Nationals Rumors

Nationals Unlikely To Re-Sign Dunn?

By Tim Dierkes | September 28, 2010 at 10:26am CDT

The Nationals are unlikely to re-sign slugger Adam Dunn, according to MASN's Ben Goessling. Goessling's sources say GM Mike Rizzo and manager Jim Riggleman find Dunn's defense untenable, and the team will seek a better defensive first baseman like Carlos Pena. Goessling also hears that outfielder Jayson Werth "could be a possibility" for the Nationals this offseason.

On September 19th, Dunn told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that extension talks "have picked back up." At that time Dunn expected to reach free agency in November, but still re-sign with Washington.

Dunn is known to be seeking four years but would be open to three with the Nationals. Goessling expects the Nats to offer arbitration to the Type A free agent. If they do, Dunn will have to decide whether to accept on November 30th. As I mentioned earlier today, Dunn's low Elias number (projected at 75.000 currently) increases the chances of the Nationals failing to snag a first-round pick as part of the compensation.

Nats Seeking Leadoff Hitter

By Zachary Links | September 26, 2010 at 4:30pm CDT

Nationals manager Jim Riggleman says that he would like to get a leadoff hitter for next season, writes Bill Ladson of MLB.com. While there are already several candidates in-house such as Nyjer Morgan, Roger Bernadina, Ian Desmond, and Danny Espinosa, the club may look to the free agent market or the trade block to get someone for the top of the order.

As we learned last month, Washington has strong interest in Carl Crawford who figures to be one of the biggest draws on the open market this winter. Obviously, there will be plenty of suitors for the 29-year-old and the Nats may not be able to beat out teams with deeper pockets.

Our own Ben Nicholson-Smith sees another free agent left fielder, Corey Patterson, as another potential fit. With a glut of outfielders, the Orioles may not bring the 31-year-old back in 2011. Patterson could have some appeal to the Nats as a fourth outfielder who can lead off. There could also be some interesting options available via trade such as Jacoby Ellsbury, Reggie Willits, and Kosuke Fukudome.

Odds & Ends: Miller, Laird, Fielder, V-Mart

By Mark Polishuk | September 24, 2010 at 10:35pm CDT

As the Giants pick up a major win over the Rockies tonight, here are some news items….

The Marlins face a tough decision with the out-of-options Andrew Miller, writes Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post.
Gerald Laird is looking for regular playing time next season, so it could mean the end for his time in Detroit what with Alex Avila having locked down a regular catching job, reports MLB.com's Jason Beck.
"I think there’s probably a better chance that [Prince Fielder]’s not with us than he is [next season]," Ryan Braun said to Anthony Witrado of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel before what could be Fielder's last home series as a Brewer.
Troy Renck of the Denver Post (via Twitter) predicts that Miguel Olivo will return to Colorado next season even if he doesn't reach his vesting option.
C.C. Sabathia doesn't think his friend and former Indians teammate Victor Martinez will re-sign with Boston this winter, tweets Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman.
Matt Cerrone of the MetsBlog would like to see Bobby Valentine managing the Mets next season, with Wally Backman (who's been rumored as another managerial candidate) as the team's bench coach.
Now that we know Stan Kasten won't be back as Washington's president next season, MASNSports.com's Phil Wood thinks Kasten would be a prime candidate to be baseball's next commissioner. Wood also thinks the Nationals will promote their next president from within the organization.
With Yadier Molina shut down for the rest of the season with a knee injury, Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks the Cardinals should look for a veteran backup for the workhorse catcher over the winter.
A number of Padres coaches are being interviewed for open managerial jobs, writes MLB.com's Corey Brock.

Odds & Ends: Kasten, Pirates, Rolen

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | September 23, 2010 at 12:42pm CDT

Links for Thursday as we congratulate Jose Bautista and Ichiro Suzuki. Bautista hit his 50th homer of the season in Toronto today and soon afterwards, Ichiro reached the 200-hit plateau for the tenth time in his ten-year career…

Nationals president Stan Kasten will not return to the team after the season, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter links). Owner Ted Lerner released a statement saying the organization respects Kasten's decision and "will continue to call upon him for his vast knowledge of the game."
Pirates manager John Russell tells MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch that the Pirates are closer to respectability than some think. Russell, who faces speculation that he could be dismissed, says he isn't worried about his job security.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports admits that his initial assessment of the Scott Rolen trade was off-base. Like many analysts, Morosi questioned the Reds' decision to give up top prospects (Zach Stewart and Josh Roenicke) for a third baseman who appeared to be past his prime.

Odds & Ends: Stairs, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Nats

By Zachary Links | September 22, 2010 at 9:07pm CDT

Links on a very rainy evening in the Bronx..

Matt Stairs nearly retired this winter but now he tells Corey Brock of MLB.com (via Twitter) that he wants to play for another year or two.
The Diamondbacks will decide interim manager Kirk Gibson's fate soon, writes MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.
Toronto could give their entire staff a makeover upon hiring a new manager, writes Shi Davidi of The Canadian Press.
Stan Kasten told Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post that he's still not sure if he'll return to the Nats next season.
The Mets may already have their 2011 second baseman in Daniel Murphy, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
The Reds won't be auditioning Yonder Alonso for a potential deal as Joey Votto is set to return to action on Friday, tweets John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Mets GM Omar Minaya told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter) that he's not concerned about speculation over his job security.
It's a good time for ex-Mariners managers, tweets Larry Stone of the Seattle Times.

Odds & Ends: Sandberg, Nationals, Padres, Bautista

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | September 22, 2010 at 4:30pm CDT

On this date in 1978, the Pirates purchased Cito Gaston from the Braves and the outfielder went on to play his last two major league games in a Pirates uniform (believe it or not, future managers Ken Macha, Phil Garner and Jim Fregosi also played on that Pirates team). When this season ends, Gaston will step down as Blue Jays manager, but he'll do so with a pair of World Series rings and at least 885 wins to his name. Here are today's links…

Ryne Sandberg is a candidate for the Blue Jays' managerial opening, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
Later this week the Nationals will likely announce that they're retaining manager Jim Riggleman in 2011, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
The Padres will at least look outside of the organization for infielders, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (on Twitter). The Padres lost some depth when Jerry Hairston hit the disabled list again.
The Mets won't discuss deals with prospective free agents like Jose Reyes and Pedro Feliciano until after their front office is more settled, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick looks back at this year's moves from the ones that have worked out (the Roy Oswalt deal) to the ones that haven't (the Manny Ramirez claim).
The Pirates lost Jose Bautista because they "reacted rashly to a rather innocuous situation," according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
The Red Sox claimed Bautista when the Blue Jays put him on waivers last summer, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
One MLB executive tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale is on at least two short lists of managerial candidates.
Dave Bush is open to returning to the Brewers and curious about the offers he'll see as a free agent, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.

Talks Picking Up Between Dunn, Nationals

By Mike Axisa | September 19, 2010 at 8:56pm CDT

Talks about a contract extension between Adam Dunn and the Nationals have "picked back up" according to the first baseman, and he says a deal "could happen today." That appears to be a little optimistic on Dunn's part, but we'll let you decide. Here is exactly what he said, courtesy of The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore…

"I do [think I'll be a National in 2011]," Dunn said. "More than I did a month ago. Talks have picked back up. We'll see what happens. We're obviously talking. We're going to work something out, I think."

"Going to free agency doesn't mean I'm leaving here. I'm sure whenever the season is over, I'll have, whatever it is, a month. If things haven't worked out here, yeah, it's going to go to free agency. But that doesn't mean I'm not coming here."

The Adam Dunn contract extension saga has lasted all year long, with both sides expressing interest in getting a deal done only to have nothing in place with the season about to draw to a close. Dunn indicated that he's in no hurry to sign, acknowledging that it's probably a disadvantage for him to agree to a deal without at least seeing what the open market has to offer.

Dunn, 30, is hitting .262/.358/.542 with 35 homers this season. He's gone deep at least 35 times in seven straight years, and right now the ability to hit for power is at a premium around the league. Despite the obvious fit, Dunn reiterated that he does not want to be a full-time designated hitter in the future, something that will work against him as a free agent.

Davidoff On Beltran, Greinke, Takahashi, Kemp

By Luke Adams 2 | September 19, 2010 at 9:32am CDT

The Mets are sending "strong signals" that they'd like to trade Carlos Beltran this winter, an AL official tells Ken Davidoff of Newsday. Davidoff acknowledges that the Mets often seem to want to unload big contracts, but rarely follow through. However, Beltran, as opposed to Luis Castillo or Oliver Perez, is a player that other teams would have interest in. Here are Davidoff's other hot stove notes:

The Royals have Zack Greinke signed through 2012, but aren't sure whether they'll be competitive by then, so they'd be willing to listen to offers on their ace. Davidoff lists the Yankees, Rangers, Tigers, and Nationals as teams who might be interested.
Hisanori Takahashi is eligible for free agency this winter and would like to be a starting pitcher. One AL scout is skeptical: "Who’s going to sign him to start? Maybe a bad team, at the back end of their rotation. He’d be better off staying in the bullpen. He’s really good there."
Davidoff wonders if new Dodgers manager Don Mattingly will be more willing to deal with Matt Kemp than Joe Torre was. A scout compares Kemp to Alfonso Soriano, suggesting that both players lack baseball instincts and struggle to improve their games.

Manager Rumors: Riggleman, Blue Jays, Cubs, Manuel

By Luke Adams 2 | September 18, 2010 at 7:38pm CDT

A few manager-related updates….

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports that if the Nationals want to buy Jim Riggleman out of his contract, they'll have to do so by the day after the World Series ends. Mike Rizzo, who said earlier this year that Riggleman "will be back next season," suggested that a decision on the club's manager has been made, but not announced.
ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick says (via Twitter) that Don Wakamatsu, Bob Melvin, and Pat Listach are a few names on the Blue Jays' list of potential Cito Gaston replacements. Crasnick adds that Wakamatsu is also on the Cubs' list.
On the general manager front, Tom Krasovic of AOL FanHouse tweets that the Diamondbacks hope to have a GM in place by the time their final homestand begins on Tuesday.
Charlie Manuel tells MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that he could see himself still managing at 85 years old. Manuel is "only" 66 now, so it's safe to say he's not considering retirement quite yet.

Odds & Ends: Rangers, Pirates, Cotts, Marlins

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | September 17, 2010 at 9:21pm CDT

Links for Friday, before Dan Haren celebrates his 30th birthday by taking on one of baseball's most potent offenses…

MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan lists ten decisions that have been critical to the Rangers' success this season.
The Pirates have released lefty Neal Cotts according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America and this week's edition of minor league transaction.
Padres' first base coach Rick Renteria is on the Marlins radar with regards to their managerial opening, says MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. He adds that Yankees bench coach Tony Pena is a candidate as well.
Chipper Jones told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that it would be hard to stop playing before his body prevents him from doing so, partly because “you can make absurd amounts of money” as a baseball player.
Former Orioles manager Dave Trembley told ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick that he’d like to coach in the major leagues next year (Twitter link).
The Pirates' minor league success has been a major positive this year, but Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette questions how the Pirates also allowed for "near-total destruction of the major-league product." The team is 50 games below .500 with the worst record in baseball.
Carl Crawford told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that his impending free agency hasn't been hard to handle, since the Rays are winning. Click here for Bradford's analysis of how Crawford would fit in Fenway.
Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald breaks down Boston's options behind the plate for 2011, from free agents Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek to new acquisition Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
John Dewan of the Fielding Bible explained to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that Adam Dunn's poor defense wouldn't necessarily prevent the Nationals from building a better defensive team.

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