Kuzul

Why should the Boston Red Sox continue to try and finalize a contract with a doomed Mike Napoli when there are better options on the table? That’s right, they shouldn’t.

It’s now been over a month since Boston agreed to a three-year deal with Napoli. That agreement still hasn’t been finalized or officially announced. Whatever the Red Sox are trying to put into Napoli’s contract should he get injured clearly isn’t floating his boat.

The Red Sox were given a gift of finding out that Napoli had red flags in his medicals before officially putting him on the books and yet they continue to try and work things out. It’s time to stop these negotiations and move on to another player who can play first base each day.

Boston failed to land Adam LaRoche, who re-signed with the Washington Nationals on a two-year deal. The Red Sox were probably reluctant to give up a draft pick and draft money if they signed him, but he’s no longer an option so cross him off the list.

But LaRoche’s signing does impact the Red Sox in a different manner. With Washington bringing LaRoche back to play first base, that leaves Michael Morse without a spot in the everyday lineup.

Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post writes that Morse is pretty much a goner:

Adam LaRoche’s agreement with the Nationals today, coupled with an outfield chocked full of players whose contractual rights with the Nationals control for years to come, leads to the clear conclusion that Michael Morse is the odd man out and will almost certainly be traded before the Nationals report for spring training in a five weeks.

Morse hit .291/.321/.470 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI in 102 games with Washington last season. He mainly played the outfield for the National League East champions in 2012, but first base was his primary position the year prior.

Is that or is that not exactly what the Red Sox need?

There’s a major void at first base with Mauro Gomez the only option outside of finalizing the Napoli deal. Neither of those are good options at the moment. Morse has a power swing that would work out nicely at Fenway Park and he could play first base nearly every day.

Morse could also be used as the fourth outfielder, mainly playing instead of Jonny Gomes when facing right-handed starters. Gomes has a career .732 against right-handed arms whereas Morse has a career .830 OPS against them. In this situation, Gomez would fill in at first base when Morse shifts to the outfield.

The great part about trading for a guy like Morse is that it won’t be nearly as expensive as signing Napoli to a three-year deal.

Amanda Comak of The Washington Times reports that with LaRoche coming back to Washington, the asking price on Morse could drop:

 

For what it’s worth, back around winter mtgs, heard #nats asking price on Morse was significant. Not surprising. We’ll see if it drops now.

— Amanda Comak (@acomak) January 8, 2013

 

Obviously this would bode well for Boston as giving up as little as possible would be what the Red Sox would look to do. This comes especially since Morse is only under contract for one more season and is not guaranteed to sign a long-term extension.

Jim Bowden of ESPN reports what the Nationals are most likely looking for in exchange for Morse:

 

Nationals looking for LH relief help and/or prospects to help replenish farm system in a Michael Morse swap according to #Nats source

— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) January 8, 2013

 

Last time I checked, the Red Sox had a surplus of left-handed relievers. Franklin Morales is probably the most valuable between himself, Andrew Miller and Craig Breslow and could be a player Washington would want in return. Do the Red Sox absolutely need to keep Morales? No, they don’t.

Boston also has plenty of decent prospects that they could part ways with. Dealing someone like Morales and a prospect in exchange for a player who absolutely fills the biggest void on the team doesn’t sound like that bad of a deal.

By acquiring Morse, Boston has the capability of either signing him to an extension or letting him walk in free agency and seeing how the market looks.

Boston was going to give Napoli $39 million over three seasons and for all intents and purposes, let’s assume that he would earn $13 million per season. That would mean that Boston would save $6.5 million in 2013 and as much as $32.5 million should they go with Morse over Napoli.

Morse has been banged up in his career too, but isn’t nearly as big of a concern as Napoli currently is.

The smartest move Boston could make this offseason would be to forget about Napoli and do its best to pry Morse from Washington. 

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First, it was Scott Hairston.

Then, it was Vernon Wells and even Lance Berkman.

Now, there’s a new name that has entered the Hot Stove of rumors involving the New York Yankees.

With a little over a month to go until pitchers and catchers report, the Yankees’ search for a bat continues.

Wallace Matthews of ESPN has reported that the Bombers are interested in acquiring Michael Morse from the Washington Nationals.

 

Yankees interested in Nats‘ Morse, sources say espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/s…

— wallace matthews (@ESPNNYYankees) January 8, 2013

 

Morse became expendable after the team acquired Denard Span from the Minnesota Twins and re-signing Adam LaRoche to a two-year deal this week.

With Span, Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth, the Nationals’ outfield got overcrowded with Morse.

If the team didn’t re-sign LaRoche, the team could have transitioned him to first, but his re-signing took care of that, which put Morse on the trade block.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports also tweeted that there are several teams in on Morse, which also includes the Yankees.

 

Source: #Nationals speaking to 5-6 teams about Morse. Earning $7M this season, then eligible for free agency.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 8, 2013

 

Jim Bowden of ESPN said that the Nationals are looking for a left-handed reliever and/or prospects in any deal involving Morse.

 

Nationals looking for LH relief help and/or prospects to help replenish farm system in a Michael Morse swap according to #Nats source

— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) January 8, 2013

 

In 102 games for the Nationals, Morse hit .291 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI while playing first base and both left and right field in 2012.

If the Yankees did get Morse, they could use him as a fourth outfielder and also as a DH since nobody is in that spot due to Raul Ibanez returning to the Seattle Mariners as a free agent.

If the Yankees have the chance to land Morse, they should make the move, as it would only add $6.75 million of salary for 2013.

However, with other teams vying for Morse as well, it’ll be interesting to see if the Yankees can land him or someone else beats them to the punch.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

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After insisting on a three year deal but ultimately failing to land one, first baseman Adam LaRoche agreed to resign with the Washington Nationals for a two year deal with a mutual third year option.

Now that the Nats have a permanent solution at first base and a full outfield after trading for Denard Span, it appears Washington is ready to field offers for Michael Morse.

Morse enjoyed a solid 2012 season, batting .291/.321/.470 with 18 home runs. Hitting at least .289 in each of the last three seasons, Morse could certainly add a middle of the order bat to a team seeking an offensive upgrade.

For a team like the Tampa Bay Rays that struggled offensively while third baseman Evan Longoria dealt with a hamstring injury for most of the season, Morse could help in this area.

The Rays ranked just 27th in the MLB in batting average. While the Rays did acquire some decent players via trade and free agency, a combination of Yunel Escobar, James Loney and eventually Wil Myers won’t propel their offense to the top of the league this coming season, especially given the departures of B.J. Upton and Jeff Keppinger.

Tampa Bay also lacks a true power bat in their lineup. Last season, first baseman Carlos Pena and Luke Scott failed to fill this clear void, and the need still exists. While Morse’s 18 home runs last season are solid, he is only one year removed from hitting 31 homers. If he can return to form at Tropicana Field, the Rays would be a considerably improved team.

Therefore, it makes sense to add another bat. With a free agent market largely picked over at this point, Tampa Bay may look into upgrading their lineup through a trade, and Morse would certainly be on their radar.

Defensively, Morse is capable of playing several positions. While he is considered a poor defensive outfielder, he could fill in from time to time when necessary. He could also play first base, especially against left handed pitching, as Loney hit just .217 against left-handers last season and .218 for his career. Against right handers, Morse could act as a designated hitter given the fact that Loney hits a career .287 against right handers.

The Rays truly value this type of versatility. Looking at their roster, players like Ben Zobrist and Ryan Roberts who are capable of playing several positions fit well in Tampa Bay, as manager Joe Maddon routinely tweaks his lineups for each situation.

The only drawback to acquiring a talent like Morse is his contract. He makes $7 million next season, which is considered costly for a team like the Rays. Because he only has one year left on his deal, he would likely depart after the season.

Morse would be a great fit, but because he only has one year left, it is vital that the Rays don’t overpay to acquire his services. Given the fact that Tampa Bay just dealt James Shields and Wade Davis to the Kansas City Royals, the Rays have to be careful about trading too much pitching, especially with Cy Young winner David Price likely leaving sooner rather than later. The Rays would be smart to acquire Morse, but only at the right price to ensure that a strength doesn’t become a need.

General manager Andrew Friedman has already made a few trades this offseason and is always looking to improve his ball-club. At the right price, Morse would be a great short-term addition to a squad desperate for a power hitter.

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The American League East is the most competitive division in baseball. From this division, the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles made the playoffs last October. The Tampa Bay Rays came up just short in their playoff push, but have competed for the division crown in each of the past five seasons. With the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox improving their rosters dramatically this offseason, there’s an argument that any of these five teams can win the division this season. 

The Yankees enter the 2013 MLB season with a bunch of question marks. Amazingly, it’s not just their pitching that should make them worried. It’s the bottom of the lineup. Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson taking up the first five spots in the lineup is still an elite top of the order. After that, it gets ugly rather quickly. 

Their biggest offseason acquisition, Kevin Youkilis, is expected to bat sixth. Sure, everyone remembers Youk’s abysmal start to last season with the Red Sox that got him traded. However, people don’t realize that he wasn’t much better with the Chicago White Sox. His batting average improved by three points (.236 from .233 as a member of the Red Sox) during his time in Chicago. His on-base percentage last season was .336 (.346 with the White Sox), which was by far Youk’s worst output in his career. Let’s also not forget that he hasn’t played more than 125 games in a season since 2009. 

Infielder Eduardo Nunez, rookie catcher Austin Romine and left fielder Brett Gardner are the final three spots in the lineup. Nunez and Gardner are good for steals, but those three guys will not intimidate pitchers at all. And Nunez is the Yankees designated hitter! I don’t think the Yanks will be able to win the AL East this season with a bottom of the lineup as inexperienced and offensively limited as this one. 

So what should the Yankees do? The smart and obvious answer is to acquire Michael Morse from the Washington Nationals.

After signing Adam LaRoche to a two-year deal, the Nationals have a logjam of position players. They have LaRoche as their starting first baseman, along with Bryce Harper, Denard Span and Jason Werth roaming the outfield. This means that they have no room for Morse in the lineup. 

Morse is a great fit for the Yankees for several reasons. One of them is because of his weak glove. Teams love Morse’s bat, but they will shy away because of his fielding. Morse is not a strong outfielder, as proven by his advanced defensive stats. 

However, he would be a huge improvement over Nunez as the Yankees designated hitter. The past three seasons, Morse has accumulated 1,194 at-bats for the Nationals. His .296 batting average, .516 slugging percentage and .861 on-base plus slugging percentage would give the Yankees a huge boost in their lineup. This guy has a plethora of natural power, and he would give the Yankees another offensive threat that they really could use. 

Another reason why Morse makes sense for the Yankees is his contract. As evidenced by their lack of spending this offseason, the Yankees have made it a priority to be under the luxury tax by the start of next season. Morse is a free agent after the 2013 season, so he would actually would not hurt the Yankees’ monetary restrictions.

Now, how can the Yankees acquire Morse? The Nationals lineup and starting rotation is loaded, so they won’t have any interest there. But, their bullpen is lacking left-handed relievers. The Nationals lost three of them this offseason, including late-inning lefty Sean Burnett and long reliever Tom Gorzelanny. In fact, the only lefty reliever they currently have on their roster is Zach Duke. Not the guy I would want to face left-handed batters in tight situations.

The Yankees have two lefties in their bullpen, Boone Logan and Clay Rapada. Now, I doubt the Nationals would accept either of these guys straight up for Morse in a trade. But, if the Yankees add a middle-tier prospect, I think the Nationals pull the trigger. Washington will not re-sign Morse after this season, so why not get value for him that will help the team in the short-term and long-term? 

Trading for Morse is the type of move that could enhance the Yankees’ playoff hopes significantly. It helps the bottom of the Yankees order and it gives them a legitimate designated hitter. He can even play first base whenever Mark Teixeira needs a day off. All I know is, Morse is probably the lowest valued impact bat that the Yankees can acquire. But that bat would make the Yankees the favorites in the AL East again. 

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The Washington Nationals and first baseman Adam LaRoche have agreed on a two-year deal (via the Washington Post). The terms are not yet known, though the initial offer was believed to be roughly around $25 million.

This signing should force the Nationals into making another move this offseason: the likely trade of Michael Morse, who suddenly is forced out of an everyday job with LaRoche manning first base and a probable outfield trio of Bryce Harper, Denard Span and Jayson Werth in Washington.

Though the 30-year-old—who will turn 31 prior to the start of 2013 season—has a rather short MLB track record, Morse does provide the trade market with an affordable and viable power bat from the right side of the plate.

Morse’s best season was in 2011, when he batted .303/.360/.550 with 31 home runs with 95 runs batted in.

While there could be a throng of competition for Morse’s services—who has one year left on a two-year extension he signed last winter valued at $6.75 million—the Kansas City Royals should attempt to enter the fray.

Though the Royals appear committed to Jeff Francoeur in right field this season—especially after trading top prospect Wil Myers this winter—trading for Morse would be an immediate upgrade for this team.

Francoeur is coincidentally owed $6.75 million in 2013 as well.

Kansas City seemingly has enough of what the Nationals would require in return: bullpen help and prospects to help restock their cupboard in the farm system.

Though it would probably take the Royals unloading Francoeur—either in an impossible trade scenario given his contract and production, or releasing him outright—the chance to add Morse to a group that has the potential to be one of the better offenses in the American League should at least be mulled over by general manager Dayton Moore.

Kansas City has taken their shots this offseason by bolstering their starting rotation. The additions of James Shields and Wade Davis (acquired in the Myers’ trade with the Tampa Bay Rays), and Ervin Santana, along with Jeremy Guthrie being retained, should signal a marked improvement in the team’s starting pitching.

However, those moves should be regarded more as a means to an end rather than the climax of what the Royals are seeking to accomplish.

Bringing Morse on board would only add to a very strong offseason in Kansas City and help expedite the turnaround of this once proud franchise.

Follow Jeremy on Twitter @KCPopFlyBoy.

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The Washington Nationals have been struggling all season through injuries and having players step up when key pieces go down in their lineup. Michael Morse, who began the season on the DL, is now facing another injury after getting plunked in the hand on Friday night.

Morse, who is hitting .286 with 12 home runs and 45 RBI, appeared to be in serious pain after taking the pitch to his right hand. According to Mark Zuckerman of CSNwashington.com, X-rays after the game revealed that there was no break in his hand.

Manager Davey Johnson told reporters (h/t Patrick Reddington, federalbaseball.com), “He’s got a bad bruise, but hopefully he’ll be alright in a few short days.” Although Davey is optimistic, a loss of Morse for even a few games still has to be concerning.

The Nationals lead the Atlanta Braves by 6.5 games but have never been tested down the stretch, let alone missing an intricate part of their offense. Morse has been their power threat for two seasons, and a loss of Morse at this point of the season could certainly cost the Nationals.

With the lead at 6.5 games, even losing Morse for a few games could be devastating. Should Morse miss three or four games and the Nationals lose the majority of those games, then the Braves would be in a position to make a surge for first place in the NL East. 

The Nationals are in a position to either let the Braves hang around or deliver the finishing blow over the next few days. The task will not become easier without Morse in the lineup, and the next few days could very well prove whether or not Washington is up to the task of running away with the East or wavering when times get tough.

From what we have seen from the Nationals this season, it should not be surprising if they continue to find ways to persevere; after all, they do boast the best record in MLB.

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Initial reports on Michael Morse suggested that he would be able to return some time in June, while the slugger’s own comments suggest that he’ll be ready to go by June 1.

If he’s healthy, then the Washington Nationals need to get him back on June 1. The offense has been struggling mightily lately, and the pop that he’ll be able to provide will definitely prove helpful.

In Friday night’s game against Baltimore, Edwin Jackson tossed a gem. He went eight innings while allowing just one run.

Unfortunately, the Nationals were only able to score one run as well, so he was given a no-decision.

The Baltimore Orioles ended up winning in the 11th on a Nick Markakis homer.

Starts like Jackson’s should never go wasted, although this isn’t the first time it’s happened in Washington this season.

The pitching staff is fantastic, but the offense generally fails to hit when it counts.

There’s no doubt that the addition of Morse can help that problem. Last season, he broke out in a huge way, putting together a line of .303/.360/.550 with 31 home runs and 95 RBI.

Throw those numbers into the middle of a lineup that already features a scorching hot Adam LaRoche, a consistent threat in Ryan Zimmerman and a young up-and-comer in Bryce Harper, and the Nationals would appear to be set in the offensive category.

With Morse back in the lineup, the Nationals will continue to roll and win games against the National League’s toughest teams—a category in which their team is now being tossed around. 

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Trips to Miami have been less than stellar for the Washington Nationals, and through the first two of a three-game set against the Marlins, nothing has changed.

The Nats blew leads on consecutive nights and were up against Florida ace Josh Johnson in the series finale. A Marlins’ sweep looked about as likely as Pudge Rodriguez hitting into a double play.

Somehow the Nats kept pace with the big hurler, driving up his pitch count (translation: striking out a bunch), and forcing him out of the game after 6 innings. And wouldn’t you know it, the Nats pulled it out in 11 on a two-run jack by Adam LaRoche. 

In any other year, the Nats lose that game in devastating fashion, and they lose about seven more in a row after. Things are different this year.

Will it result in 85 wins?

No.

But you won’t see any of those 10-game losing streaks this year, and that’s a start.

Let’s get on with it…

Recap

The Nats did well to split their three games this week after dropping the first two. Tuesday, poor defense led to an extra-innings loss to the Fish. The Nats blew a four-run lead Wednesday, but came back to beat Florida in extras on Thursday. On Friday, Pudge came through with a two-RBI single to beat the Mets. New York came back Friday with a win to set up the rubber match Sunday, which the Nationals took in 11 innings.

Game of the Week

Thursday’s 5-3 win over the Marlins

As I mentioned above, if the Nationals lose this game, they go into a tail-spin.

The fact that they won on a day where Josh Johnson was starting, and the Marlins got out to a early two-run lead makes it all the better. Jayson Werth’s solo shot to cut the lead was huge, not only for Werth’s confidence—which has to be suffering after a tough start to the year—but also the Nationals season. Up to that point, the Nats had yet to get a hit off of Johnson, but that hit showed them they could score off the Cy Young contender.

Player of the Week

Tyler Clippard (4 G, 6.1 IP, 8 K, 1 H, 2 BB, 0.00 ERA)

Let’s ignore the fact that Jim Riggleman is running this guy into the ground already (6.1 innings in a week?) and just focus on how brilliant Clippard has been. Whenever the Nats need a strikeout, Clippard gets it. Without Clippard, I’m not sure the Nats win a game this week. He is easily the MVP of the team through two weeks.

Dud of the Week

Mike Morse (2-14, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 4 K)

I had high hopes for Morse coming into the season, as did every Nationals fan after his amazing performance in spring training, but it appears Morse left his swing in Viera. With Zimmerman facing a possible stint on the DL, it is imperative for Morse to find his swing and fast.

This Week on a Scale of 1 to 10

I’m giving the game this week an eight. Wins in Florida are not easy to come by for the Nats, and coming back after a disappointing loss Saturday to take the series in New York was huge for the team’s confidence going forward. And they’re going to need it with Zimmerman possibly out for a couple of weeks.

Random Diatribe of the Week

The Nationals bullpen has been a revelation in 2011. Unfortunately, they may not be around for much longer if they continue on this pace. Drew Storen and Clippard have combined to pitch 15 innings in only nine games.

The Nationals have to find another arm out of the pen they can trust. The Nationals can officially call up players they sent down to start the season on Sunday, which means Colin Balester, who pitched well enough to make the club out of camp, may be on the way.

Henry Rodriguez, who hit triple-digits on the gun last year with Oakland, pitched well in his minor league rehab assignment. Help may be on the way and the Nats need it.

NL East Power Rankings

1. Philadelphia Phillies

If the Phillies ever vacate this spot, I’d be surprised. The Phils overcame a six-run defeat at the hands of the Mets to reel off four out of five to end the week.

2. Atlanta Braves

They’re last in the standings, but that will happen when you play the Phillies. There’s no doubt, they’re No. 2 with a bullet

3. Washington Nationals

The Nats, Mets and Marlins have all played each other with each team coming out of it 3-3. The Nats go on top because they played every game on the road.

4. Florida Marlins

Hanley Ramirez has to start playing like a franchise player if the Marlins expect to flirt with 80 wins.

5. New York Mets

A promising start to the week went up in flames as the Mets lost four out of their last five to end the week.

Up next for the Nats: Jayson Werth and the Nats get their first crack at the Phillies before the Marlins come to DC for the weekend.

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It’s time to do a little Washington Nationals housecleaning today and cover a few things that I haven’t had time to cover in any great detail.

Well, that’s not true of course. I’ve covered all of this in great detail. But let’s cover it some more, shall we?

Adam LaRoche and first base: Once Derrek Lee signed his one-year, $8 million contract a few days ago, it seemed obvious that it was just a matter of time before Adam LaRoche signed with the Nationals. Two teams needed a first baseman and there were two decent first baseman still available.

However, the clock continues to tick and the Nationals still don’t have a first baseman. Both sides believe they hold all the negotiation cards and are not budging one bit. The team won’t give LaRoche a three-year deal because they are the only team that wants him and LaRoche won’t budge because he knows that the team faces a public relations nightmare if they begin the 2011 season with Casey Kotchman at first base.

I think LaRoche is going to get his third year, though probably as a team option with a hefty buyout. In the end, both teams need each other and all the stupidity on both sides won’t keep this deal from getting done.

Carl Pavano will choose between the Twins and Nationals: As things stand today, Washington’s offer is bigger but Pavano would rather return to the Twins. So it becomes a matter of money. If money doesn’t matter, he’ll re-sign with Minnesota. But if it does, he’ll join Jayson Werth in Washington because he, like Werth, took the biggest offer.

My question is if the Nationals “win,” who loses their spot in the rotation? John Lannan, Jordan Zimmermann and Jason Marquis are safe. But the team has several young starters who need to be vetted. Are they going to be quality starters? There is only one way to find out.

Livan Hernadez is certainly not a “young starter” but he was the team’s best pitcher in 2010, winning 10 games and finishing the season as the only starter with an ERA under 4.00. He was sturdy and durable as always, pitching over 200 innings for the 10th time in his career.

So unless he implodes in spring training, he has to own that fourth spot in the rotation.

Even if Pavano doesn’t sign with the Nationals, that leaves only one spot in the rotation for Yunesky Maya and Ross Detwiler. Maya, a Cuban defector, is considered a certain number-three starter. And Ross Detwiler—the sixth overall pick in the 2007 draft—has shown enough in 24 career starts to justify a make-or-break chance to join the rotation.

And what about J.D. Martin, the 27-year-old former first-round pick who has a career 4.32 ERA in 24 starts while allowing just 2.5 walks per nine-innings? His 4.13 ERA last season was third best among the 11 pitchers who started more than four games.

And the Nationals re-signed Chien-Ming Wang last month because they have every reason to believe he will return to the major leagues sometime in 2011. Wang told the China Times over the weekend that he expected to return no later than May. With the exception of 2009 (his surgery-shortened season), Wang has averaged 14-5, 3.79 over four years with the Yankees, including back-to-back 19-win season in 2006 and 2007.

If he is 100 percent, or close to it, then Wang has to be added to the rotation.

It makes no sense to add a 35-year-old to the rotation and block Martin, Detwiler and Maya as well as essentially giving up on Chien-Ming Wang.  Here’s hoping that Pavano choose comfort over dollars and remains with Minnesota.

Who’s in left? As mentioned in several other stories, I think that Michael Morse should be the team’s every day left-fielder. Over his career, he’s averaged .291-20-85 over 162 games and last season hit 15 home runs in just 266 at-bats.

With the exception of one month, Roger Bernadina had a horrid 2010 season and yet manager Jim Riggleman has said over and over that he intends to platoon Bernadina and Morse in left. And now they have added Rick Ankiel, who in 2007-2008 hit a combined .270-36-110 in 585 at-bats, roughly a full major league season.

In the last two seasons, however, he’s hit just .232/.298/.388 with 17 home runs and 62 RBI.

Like in any job, you are judged not on what you have done but what you are doing now. That especially applies to car salesman and baseball players.

My guess is that Morse will be buried in the depth chart until management realizes that mediocre players—Bernadina and Ankiel—don’t make a mediocre team better. If Morse plays every day, he could hit .280-20-80 and give the Nationals two solid corner outfielders.

But I wouldn’t count on the team having that personnel epiphany until later in the season.

That’s a big relief: For the first time, the Nationals will have a truly effective relief corps. Here are the seven likely pitchers who will comprise the bullpen:

Cole Kimball: 8-1, 2.17, 5.7/4.5/11.6, 18 saves (minor leagues)

Doug Slaten: 4-1, 3.10, 7.5/4.2/8.0

Colin Balester: 0-1, 2.57, 6.4/4.7/12.0

Sean Burnett: 1-7, 2.14, 7.4/2.9/8.9, 3 saves

Tyler Clippard: 11-8, 3.07, 6.8/4.8/11.1, 1 save

Drew Storen: 4-4, 3.58, 7.8/3.6/8.5, 5 saves

Henry Rodriguez: 1-0, 4.55, 8.2/4.3/10.5

If the team’s starters can just give the Nationals five or six good innings every night, the bullpen has the talent to help win a lot of games.

I think the Nationals are slowly coming together as a team. No, they aren’t going to contend in 2011 though they might—or might not—come within a few games of .500. That said, they certainly have enough quality young players to make a run towards respectability.

That’s why it is terribly important not to block the kids with potential from the major league roster because some guy near retirement has in the past not sucked some of the time.

I’d rather watch one of Yunesky Maya and Ross Detwiler succeed and the other fail then not see either of them get the chance.

Thanks, Zack! Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman reported on Sunday that not only did Zack Greinke turn down a trade to the Washington Nationals last month, he turned down a guaranteed multi-year contract extension as well.

I am so grateful that the 26-year-old saved the Nationals four top prospects and conservatively $40 million, perhaps more. You see, Greinke has pitched in seven major league seasons and had one outstanding year—in 2009—when he won the American League Cy Young Award.

In the other six seasons, however, his average season was just 10-13 with a 4.28 ERA. Over that same period, the Nationals Livan Hernandez averaged a record of 13-13, 4.37.

Last year, Hernandez had a record of 10-12, 3.66 while Greinke finished at 10-14, 4.17. Greinke made $7 million last year while Livan made less than a tenth of that.

No, Livan Hernandez is not as good as Zack Greinke. That’s what makes their similar records so disconcerting. There is just no way that Greinke was worth four prospects, especially if one of them was Jordan Zimmermann.

Sometimes, the best trades are the ones that are never made.

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