Kuzul

Adam Dunn has already made it clear that he wants to be a Washington National for this season and in the future. With the numbers Dunn is putting up, he’s showing how he feels on and off the field.

At this point in the season, it would be easy for Dunn to look at where the Nationals are and just coast through the rest of the season. Yet Dunn refuses to do so and continues to go out everyday and produce for the Nationals.

After Wednesday night’s game against the Diamondbacks, Dunn’s two-homer game made him the league leader in home runs. When you look at the names alongside Dunn on the list, you will notice guys like Pujols and Votto in the midst of a playoff race, being forced to produce to help the team.

In Dunn’s case, if he decides to check out for the rest of the year, it would go unnoticed. The Big Donkey continues to play hard and help the team win any way he can.

When you are the Washington Nationals, there are not a ton of players wanting to play for you, especially not guys leading the league in homers.

Although it is true that Dunn is asking for a big contract during a time when the Nationals are trying to sign top draft pick Bryce Harper to what would have to be a record contract, Dunn is definitely showing the Nationals his worth.

Dunn continues to have a career year for the last place Nationals, carrying a batting average 25 points above his career average as well as fielding the ball surprising well over at first base.

Although he continues to live up to his reputation of striking out an absurd number of times, Dunn still manages to post a respectable average.

Other players on the Nationals notice how valuable Dunn is to the team and love having him alongside them in the dugout. It’s hard not to like a guy putting up huge numbers and at the same time having fun playing the game.

When you watch the Nationals and Dunn, one thing you are sure to see is the big first basemen smiling and having a good time as he chats up opposing players or as he blows a bubble while sprinting into second base.

Looking at how well Adam Dunn has played this season, on top of the fact that he WANTS to be a National, the Nats should definitely sign him because with the rotation they may be able to throw next season, a guy like Dunn can go a long way toward bringing the Nationals closer to the playoffs.

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Celebrity gossip reporter, Perez Hilton, posted on his website that Alex Rodriguez broke a home run world record on Wednesday afternoon. (Sorry, I thought Perez Hilton breaking the A-Rod story is funnier and more entertaining then Peter Gammons doing so.)

Now, I am not breaking any news—neither is Hilton—but Alex Rodriguez, 35, smashed his 600th home run at Yankee Stadium.

With the blast, which was hit against Blue Jays pitcher Shaun Marcum, Rodriguez became the youngest player, seventh overall, in MLB history to hit 600 home runs.

What’s interesting about Rodriguez’s milestone, which is a major accomplishment, is nobody cares…well, at least not a lot—according to The Dan Patrick Show’s non-scientific poll on Thursday, 70 percent of listeners said they didn’t care.

On Thursday, sports talk shows talked about A-Rod’s dinger, his place in history, what No. 600 means nowadays, and steroids.

However, tomorrow, Brett Farve’s non-retirement retirement will be the headline on ESPN.

This wouldn’t be the case 25 years ago.

I have a mixed take on whether this is right or wrong.

On one side, I think it’s fair punishment for steroid users such as Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Rodriguez.

This is what happens when you get an edge. It’s much like LeBron James winning a title in Miami instead of Cleveland. Yes, LeBron’s chances of winning multiple titles are greater in a Heat uniform. But those six titles in Miami won’t equal the title he’d have earned Cleveland. LeBron’s edge with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh hinder the value of his possible titles.

The truth is, when people have to struggle to reach their goals, the satisfaction is greater.

Fans also appreciate milestones more when there’s nothing attached—just think of Craig Biggio’s race to 3,000th hits, which was hyped up during spring training, covered endlessly during the season, and celebrated for months after it was reached.

Biggio was the 27th player in MLB history to reach the milestone. A-Rod is the seventh player in history to hit 600 homers.

How much coverage did A-Rod’s race to 600 get during spring training? How much during the season? How much will it get after?

I follow MLB very regularly. I watch Yankee games consistently.

At around 599 is when I heard about A-Rod’s 600—unfortunately for Rodriguez, that was 46 at bats ago. The delay between 599 and 600 hindered the anticipation. By the time Rodriguez hit 600, New York fans were moving onto the AL East pennant race.

The truth: General baseball fans stopped caring about home-run milestones after Bonds and Sosa.

Which brings me to the other side of the story.

What happens when Jim Thome (39 years old, 577 HRs), Manny Ramirez (38 years old, 554 HRs), Albert Pujols (30 years old, 393 HRs) and, possibly Adam Dunn (30 years old, 344 HRs) march toward 600 then 700?

Do fans begin to switch opinions on home-run records?

Ramirez, who has been caught using steroids, is a bad example. Currently, Thome needs just 23 dingers, Dunn is on pace to hit more than 40 home runs for the seventh time in eight seasons, and Pujols will surpass 400 homers by season’s end.

It would be hypocritical for fans to support Thome, Pujols, Dunn, and not Rodriguez because we aren’t 100-percent sure if the threesome played clean. (It’s acceptable if a fan supports the three because they like them more than Rodriguez.)

Another interesting question is, if the trend of pitching continues will the value of the home run rise again?

From 1992-2009, hitters owned the game. This isn’t the case this season and some experts, like Sports Illustrated‘s Tom Verducci, thinks the trend will continue.

MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince wrote on Thursday, that Rodriguez could be the last to hit 600 homers:

“Rodriguez’s path, then, was a circumvented one, and it could be a long, long time before anyone comes within striking distance of 600 so quickly.

If Thome’s body holds up, maybe he’ll join the club. Ramirez might do it, too. But after that, the wait between entries could be a bit more in line with the historical flow, rather than the recent flood. Club 600 could become the little hideaway that it once was.”

The future will answer all of my questions.

I’ll admit, I’m would like to move past the PED era and root for hitters to silence critics during a pitching-dominant era, which I think will continue for many seasons.

However, I know in the back of fans’ minds—I’ll admit mine, too—there will be doubt about how many of Player X’s homers were legitimate.

The good thing is, time heals most wounds and, like any free market, the value of the home run will return.

Unfortunately for Rodriguez, his 600th came during a home-run market crash. He’ll need to hope that when 700 is in reach, the market returns and fans, once again, appreciate the milestone’s rightful value.

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Washington Nationals’ slugger, Adam Dunn, was placed on waivers today, and there is much buzz about teams potentially picking him up.

While the fact that Dunn is being put through the waivers process doesn’t necessarily mean that the Nats are willing to part with him, many teams have expressed interest in the first baseman.

Here are the top 10 teams that could add Dunn to their rosters.

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Buster Olney tweets that Adam Dunn has been placed on revocable waivers. He also says that Dunn won’t clear waivers because numerous NL teams plan to put claims on him, and if any team does claim him, the Nationals can pull him back.

As folks probably know by now, the significance of this is that if he clears waivers, he can be traded. Saturday’s trade deadline was the “non-waiver” deadline, and any player can still be traded if he passes waivers first at any time this season. Also, any player not on a 40-man roster can be traded, so any minor league prospects the Nationals wanted back for Dunn could still come over.

So basically this means the Nationals are doing their due diligence to be able to trade Dunn, in the event that they get an offer they like. And it doesn’t really even imply that the Nationals want to trade him, since players get put out on waivers so often. Jim Bowden used to try to send Ken Griffey through waivers every year, even in his prime.

The one thing about this that’s somewhat notable, if it’s true (and it might not be, since teams don’t have to report waiver moves), is that it means Dunn wasn’t sent through waivers earlier in the season. If I understand the rules right (and I might not—if anyone knows for sure, I know you’ll tell me in the comments), a player can be traded if he’d passed through waivers at any time in the season. And since they would have presumably had an easier time getting him through waivers earlier in the season, they may have foreclosed some options to make themselves better.

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Although the July 31st trade deadline has passed, teams can still try to pass players through waivers in hopes to make an August trade.

Here are five players that might be changing teams in the next few weeks.

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The non-waiver trade deadline has passed and the Washington Nationals have continued to accumulate critical pieces to their future championship puzzle.

There was no purge of all veteran players for prospects, but there were deft moves to acquire highly thought of prospects, including Wilson Ramos, and create major league openings for young talent already in their system.

Ramos, 22, was the top catching prospect in the Twins organization and only cost them an overachieving Matt Capps. Ramos helps the Nationals solidify the catching position and could arrive in Washington during September call-ups.

Although the Nationals already have Ivan Rodriguez mentoring their young staff and Derek Norris developing at minor league level, Ramos sheds some light into what Rizzo wants in his backstop. It would make great sense for Ramos to spend the next year or so picking Pudge Rodriguez’s brain about the art of catching.

For all the things said about Pudge, Rizzo should be applauded for recognizing Pudge’s ability to bring along a young staff. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the Nationals transition him to a coaching position within the next five years. His great understanding of the game would translate well into a solid managerial career.

The move, or lack thereof, that baffled many was the keeping of Adam Dunn. Dunn was rumored to be in several deals and at one point he seemed fated to go to the White Sox in exchange for the enigmatic Edwin Jackson. Instead Rizzo held on to his slugging first baseman with the hopes to re-sign him to a multi-year deal.

However, if Rizzo loses him during free agency the Nationals could receive to premium compensatory picks that could become future contributors for this developing powerhouse. The ultimate in terms of a win-win proposition one can find outside of a lopsided prospect package deal.

The Nationals also found a way to unload veteran Christian Guzman and continue to augment their pitching depth in the farm system. Guzman was set to be a free agent after this season and was most likely not going to be brought back or garner high quality draft picks via free agency.

Another key point was losing a bit of salary that will most certainly go into the Bryce Harper fund as the Nationals continue to negotiate with the powerful prodigy. With the Ramos trade, it also solidifies the organization’s stance that Harper’s future is as an outfielder and not a catcher.

With September call-ups a month away, it will be interesting to get a glimpse of future major league talent that could be apart of Washington’s ascension through the next levels on their way to being the top team in the NL East and a perennial championship contender. Names like Marrero, Zimmermann, Norris and Espinosa could surface on the big team. While others like Marquis, Walker, Martin, and Atilano try to prove healthy and could create some value as possible trade chips during the upcoming hot stove.

This could make the end of the season appointment television for both fans and scouts.

For hopeful devout fans and eager front-runners ready to reserve their seat on the Nationals freight train that is poised to roll through everyone shortly and for a better part of this decade, possibly the next as well.

Stephen Strasburg’s recovery will coincide with this potential unveiling of something special. His place on this team has been carved out and all the fans are waiting on is for the leashes to be removed so Strasburg can mow down opponents and claim his place baseball’s top pitcher. A title that can only elude his grasp if he suffers major injuries preventing him from reaching his considerable potential.

And the craziest thing is that this is all a prelude to the arrival of Bryce. Harper’s arrival may be a year or more away, but his shadow will loom over division foes like an hourglass counting down to the moment of truth.

The moment Washington is ready. A moment Rizzo has been carefully building to.

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The MLB “Non-Waiver” Trade Deadline has come and gone but another has yet to arrive, the August 31st Waiver Trade Deadline. This simply means teams can still trade players but with the requirement of placing their players on the waiver wire, which is pretty secret in MLB and often if a contract is too hefty a player goes free.

Last year the Chicago White Sox shocked the baseball world by claiming outfielder Alex Rios from the Toronto Blue Jays and his expensive contract, in the neighborhood of $50 million left on it and getting him with no trade whatsoever. This scenario is unlikely to happen this time around but I can tell you that there are a handful of players out there likely to clear waivers for postseason hungry teams needing a final piece in order to win and here they are…..

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Adam Dunn is still a Washington National.

With a half-dozen or more teams making offers for the slugging first baseman right up to the last moments of the July 31 trade deadline, General Manager Mike Rizzo decided on Saturday afternoon that doing nothing made the most sense.

Dunn made it very clear that he didn’t want to leave Washington and believed that a multi-year deal with the Nationals could be reached any time this summer, this fall, even after the season is over.

He wants to stay. Really.

To Dunn, it all seems like a no-brainer. “Make me a fair offer and I’ll take it” is the underlying tone in all of his comments.

But does anyone remember Alfonso Soriano?

Soriano came to Washington in the winter of 2005 with one year remaining on his contract but said many times that he would like to remain a National.

But by mid-July, Soriano was hitting .280/.353/.573 with 30 home runs, 60 RBI and 23 stolen bases.

He was probably the most sought-after player at the trade deadline.

Every day, Soriano came to the ballpark and told anyone who would listen that he didn’t want to get traded, that he loved playing in Washington, and that while he never said it in so many words, suggested that the Nationals were up for a home-team discount.

That was, of course, assuming he wasn’t traded.

And he wasn’t. And for the rest of the season, Soriano was a very happy camper, right up to the moment he signed an eight-year, $136 million contract with the Chicago Cubs just days after the beginning of the free agent signing period. He never even gave the Nationals a courtesy call.

So much for a home team discount.

Yes, the Nationals got a couple of compensatory draft picks the next season, and yes, one of them turned out to be Jordan Zimmermann.

But in 2007, The Nationals were a franchise bereft of talent and it had no hope of contending. They could wait a few years for those picks to develop and mature.

Not so any more.

Heading into this off-season, the Washington Nationals have enough starting pitching depth to field two quality rotations and could craft a third from their minor league system.

The difference between the current roster and a contending one in 2011 could be just a player or two. Wilson Ramos, the top catching prospect in all of baseball, fills one hole at catcher. Keeping Dunn could fill the other.

Now that the trading deadline has passed and Dunn remains a National, the team has only one real hope to keep the team on the cusp of contention next season: Sign Adam Dunn before he can become an unfettered free agent able to sign with any team.

If Dunn doesn’t sign in the next three months, he is going to become a free agent. The team can’t stop him.

They will have a couple of choices, however.

They can offer him arbitration. If Dunn accepts, the Nationals will have him under contract for the 2011 season with his salary determined by a mutually-agreeable arbitrator.

Dunn would probably make $15 million or so.

If he declined arbitration, the Nationals would then get the two draft picks, one in the middle of the first round and the other just after it.

But if the Nationals don’t want to take the chance of having Dunn accept arbitration (and have to pay him that kind of money), they would not make the offer and thus lose the draft picks.

There is no way that would happen. Not signing a player who says he wants to sign is one thing. Not signing him and then getting nothing for him in return would be disastrous for the franchise.

Mike Rizzo wouldn’t allow that to happen.

The sticking-point between team and player doesn’t seem to be money. Based on salaries of other slugging first baseman, $15 million per season is not outlandish and the team could both afford it and justify it.

No, the problem is in the length of the contract.

Sources say that Dunn is seeking a four-year contract and the Nationals don’t want to commit themselves for that long. He will be 34 in 2014 and the team worries that his hulking body might start to break down by then.

Some believe the Nationals are offering a two-year contract, hoping that the two sides could meet in the middle at three years, $45 million.

Dunn was 29 when the Nationals signed him two a two-year, $20 million contract. He was willing to sign for three years but the Nationals declined (that sure seems like a bad decision right now, doesn’t it?).

If a 29-year-old who had hit 40 or more home runs for five consecutive years couldn’t get a four–year deal, it is doubtful that a 31-year-old would.

If Dunn really wants to stay with the Nationals, he should accept arbitration and take the $15 million or so for 2011.

If all goes well, the Nationals will be close to contending next season and signing their star player to a three-year deal would be more palatable than it is now.

One year of arbitration plus a three-year contract gets him to his four years and $60 million.

I never believed Alfonso Soriano when he said he wanted to remain with the Nationals. This is a guy who went to Japan to begin his professional career so he could then return to the major leagues as a younger free agent and reap the financial benefits.

And that whole “I’m not taking the field if I have to play left field” thing sure didn’t impress me, either.

But Adam Dunn is a decent, honest man. I believe what he says. He says he wants to stay in Washington because that’s what he wants to do.

But he doesn’t want to be taken advantage of, either.

Here is his chance to prove it. Work out an agreement before testing the free agent waters. But saying you want to stay, and actually staying, are two very different things.

Your decision and your integrity will be weighed and compared to Alfonso Soriano.

Show Nationals’ fans that our appreciation for you as a person, and a player, are well-founded.

Sign the darn contract.

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11:00am CDT – Update on the three-team deal. The Padres would get outfielder Ryan Ludwick from the Cardinals, Jake Westbrook goes from the Indians to the Cardinals and the Padres would send one prospect each to the Indians and Cardinals.

10:58am CDT – Tom Krasovic reporting that the San Diego Padres are the third team involved in the Jake Westbrook deal with Jake Ludwick going to San Diego and Westbrook going from Cleveland to St. Louis.

10:57am CDT – Another deal I failed to mention from last night was the Yankees acquiring Austin Kearns from the Cleveland Indians.

10:56am CDT – Looks like the Adam Dunn deal to the White Sox is dead according to Joe Cowley.

10:52am CDT – Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com beat writer for the Cleveland Indians, reports that there is now a third team involved in the Jake Westbrook to the Cardinals deal. More details still to come.

10:51am CDT – The White Sox apparently called the Dodgers about acquiring Manny Ramirez. According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the White Sox wanted the Dodgers to pay all but $1 million of what was left of Ramirez’s contract with no player coming back.

10:49am CDT – The Arizona Diamondbacks still would like to move Kelly Johnson or Adam LaRoche according to Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports.

10:46am CDT – The San Diego Padres are apparently deep in talks with the Cardinals about outfielder Ryan Ludwick. The Padres have been in need of an outfield bat and his .281 batting average to go along with 11 home runs would fit the bill.

10:39am CDT – Let’s get to the news of the morning so far.

Adam Dunn is still a member of the Washington Nationals and apparently the White Sox are none too happy with how things have transpired thus far.

The Arizona Diamondbacks traded catcher Chris Snyder last night for cash and a player to be named later to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates say they have no interest in flipping Snyder to another team.

One deal this morning is close and it’s the St. Louis Cardinals who are very close to landing Cleveland Indians’ right-hander Jake Westbrook. Several sources are reporting it but the deal is not complete. Westbrook is scheduled to pitch for the Indians in a few hours from now so we’ll see what happens.

10:37am CDT – Good afternoon baseball fans and welcome to one of the most exciting days of the baseball season, maybe even more so than the All-Star festivities. It’s the trade deadline.

This is the day where all of us fans sit on the edge of our seats waiting to see what kind of deals our teams are going to make. We want certain players, we hear certain rumors, we get our hopes up, and we wait.

We’ll have all of the breaking news of the day and all of the rumors from now until the end of the deadline later this afternoon. So hang with us all day, join in on the conversation, and we’ll keep you up to date all day long.

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As the MLB trade deadline approaches, Twins’ fans are asking themselves, “What else you got up your sleeve, Bill?”

Minnesota GM Bill Smith acquired Nationals’ closer Matt Capps on Thursday for Wilson Ramos.

This shores up the bullpen and allows Jon Rauch to move back into the setup role. However, the Twins still need some help in the starting rotation.

With Justin Morneau’s slow recovery from a concussion, the team could use an insurance policy at first base.

Danny Valencia is on a hot streak, so the hole at third appears to have been plugged, at least for now.

Here are five players Smith should be making some inquiries about.

The closer we get to the deadline, the stiffer the competition for these players will become.

Lance Berkman: .296, 13 HR, 49 RBI

The Yankees, White Sox, and Rays are all interested in Berkman. Reports are the Yankees are close to a deal.

Although the 34-year-old, switch-hitting first baseman has not played outfield since 2007, he could add some flexibility to the Twins’ lineup, allowing Michael Cuddyer to move back to right field.

His salary at $14.5 million may be a little steep for the Twins, but with a club option for 2011, he could be a half-year rent-a-player.

Adam Dunn: .277, 24 HR, 64 RBI

According to trade rumors, the same teams are looking at Adam Dunn.  Perhaps Smith can put together another deal with Washington GM Mike Rizzo.

The 30-year-old left-hander would immediately provide another power punch to the lineup for skipper Ron Gardenhire.

Having played outfield as recently as last year, this move would provide the same flexibility as Berkman. With his power in the lineup as the DH, Jim Thome could be on the bench as a capable pinch-hitter.

With a slightly lower salary at $12 million, and the fact he is a free agent at the end of the year, he would certainly only be a Twin for a little more than two months.

Scott Downs: 2.34 ERA, 42.1 IP, 35 Strikeouts, 10 Walks

The Twins have been talking to Toronto for the 34-year-old left-hander. With the trade for Capps, this talk may be slowing down.

With the promotion of Brian Duensing to the starting rotation, the Twins could use another left-hander from the bullpen. Downs currently leads the Toronto bullpen with a 2.34 ERA and a 1.016 WHIP. Only Duensing had better numbers for the Twins’ bullpen.

Paul Maholm: 4.52 ERA, 6-9 Record

As I wrote last week, the 28-year-old left-hander had been under most teams’ radar.

Not anymore.

The Padres and Dodgers are interesting in acquiring the starter from the last place Pittsburgh Pirates.

He averages less than one home run per nine innings pitched, and a $5 million salary is not out of reach for the Twins.

Brett Myers: 3.10 ERA, 8-6 Record

The Twins were never serious contenders for Roy Oswalt. Perhaps Smith can find a way to get Houston GM Ed Wade to move another starter from the Astros’ rotation.

With his $3.1 million salary, Brett Myers may be the best starter this year for the Astros.

At 29, Myers is only three years Oswalt’s junior.

A free agent at the end of the season, Myers could be a decent rental player, with an opportunity to sign to a long-term contract.

He compares favorably with the Twins staff, with a 8-6 record for the fifth-place Astros.

The Chicago White Sox have been rumored to be interested in Myers.

The acquisition of Capps was a decent move for Smith, but if this team wants to get past the divisional round of the playoffs, they will need to step up and pull off a deal.

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