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Ian Desmond

Ian Desmond Drawing Trade Interest

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Ian Desmond is drawing strong trade interest, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Nationals want starters and, other than Cliff Lee and Carl Pavano, the free agent pitching class has thinned out considerably. The free agent shortstop class is similarly weak, so Desmond is in demand. 

Washington isn’t looking to trade Desmond, but they could part with him for a young pitcher with comparable service time, Rosenthal says. The 25-year-old batted .269/.308/.392 in 2010, his first full season. With just over one year of service time to his name, Desmond is still five years away from free agency.

Nationals Aiming To Make A “Splash”

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The Nationals are going to pursue top players aggressively this offseason and they may be a sleeper team in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. They are looking for an elite starter and Lee will be available to them within a few days.

"They're going to step up and try to get a top free agent,'' a baseball insider told Crasnick. "They'd like to make a splash.'' 

If Lee signs with the Yankees, the Rangers or someone else, the Nationals will consider trading for James Shields, Matt Garza or another potentially available starter. The Nationals have no interest in including Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa in potential trades, according to Crasnick.

The Nationals appear to be interested in Carl Crawford and have expressed interest in adding a top starter since the summer.

Odds & Ends: Stauffer, Twins, Tigers, Desmond

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Links for Sunday….

Odds & Ends: Braun, Reds, Marlins, Washburn

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A few more Friday links for your browsing pleasure…

Odds & Ends: Nats, Bell, Mahay, Smoltz

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Sunday night linkage..

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders if money might be a factor in the Nationals' starting shortstop battle.  Ian Desmond is making a compelling case for the starting job but the club might be unwilling to put Cristian Guzman and his $8MM contract on the bench.
  • Padres closer Heath Bell told Tom Krasovic of AOL Fanhouse that he would be agreeable to signing an extension that is budget-friendly for the Padres.  San Diego avoided arbitration with Bell in January when they agreed to a one-year, $4MM pact.
  • It appears that reliever Ron Mahay won't be signing with the Mets, writes Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News.  A source tells Rubin that there's no way Mahay would accept a minor league deal.  Meanwhile, a separate source says that the Mets won't offer a major league contract.
  • In his latest mailbag, a reader suggests to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro that the Marlins should sign John Smoltz.  Frisaro says that the Marlins have no interest in the 42-year-old as the 26-year-old Josh Johnson is a good influence on the team's young pitchers.

Odds & Ends: Ortiz, Smoltz, Sandoval, Westmoreland

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Some links to browse, as teams continue to make spring cuts….

  • Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe writes (via Twitter) that the Red Sox will not pick up David Ortiz's $12.5MM option for 2011 regardless of what he does this season.
  • Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas reports that the Rangers have kept in contact with Khalil Greene, even after voiding his contract last month, though assistant GM Thad Levine says "there were no overtures about coming back and playing."
  • Murray Chass interviewed John Smoltz about his future, and the result is an interesting read. "I don't know if I’m going to pitch, but I haven't ruled it out," Smoltz said. "I have a lot of options, and I don't want the options to rule me." Smoltz adds that he laughs at all the "rumors and speculation that’s out there." We won't take it personally.
  • In his ESPN Insider blog, Buster Olney expands on a couple tweets he made yesterday, about the Twins' closer situation and the possible appeal of Smoltz.
  • John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that the Giants haven't entered into any long-term contract negotiations with Pablo Sandoval yet, since he's still a couple years away from being arbitration-eligible.
  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo says that "money has nothing to do with who's going to play and who's not going to play," according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. This stance is relevant not only for Stephen Strasburg's ETA in the majors, but also for determining Ian Desmond's role. Rizzo suggested that Desmond "is in the running to be an everyday guy."
  • Red Sox prospect Ryan Westmoreland will undergo brain surgery, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Best of luck to Westmoreland.

Odds & Ends: Wedge, Nats, Marlins, Webb, Tejada

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Some links for Saturday..

  • Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer hears that Eric Wedge is taking this year off by choice.  The former Indians skipper, who is still under contract with the club for one more year, was connected to the Mets' bench coach job for a while.
  • The strong play of Nats rookie shortstop Ian Desmond could bump Cristian Guzman from the starting lineup, writes Bill Ladson of MLB.com.  However, it  will be difficult for Washington will find a taker for Guzman's $8MM salary.
  • Newly acquired Dodger Garret Anderson knows that he's fighting for a very limited role with club, writes MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.  Anderson played in 135 games for the Braves last season, hitting .268/.303/.401 with 13 HRs.
  • Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that Giants pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim has the right to opt out of his contract on March 15th if he doesn't think he'll make the 25-man roster.  The 31-year-old – who last pitched in the majors in 2007 – signed a minor league deal with San Francisco in February.
  • Bobby Valentine told Marlins beat reporters that he was never spoke with club owner Jeffrey Loria about managing the team, writes Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.  Bobby V said the speculation was unfair to skipper Fredi Gonzalez, who led guided Florida to 87 wins and a second-place finish in the NL East.
  • Arizona GM Josh Byrnes said that the club wants to look at internal candidates first if Brandon Webb is unable to start the regular season, tweets MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.  Byrnes added that the club, as always, will keep an eye on the waiver wire as Spring Training winds down (also via Twitter).
  • Despite the impressive play of Josh Bell, Miguel Tejada will be the Orioles' starting third baseman barring a "dramatic" event, writes Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun.  The O's signed Tejada to a one-year, $6MM deal in late January.
  • Joe Posnanski takes a look at the history of the Rule 5 draft.  Fun Fact: The Rule 5 draft goes back more than 100 years.

Nats Notes: Guzman, Desmond, Carroll, Dunn

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The Nationals are considering a number of options up the middle. Here's the latest:

  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson expects the Nationals to try trading Cristian Guzman this offseason. It won't be easy, given his $8MM salary.
  • Manager Jim Riggleman likes Ian Desmond, but others within the organization believe the infielder needs more minor league seasoning.
  • Could Ronnie Belliard return to play second base? Ladson doubts it.
  • Jamey Carroll doesn't seem likely to return to Washington, either. At least nine teams have interest in the 35-year-old.
  • The Nats are considering a couple defensive shortstops, too.
  • Since 2007, no fielder has cost his team more runs than Adam Dunn, according to Matthew Carruth of FanGraphs. Dunn will make $12MM in 2010 before becoming a free agent. It's hard to imagine him signing with an NL club again after next season.

Nationals Looking At Defensive Shortstops

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The Washington Nationals are interested in shortstops Alex Gonzalez and Adam Everett, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.

With the Nationals tentatively planning to move Cristian Guzman from short to second base, a major league source tells Rosenthal and Morosi that the team is looking to add a strong defensive shortstop. Gonzalez posted a +10.5 UZR/150 in 2009, while Everett's UZR/150 was +13.6.

Gonzalez and Everett could each still re-sign with their respective teams, the Red Sox and Tigers, in which case the Nationals might look elsewhere for middle infield help. In a separate article by MLB.com's Bill Ladson, new manager Jim Riggleman suggests that he wouldn't mind starting 2010 with prospect Ian Desmond at shortstop.

Nationals Notes: Storen, Dunn, Desmond

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MLB.com's Bill Ladson answered a few questions from fans about the D.C. nine today and here are a few of the more relevant details….

  • Ladson "could see" Drew Storen making the Nationals as the team's set-up man, in just the right-hander's second year of pro ball.  Storen had a 1.95 ERA and an eye-popping 11.9 K/9 in 28 appearances for Washington's Single-A, Single-A advanced and Double-A teams last season after being taken 10th overall in the 2009 June Entry Draft.
  • Whatever Washington's rebuilding plans entail, they won't involve dealing Adam Dunn.
  • Ian Desmond and Justin Maxwell have yet to entirely prove themselves to Nationals management and "must have a great Spring Training" for either of them to even make the Opening Day roster, let alone get playing time.
  • Ladson thinks the Nats might at least inquire about Pedro Martinez if the future Hall-of-Famer becomes available in the off-season, but the price tag will likely be too high for Washington's taste.
  • Mark DeRosa's versatility is what would attract the Nationals most if they made a play for the veteran free agent.
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