Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Nationals Rumors

Odds And Ends: Varitek, Markakis, Johnson

By | at

Links for Thursday night…

  • Curt Schilling thinks the Red Sox need Jason Varitek.
  • Buster Olney writes that some executives think Type A free agents like Varitek, Orlando Cabrera and Juan Cruz should sign soon instead of waiting until the season starts.
  • Ken Rosenthal proposes a ’Juan Cruz rule’ so that players like Cruz aren’t the ones hurt by the compensation system.
  • Andy MacPhail provides some of the reasons he wanted to lock up Nick Markakis. He has plenty of good ones to choose from.
  • Chico Harlan of the Washington Post spoke with Nick Johnson, who "expressed no particular desire" to play in his home state of California.
  • Kobe Bryant jokingly suggested that he could play left for the Dodgers instead of Manny Ramirez.

Heyman On Manny, Varitek, Madson, Swisher

By | at

SI.com’s Jon Heyman has a new column up…

  • Heyman says half the teams in baseball may still have a big deal left in them, with roughly 100 free agents remaining.
  • Manny Ramirez continues to wait patiently; Heyman guesses the Dodgers go to three years for him.  They’d be bidding against themselves, unless Manny has an offer we don’t know about.
  • When John Henry asked Jason Varitek why he didn’t accept their offer of arbitration, Varitek responded that he didn’t believe it would’ve guaranteed him a spot on the team.
  • Heyman finds it odd that first-year arb closers are getting more money than starters.
  • Scott Boras was in favor of Ryan Madson taking the Phillies’ three-year, $12MM offer based on Madson’s personal/familial circumstances.
  • The Yankees are finding more interest in Nick Swisher than Xavier Nady.
  • Heyman has the Ricketts family as the favorite to buy the Cubs.
  • Heyman suggests Bobby Abreu’s defense gets a bad rap.  The plus/minus system, however, says the right fielder is among the worst in the game.
  • The Nationals and Marlins share the Rays’ policy of not negotiating once arbitration figures are submitted.  The Nats are apparently willing to bend and may keep talking with Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham (each about a million bucks apart).

Odds and Ends: Prospects, Alfonzo, Zimmerman

By | at

Links for Wednesday…

  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak subjected himself to all kinds of questions from fans today in an online chat.  It sounds like he might do a little spring tinkering.
  • It seems that the Angels will go with internal options for the fifth starter job.
  • The Rangers, Rays, and A’s are atop Keith Law’s farm system rankings, with the Tigers, Nationals, and Astros bringing up the rear.
  • Orioles infielder Oscar Salazar is likely on the chopping block to make room for Gregg Zaun.
  • Kyodo News reports that Edgardo Alfonzo will try out for the Yomiuri Giants.
  • Dave Sheinin says Kevin Youkilis is a good comp for Ryan Zimmerman.  The midpoint between Zimmerman’s and the Nationals’ arbitration submissions would be a $3.325MM.
  • I sincerely appreciate all the submissions for the Saturday evening writer gig.  I’m happy to welcome D.J. Blatter aboard as our newest blogger.

Adam Dunn’s Price Might Be Falling

By | at

Chico Harlan of the Washington Post spoke with an agent Monday who believes Adam Dunn "will get a max of $5MM per year" this offseason.

"Anything more than that and I’d be surprised," added the unnamed agent.  Dunn is reportedly still seeking a four-year, $56MM deal.  Harlan notes that there are no big market teams in the running and he’s highly unlikely to get those desired figures.  "That’s why Dunn just might end up in Washington, the one team that unequivocally wants the guy," the report concludes.

Nationals Still Targeting Strasburg

By | at

In a Saturday article, Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune explained how the Padres would like to bring righty Stephen Strasburg home with the #3 pick in the June draft.  He wonders if the Padres could flash enough cash for Scott Boras to "steer Strasburg past the Nationals and Mariners."

Not to worry, Nationals fans.  Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post says Strasburg remains atop the Nats’ list by a wide margin.  Barring a major injury, the Nationals will draft Strasburg.  As it usually is with Boras and most early draft picks, signability is a concern.  However, Sheinin says the Nationals’ relationship with Boras improved with the Mark Teixeira negotiations.

Cafardo’s Latest: Varitek, Sheets, Glavine

By | at

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has a new article up in this Sunday’s paper:

  • Mariners advisers have suggested bringing in Jason Varitek to improve the Seattle pitching staff.
  • "Arbitration-strapped" Philadelphia may have interest in Ben Sheets as he becomes a bigger bargain by the day.
  • Cafardo details the Kevin Youkilis contract extension, to the dollar.
  • Kris Benson will work out for the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rangers, and Cubs next Saturday.
  • Tom Glavine would entertain an offer from Washington.
  • If Atlanta takes on Andruw Jones, they would only have to take on $400K of the $21MM plus the Dodgers are paying him.

Manny Ramirez Rumors: Saturday

By | at

Free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez is still looking for a team, and several outlets are writing about him today.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Garcia, Perez, O-Dog

By | at

A few quick notes from FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal…

  • The White Sox, Rangers and Mets have strong interest in Freddy Garcia. Rosenthal believes he would accept a minor league deal if a team gives him a chance to start.
  • The Diamondbacks are not willing to pay the money that Oliver Perez desires.
  • Rosenthal notes that few teams have openly expressed interest in free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson and believes he could fall to the Nationals if large market teams give way.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pirates, Hudson, Tigers, Braves, Dunn, Yankees

By | at

On this day 29 years ago, Albert Pujols was born. 2009 will be the sixth year of his eight year, $111MM deal (safe to say Cards will pick up his ’11 option). According to Fangraphs, Pujols has already been worth $151.9MM in the first five years of the contract ($30.4M per season), begging the question: How much will Pujols command following the ’11 season, when he will be 32? Last winter, Alex Rodriguez signed for 10 years and $275MM prior to his age 32 season. With less than a month to go before pitchers and catchers report, many players are still looking for their own new contracts. Let’s take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

  • River Ave. Blues expands on Baseball Prospectus’ case against a salary cap and how small-market teams likely would not be able to support a minimum payroll.
  • Bucco Blog says the value of young talent has kept the Pirates from rebuilding. Instead, the team has spent the last two years restructuring and are now moving on to the next phase.
  • Jorge Says No examines the market for Orlando Hudson and feels the Nationals have to make a play for the second baseman.
  • The Detroit Tigers Weblog takes a look at who is still available to close for the Tigers in ’09.
  • Infield Chatter says the Braves were forced to overpay for Derek Lowe.
  • Braves Blast takes a look at the Braves offseason and what is left to do: adding an outfield bat and extending Chipper Jones’ contract.
  • On Baseball and The Reds takes a look at Adam Dunn’s value, with the numbers suggesting he is not worth much more than $20MM over four years.
  • Pinstripes Published makes a case for the Yankees acquiring Lastings Milledge from the Nats, while The Chuck Knoblog argues for Elijah Dukes.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.  This is by far the best way to get your blog linked on MLBTR.

Odds and Ends: Putz, Mitsui, Varitek

By | at

Links for Friday…

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