Nationals Rumors

Will The Cubs Sign Adam Dunn?

By Tim Dierkes | August 24, 2010 at 9:37am CDT

With the caveat that free agent destinations are difficult to predict in August, Adam Dunn and the Cubs are an agreeable match. The Cubs badly need a left-handed power bat at first base, and Dunn is a fan of Wrigley Field and Cubs GM Jim Hendry, based on comments he made to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. ESPN's Buster Olney guesses that a four-year offer from the Cubs would seal the deal. The Cubs currently project to have the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft, which will be protected if they sign a Type A free agent who turned down an arbitration offer.

Dunn twice mentioned his ongoing contract talks with the Nationals in his conversation with Wittenmyer. How likely is an extension? According to MASN's Ben Goessling, team sources "are skeptical that the Nationals will re-sign the first baseman before he hits free agency." What's more, one Nationals source says the team's braintrust "loves" Carlos Pena. Pena has slumped to a .213/.338/.439 line in 2010, but he won't require a four-year deal. As a Scott Boras client, I wonder if Pena prefers a one-year pact.

Odds & Ends: Pirates, Ross, Lee, White Sox, Dodgers

By Zachary Links | August 22, 2010 at 9:54pm CDT

Sunday night linkage..

The Nats still expect to see Yunesky Maya pitch for them before the end of the year, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
The Pirates opened up their books to the media and Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has the goods.
Florida held on to Cody Ross until August because they had hoped to reassert themselves in the playoff chase, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
It doesn't sound as though Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger (via Twitter) likes the Mets chances of landing Cliff Lee this offseason.
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets that Ken Williams isn't on the road with the White Sox but he doesn't know if the GM is going after someone on the waiver wire.
Dodgers skipper Joe Torre thinks that late season callups can create an unfair advantage, writes MLB.com's Evan Drellich.

Odds & Ends: Barajas, Piniella, Nats, Ramirez, Jackson

By Zachary Links | August 22, 2010 at 6:28pm CDT

From the South Bay to the Valley, from the West Side to the East Side, everybody is very happy because Vin Scully will return in 2011. Let's check out some links from around the web..

A member of the Mets watching Rod Barajas say goodbye to his teammates quipped "Can I go with him?", tweets Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.
Ken Rosenthal pays tribute to Lou Piniella, and opines that Joe Girardi would be a perfect managerial replacement, though he has doubts that the Cubs could pry him away from New York.
The Nationals have extended their affiliation with the Syracuse Chiefs for an additional two seasons, according to the team's official Twitter page.
Josh Thole is excited about having the opportunity to start every day now that Rod Barajas has been claimed off waivers by the Dodgers, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
The Rays might be willing to take a chance on Manny Ramirez, writes Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.
With the way Austin Jackson is playing, it looks like the Tigers got the better end of the Curtis Granderson deal, writes Marc Carig of the Newark Star-Ledger.
Pittsburgh's signing of Mexican hurler Luis Heredia was years in the making, writes Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer writes that the Indians weren't afraid to spend on the draft this year. Cleveland's top ten picks all signed for more than their recommended slot.
Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter) jokes that Buck Showalter has done too well with the Orioles as the club might now lose out on the first overall pick in the draft. Baltimore is now 44-80 while the Pirates are 40-83.

Discussion: The Nationals’ 2011 First Baseman

By Luke Adams 2 | August 21, 2010 at 12:45pm CDT

Adam Dunn's defensive limitations are under scrutiny again today after a pair of plays he failed to make in last night's 1-0 loss to Philadelphia, writes Ben Goessling of MASN.com. It's "no secret," according to Goessling, that as the Nationals decide whether or not to extend Dunn past this season, his defense is one of their primary concerns.

Dunn's prowess at the plate is undisputed; with 31 home runs and a slash line of .266/.354/.557 this year, The 30-year-old is poised to match or top last year's .267/.398/.529, 38-homer campaign. And his defense at first base has actually improved, according to UZR. Playing the infield on a full-time basis for the first time this season, Dunn's UZR/150 is only slightly below average, at -1.3. Still, UZR is a statistic best evaluated over multiple seasons, and Dunn's career numbers aren't flattering.

It could cost Washington in excess of $40MM to lock up Dunn to a multi-year extension, and it's unclear whether they'd want to commit that money to a player some observers feel is more suited to DHing. Additionally, Dunn projects as a Type A free agent and could net the Nats compensation picks if he signs elsewhere. As MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted, the club figures to offer Dunn arbitration even if they think he may accept, since they could live with having him for one year at around $15MM.

Goessling indicates that the Nats would have some interest in Carlos Pena, who will also be a free agent this winter. Pena isn't as dangerous offensively as Dunn, but he has a similar power stroke and is more adept in the field. Other above-average defensive players available this offseason in an overcrowded first base market include Derrek Lee and Lyle Overbay. Both players have struggled offensively at times this year, but are still helping their teams defensively.

Will concerns about Dunn's defense mean the Nats let him walk this winter? How much money and how many years would you commit to the slugger if you were running the organization? Or would you elect to pursue another corner infielder instead?

Odds & Ends: Mets, Reds, Helton, Darvish, Harper

By Zachary Links | August 20, 2010 at 10:28pm CDT

Friday Night Links..

Despite a published report to the contrary, Phillies scouting director Marti Wolever is not headed to the Mets, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.
MLB.com's Mark Sheldon spoke to a few members of the Reds who would like to see Dusty Baker sign an extension with the club.
Brandon Inge and Johnny Damon are both okay with having been put on waivers, writes Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press.
Reds manager Dusty Baker dismissed questions about him possibly becoming the Dodgers manager if Joe Torre retires, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Mark Kizla of The Denver Post urges Todd Helton to call it quits.
The Padres don't have much interest in outfielder Cody Ross, tweets Corey Brock of MLB.com.
The Pirates will send Luis Heredia to their affiliate in Bradenton not to pitch, but to familiarize himself with the program, writes Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker (via Twitter) passes along a report from Japanese outlet Sponichi that the Yankees sent Damon Oppenheimer and scout Billy Eppler to watch Yu Darvish.
Adam McCalvy of MLB.com (via Twitter) wonders aloud if the Brewers might make a deal in order to free a roster spot for the returning Carlos Gomez.
Nats GM Mike Rizzo says that Bryce Harper won't be playing in any games for their Gulf Coast League affiliate this season, according to Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com.

Olney On Draft, Harper, Brewers

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 18, 2010 at 11:33am CDT

There's some concern among MLB executives that baseball is losing top athletes to other sports, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. It's possible that the next collective bargaining agreement will include a slotting system, but executives point out that slotted bonuses would have to be substantial to compare to the value of a college football or basketball scholarship. Here are the rest of Olney's rumors:

One GM told Olney that baseball's August trading system is "completely antiquated." Another GM admitted that he couldn't give Olney a good reason why players must pass through waivers to be traded in August.
Nationals GM Mike Rizzo estimates that the team agreed to terms with first-overall pick Bryce Harper with about 26 seconds to spare before Monday night's deadline.
Brewers GM Doug Melvin says he isn't going to give his veteran players away, but he's open to trading them to teams in contention. Melvin was speaking in general terms, but that approach presumably applies to Craig Counsell. The infielder has cleared waivers and is open to a trade.

Draft Pick Signings

By Tim Dierkes | August 17, 2010 at 12:07am CDT

Today's draft pick signing deadline passed at 11pm central time. This post contains notable signings outside of the first round, with the latest up top.

The Padres signed sixth-rounder John Barbato for $1.4MM, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (on Twitter).
The Blue Jays signed fourth-rounder Sam Dyson for $600K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter).
The Tigers signed second-rounder Drew Smyly for $1.1MM, according to Kendall Rogers of Yahoo (on Twitter).
The D'Backs signed 14th-rounder Ty Linton for $1.25MM, according to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo.
The A's signed second-rounder Yordy Cabrera for $1.25MM, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (via Twitter). The team has since confirmed the deal, but not its value.
The Pirates have signed second-rounder Stetson Allie, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The 19-year-old, who plays third and pitches, had committed to the University of North Carolina. He gets a $2.25MM bonus, according to Hoynes (on Twitter).
The D'Backs signed eighth-rounder Tyler Green for $750K, according to Aaron Fitt of Baseball America. The prep righty can hit 95 mph with his fastball.
The Reds signed sixth-rounder Drew Cisco for $975K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.
The Cardinals signed second-round right-hander Jordan Swagerty for $600-650K, according to Kendall Rogers of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
The Giants signed second-rounder Jarrett Parker for $700K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. The 21-year-old outfielder set multiple single-season records at Virginia last year.
The Mariners signed second-rounder Marcus Littlewood for $900K, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (on Twitter). Here's Law's scouting report on the prep shortstop.
The D'Backs agreed to sign sixth-round right-hander Blake Perry for $500K, according to Aaron Fitt of Baseball America.
The Nationals agreed to sign 12th-round left-hander Robbie Ray for $799K, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
The Red Sox will sign Garin Cecchini, according to Kendall Rogers of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The fourth-round pick was looking for about $1.35MM and Jim Callis of Baseball America reports (on Twitter) that he'll get $1.31MM.
Eighth-rounder Alex Lavisky agreed to terms with the Indians on a $1MM bonus, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The prep catcher is "a good athlete with arm strength," according to Baseball America.
The Red Sox signed second-rounder Brandon Workman for $800K, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
The Red Sox agreed to sign third-rounder Sean Coyle, a 5'8" shortstop, for $1.3MM, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America. That's more than $1MM more than MLB recommends for the 110 slot.
The Dodgers signed 11th-rounder Joc Pederson, a prep outfielder, for $600K according to Baseball America's Jim Callis. That quadruples MLB's recommended maximum. BA ranked Pederson #154 in their draft preview.
The Rangers signed fifth-rounder Justin Grimm, a righty out of Georgia, for $825K plus incentives ($677K over slot), reports Baseball America's Aaron Fitt. BA ranked Grimm at #109 in their draft preiew.
The Indians signed fourth-round pick Kyle Blair for $580K ($334K over slot), reports Baseball America's Jim Callis. Blair is a righty drafted out of the University of San Diego; BA ranked him 84th overall in their draft preview.
The Royals signed second-round pick Brett Eibner and fifth-rounder Jason Adam, according to a press release. Baseball America's Jim Callis tweets that Eibner gets $1.25MM (almost $600K over slot), while Adam gets $800K ($629K over slot). Eibner is a center fielder and pitcher out of the University of Arkansas, and Adam is a righty drafted out of high school. Baseball America rated Eibner the 23rd-best player in the draft, calling him the "best two-way prospect" in the class. The Royals instead plan to use him as a center fielder.

Nationals To Sign Bryce Harper

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 16, 2010 at 11:41pm CDT

For the second consecutive summer, the Nationals signed the first-overall pick to a record-setting deal. Last August, it was Stephen Strasburg, and tonight Bryce Harper made history. The 17-year-old gets a major league deal that guarantees him $9.9MM over five years - more guaranteed money than any position player in draft history. Of the $9.9MM, $6.25MM is a bonus.

The buzz surrounding Harper started last year, when he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old. Harper, still just 17, got his GED early, enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada and won the 2010 Golden Spikes Award as the country’s top amateur player.

Mark Teixeira previously held the record for the biggest deal given to a position player ($9.5MM) and last year's top pick, Strasburg, holds the record for the biggest deal in draft history ($15.1MM). Scott Boras advises Teixeira, Strasburg and Harper.

The Nationals have confirmed the deal, after it broke on Twitter. Jim Bowden of Sirius XM Radio, Kendall Rogers of Yahoo Sports, Jon Heyman of SI.com, Yahoo's Tim Brown and Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post were among the reporters who contributed to the story.

Click here for the complete list of 2010 first rounders to sign.

Nationals Spending Big On Draft Picks

By Tim Dierkes | August 16, 2010 at 9:07pm CDT

9:07pm: The Nationals officially announced their deal with Cole (on Twitter).

MONDAY, 7:20pm: The Nationals officially announced their agreement with Solis via press release. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post notes that the left-hander gets $1MM, confirming Baseball America's report (Twitter link).

SUNDAY, 1:19pm: Callis tweets that there's no snag between the Nationals and Cole — they've agreed to terms and the deal should get done as long as Cole passes his physical.

1:17pm: Callis also reports that the Nats have also signed 12th-rounder Robbie Ray for $799K. The high school southpaw's bonus is the second largest for any player drafted later than the fourth round this year.

Callis says Ray impressed scouts last fall with a mid-90s fastball, but worked around 89-91mph for most of his senior season, which contributed toward him slipping to the later rounds.

1:00pm: A "last-minute problem" has gotten in the way of the Nats finalizing their deal with Cole, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter). The two sides still have until tomorrow night to work out any issues and get a deal done.

7:59am: The Nationals committed big money to a pair of draft picks by reaching agreements with pitchers A.J. Cole and Sammy Solis, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America. According to Callis, both players received deals well over MLB's slot recommendations, though GM Mike Rizzo denies that any agreements are in place. Callis reports that Cole, a fourth-round pick, received a $2MM deal, while Solis, a second-round pick, got $1MM. Cole's bonus is a record for the fourth round.

Cole, a righty drafted out of high school, has first-round talent comparable to that of the Padres' #9 overall choice, Karsten Whitson. Solis, a southpaw out of the University of San Diego, dealt with a back injury in '09 but bounced back this year.

The Nationals are once again spending big on the draft, with a potential deal for Bryce Harper expected Monday night.

Odds & Ends: Tigers, Harper, Rockies, Thomas

By Luke Adams 2 | August 14, 2010 at 8:37pm CDT

Let's round up a few more leftover Saturday links….

Johnny Damon doesn't know whether he'll be back in Detroit next year, but he thinks the club might make a run at Carl Crawford, according to Steve Kornacki of MLive.com.
The Nationals are "working hard" to lock up Bryce Harper, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com talked about Harper with several executives and scouting directors, all of whom expect the Nats to get a deal done with their first overall pick.
Troy Renck of the Denver Post fielded followers' questions on Twitter this evening, providing his opinion on a few Rockies-related subjects. Renck expects the Rox to pursue a first baseman and corner outfielder this winter, focusing on players with power. Renck also feels that failing to sign first-rounder Kyle Parker wouldn't be a disaster, given the strength of next year's draft (all Twitter links).
Michael Thomas, the player to be named later in the Jarrod Saltalamacchia trade, will be converted to a pitcher by the Rangers, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Thomas has spent his minor league career to date as a catcher, but his primary strength is his throwing arm rather than his bat.

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