Nationals Release Bisenius, Wood, Van Every
The Nationals released right-handers Joe Bisenius and Tim Wood and outfielder Jonathan Van Every, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (on Twitter).
Bisenius, 28, appeared in five games for the Nationals last year in his first MLB action since 2007. He spent most of the season in the minors, where he posted a 3.05 ERA with 10.8 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 38 1/3 innings across three levels.
Wood logged 27 2/3 innings for the Marlins last year, posting a 5.53 ERA. Also 28, he has a 4.72 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 over the course of his eight-year minor league career.
Van Every played all three outfield positions for the Red Sox in 2010, the third consecutive season in which he had a brief stint in the majors. Red Sox manager Terry Francona has called on the 31-year-old to pitch in both of the past two seasons and Van Every has also pitched in a minor league game. He has a .254/.356/.477 line in a decade's worth of minor league plate appearances.
NL East Notes: Chipper, Werth, Rollins
The Mets made a minor trade and the Marlins are finalizing their roster. Here's the latest from the other NL East teams…
- The Braves are looking to upgrade their bench with another right-handed bat, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter). The Braves have been on the lookout for such a player throughout the month of March.
- In a wide-ranging Q&A with David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Chipper Jones says the hardest part of getting older is that something hurts every day. But fret not, Braves fans – Chipper's knee has been pain-free for three weeks.
- As Tyler Kepner of the New York Times explains, a visit with a wrist surgeon changed the course of Jayson Werth's career a little more than four years ago. The Nationals lured Werth to Washington this offseason, signing him to a $126MM deal.
- Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins tells Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he has six or seven more years of baseball left. The 32-year-old hits free agency after the season.
Padres Acquire Alberto Gonzalez
The Padres acquired Alberto Gonzalez from the Nationals for right-hander Erik Davis and cash considerations, the teams announced. The Padres, who had been working to upgrade their bench, were looking hard at Gonzalez this week. The A's, Astros and Braves were also eyeing the infielder over the weekend.
Davis split the 2010 campaign between three levels, posting a 3.52 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 143 1/3 innings as a starter. The 24-year-old right-hander has made just eight starts above Class A, where he spent the first two seasons of his pro career. Davis, who played at Stanford with Nationals reliever Drew Storen, led all minor league pitchers with 30 wins in 2009-10.
Gonzalez, 27, played in 114 games last year, appearing at every infield position and in right field. He hit .247/.277/.301 last year in his fourth MLB season.
The move boosts the chances that Mets infielder Luis Hernandez goes unclaimed while on waivers.
Nationals Notes: 40-Man Roster, Rule 5 Picks
The Nationals host the Braves on Thursday, when Livan Hernandez and Derek Lowe will face off. The latest on the club…
- The Nationals currently have 37 players on their 40-man roster after putting pitchers Chien-Ming Wang and Elvin Ramirez on the 60-day DL. The move buys the Nats extra time with Ramirez, a Rule 5 pick from the Mets who has little experience above High-A.
- The team's lone remaining 25-man roster decision is Alex Cora versus Alberto Gonzalez for a backup infield job, reports Ben Goessling of MASNsports.com. Cora would need a 40-man spot, as will Laynce Nix, Chad Gaudin, and Matt Stairs.
- Rule 5 pick Brian Broderick, a righty taken from the Cardinals, made the team according to Goessling (Twitter link). For much more on Broderick, check out Buster Olney's blog if you have ESPN Insider.
Alberto Gonzalez Drawing Interest
At least four teams have "serious interest" in the out of options Alberto Gonzalez, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter). Ladson names the Athletics, Astros, Padres, and Braves as teams who are eyeing the Nationals' infielder.
Last Sunday, we heard the Padres were "looking hard" at Gonzalez, who has the ability to play an array of defensive positions. Though the 27-year-old posted just a .578 OPS in part-time duty for the Nationals a year ago, he has played well this spring, hitting .365/.400/.404. Still, with Jerry Hairston Jr. and Alex Cora on board, there may not be room for Gonzalez on the Nats' Opening Day roster.
Ryan Zimmerman Talks Next Contract
Since being drafted fourth overall in 2005, Ryan Zimmerman has evolved into a cornerstone of the Nationals and one of the game's best all-around players. Zimmerman signed an extension in 2009 that will delay his free agency until after the 2013 season, and he'd like to stay in Washington even longer. Speaking to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, the 26-year-old said he doesn't want to be a player who leaves via free agency after years of losing.
"That’s the dire, last-minute decision if I didn’t think we were going to win," Zimmerman said. "I have a lot of confidence that we’re really close to becoming good…. I don’t think we’re as far away as everyone thinks…. That’s kind of another one of the reasons I want to be here for so long."
While there's no rush for either side to work out a new contract yet, Zimmerman suggested he'd test free agency if an extension wasn't in place by the end of the 2012 season:
"If you get to two years left [before] free agency, you can talk. But if nothing works out, if you have one year before free agency, you might as well play your year out and see what happens…. I think the whole point of the baseball system is, you put your time in, you stay with a team, and you get rewarded with being able to be a free agent."
Zimmerman says he'd prefer not to negotiate during the regular season, though a source indicated to Kilgore that the Nationals would open extension discussions sometime in the coming months. For his part, Zimmerman says he "would take care of it whenever they want to take care of it." Of course, negotiations likely won't be easy. Several baseball people who spoke to Kilgore believe Zimmerman could command an extension worth approximately $200MM.
Brewers Acquire Nyjer Morgan
Nyjer Morgan said on Friday he didn't expect to be a National by Opening Day, and the team didn't waste much time validating that prediction. The Nationals have sent Morgan to the Brewers in exchange for Cutter Dykstra, reports MLB.com's Bill Ladson. The Brewers will also send $50K to the Nats in the deal, tweets Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Morgan, 30, was unlikely to crack the Nationals' roster, and told Ladson earlier this weekend, "Maybe I'm not a fit here anymore. It's time to move on." The Brewers, meanwhile, were keeping an eye on Morgan after trading Chris Dickerson to the Yankees on Friday. GM Doug Melvin had denied interest, saying the club was willing to enter the season with in-house options Brandon Boggs and Jeremy Reed, but suggested today that the Nats changed their asking price (Twitter link). Morgan will now take Boggs' spot on the roster, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy (via Twitter).
Dykstra, the son of former major leaguer Lenny Dykstra, was selected by the Brewers in the second round of the 2008 draft. The 21-year-old hit .312/.416/.411 in 353 plate appearances at Class A Wisconsin in 2010.
Central Notes: Royals, Indians, Cubs, Brewers
It's been a busy Friday for baseball's Central divisions, which have already featured prominently in a pair of trades and a pair of retirements. But the day's not over yet….
- In addition to acquiring John Whittleman, the Royals finalized two more minor league trades today. The team sent Gaby Hernandez to the White Sox and Alex Caldera to the Nationals, reports Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links). The Royals figure to receive cash in return for both right-handers, according to Dutton.
- The Indians made a few roster decisions, naming Jack Hannahan the Opening Day third baseman and reassigning Doug Mathis and Anthony Reyes to the minors, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the battle for the last spot in the Cubs' bullpen is down to Carlos Silva, Casey Coleman, and Marcos Mateo. Rosenthal figures that, considering his salary, Silva will get the first crack, but notes the Cubs have said they want to open with the best possible team. MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has more on Coleman's quest for the final bullpen opening.
- Zack Greinke is confident that early-season injuries, including his own, won't set the Brewers back significantly, as he tells Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
Nationals Notes: Morgan, Broderick, Maya
Let's check out the latest news and rumors on the Nationals, who will open the season with $126MM man Jayson Werth hitting second….
- Nyjer Morgan, who is reportedly being eyed by a few teams, doesn't expect to open the season with the Nationals. "I just think this place isn't for me," the outfielder told MLB.com's Bill Ladson. "I'm not saying there are bad people here. It's just that, maybe, I'm not a fit here anymore. It's time to move on."
- In the same MLB.com piece, Ladson adds that Brian Broderick, a Rule 5 selection from the Cardinals, is expected to earn a spot on the Nats' Opening Day roster. Broderick figures to be used in short and long relief, though he can also start if needed.
- Yunesky Maya was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse today, the team announced. Washington signed the Cuban pitcher to a four-year deal last summer.
Teams Eyeing Nyjer Morgan
2:29pm: Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he has no interest in Morgan (Twitter link). The Brewers will rely on their in-house outfielders.
1:15pm: Rosenthal hears that the Brewers passed on Morgan (Twitter link). They'll go with Brandon Boggs and Jeremy Reed as extra outfielders.
11:17am: The Brewers are one of the teams looking at Nyjer Morgan, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Milwaukee just traded Chris Dickerson away and could have interest in restoring outfield depth.
Scouts covering the Nationals told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that Morgan is very much available. However, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reported two weeks ago that the Nationals weren't considering releasing the outfielder.
Beyond The Boxscore suggested the Marlins would be a fit for Morgan, whose on and off-field antics include memorable run-ins with Chris Volstad and the Marlins' fans.