The Nationals are set to rely on some combination of Rick Ankiel, Roger Bernadina and Jayson Werth in center field this year, but they’re not ruling out potential acquisitions at the position. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post explains that any trade would have to provide the team with something more than a stopgap.
“I think if we can answer our long-term question now, we’ll do so,” GM Mike Rizzo told Kilgore. “We won’t make the change for a short-term answer.”
Kilgore reports that the team doesn’t want to block prospects such as Michael Taylor, Brian Goodwin and Eury Perez unless the possibility of a significant upgrade exists. Remarkably, 25 Nationals have started at least one game in center field since the team moved to D.C.
The Nationals have had internal discussions about making pushes for Peter Bourjos and Adam Jones, Kilgore writes. They've also been linked to Gerardo Parra of the Diamondbacks. B.J. Upton, Michael Bourn and Shane Victorino are set to hit free agency after the 2012 season, when the Nationals could bid for their services if they haven't yet found a center fielder.
The Indians are also monitoring the center field market after losing Grady Sizemore for two to three months.
Meanwhile in 2010…2011…2012
Another year of B.J. Upton rumors… yes!
I kinda feel like this year is the year that he finally gets moved though.
Or maybe Billy Beane can just go ahead and move Cespedes to the Nats and ravage the parts of their farm system he couldn’t get his mitts on in the Gio deal?!
haha, classic beane
Rajai Davis
Michael Taylor is with the A’s, not the Nationals.
There are two CF prospects named Michael Taylor. MLBTR inserted the wrong link – should be Michael A. Taylor, not Michael D. Taylor.
Thanks, did not know that. One of them should go by Giancarlo Taylor to avoid confusion.
Bryce Harper could be manning RF soon enough for the Nationals (a late April call-up will delay his free agent status by a year), that moves Werth to CF with Morse remaining in LF. That won’t stop them from pursuing a CF’er this offseason, allowing Morse to move to 1B.
The Date Harper can join the team is April 25th just so everyone knows I imagine he will be in the nationals dugout on the 24th barring a injury.
Marlon Byrd…quality guy, last year of his deal, and the Cubs would probably be willing to eat some of the money to get some decent low level prospects.
And exactly how is Marlon Byrd an upgrade over Ankiel/Bernadina/Werth? Also, he doesn’t address the concern from a long-term perspective. In other words, he’s not an option.
Higher WAR the past two years than Bernadina/Ankiel combined and he’s off the books next year when Harper pushes Werth to center. Also costs significantly less to acquire than Upton, Jones, Parra, etc. Nationals could do a lot worse.
Yes, he does have a higher WAR total and the team could do worse. But the point is that he doesn’t address the team’s concerns from a long-term perspective. Neither does Werth because he’s not a permanent option for center either.
I think Marlon Byrd would be a nice add to the Nationals. In a lot of ways, he’s a better player than any of the others they are considering for CF with the exception of Jayson Werth.
Also, one year contract, fan friendly in an organization trying to build their fan base, and not to go all racial, but the D. C. area would love to have and be a very welcoming place for an African American all around good guy who is fairly good all around player.
It doesn’t give them a long term solution, but it does buy them time as they continue to cycle in their youth.
The link takes you to the wrong Michael Taylor…
Both Michael A. Taylor and Brian Goodwin are at least 2 or 3 years from cracking the big league roster
Unless you can get someone like Bourjos(highly unlikely), I’d just wait till the off-season and make a move on Bourn, Victorino(both of which could lead-off, though Victorino wants a 5 year deal which I would be completely against) or even Upton who would get you a solid CF, but still leave a hole at leadoff.. If you can sign one of those three you move Werth to LF, and Morse to 1B
The link goes to the Michael Taylor that plays for the A’s.
In addtion to other characteristics the Nats are seeking in a cf….good defense, speed on bases, leadoff hitter, young…..they’re going to need someone who hits righties better than lefties (so likely a left handed hitter or a switch hitter).
Harper and LaRoche hit left handed and Espinoza is a switch hitter. The other starters swing from the right. When Harper joins the club, he pushes Morse to first and LaRoche is either trade bait or plays irregularly.
So what cf fits the above criteria and can be had in trade, perhaps for LaRoche, Lannan, and 1 or 2 of the kid cf’s in the minors whose path would now be blocked? Nats should be able to acquire someone of at least some distinction.
What about Victorino?
I’d have no qualms about Jones to the Nats, as long as they were prepared to pay a little extra, being an hour away from the O’s.
If the Nats had wanted Crisp, they would have signed him. There’s not much chance they’d give up anything for that guy now. I’m not really sure why they never made an offer on Aoki, unless they didn’t think he had the arm for center. Rizzo initially said good things about Soler, but other clubs seem to be set to bid higher. While Taylor and Goodwin are fine prospects, Perez doesn’t look like he’ll pan out given the high K #s in the low minors. I really think they blew it not adding a capable low-cost outfielder like Fukodome for the bench. If any of LaRoche, Morse, or Werth miss time, it’ll be a really ugly outfield even if Harper comes up soon. After putting so much effort into pitching that they have more starters than they can use, they left out some easy upgrades for their bench.
Geez, Nats, this is taking like four years. Just go internally this year and tell reporters you’re set for 2012.
Gerardo Parra. You could get him now instead of at the trade deadline. I wouldn’t say he would come cheap, but I don’t think he would require a king’s ransom either. I wouldn’t think that Arizona is looking to get rid of him, but given the outlook of playing time for him they have less of a reason to try to hold on to him. If the Nationals later realize that they don’t need him, they can certainly trade him to another team, there’s always going to be some demand for a player with his skill level at low cost in terms of money.
A’s have several cf types
Cespedes, Crisp, Cowgill, Reddick
Slated for AAA- Grant Green, Jermaine Mitchell
I think Cowgill might be the best match- mlb ready, wont be blocking any prospects.
Trade the Dodgers for Gwynn. He is the D’d #4 or #5. He has great defensive skills – highly rated speed and above average arm. He will be a 260 hitter with a 310 OBA.
do the nationals think the angels are just like small market nationals are?
This has to be the most played out Headline in baseball history. Get over it Rizzo, you locked yourself into this situation by way over paying for a RF and a 1B. I mean for the most part he has done a good job but you don’t have the financial flexibility not the MLB proven talent to get any of the top-tier cf available. Even those available don’t rally address the Nats most pressing need, a lead off hitter. CF is actually a very strong defensive position. Let Ankiel play the first month (Harper is not going to be there anyway till the end of April at the earliest). If Ankiel comes back and produces offensively trade or release Adam do u can move morse to first if you decide to bring Harper up. It’s that simple. Harper in left, Ankiel in center and morse in right. You will need a strong CF like Ankiel to flank those two.
In between your atrocious grammar, you’re missing a few key points. First, where is Werth in your scenario? Second, how’d the team overpay exactly to fill 1B? Finally, do you know anything about this organization that leads you to believe they don’t have the “financial flexibility” to find a quality CF? The Nats have one of the richest owners in all of MLB. They haven’t spent a great deal on payroll to date because the team wasn’t ready to compete. They’re being smart about it, spending to compliment the roster with those final pieces rather than simply buying a better team.
I’m just gonna say it. I might be the only Nats fan who thinks this, but we should have kept Nyjer.
No way. Especially now with old school Davey at the helm.
Bad clubhouse mojo. Person out of balance.
Will Venable could be a name to keep an eye on. The Padres can replace his spot with either Kyle Blanks or Blake Tekotte.
Venable isn’t a terrible option for depth, but he’s really more of a corner guy than a center fielder.