Kuzul

The nation has laid witness to the dominance of Stephen Strasburg and now it’s time for the Washington Nationals to claim their spot amongst the upper echelon of baseball.

While it is obvious that this franchise has been in a shambles for years, the Nationals benefited from their ineptitude by getting Strasburg and teenage hitting phenomenon Bryce Harper. These unique talents are once in a generation talents that will become cornerstones of championship quality teams.

Having both Strasburg and Harper, in addition to Ryan Zimmerman and Drew Storen, gives the Nationals four players who each solidify specific needs found on dynastic teams (i.e. the Yankees’ big four of Jeter, Posada, Pettitte and Rivera).

The assets the Nationals have acquired during these years of loss and disappointment situate them to make a serious push in the next few seasons. This push could last for at least a decade.

If you look at similar franchises and project the future salary budget of this team in a major media market it would reasonable to see them with $100 to $140 million payroll. Their current payroll is $61.5 million and roughly half of what it will be once they are ready to become a contender.  

Here is a reasonable blueprint for the Nationals path to a championship:

(At the beginning of this upcoming off-season, the Nationals will have only $24.4 million committed dollars that could grow to $52 million through arbitration.)

1. Lockup the foursome immediately. Give Zimmerman a 10 year, $150 million dollar deal. How about a 12 year, $200 million for Strasburg? Harper would be a steal at 10 years, $170 million. Storen could be a little more economical at 8 years, $48 million.

(The payroll would climb up to $67.4 of guaranteed cash before arbitration. Let’s call it $85 million.)

2. What to do with Adam Dunn. Dunn has been a loyal and productive player without complaining or demanding a trade. He wants to be in Washington and it would make sense to keep unless another team offers up a few choice prospects. It would make sense to sign him unless they…

3. Make room for Prince Fielder. Fielder will be a free agent following next season and that would fit with the arrival of Bryce Harper. A 3-4-5 punch of Harper-Zimmerman-Fielder would be among baseball’s best. The trio would produce the runs that have eluded the Nationals this year and in years past.

(Payroll with Dunn $100 million, with Fielder $103, with another lesser known first baseman $91 million)

4. Sign or trade for a top of the rotation pitcher. Strasburg is going to be a star and will be an ace for several years, but a pennant caliber team needs two guys at the top of their rotation. The pitching free agent market looks bleak and there is only one man to be had. His name is Cliff Lee and he will be available after this season. While it is highly unlikely Lee would sign with a team not ready to contend, it is worth making a pitch to bring him in. A signing like this and bringing in Fielder would make waves in baseball and establish the Nationals as a championship contender.

(Payroll with Lee is $120 million.)

5. Complementary pieces put in place. The Nationals have pieces ready to fill these roles. Ian Desmond is a year or two away from being a solid infielder who could give them power in the bottom half of the lineup, and possibly become an option at the 2-hole.

The rotation, as presently constructed, has three started who could fill out the rest of the rotation: John Lannan, Scott Olsen and a healthy Jordan Zimmerman.Tyler Clippard is a solid seventh inning guy and could help their eighth inning setup man. The other pitchers vying for rotation spots could be used to fill out the bullpen. For instance maybe Detwiler becomes a lefty specialist or he claims a rotation spot. 

6. Players on the horizon. What is left to be said about Bryce Harper? Virtually everyone agrees that Harper will be a unique talent and can be penciled in for several All-Star appearances. However it makes sense for Harper to become the everyday right fielder so that could allow another prospect Derek Norris to handle the catching duties beginning next year. Norris could learn a lot from Pudge and the transition could also extend Rodriguez’s career another season as he shares catching duties with Norris.

Chris Marrero could start the switch from playing first base and be groomed to be Willingham’s left field replacement. His experience at first base could come in handy if they don’t pursue the two options previously suggested for the position. Danny Espinosa will allow Ian Desmond to move over to second base allowing Espinosa to play his natural position where he excels at.

7. Feed the farm. The farm system has begun to yield some pro-level talent and there will be more to come, but it is important to continue acquiring assets and nurture their young talent. This process could see an influx at the trading deadline if the Nationals decide to move some of their veterans for prospects.

Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham and Jason Marquis could bring back a few players who could help the team down the road. This process was hindered greatly by the wrongdoings of the previous regime and it is important Rizzo continues the development if this talent resource.

How about this 2012 Opening Day roster:

Lineup:

Bernadina-CF

Espinosa-SS

Harper-RF

Zimmerman-3B

Fielder or Dunn-1B

Norris-C

Marrero-LF

Desmond-2B

Pitcher

Rotation and bullpen:

Strasburg

Cliff Lee

Scott Olsen

Jordan Zimmerman

John Lannan

Setup: Detwiler and Clippard

Closer: Storen

TOTAL PAYROLL: $125 million

The future is beginning to look like a full ballpark and talent on the field that could be a once-in-a-generation experience that will continue to be appointment television and attendance. A dynasty is coming at all of us quickly.

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The trade deadline is looming and it is only a matter of time before the most talked about players are on the move.

Position by position, there appear to be players who will definitely find themselves wearing new threads.

Based on the trade rumors that are circulating throughout baseball, here is a starting lineup comprised of some of the best players on the trading block.

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The Yankees, Red Sox , and Rays have nearly come to a stand still in the fight for the AL East crown, and likely the best record in baseball.

So who is going to come out ahead?

Well, it is likely that the team that makes the best acquisitions is going to end up on top, making the month of July, more specifically the July 31st trade deadline, the deciding factor in this year’s race in the East.

The Yankees currently sit in first, up by a half a game over the Red Sox and two games over the Rays, but have seen their bullpen struggle mightily and have an extremely young bench, with three rookies presently keeping it warm.

If the Yankees really wanted to put themselves over the top of the other teams in the AL East, then they would go out and acquire a front line stater like Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt , both of whom are both available and are Cy Young capable pitchers, which the Yankees know all too well with Lee.

But it is probably more likely that the Yankees will look to add a veteran bat to the bench and some much needed help in the bullpen, which blew another game Friday against the Blue Jays.

Regardless of who they go after, the Yankees are capable of going out in the trade market and acquiring almost any player they want, with both the talent in the minors and of course, the financial means to afford any contract they might have to pick up.

Some of the players that will draw interest from Brian Cashman this month will be:

Bench/DH: Ty Wigginton, Kelly Johnson, David DeJesus , Josh Willingham , Cristian Guzman, Corey Hart, Cody Ross, and Adam Dunn.

Bullpen: Joakim Soria (wishful thinking), Octavio Dotel , Scott Downs, Shawn Camp, Will Ohman , Alfredo Simon, Rafael Perez, Matt Lindstrom , and Brandon Lyon.

I think Ty Wigginton makes the most sense for the Yankees; he’s certainly available, and at a relatively low price. He’s a very versatile player, who can also supply a lot of power, which the Yankee’ bench desperately needs.

I would love to see Adam Dunn in pinstripes as the DH, he would do a lot of damage with the short porch in right, but he would require more prospects and more money than probably any other player on that list, and I don’t think Cashman will go down that route.

In the bullpen, I think Brandon Lyon would be a great fit.

He has proven that he can perform well in the AL, with a 2.86 ERA with the Tigers last year, and he has continued to pitch well this year for the Astros (currently with a 3.00 ERA and 15 holds).

He also makes sense for Houston to move, he’s due $4.25 million this year, and he’s 30 years old, so he’s not a young prospect.

Two of the key players that might be on the move for the Yankees are Eduardo Nunez and Brandon Laird

Nunez is a shortstop at AAA Scranton who is hitting .312, with 17 stolen bases and 39 runs driven in, but has trouble fielding the ball with nine errors this year. He seems to have the bat that’s ready for the majors, but unfortunately he is behind Derek Jeter , so he could be out of options with the Yankees unless he switches positions.

Laird is a slugging third baseman at AA Trenton who is hitting .291, with an impressive 19 home runs, and 80 RBI. But like Nunez, Laird will soon be out of options for a future in the big leagues with the Yankees as Alex Rodriguez is under contract to man the hot corner until 2017.

I seriously doubt that Cashman deals either of the top two catchers in the minors, Jesus Montero and Austin Romine , unless he goes after Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt .

If they do go after a starter, I would expect them to go after Fausto Carmona, who is 7-6 with a 3.86 ERA and is available along with teammate Jake Westbrook.

CC Sabathia will certainly put in a good word for his former teammates Carmona and Westbrook, but I think the Yankees are happy with the starting five they have now.

The bullpen has been atrocious and needs help now, and the bench could use a veteran presence, so look for the Yankees to be out there seeking to improve those two areas, and hopefully that will be enough for them to capture their second strait AL East crown and eventually repeat as World Series champions.

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Here we are just a few days away from the month of July where the sun isn’t the only thing that will be burning hot.

We’ve talked about a lot of rumors over the last few weeks but there could be a few new names added to the fire. Names that were only a glimmer in the eyes of a few general managers around baseball, but after the last few days, that glimmer could turn into a full blown shine.

There are a few teams that may stand with what they have and ride out the rest of the season, but there also could be a few teams that will shock at the trade deadline.

Last year we saw a few surprise moves; it’s only a matter of time before we see who surprises this time around.

Let’s get it.

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A month ago, the White Sox were clear sellers. After a sudden resurgence, they have become possible buyers.

On June 8 the White Sox were 24-33 and 9.5 games back of the Minnesota Twins. A reported yelling match between GM Kenny Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen occurred that same night.

The White Sox went on to win 15 of their next 16 games and currently sit two games back in the division behind the Detroit Tigers.

Thirteen of those wins, however, came against the National League-the Cubs, Pirates, Nationals, and Braves. One may recall that the White Sox did the exact same thing last year, beating up on the NL to get back into the race only to plummet back to earth as soon as interleague play ended.

Regardless, the White Sox are buyers right now, but that could change drastically in the next two weeks.

If the team stays in the race, which no human being would have the melons to bet on, Adam Dunn (a free-agent-to-be) is the name circulating around the White Sox camp. 

Unfortunately for the White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels have also begun going after Dunn, and with the Nationals most likely wanting pitching prospects, the White Sox don’t have much to offer, as they sent nearly all of their pitching prospects out in the Jake Peavy and Juan Pierre deals.

The White Sox do have Daniel Hudson, but after that, all they have left is mediocre talent in Carlos Torres and Santos Rodriguez. Third baseman Brent Morel is a movable prospect, with Dayan Viciedo and Mark Teahen being the likely first and third basemen of the future if Paul Konerko leaves for free agency, especially since Williams handed Teahen a ridiculous three-year, $14 million extension.

The problem with this scenario, however, is that the Nationals have Ryan Zimmerman at third, and Teahen continues to solidify himself as a utility player rather than an everyday player. Not only do the Nationals not need Morel, but the White Sox most likely will.

Money is no longer an issue with Dunn since he is making $12 million on the year, and half of that is already in the books.

A left-handed power hitter, Dunn currently is hitting .276 with 17 home runs, 47 RBI, 43 runs and a .366 OBP. He has hit 40 home runs in six out of the last seven seasons and would fit quite well in the DH spot that Mark Kotsay and Andruw Jones have been mostly useless in.

The question that first must be answered is which White Sox team is going to stick around longer this year: the one that reeled off 11 wins in a row or one destined for third place.

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Nearing the midway point of the season, the differences between the “haves” and “have nots” have become relatively clear. With this, comes the debate of which players from the latter group could help teams in the former.

This season, pitchers seem like the rage in the trade market, with various ideas for Roy Oswalt, Kevin Millwood, and the rejuvenated Brett Myers. However, many of the contenders, such as the Red Sox, Phillies, and Angels, could use assistance in the field and lineup.

While Oswalt is considered the top prize on the market by the media and fans, here are 10 potentially available hitters who could help teams win in 2010.

10) Lance Berkman – 1B, Astros

“Big Puma” is having one of his most forgettable seasons in 2010, currently sporting a mere 103 OPS+. A no-trade clause and relatively high salary (albeit with a $2 million dollar option in 2011) make him a difficult move for Houston, as well.

This all being said, Tampa Bay, Texas, Colorado, and Los Angeles (both of them) might be in the market for a first baseman at the trade deadline.

Berkman has a rest-of-season projection of .272/.384/.492, and a “Grade B ” hitter (according to John Sickels) should be enough to wrestle Berkman from Houston.

9) Ty Wiggington – 2B, Orioles

Lost in the mess that is the 2010 Orioles is a bit of a revelation: Ty Wiggington. Receiving additional playing time due to the loss of Brian Roberts, Wiggington has excelled with the bat, posting a .270/.356/.480 hitting line.

With the struggles of Luis Castillo and Clint Barmes, Wiggington seems like a perfect match for the Mets and Rockies, respectively.

Once again, a “Grade B” hitter should be enough to grab Wiggington in this instance.

8) Austin Kearns – LF, Indians

Remember Austin Kearns? He was a sensation in his rookie year, coming into 2002 as Baseball America’s No. 11 prospect, and hitting .315/.407/.500 for his hometown Reds once he was called up. He looked like a star in the making.

Time has not been nice to Kearns, though, and from 2003-09, he hit for only a 99 OPS+. After two poor seasons in Washington, he looked like he was down to one more chance.

He received this chance in Cleveland, and has so far performed in it. Kearns sports a .279/.359/.438 batting line with 7 home runs, good for a 120 OPS+.

Also attractive about Kearns is that not only is he under contract for just this season (making him an attractive low-risk option), but he is only making $750,000 in 2010.

A deadline deal for him would result in a $250,000 investment for a club, for a guy who is looking to be well worth that money.

Who could use Kearns? The Red Sox have seen their outfield decimated, and their initial low-risk fourth OF investment of Jeremy Hermida has not worked.

Raul Ibanez has struggled in Philadelphia, and the Phillies should be in the market for a role-player at the position.

The Giants could also use some help in right field, as Nate Schierholtz is simply not an MLB starter (it is a shame the Giants do not have a guy like Fred Lewis on their roster, right?).

If the Indians play this right, they could land a top 100 pitching prospect for the services of Kearns.

7) Jose Guillen – DH, Royals

Guillen is finally playing like someone who was signed for 3 years / $36 million, or at least close to it. The career free-swinging problem child is finally making some contact in 2010, and this has helped him to achieve a 118 OPS+. 

The problems with trading Guillen, however, are his high salary, his back-to-back bad seasons, his positional limitations, and his reputation.

However, Seattle has already traded for Branyan and has shown that it will not give up on its 2010 season if the price is right. Could Guillen potentially find himself DH’ing at Safeco?

6) Derrek Lee – 1B, Cubs

Has struggled to the tune of a 86 OPS+/92 wRC+. This being said, Lee is projected to OPS .829 from this point forward, which is certainly a respectable number. 

Lee shares the same problems as Berkman, minus the no-trade clause, and generally the same market.

I rate Lee at No. 6 because I feel he is easier to trade, and comes with less risk than Berkman.

5) Garrett Jones – RF, Pirates

Why is a pre-arbitration player listed on here? Why would a team want to give up on a good hitter with under two years of MLB service time?

When you are the Pirates, however, it is a different story.

The Pirates have been on a mission to fix their farm system, apparently at the expense of the MLB team. If they really want this strategy to work, then they should be willing to part with anyone not named Andrew McCutchen on their roster.

The problem with Jones, however, is his defense. Despite his .882 OPS in Pittsburgh, he has only been good for 1.5 WAR.

His bat might be a bit light to be a long-term DH solution, and his glove is too weak to be a starter in the field. That being said, any team that wants to have him, may still have to part with a top 75 hitting prospect to get him.

Jones shares the same market as Kearns, and is rated higher due to being a more prized bat. Outside of center field, and maybe catcher, the Pirates should be all ears.

4) Jhonny Peralta – 3B, Indians

Probably the “most balanced” of all the men listed here, Peralta brings a slightly above-average bat (104 OPS+) and an average glove, with a reasonable 2010 salary of $4.85 million (and nothing owed after 2010).

He has the off-chance of playing himself into Type B FA status, which could also provide value to whatever destination he ends up heading, and the Indians would likely look for a top 100 pitching prospect to trade away Peralta.

Shares a similar market with Wiggington, and is rated higher due to being younger, and more established as a starter at this stage of his career.

3) Josh Willingham – LF, Nationals

We now hit the prized commodities of the potential deadline deals. We will start with Willingham.

The Nationals are slipping out of contention, and with Strasburg, and soon-to-be Harper in the mix, are likely not desperate to win in 2010.

Willingham, however, has been fantastic, with a .277/.408/.498 batting line in a mediocre hitting park.

While his glove is nothing compared to the aforementioned Austin Kearns, he has by far the best bat out of the group, and is also not hitting his first big payday until 2012, likely due for about $6.5 million in 2011.

Essentially, Willingham will be worth about 5 WAR in his next season and a half, and be paid $8.8 million to do it. For a fringe team, this has to be around a $15-$20 million surplus.

Because of this, the Nationals should be asking for a top pitching prospect, or a top 75, maybe top 50 hitting prospect. 

2) Adam Dunn – 1B/LF/DH, Nationals

The Nationals sure do have plenty of trade chips, don’t they?

Dunn, to the chagrin of many a geek like myself, has seen a dip in his walk rate (an 11.4% BB rate would be a career low). It is hard to cry too much, though, when a 147 wRC+  would be his career best, and is looking like a 35-40 home run guy again.

While Dunn has expressed a desire to not be a DH (to his credit, his defense has, so far in 2010, been not the typical badness we have come to expect from the man), I am sure a chance to finish 2010 with a contender would change his mind quickly.

With no money due to him beyond 2010, Dunn is easily one of the best targets this summer.

Would 2-3 months of Dunn be worth a top 50 prospect? Given the size of the 1B market, and the large amounts of tight races going on in MLB, I would say that the Nationals could wrangle a player of this caliber away, or at least a top 100 hitter and pitcher.

1) David DeJesus – LF, Royals

Probably a surprise to see him at No. 1, but for a team looking for a player that will just help them win, I think this is the guy.

Perpetually underrated, due in part to being a balanced player with good defense in a power position, partly due to losing his youth in Kansas City, DeJesus is finally getting the attention he deserves with a .326/.394/.479 batting line.

In addition to his fine batting line, DeJesus continues to perform at a high caliber in the outfield, and has a 2011 club option which could add even more value to him.

Able to play all three outfield positions, DeJesus should be attractive to almost everyone on the market, like the Red Sox, Rays, White Sox, Braves, Mets, Phillies, Giants, Padres, and Rockies.

Given the potentially high amount of buyers, and the relative worth of DeJesus, it is imaginable that the Royals could come away with a top 10 pitching prospect, top 50 hitter, or a combination of two high-level prospects in both groups. 

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There is a great deal of consternation right now about the Washington Nationals and their offensive struggles.

Writers, commentators, bloggers and fans think the team’s offense is just not good enough to keep the team around .500—maybe a little better—until Stephen Strasburg finally arrives and saves the day.

But that is simply not the case.

Below is the Nationals’ most-used lineup for 2010. Take a look at the player’s offensive production when projected over the complete season.

CF—Nyjer Morgan:                 .242/.316/.339            24 2B—15 3B—0 HR—24 RBI

2B—Cristian Guzman:               .321/.347/.403            21 2B—9 3B—0 HR—48 RBI

3B—Ryan Zimmerman:          .299/.374/.571            38 2B—0 3B—32 HR—86 RBI

1B—Adam Dunn:                    .270/.379/.546            44 2B—6 3B—32 HR—80 RBI

LF—Josh Willingham:             .275/.429/.529            22 2B—3 3B—32 HR—107 RBI

SS—Ian Desmond:                   .263/.314/.410            22 2B—6 3B—14 HR—80 RBI

C—Ivan Rodriguez:                 .325/.351/.439            27 2B—3 3B—3 HR—51 RBI

RF—Roger Bernadina:              .241/.289/.410            14 2B—7 3B—6 HR—39 RBI

Nyjer Morgan has a career average of .291/.353/.381. There is no way he will finish the season this poorly. Expect him to have a sizzling summer and approach his career numbers by September.

Pudge Rodriguez is 38 and will no doubt end the season somewhere in the neighborhood of .260/.330/.440. Even though he will cool off, Rodriguez should still hit well enough to make him an offensive asset.

The only hole in the lineup is in right field where Justin Maxwell flunked terribly. Willie Harris hasn’t hit well since 2008. Roger Bernadina, after a remarkable five-game span, is returning to the real world.

Kevin Mench, who is Triple-A Syracuse’s every-day right fielder, is currently hitting .303/.373/.379 for the Chiefs with eight doubles, a home run, and 21 RBI.

Mench, 31, played seven seasons in the major leagues and has a 162-game career average of .269/.326/.460 with 21 homers and 76 RBI.

A right-handed batter, Mench hits lefties well. He, and perhaps Willie Harris, are the best options for the Nationals can right now unless they make a trade for a veteran right-fielder.

Six of the eight position players are providing the Nationals with satisfactory to above-average offense. A seventh (Morgan) will eventually hit to his potential, and sooner or later, the Nationals will fix the problem in right field.

From what I can tell, the Nationals struggle offensively because the team lacks timely hitting with runners in scoring position —and especially with two out.

I think the offense—with the exception of right-field—is certainly strong enough and the team’s middle-of-the-lineup sluggers (Zimmerman, Dunn, and Willingham) might be the best in the league right now.

A proven right fielder and the addition of Stephen Strasburg and Chien-Ming Wang to the starting rotation—and the reintroduction of Jason Marquis—make the Nationals a team that could contend for the National League wild card, at least from the periphery, until late into the season.

Let’s wait until John Lannan, Stephen Strasburg, Chien-Ming Wang, and Jason Marquis anchor the Nationals’ rotation before we worry about the team’s offense.

The Nationals would then find their fifth starter from a group that includes Livan Hernandez, Scott Olsen, Luis Atilano, Craig Stammen, and J.D. Martin and could use one or more of the remaining starters to nab a pretty good right fielder on the trade market.

This Nationals’ team will win 77-82 games in 2010, perhaps 85-88 if they find that veteran right fielder with a potent bat.

Man, this has been a fun season. Can you imagine how much more fun it will be once the final pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place?

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On a day to thank mom for everything she has done, the Washington Nationals attempted to give all the mothers of National Nation a present. Looking for the Nats’ sixth series win of the season, Livan Hernandez took to the hill at Nationals Park against the ever troublesome Florida Marlins.

Through five starts, Hernandez has been one of the biggest surprises in all of baseball. He went into Sunday’s action with a 4-1 record and an ERA of 1.06, good for second best in the National League.With a variety of arm angles and speed changes, Hernandez is keep batters off balance better than he has ever in his lengthy career.

Sunday was no different for Livan. In seven outstanding innings of work, Hernandez surrendered only five hits and one earned run; his only blemish coming on a hanging breaking ball in the sixth inning to Hanley Ramirez taken just over the right field wall for a home run.

With his mother in the crowd, Adam Dunn shined at the plate. Dunn knocked three hits including an RBI single to give the Nationals a 2-0 lead in the third inning.

The Nationals would hold this lead into the top of the eighth inning, calling on Tyler Clippard to bridge the gap to closer Matt Capps. So far this season, Clippard has racked up innings out of the bullpen at a pace that would make “everyday” Eddie Gordado proud.

Clippard got off to an inauspicious start, however, on Sunday. Coming on with a runner on first, Clippard quickly found the bases loaded after allowing a no out single and walk. With the go-ahead run standing on second base, Jorge Cantu stepped to the plate with a chance to change the game. Sending a high fly ball to left field, Cantu was able to tie the game with a sacrifice fly.

Clippard bore down and showed why he is an early candidate for National League reliever of the year with one out and runners on first and second. Striking out the dangerous Dan Uggla and retiring John Baker, Clippard shut the door on the Marlins in the eighth.

With one out and none on Josh Willingham turned on a hanger high in the zone, sending it into the visitors bullpen in the left center field power alley; putting the Nationals on top 3-2.

That’s where things would remain as Matt Capps came in and retired the Marlins one-two-three to pick up his National League-leading 13th save of the season.

With another series win under their belts, Washington is continuing to play strong fundamental baseball in early May. Though improbable, don’t count the Nationals out as a contender for the NL East crown come September.

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