 years ago

      I’d rather us keep Josh, but if he did leave, i’d rather see him with the Nats.

      Reply
      • nats2012

        13 years ago

        Rangers are my favorite AL team so I always want them to do well.

        Reply
  10. cards2WS

    13 years ago

    This franchise is really impressing me. If they sign Fielder they will be extremely scary. I love how this team is being built through all avenues of acquisition. Strong in the draft, solid trades, and a wallet big enough to make FA splashes.

    Reply
    • Jamespfunk

      13 years ago

      You can say that again, Go Nats!!!!

      Reply
  11. redsx968

    13 years ago

    Great move. I’m confident that Morse is a stud, but the two-year deal takes away the risk that he was just a flash in the pan last year. Plus they’ll likely have him at a bargain the next couple years, unless he tanks

    Reply
  12. Lefty

    13 years ago

    Since the Nats are in the Buy-Out mode (Gio Gonzalez and now Morse). Maybe they should “Buy-Out” of their contract with MASN and start their own Network.
    Lerner has enough money to do whatever he wants. Or even better yet buy the Orioles and re do the contract 50/50 and then sell the Orioles to a compentent owner, unlike Angelos. Mr. Lerner can you do that for us? 

    Reply
    • Tim

      13 years ago

      The only problem with that is that Angelos would have to agree. Otherwise, as a Nats fan with O’s ties, I approve.

      Reply
  13. BradyAndersonsSideburns

    13 years ago

    Last year was not a fluke; the man can hit.  He never got the playing time before last year and had produced when he had the chance.

    Reply
    • cedarandstone

      13 years ago

      He’s 30 this year.  One year younger than new and improved Fausto Carmona.

      Reply
  14. formerdraftpick 2

    13 years ago

    I’m pretty happy the Nats extended Morse.  They’ll have no re-morse on that decision. 

    Reply
    • Tko11

      13 years ago

      Oh no you didn’t!

      Reply
      • Infield Fly

        13 years ago

        Ugh! He did.

        See? That’s the problem with the internet: throwing virtual rotten tomatoes just doesn’t get it done! :p

        Reply
  15. slider32

    13 years ago

    Morse can rake!

    Reply
  16. mike brusca

    13 years ago

    morse is an animal, great move

    Reply
  17. garylanglais

    13 years ago

    This was the a good compromise by both parties. For the Nats, it keeps Morse’s 2013 salary down around 6m even if he has a great season in 2012. Arbitration really compensates power hitters so if Morse were to post same numbers as last year he could conceivably earn 8 or 9m for 2013.  For Morse, it still allows him to get to FA after 2013 season.  Reason I have said prior that he wasnt an extension candidate was because he is not a player who benefits from delaying FA.  He needs to get there ASAP to maximize the value of that FA deal.  This is a good deal for both, although I would say Morse gave up about 500k to 1m.  

    Reply

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