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Nationals DFA Montz, Claim English

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Pete McElroy of MASNSports.com reports that the Nationals have designated catcher Luke Montz for assignment, clearing room on the roster for pitcher Jesse English, who was claimed off waivers from San Francisco. The Giants designated English for assignment earlier this month.

Montz, 26, hit just .181/.288/.313 in 369 plate appearances for Washington's Double- and Triple-A affiliates this year. He had a cup of coffee with the Nats last year and was ranked the club's 29th best prospect before the season by Baseball America. English, a 25-yr old lefty, put up a 4.20 ERA and a 1.25 K/BB ratio in 100.2 IP for San Fran's Double-A affiliate this year. He's never pitched in the majors.

Rosenthal On Garcia, Pirates, Papelbon

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…

  • Rosenthal says Florida's Chris Coghlan deserves the NL Rookie of the Year award.  Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, J.A. Happ, Randy Wells, and Tommy Hanson are also in the mix…who do you like?
  • For the AL ROY, Rosenthal sticks with his preseason choice of Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus.  Jeff Niemann, Andrew Bailey, Nolan Reimold, and Gordon Beckham are other top contenders.
  • Rosenthal has a few possible Nationals managerial candidates: Diamondbacks third base coach Chip Hale, Bobby Valentine, and Bob Melvin.  It's also possible Jim Riggleman is retained.
  • I was not aware of this – Freddy Garcia's deal with the White Sox has a 2010 option with a $1MM base and $2MM in incentives.  Garcia has an 89mph fastball these days, but he's posted quality starts in three of four tries (against the Yankees and Red Sox).
  • The Pirates would only trade starters Paul Maholm or Zach Duke if they receive "a young major league starter of similar quality, plus another piece."  I mentioned that the Bucs look pretty good for 2011, but Rosenthal says team officials are not conceding 2010.
  • Rosenthal's source describes a Jonathan Papelbon trade as "pretty unrealistic."  Jayson Stark's sources had a similar opinion.
  • Rosenthal rattles off the teams that have had past interest in Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla, who is getting pricey: the Orioles, Twins, Giants, D'Backs, Dodgers, and Cardinals.

Nationals Aim To Improve Bullpen

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As the worst team in baseball, the Nationals have many potential ways to improve for 2010.  We've already heard about their craving for better middle infield defense and a veteran starting pitcher.  Today MLB.com's Bill Ladson learned of GM Mike Rizzo's plan to revamp the team's bullpen for next year. 

Rizzo considers the bullpen a "major point of emphasis for the offseason."  Ladson notes the fine work of Sean Burnett and Tyler Clippard in 2009, but doesn't dig deeply into the Nats' plan for closer Mike MacDougal.  It's been a strange year for MacDougal, who has 14 saves in 15 tries despite striking out only 25 and walking 32 in 44.6 innings.  He did pitch legitimately well in August.  MacDougal is under team control for 2010 as an arbitration-eligible player.  Jeff Euston of Cot's Baseball Contracts suggested to me that he is in line for at least $3MM if the Nats tender him a contract.

Aside from the holdovers, Ladson believes Drew Storen could help the 2010 club.  Storen was drafted tenth overall by the Nats in June and is on the fast track to the Majors.

Regarding the free agent market, I can't see why the Nationals would spend significant money.  This year the Nats waited until March and signed Joe Beimel for a reasonable $2MM.

Nats Hope To Improve Middle Infield Defense

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Amid concerns that Cristian Guzman's defensive abilities are fading, the Nationals will look for improved defense up the middle in 2010, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. The Nats would apparently "love" to sign Orlando Hudson, who will be a free agent after the season. But, after last offseason, they realize he may choose to sign elsewhere, so they have a second option in mind.

The team is "seriously thinking" about moving Guzman to second base, where he has yet to play a game at the major league level. This would enable the Nats to upgrade defensively over Guzman, who has been a slightly below average defender every year since 2005, according to UZR/150. 

Marco Scutaro and Alex Gonzalez (team option) are among the better defensive shortstops who could be available on the open market and J.J. Hardy could be available in a trade. Alternatively, the Nats could try prospect Ian Desmond at short.

Odds & Ends: Ohlendorf, Nationals, Maine

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Some links on another slow Sunday afternoon…

  • Tyler Kepner from the New York Times takes a look back at the trade that sent Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady from the Pirates to the Yankees. Kepner says that Ross Ohlendorf alone is making the trade "look like a steal."
  • MLB.com's Bill Ladson answers some questions about the Nationals offseason and how the club can improve in his latest MLB.com Inbox. Ladson answers questions about Livan Hernandez's future, Justin Maxwell's value, and if the Nats should look at trading for Dan Uggla.
  • John Maine wants to pitch again in 2009 and end his season on a high note. When asked about the possibility of the Mets not offering him a contract for the 2010 season, Maine said he's not worrying about it; he wants to be in New York, but it's out of his control.

Odds & Ends: Orioles, Ayala, Kata, Nationals

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Another round of links on me…

  • Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun says it's time for Andy MacPhail to use some of his minor league inventory to land the Orioles a middle of the order hitter, while possibly gambling on a high quality free agent pitcher with an injury history. Personally, I don't think making moves like that will do much to improve the O's chances of competing in the AL East. They're on the right track now, with an impressive core of young talent highlighted by Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, Nolan Reimold, Brian Matusz, and Chris Tillman. Patience.
  • According to Juan C. Rodriguez of The Sun Sentinel, veteran reliever Luis Ayala has elected to become a free agent. The Marlins designated him for assignment last week.
  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart tweets that the Astros outrighted infielder Matt Kata off the 40-man roster. I sure hope he wasn't waiting on that September callup.
  • The Nationals have fired director of player development Bobby Williams, reports Chico Harlan of The Washinton Post. Williams had a long standing relationship with previous GM Jim Bowden, and his firing represents the first significant front office move made by new permanent GM Mike Rizzo.
  • Are you a draft nut like me, but struggling to find ways to pass the time until next June? Then check out this NPB Draft projection by Patrick at NPB Tracker. High school pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who has drawn interest from several MLB clubs, is the consensus top talent this year. 

Gammons’ Latest: Iglesias, Magglio, Valentine

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In his latest blog post at ESPN, Peter Gammons writes that the NL West has quietly become very competitive thanks to three California pitcher's parks that make it such a pitching dominated division. Through the help of scouts and team executives, he points out all the great young talent in the division, highlighted by the likes of Ubaldo Jimenez, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum, Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Pablo Sandoval, Troy Tulowitzki, and Mark Reynolds.

Here's a roundup of Gammons' rumors…

  • Gammons jokes that Dodgers GM Ned Colletti "could be arrested for shoplifting," because in the last two seasons he's acquired Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake, George Sherrill, Jon Garland, Jim Thome, Doug Mientkiewicz, Ronnie Belliard, and Vicente Padilla while paying them approximately $2.7MM combined.
  • The Red Sox will get their first look at Cuban shortstop Jose Iglesias, who they signed for $8.5MM back in July, in the Arizona Fall League. Gammons spoke to an NL GM who said he would have given Iglesias $12MM if his team could afford it, because "Our scouts say he's the best defensive shortstop they've ever seen."
  • If you're interested, you can see the full Arizona Fall League rosters here.
  • Jim Leyland was never told anything about benching Magglio Ordonez so his $18MM option in 2010 wouldn't vest. "He's going to make it," Leyland says. "So anyone who said otherwise has egg on his face. Dave Dombrowski has never even mentioned the vesting option." Ordonez needs just 35 more plate appearances this season to lock in the option.
  • Bobby Valentine's name was mentioned by Nationals' ownership during every interview they hosted while searching for a permanent GM, so he might be in the mix for their managerial job.

Discussion: Managers On The Hot Seat

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Scott Miller of CBSSports.com writes that some managers around the league might be fearing for their jobs as their teams play out the string. Managers who "are thought by some to be" on the hot seat, with relevant quotes from Miller, include:

  • Baltimore's Dave Trembley – "in imminent danger"
  • Houston's Cecil Cooper – "appears a goner"
  • Cleveland's Eric Wedge – his "future is very questionable"
  • The Mets' Jerry Manuel – "forget it. He stays."

Miller also discusses the situation in Washington, D.C., where the Nationals must decide whether to retain interim manager Jim Riggleman.

Also of interest is Miller's mention of Bobby Valentine, who is about to leave Chiba Lotte in Japan after seven years. Miller says that Valentine is "the name to watch" on the managerial front. 

Who better to sort all of this out than our readers? First of all, who deserves to be out of a job when the 2010 begins? What should the Nats do with Riggleman? Where might Valentine find a job? Who will keep their managing job unjustly? Let's get at it in the comments section.

Offseason Outlook: Washington Nationals

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First up in our Offseason Outlook series, the Nationals.  Their commitments for 2010:

C – Jesus Flores $412K
C – Wil Nieves – $445K+
1B – Adam Dunn – $12MM
2B – Alberto Gonzalez – $400K
SS – Cristian Guzman – $8MM
3B – Ryan Zimmerman – $6.25MM
IF/OF – Willie Harris – $1.5MM
IF – Pete Orr – $600K+ 
LF – Josh Willingham – $2.95MM+
CF – Nyjer Morgan – $412K
RF – Elijah Dukes – $412K
OF – Justin Maxwell – $400K
OF –

SP – John Lannan – $424K
SP – Scott Olsen – $2.8MM+
SP – Craig Stammen – $400K
SP – Garrett Mock – $400K
SP – J.D. Martin – $400K

Other rotation candidates: Shairon Martis, Ross Detwiler, Collin Balester

RP – Mike MacDougal – $2.65MM+
RP – Saul Rivera – $475K+
RP – Jason Bergmann – $439K+
RP – Sean Burnett – $409K+
RP – Tyler Clippard – $400K
RP –
RP - 

Other commitments: Austin Kearns – $1MM buyout, Stephen Strasburg – $400K plus portion of signing bonus

Non-tender candidates: Olsen

The Nationals entered 2009 with a $60MM payroll.  Their 2010 commitments come to about $44MM plus arbitration raises to Willingham, MacDougal, and others.  The Nats should have some cash to work with.

Now that Mike Rizzo is officially the team's GM, he can formulate a long-term plan for the organization.  The Nats seem to be going for the "rebuilding but respectable" route, given the signing of Dunn, acquisition of Willingham, and other attempted moves.  The Royals signed Jose Guillen and Gil Meche in recent years under that type of plan.  The Pirates, on the other hand, have avoided spending big free agent bucks.

MLB.com's Bill Ladson learned that the Nats intend to add a veteran presence to their inexperienced pitching staff this winter.  Low-cost options abound in the free agent market, and I like the idea.  A call to Tom Glavine could make sense.

The Nationals seem to have a long road ahead.  They're building around a core of Zimmerman and Strasburg; who else will star on the next good Washington club?  Promising righty Jordan Zimmermann went down with Tommy John surgery.  Morgan, Dukes, and Lannan might be productive players for a while.  But the farm system remains unimpressive, so the Nationals will be bad for the next several years unless they decide to double the payroll.

That leads me to ask: should the Nationals trade Ryan Zimmerman?  While he is the face of the franchise, his value is currently very high and he is signed through 2013.  Trading him could cause that farm system ranking to improve in a hurry.  To a lesser extent, Dunn, Willingham, and Lannan could bring in younger talent.

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