Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Nationals Rumors

Heyman On Penny, Atkins, Dye, Nationals

By | at

Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Giants appear to have a good chance of signing Brad Penny if he clears waivers today. Here are the rest of Heyman's rumors:

  • The Rockies could non-tender Garrett Atkins after the season. He'd be in line for at least $7MM and the team may decide to spend that money elsewhere.
  • The White Sox are expected to want to pick up Jermaine Dye's $12MM mutual option for 2010, but Dye could turn it down and try the free agent market instead. Given the relatively small contracts Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu signed after last season and the competition Dye would face on the market, there's no guarantee Dye would make more than $12MM. Matt Holliday, Jason Bay and Johnny Damon will all hit free agency after the season. 
  • The Nationals are expected to replace Jim Riggleman with a new field manager next year.

Dodgers Acquire Ronnie Belliard

By | at

Chico Harlan of The Washington Post reports that the Nationals traded infielder Ronnie Belliard to the Dodgers following today's game. Washington will receive A-ball pitcher Luis Garcia and a player to be named in the deal.

Belliard, 34, was hitting .247-.297-.376 in 203 plate appearances for the Nats this year, spending time at first, second and third base. He is in the final year of the two year, $3.5M extension he signed during the 2007 season. Garcia, 22, has a 2.92 ERA in 34 appearances (15 starts) in the Low-A Midwest League this season, and was not considered one the Dodgers' top 30 prospects by Baseball America this spring.

Perrotto’s Latest: Twins, Damon, Franklin, Penny, Dye

By | at

John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus brings us his latest from around the leagues:

  • When they come off the DL, Francisco Liriano and Glen Perkins will be used in relief. So, the Twins are hoping to add a starter who can pitch in the playoffs. This means they have until tomorrow at midnight to do so.
  • The Yankees would like to re-sign Johnny Damon to a one year deal and give Austin Jackson a second year to develop at Triple-A, while pursuing Matt Holliday and Jason Bay in the offseason.
  • The Marlins and Giants are frontrunners to land Brad Penny.
  • The Cardinals expect to exercise Ryan Franklin’s $2.75MM club option and then sign an extension with their closer for 2011.
  • The Royals want to extend G.M. Dayton Moore who is signed through 2010.
  • Perrotto says the Cubs are likely to deal Milton Bradley this winter, even if it means eating a large portion of the $21MM owed to him through 2011.
  • Jermaine Dye will more than likely not see his $12MM option exercised by the White Sox after a dip in production in tandem with the salary demands of Alex Rios and Jake Peavy.
  • For the postseason, the Dodgers are seeking “a left-handed bat with power” for their bench.
  • The Nats are auditioning Livan Hernandez as a veteran innings eater for 2010.
  • The Diamondbacks may non-tender Conor Jackson.
  • Brewers manager Ken Macha said G.M. Doug Melvin “scoured the area for pitching” before the deadline but was unable to add a starter because he refused to trade Mat Gamel or Alcides Escobar.
  • After making seven trades this year, the Pirates are the youngest team in the MLB.

Hernandez Hopes To Stay In Washington

By | at

The Nationals just signed Livan Hernandez and now that he's back in Washington, he wants to stay. Hernandez tells Chico Harlan of the Washington Post that he would consider returning to the Nats when he becomes a free agent after the season.

"That's what I want. I'd love to be here next year," Hernandez said. "It's something I've been waiting for, coming to D.C., the last three years."

The Nats are searching for veteran arms to prepare themselves for next year. Hernandez could be a fit, but he has struggled since 2005, when he says he pitched through constant pain to compete. Through 2005, Hernandez had a 4.11 ERA and was striking out 6.1 batters per nine innings. Since then, his strikeout rate has fallen, his homer rate has risen and he has pitched to an ERA of 5.26.

Nats In Search Of Veteran Arm

By | at

According to Bill Ladson of MLB.com, the Nationals plan to pursue a veteran starter this offseason and hope to sign the hurler to a long-term contract.

Nats general manager Mike Rizzo, manager Jim Riggleman and team president Stan Kasten shared interest in John Smoltz and Vicente Padilla this month before the veterans were scooped up by the Cardinals and Dodgers, respectively.  "That's the type of guy we are identifying now," said Riggleman, "people like that over the winter."

The Nats signed 34-year-old right-hander Livan Hernandez on Tuesday night, but may have their sights set higher.  Erik Bedard, John Lackey and Rich Harden are among the big-ticket arms that will be available this winter.  Of course, those guys will be looking for major contracts, both in money and length, and will have their choice of several interested clubs.  A pitcher like Doug Davis or Randy Wolf might present a more realistic fit.

Crasnick On Sheffield, Smoltz, Giambi, Pedro

By | at

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick presents some of the players, managers and executives who can start earning next year's job by finishing the season strong:

  • Gary Sheffield is hitting well, but in the words of one NL official, "he has some explaining to do" if he wants a job next year after last week's drama.
  • Barring a September collapse, Jerry Manuel seems likely to return next year.
  • John Smoltz is "definitely interested" in pitching next year, according to his agent.
  • Jason Giambi can prolong his career if he plays well for the Rockies this month.
  • One NL exec believes Pedro Martinez can still contribute.
  • Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi says he knows some people want him out of Toronto. However, Crasnick believes the GM has a strong relationship with team president Paul Beeston. Once Beeston hands authority over to a new president, Ricciardi could lose his job.
  • Crasnick says managers Eric Wedge (Indians), Jim Riggleman (Nationals), Dave Trembley (Orioles) and Cecil Cooper (Astros) don't have much job security.

Nationals Sign Livan Hernandez

By | at

Livan Hernandez will return to the Nationals after a three-year absence. The club signed Hernandez to a Major League deal, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, so the Cuban righty returns to the organization that first acquired him more than six years ago. The Expos traded for Hernandez in 2003 and he stayed with the organization until they traded him to the D'Backs in 2006. 

Hernandez has since played for three more teams, including the Mets, who released him last week. He has allowed 164 hits and 51 walks in 135 innings this year, striking out 75.

Odds And Ends: Cubs, Royals, Morgan

By | at

More links for the afternoon…

  • MLB president Bob DuPuy confirmed to MLB.com's Barry Bloom that the Cubs should soon be sold to Tom Ricketts for about $900MM.
  • Royals third-rounder Wil Myers told Matt Forman of Baseball America that it felt a little weird to face live pitching after a few months off. He still managed to hit a homer in his ffith pro at bat.
  • You don't hear many Cardinals fans complaining about Matt Holliday, but how about Brett Wallace, the centerpiece of the trade that sent Holliday to St. Louis? As Baseball America shows with its latest Prospect Hot Sheet, Wallace homered five times this week.
  • Chico Harlan of the Washington Post compares Nyjer Morgan to a number of leadoff hitters throughout history and shows that Morgan looks like a nice acquisition.
  • The Nats introduced Stephen Strasburg to the fans at Nationals Park this afternoon, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Strasburg, Cordero, Swisher

By | at

On this date 25 years ago, B.J. Upton was born. The second overall pick in the '02 draft, Bossman Junior made his big league debut in 2004, but will be arbitration-eligible for the first time following this season. The Rays prefer to lock up their young players to long-term deals, but there has never been an indication that Upton is willing to sign long-term. With the signing deadline for most draft picks now past, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • The Biz of Baseball looks at how the slotting system held up with this year's draft (not very well).
  • Capitol Avenue Club declares the winners and losers of this year's draft.
  • Nationals Pride notes that the Nationals are two-for-two in their decisions affecting Stephen Strasburg.
  • Center Field Gate likes the Stephen Strasburg deal, but wants to see what Strasburg can do before getting too excited.
  • Sully Baseball notes that Stephen Strasburg needs to get past Betty White before he is worth $50M.
  • Around the Majors looks back the Reds' decision to give Francisco Cordero a $46MM contract.
  • 6 Pound 8 Ounce Baby Joba revisits the deal that brought Nick Swisher to the Yankees.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.

Nats President On GM Search

By | at

According to Chico Harlan of the Washington Post, Nationals president Stan Kasten knows that Mike Rizzo isn't perfect, but he says he's the best candidate to lead the club forward. Not only does Rizzo have a background in scouting and a solid record as interim GM, he showed Kasten that he wants to become "much more adept sabermetrically."

Kasten started with 75 candidates for the job- including some unconventional ones- before narrowing the group down. Kasten says a number of his finalists were never named in media reports, which tended to focus on Jerry DiPoto, Jed Hoyer and Rizzo, the eventual winner. Kasten suggests that at least one of those men wasn't a serious contender for the job.

"Truthfully, we've seen names of guys who weren't really candidates," he said.

Kasten said he expects many of his finalists to become GMs in the Major Leagues before long.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top