A look at items out of the National League East..
- The Nationals have a scout in Boston with an eye on the Red Sox's catchers, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). The Nats will be without starting catcher Wilson Ramos for most, if not all, of the 2012 season.
- Nationals pitcher Chien-Ming Wang is probably physically ready to return from his rehab stint but the club will wait the full 30 days before making a difficult decision regarding their rotation's logjam, writes Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider. The Nats could use their pitching surplus to improve elsewhere as they're set to have Wang and Ross Detwiler on the major league roster with John Lannan in Triple-A.
- Michael Bourn is off to a red-hot start in his walk year, writes David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Agent Scott Boras confirmed that he has had contract talks with the Braves and O'Brien opines that the centerfielder is unlikely to sign for less than $50MM.
what catcher from boston would we go after? salty? not sure what that deal would look like. maybe lannan/wang for salty
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe Rizzo is keeping an eye on them (Red Sox Catchers) to make sure they stay out of the DC area.
PS Nothing less than 50 mill for a singles hitter. That’s a bargain! :op
I was going to comment that Bourn does a good job of at least stretching his singles into doubles with stolen bases (partially because I believed it, and partially because I hadn’t given you a hard time recently) and then I looked at his numbers, and I have to say, he is pretty much strictly a singles hitter.
He’s having a hell of a year at the plate personally (it’s hard to argue with a .330 avg and near .400 obp – especially for a lead off hitter during this day and age), but $12.5 million a year (assuming it’s a 4 year, $50 million contract) will probably end up looking like the tragedy that is the Chone Figgins contract just as quickly.
Salty is a solid regular. I would guess he hits about 20 bombs this year and hits .250. Not even a chance we accept Jon Lannan/Wang for him. Wang has proven nothing and is a constant injury risk. Lannan barley gets by as a 5th starter in the NL. We have options better than Lannan and probably Wang too. I doubt we trade him though anyway. Shoppach might be a possibility though. Maybe a platoon with Shoppach hitting RHP and Flores hitting LHP?
Exactly.. Washington can keep their overpaid discards (Lannan/Wang) for a very solid league average catcher in Salty. If Rizzo wants him, it’s going to cost a top prospect (or 2 decent ones) or else Boston holds off until later on and sees which other team wants him more.
Boston has a real luxury with Lavarnway more than ready at Pawtucket and a decent backup in Shoppach. No hurry to move Salty at all.
Lannan they couldn’t give away right now if they ate almost all of his contract and Boston will have 6 starters as it is in a couple of weeks with Matsuzaka back, ALL of them far better than Lannan.
I’m a bit disappointed there were no salty-wang jokes
All far better? Apparently you haven’t seen how Lannan (magically at times) gets guys out. Disclaimer: I’m not a Lannan guy at all (i was actually celebrating when he got demoted to AAA).
Que the “But but the AL east is sooo much better than the NL east” comments
Ehh. I think A Flores/Minor leaguer or free agent is a better than that
Shoppach has done well againt righties this year and he would be a soild platoon guy for Flores. There is no information to back up that a minor league would be better.
Strasburg for Saltalamacchia. I’d be fine with that.
I think you might need to make a correction. In the article you link to about Bourn… the quote is “….and no contract negotiations have taken place between the Braves and his high-power agent, Scott Boras, who advises most of his clients to test the open market,…”
I wouldn’t do it for Salty, but I’d take Lannan or Wang for Lavarnway. We need the pitching that badly.
You’d keep Salty over Lavarnway? Methinks somebody be trolling
We (Sox) are going nowhere this season. Why give away a potential 20 HR a year catcher for a washed up Wang. Lannan? Maybe
Another thing…looks like trading Reddick was a big mistake. I didn’t think so at the time, but sure wish he was back
I wouldnt say its a mistake, it just hasnt paid off yet. Bailey being hurt..and Sweeney is not a Power hitter but has been good (doubles hitter with RISP).. Kalish will play RF next year who is better than Reddick. Anyone who says Trade Lavarnway over Salty is a Troll. Salty has been average but if your saying you have to trade one of them, Lavarnway is staying. Redsox staters are set and are staying that way unless there is an injury. Dice K will be in the pen as will Cook. Miller, Mortensen, Atchinson, Morales, Hill and Aceves is a good pen. This team has it all in place. Starters need to be better. Lester hopefully got that ball rolling.
he may not be worth what he gets but no way bourn signs at 10 mil a year. he may only hit singles but out of all those singles 45-55 times he will still second then possibly third. and unless somebody is on second when he is on first he will drive the pitcher nuts. plays great d. gets on base. i hope atlanta can keep him and maybe 12.5 a year will do it
I’d like Bourn a lot better if he scored more frequently. He’s on pace to score 100 runs in a season for the first time this year. (He’s scored more than 90 only twice, and he plays every day.) His defense is a nice bonus, but unless he can continue getting on base 39-40% of the time for the remainder of his career, he’s not worth $10 million a season.
I care more about resigning McCann than I do about Bourn. Given the Braves owner, it may be a bit of a pipe dream to resign both of them as well as extend guys like Hanson, Heyward, Kimbrel and Freeman.
Signing Hanson to a extension is a pipe dream in it’s self, unless he takes it upon himself to get a Wever type deal to stay in Atlanta. Being a Borus client he’ll get traded before his contract is up or walk once he is at the end of his contract.
Hanson is the last one IMHO to worry about. With his difficult delivery, I’m not sure if he will even play to his potential. Taking Borus as an agent tells me he doesn’t care if he stays in Atlanta he is all about money. With his flawed delivery good luck Borus.