Nationals starters lead MLB in everything from ERA (3.21) to wins above replacement (10.7) to average fastball velocity (93.6 mph), but the team’s decision makers are eyeing rotation help all the same. The Nationals are exploring trades for starters, including Ryan Dempster, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports.
Zack Greinke of the Brewers, who was nearly traded to Washington following the 2010 season, and Francisco Liriano of the Twins are among the other potential targets for the Nationals, Rosenthal reports. Meanwhile, the Braves, Tigers, Dodgers and Red Sox are among the other clubs pursuing Dempster.
The Nationals’ interest in adding pitching depth makes sense given the team’s stated intention to limit Stephen Strasburg’s innings. John Lannan is an internal candidate to start for Washington if GM Mike Rizzo doesn't find any deals to his liking.
The Nationals are also seeking an everyday catcher, and Ramon Hernandez of the Rockies is one of their potential targets, Rosenthal reports. Wilson Ramos is out for the season, so the Nationals have been relying on Jesus Flores and Jhonatan Solano behind the plate.
If the Nats plan to stick with the plan to limit Strasburg’s innings, they’ll have to add a sixth man to the rotation. Why not then make him a once-a-week pitcher, starting him every Friday (or Saturday or Sunday) the rest of the season? Davey can fill the gaps accordingly.
A 6 man rotation hasn’t worked well for them in the past. IINM Zimmermann especially suffered from the change in schedule, so it’s probably not something they want to consider. If they bring in another starter, expect Detweiler to be stashed in the bullpen until Strasburg’s shut down IMO.
What is “IINM?”
If I’m not mistaken.
This, America, is what I mean when I say that we need to stop making everything into an acronym. I feel like I have to relearn English to communicate on the Internet.
Stop making everything into an acronym.
Or, as the kids say, SMEIAA.
They need to do something to where he can pitch in the playoffs. That should be their goal. If they have to trade for a guy like Dempster, then shut down Strasburg until September to manage it, do it. They need him.
I was about to say, why not go to a six man rotation? Why waste the prospects trading with the Cubs for Dempster unless the Nats decide to go all in this season. In a few years Giolito will be close to the majors and this guy has ACE written all over him. Pair Strasburg and Giolito and you have a nasty nasty rotation. They just need to be patient. Limit Strasburg’s innings, pitch counts, go with a six guy (lannan). Save Strasburg’s arm in case they make the post season.
El Cubbies have a few extra catchers, maybe it’s time for Geo to move on in a package deal?
Soto is hitting a respectable-for-a-catcher 236/300/436 since coming back from his injury. You could do a lot worse.
But we can have Clevenger and Castillo platoon behind the plate and send Geo to the Nats. I’m not downing Geo for any reason. He’s a great catcher, but I think the Cubs have seen enough of his injury issues. He has yet to return to his 2008 Rookie of the Year form and, while he is making progress, I don’t believe he’ll be back to normal by the time the Cubs intend to contend. Here comes the hate for mentioning the Cubs being contenders in the future, but believe it or not, they will eventually be contenders, well within the next 5 years. Geo isn’t part of the long-term solution behind the plate for us.
Nats might already be over their Geo/Gio quota between Gonzalez and Giolito, though…
I’ll dog Soto for being an expensive, mediocre option at C for 2013.
I wasn’t saying the Cubs should keep Soto. I was saying he’s playing a little better of late, so maybe they can get something for him, instead of having to practically give him away.
I want Castillo to be the starter because of his defense, he has an absolute gun behind the plate.
Boston is willing to trade Shoppach.
Dempster and Soto to the Nats for Anthony Rendon? maybe a few other minor league guys exchanged also from both sides? I could see this happening.
You really think the nats will shut down strasburg at 160 innings? I think that if the nats are in the thick of it they won’t think of shutting him down, although i think it would have better better idea just having him pitch 90 pitches every game. So he is fresh longer.
I think they would be better spending their time pursuing a betterleadoff hitter / 2B. Jackson, Strasburg, Zimm, and Gio is more than enough in the playoffs.
Given that they have said repeatedly that they will shut Strasburg down after 160 or so innings, and given that they said the same thing about Jordan Zimmerman last year, then followed through… yeah, that’s pretty much exactly what I think will happen.
Well, the key differences are that:
1. Strasburg is the staff ace/anchor.
2. The Nationals weren’t serious contenders last season, so when Zimmermann’s time came, they werent’ palying for anything.
I am wondering if they’ll cut him off, then reactivate him for the playoffs.
Isn’t that the riskiest option of all, from a health perspective?
That’s debatable, I guess. How often do pitchers get hurt, sit out for a couple of months healing, then come back perfectly fine? Dempster’s doing that right now, and pretty much every major pitcher in baseball has done the same. I wouldn’t think that giving him rest would do damage more than overworking him (potentially).
He’ll go over 160 but not by much. At this point if the Nationals don’t shut Strasburg down their credibility is going to take a hit it might not be able to come back from.
Plus the most innings Stras has ever thrown is 123. It’s a lot to ask a guy to go from 123 to 200-240 innings.
Credibility? Who will be upset if they decide to go all in with Strasburg? Frankly, I think the Nats need to stop babying the guy and let him pitch.
You need to ease players into workloads like that. The Padres didn’t with Latos, and he had a meltdown at the end of the season, then got hurt. Considering the fears over Strasburg’s delivery, easing him in is the best move. Next season, they’ll turn him loose.
Had he not torn his UCL in 2010, he would have likely been good to go in 2011 for a 180-inning workload, then he’d be limitless this season.
I think the Nats are still looking at the big picture while realizing they can win it all this year. I doubt they’ll shutdown Strasburg but slowing him down might be a good option if they can get a reliable starter.
How about Lannon for Colon? That could work.
Makes ZERO sense for the A’s. I think the A’s are happy with what Colon has done and I doubt Lannan would do better. If the A’s were to move Colon, i’d imagine it would be for younger players.
Dempster would be the best option in my opinion, and likely cost less than Greinke or Garza would.
Definitely, but don’t be surprised if the Cubs also try their best to play you and the Braves off of one another for a better return.
The best part is that the Cubs have Garza AND Dempster to move. Everyboady can be happy!
Especially the Cubs, assuming they play this right.
Dempster & Soto to the Nats for Lannan, A+ catcher David Freitas, and AA lefty Daniel Rosenbaum. Similar in some ways to the Sean Marshall to Reds trade. Gives Cubs a replacement for Dempster which they need, and two decent but not top level prospects. Dempster will help get the Nats into the postseason & they’ll have Soto around past this year with something to prove.
What would a team hoping to next contend in 2014 want with a guy making $5MM to stink in up in AAA who’s only under control through 2013?
The Cubs aren’t competing in 2014. If they believe that, then we’re doomed to repeat the Hendry process, as they’d have to go spend a bunch of money to be close to contention by then. It’s unlikely Soler, Szczur, Almora, or any meaningful pitcher is ready by then. Baez might be ready mid-season.
Unless the Cubs either make a killing off of Soriano, Dempster, Garza, Soto, and others with upper-minors prospects with high ceilings, 2015 is the earliest thy’ll be anywhere near relevant, and that’s if things work out well.
Well Sour, Freitas is a pretty good prospect, not a top 10 guy, but a good hitter so far (none of our catcher prosepcts can match him with the bat) and Rosenbaum is a lefty & has been pretty successful at AA and again is more of a top 20 guy than top 10, and Lannan can take Dempster’s spot now, and we’ll see if he can be reborn into something they can trade next year. Or like Travis Wood, turn into someone they can keep who is also a 27 year old lefty, which Theo & Co. are looking for a little bit. Is that clear enough? Dempster is not going to bring back a huge haul, he just isn’t.
Man, so many teams in on Dempster! As a cub fan, I hope we deal him while the interest is so high; I live in fear he makes one more start then gets hurt!
I don’t think they’ll start him to be honest.. the smart move would be to trade him now while his unbelievably high value stays the same. Teams will be willing to risk a few top to mid level prospects on a guy that could help them secure a WS ring this year.
James Shields makes the most sense. He has two years (club options) left on his deal. The Nats get a replacement for Strasburg this season and let Edwin Jackson leave next (while obtaining a first rounder for him and netting 2 mil since Shields will only make 9 mil in 2013)
What is wrong with Flores and Solano? We’re already overloaded at catcher next year when Ramos comes back and I don’t think we’re going to get a catcher that much better than Flores/Solano for 2012.
There’s a reason Solano was 3rd in line to get called up. He shouldn’t actually be on the major league roster.
Is his defense that bad? Because his slash line is .294 / .333 / .559. That’s pretty good for a catcher. In fact, that’s HOF for a catcher. (Only 34 AB’s, I realize, but he hasn’t done anything to lose the job).
I have been a Flores fan forever, but if you look at his stat line realistically you will see a below average ML catcher. He can’t hit or throw people out… but he does block balls well (so I guess that is a plus). I have no problem relegating him to the bench at this point in the season.
The caught-stealing rate isn’t a reflection of the catchers, it’s a reflection of the pitchers. Nats pitchers simply are not holding guys on this season.
That said, while Flores has been admirable behind the plate he’s been inadequate at the plate, and shouldn’t be playing every day. I don’t like Solano’s defense (blocking) enough to say the Nats shouldn’t be shopping hard for a catcher.
Steve Lombardozzi, Anthony Rendon, and John Lannon for Greinke… the Nats infield is set for YEARS to come, and Greinke could slide into the #3 spot in the rotation… move Detwiler back to the pen, cut Wang, and your rotation going forward would be Gonzalez, Strasburg, Greinke, Zimmerman & Jackson… in a word, DOMINANT!!!
not gonna happen bud
What about the part where strasburg is done with 40 games left in the season?
Twins aren’t trading Liriano or Willingham… so get over it!
Chill out