Nationals Rumors

Odds & Ends: Clement, Schilling, Strasburg

By Tim Dierkes | March 24, 2009 at 10:50am CDT

Links for Tuesday…

RotoAuthority examines A's starter Trevor Cahill from a fantasy baseball perspective.
Today's chat has been pushed to Wednesday at 2pm CST.
The Blue Jays demoted Matt Clement, according to Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star. Clement is trying to decide whether to accept the assignment. He allowed 11 runs and 12 walks in 10.3 spring innings.
WEEI's Alex Speier looks back at the shockingly low price in prospects the Red Sox paid to acquire Curt Schilling from Arizona. The D'Backs were eyeing players such as Jon Lester, Hanley Ramirez, and Kelly Shoppach, but didn't make any of them a requirement.
Tyler Bleszinski of Athletics Nation has part 2 of his interview with A's GM Billy Beane. Beane notes his great relationship with Scott Boras.
I spoke to Tyler Hissey and Doug Gray of Minor League Notebook Weekly yesterday.
Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post says the Nationals should not draft Stephen Strasburg unless he'll sign in the $9-10MM range of David Price and Mark Prior. ESPN's Rob Neyer explains that many can't-miss pitchers did indeed miss.
Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle talked to Giants lefty Jack Taschner about the possibility of being traded.
Bart Given of Inside the Majors says the Blue Jays should keep Travis Snider at Triple A until May 15th so that they'll control him for the 2015 season.

Gammons On Matthews, Teahen, Harang, Peavy

By Tim Dierkes | March 23, 2009 at 12:07pm CDT

12:07pm: John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer asked Reds GM Walt Jocketty about Gammons' Harang note. Jocketty said, "I'm not going to comment on something when he doesn't know what he's talking about."

9:19am: ESPN's Peter Gammons had a new blog post yesterday discussing available players.

Gammons names Geoff Jenkins ($8MM remaining, limited no-trade), Brian Giles ($9MM remaining, full no-trade), Gary Matthews Jr. ($33.5MM remaining, full no-trade), Marcus Thames ($2.275MM salary), Nick Johnson ($5.5MM salary), Jason Repko, and Jeff Baker as players being dangled. Gammons links Matthews to the Yankees but admits his contract will be an issue.
Mark Teahen has drawn interest from the Astros, Red Sox, and Yankees.
Gammons says the Reds "have let teams know that they will wait and see whether they need to move Aaron Harang during the season." It'd be a shame to see the Reds break up that rotation. Harang has about $36MM coming to him over the next three seasons if his 2011 option is exercised.
Brewers third baseman Bill Hall expects his team to pursue Padres ace Jake Peavy if available this summer. Unlike C.C. Sabathia, Peavy is more than a rental.

Odds & Ends: Gregerson, Hanley, Strasburg

By Tim Dierkes | March 23, 2009 at 11:56am CDT

Links for Monday…

Matt Eddy of Baseball America has the minor league transactions, including the Dodgers' signing of J.D Durbin.
Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune says Rays Rule 5 pick Derek Rodriguez, a reliever, has been returned to the White Sox.
Yahoo's David Brown talked to Carlos Pena about many topics, including his agent Scott Boras.
According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Padres received pitcher Luke Gregerson as the player to be named later in the Khalil Greene deal. The other player the Padres received, the now-injured Mark Worrell, was also a minor league closer. Given the state of the Padres' pen, Gregerson could reach the Majors this year. UPDATE: Here is Paul DePodesta's take on Gregerson.
MLB.com's Ken Gurnick noted yesterday that the Dodgers cut pitcher Shawn Estes, and he's yet to decide whether to accept a Triple A assignment. UPDATE: Estes will head to the minors and attempt to reinvent himself as a lefthanded specialist.
Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald quizzed Hanley Ramirez about Boston's attempt to reacquire him in November.
MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan wonders about Frank Catalanotto's future. Useful player, but the Rangers would have to eat most of his $6MM to move him.
Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post talked to Nationals president Stan Kasten about the six-year, $50MM Stephen Strasburg rumor. We all know how Boras works…if he wants $25MM for Strasburg, he starts at $50MM.
South Side Sox and Sox Machine comment on the Gavin Floyd extension, as well as the offers to John Danks and Carlos Quentin.
Talking to David Lennon of Newsday, Tom Glavine responded to Pedro Martinez's distaste for signing a "Glavine-like" contract.
Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun spoke to Aubrey Huff, who "doesn't even understand the concept of a contract push."
Ivan Rodriguez explained to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez why he didn't sign with the Marlins.

Nationals Sign Josh Bard

By Tim Dierkes | March 21, 2009 at 10:04pm CDT

10:04pm: Jack Etkin at Inside The Rockies has some details on the Bard signing. He writes that the Red Sox "decided to keep George Kottaras, 25, who was out of options" as a back up for Jason Varitek. Etkin continues:

"By releasing Bard on Wednesday, the deadline for paying a player 30 days termination pay, the Red Sox owed him about $279,000. Had they waited one more day to release him, they would have owed Bard 45 days termination pay or about $418,000."

7:42pm: Chico Harlan of the Washington Post writes that Bard will join what Nationals GM Mike Rizzo calls "a competitive situation." Bard will battle Wil Nieves and Javier Valentin for the backup catcher spot.

2:26pm: According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, the Nationals signed catcher Josh Bard to a minor league deal. Bard had been signed but then released by the Red Sox.

Bard, 31 in March, had a couple of pretty solid seasons for the Padres in 2006 and 2007. He dealt with ankle and elbow injuries last year. It's a nice signing for the Nationals.

Stephen Strasburg Price Tag

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 21, 2009 at 12:35pm CDT

ESPN.com's Peter Gammons heard from some club officials that top amateur pitcher Stephen Strasburg and his agent, Scott Boras, could demand $50MM over six years if he's selected first overall by the Nationals in the June draft. If the Nationals pick Strasburg and seem unwilling to pay him as much as he wants, Boras could threaten to send the prospect to pitch in Japan for a year. If the Nats are scared off, the Mariners and Padres are next in line for Strasburg.

So how could an amateur player get away with these lofty demands? Strasburg has struck out 74 and walked only seven in the 34.1 innings he's pitched for San Diego State and scouts rave about his stuff.

Beimel Contract Details

By Tim Dierkes | March 20, 2009 at 2:59pm CDT

Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post has details on Joe Beimel's new contract with the Nationals. Renck says it's a one-year, $2MM deal with up to $250K in incentives. The incentives kick in at 60 games and max out at 80. Renck says the Rockies balked at Beimel's asking price. Tracy Ringolsby of Inside The Rockies has more:

Beimel signed with Washington, a one-year $2 million deal in the last week. He showed no interest in the Rockies' overtures. He was seeking more than $3 million, and I have seen some reports that he was actually asking for a two-year deal at $4 million a year, but I have not had anyone confirm that.

Does Beimel make sense for the Nationals? Unless they can flip him for something good in July, it seems to be $2MM better spent on the draft.

We have a few other Nationals notes from MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Ladson talked to an opposing scout who says the Nats are trying to trade Nick Johnson and Austin Kearns but does not expect them to find a match. Additionally, minor league signee Jorge Sosa hasn't been able to get a work visa in the U.S.

Odds & Ends: Wade, Baker, Catalanotto

By Tim Dierkes | March 20, 2009 at 12:03pm CDT

Links for Friday…

RotoAuthority advises how to manage information during your fantasy draft.
Something's not right with Corey Koskie, and the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan says he'll decide about his future by Saturday.
Former Blue Jays assistant GM Bart Given has a blog, and it's pretty good from what I've read (hat tip: Drunk Jays Fans).
Sidearmer Mark Worrell, acquired by the Padres for Khalil Greene, needs Tommy John surgery according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union Tribune.
Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune says the White Sox "traded infielder Sergio Santos to San Francisco for future considerations." Santos was picked 27th overall by the D'Backs in the 2002 draft.
Chico Harlan of the Washington Post wonders whether $5MM first baseman Dmitri Young will be willing to accept an assignment to Triple A.
MLB.com's Alyson Footer says Astros GM Ed Wade never lied to her and doesn't owe her an apology about Ivan Rodriguez. Wade just changed his mind after talking to Footer.
Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune doesn't see the Cubs releasing $4MM reliever Luis Vizcaino.
Tracy Ringolsby of Inside The Rockies believes Jeff Baker is the team's most likely infielder to be dealt. ESPN's Jayson Stark mentioned Baker yesterday as a trade candidate, and the Denver Post's Troy E. Renck has wondered if he'd fit for the Yankees or Astros.
MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan says the Rangers have discussed Frank Catalanotto with other clubs but found no takers. Catalanotto has $6MM coming to him.
Rany Jazayerli discusses the Royals' signing of Sidney Ponson and release of Jimmy Gobble.

Odds & Ends: Pudge, A-Rod, Wilson, Hill

By Tim Dierkes | March 19, 2009 at 9:59am CDT

Links for Thursday…

Chat today, 2pm CST.
Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle talked to various Astros players about the Ivan Rodriguez signing.
John Brattain of The Hardball Times asks what might have happened with Alex Rodriguez if he hadn't had Scott Boras whispering in his ear.
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette assures us that the Pirates shopped shortstop Jack Wilson aggressively this winter.
Eric Seidman of FanGraphs questions the Nationals' decision to release Shawn Hill. If Hill is useful in future years, this one's on Mike Rizzo.
Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star discusses the Royals' signing of Sidney Ponson.
Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star has a funny story involving Roy Halladay and Travis Snider.
RotoAuthority looks at the fantasy prospects of Nationals top prospect Jordan Zimmermann.

Nationals Ink Joe Beimel, Cut Shawn Hill

By | March 18, 2009 at 2:55pm CDT

According to Chico Harlan of the Washington Post, the Nationals have agreed to terms with Joe Beimel on a one-year, $2MM deal. In a corresponding move, the Nats released starter Shawn Hill.

Beimel, a 31-year-old southpaw reliever, posted a 2.02 ERA in 71 games last season for the Dodgers. Nationals manager Manny Acta said Wednesday that Beimel will be used primarily as the team's eighth-inning setup man.

Hill, 27, has battled injuries for much of his career, but was well-liked in the clubhouse. Acta called the release "probably the toughest decision" he's had to make in his time with Washington, but the stats simply didn't justify a roster spot. Hill went 1-5 last season with a 5.83 ERA in 12 starts.

Odds & Ends: Suzuki, Zambrano, Nationals

By Tim Dierkes | March 17, 2009 at 4:12pm CDT

Links for Tuesday…

Remember Mac Suzuki? According to MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel, the Royals’ first Japanese pitcher worked out for Kansas City and Cleveland and will audition for the Dodgers as well. He’s spent the last three years in the Mexican League.
Carlos Zambrano’s second-favorite team is the White Sox, according to Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun-Times. Big Z’s contract with the Cubs runs through 2012 or 2013.
Nationals acting GM Mike Rizzo told Chico Harlan of the Washington Post he’s received a lot of phone calls about his outfield/first base logjam.
RotoAuthority runs through all 30 closer situations. Print it out and bring it to your draft.
Cole Hamels update: no structural damage to his elbow. ESPN’s Buster Olney says it’s inflammation.
Hal McCoy heard from a scout that the Reds might be shopping pitcher Nick Masset, who is out of options.
Baseball America’s Jim Callis says about 42-44% of first-round draft picks have significant big league careers.
"Only a physical and minor details" remain on Ivan Rodriguez’s one-year, $1.5MM deal with the Astros, according to Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle.
Free agent outfielder Luis Gonzalez still hopes to play in 2009. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic says the D’Backs’ interest only lies in post-retirement employment.
According to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News, the Mets have begun the process of returning Rule 5 pick Rocky Cherry to the Orioles. UPDATE: Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post says the O’s rejected Cherry and the Mets released him.
This week’s chat has been moved to Thursday at 2pm CST.

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