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• Nats' Rizzo not looking for scapegoats

  May 24, 2011 by KenRosenthal

  Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo says there is only one problem with his club.

  “We’re playing terrific baseball except for the fact that we’re struggling with runners in scoring position,” Rizzo says.

  Entering Tuesday, the Nats ranked 23rd in the majors in runs and 26th in batting average with men in scoring position. At 21-26, they were in last place in the NL East.

  Rizzo, though, does not appear to be looking for scapegoats.

  

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  The team clearly misses third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who has appeared in only eight games and is not expected back from abdominal surgery until mid-June.

  And while the Nats have yet to exercise their 2012 option on manager Jim Riggleman, Rizzo says he is satisfied with both Riggleman and hitting coach Rick Eckstein.

  On Eckstein: “He prepares players well. They work extremely hard. It’s up to the players to perform.

  “The performance level with runners in scoring position hasn’t been good. But it’s not due to any lack of work, caring or trying. It just hasn’t happened yet. But I think we’re getting closer and closer every day.”

  On Riggleman: “I like the way we’re playing. We’re playing clean baseball.

  “Am I happy with the won-loss record? No. But I think it’s really based on us not hitting with runners in scoring position, getting the big hit. I hope that turns around. We’re played good enough baseball to be way better than our record indicates.”

  The Nationals recently lost struggling first baseman Adam LaRoche, who has a torn labrum in his left shoulder. But they activated outfielder Rick Ankiel on Tuesday, and it’s possible Ankiel will be an option at first, along with Michael Morse, Alex Cora and Matt Stairs.

  Rizzo says he is “very happy” with the team’s three young up-the-middle players – catcher Wilson Ramos, second baseman Danny Espinosa and shortstop Ian Desmond.

  All have been slumping offensively.

  “They will go through peaks and valleys,” Rizzo says. “But one thing I’ve witnessed: They could easily take their offensive woes to the defensive side, and that hasn’t happened. Quite the opposite has happened. These guys have played very well defensively.

  “We still feel very good with our young core of players. They’re getting valuable experience now in the big leagues and we’re going to be better for it.”

  — Ken Rosenthal

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• Pirates not eager to move Snyder

  April 27, 2011 by KenRosenthal

  One would think the Pirates would be eager to move Chris Snyder, a part-time catcher earning $5.75 million.

  Think again.

  The Pirates like Snyder’s presence, game-calling and receiving ability. Snyder is off to a better offensive start thanks to a dramatic increase in his batting average on balls in play. And the Diamondbacks paid $3 million of the $8.19 remaining on Snyder’s contract when they traded him to the Pirates last July 31.

  Put it all together, and the Pirates’ asking price will be higher than what most teams will be willing to meet for a backup catcher, according to major-league sources.

  Snyder, 30, is among the names on the Red Sox’s potential wish list, along with free agent Bengie Molina and Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez, sources say. But the Sox’s interest almost certainly would diminish if the Pirates wanted a significant return.

  The Nats could pose a similar problem with their demands for Rodriguez, who is rapidly losing time to Wilson Ramos. But the Red Sox eventually figure to act on their catching needs. Jarrod Saltalamacchia has struggled both offensively and defensively. Jason Varitek, who has started six of the last 10 games, is only 3-for-30 on the season.

  Snyder batted just .169/.268/.298 in 142 plate appearances after joining the Pirates last season, but his .186 BABIP was a strong indicator that he hit into poor luck.

  His much-improved numbers this season — .333/.387/.407 in 32 plate appearances — reflect, in part, a spike in his BABIP. Of course, Snyder’s current .474 mark will be almost impossible for him to sustain.

  — Ken Rosenthal

   

   

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• Nationals: Seeking help in center

  April 18, 2011 by KenRosenthal

  Center field was a glaring need for the Washington Nationals before they traded Nyjer Morgan in March, and it remains a glaring need both short and long term.

  The Nats are set in right with Jayson Werth, who is signed through 2017. They should be set in left with top prospect Bryce Harper, who could arrive as soon as next season.

  Center, though, currently belongs to Rick Ankiel, who profiles more as a platoon player against right-handers than a regular.

  The Nats, who rank 14th in the NL in OPS from center field, are searching for potential upgrades, major league sources say.

  Club officials are mixed on Roger Bernadina, who is playing every day at Triple-A. Bernadina, like Ankiel, is a left-handed hitter. Jerry Hairston, a right-handed hitter, is capable of playing center but is off to a poor offensive start.

  Expect the Nats to be linked to any and all available center fielders. In a perfect world, they would acquire the Rays’ B.J. Upton, who hails from the same part of Virginia as Nats third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.

  The Rays, though, will not entertain moving Upton unless they fall out of contention. If that happens, the Nats hardly will be the only team interested.

  Upton, earning $4,825,000 in 2011, can become a free agent after the 2012 season.

  — Ken Rosenthal

   

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• Time for Mauer to change positions?

  April 15, 2011 by KenRosenthal

  The debate over Joe Mauer’s future at catcher almost certainly will revive now that the former MVP is on the disabled list with bilateral leg weakness.

  

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  If the Minnesota Twins want to move Mauer to another position, next offseason probably would be as good a time as any.

  Third base would be a possibility if the Twins are uncertain about Danny Valencia as a long-term solution. But Mauer’s more logical destination would be the outfield, where the Twins already are dealing with a number of moving parts.

  Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel are eligible for free agency after this season. Delmon Young will be entering his final and most lucrative year of arbitration. Two prospects, Ben Revere and Joe Benson, are expected to be ready for the majors soon.

  The Twins, if they lost both Cuddyer and Kubel, could use Young in one corner and Mauer in the other. They also could trade follow a similar blueprint if they traded Young and re-signed Cuddyer and/or Kubel.

  Another possibility would be to play Mauer in center and move Denard Span to a corner. Mauer’s leg issues likely would ease if he no longer were catching. Scouts say he has the speed and instincts to play center.

  The Twins’ depth and flexibility in the outfield also would help in their search for a catcher to replace Mauer. The team could build a package around Young, Span or one of its outfield prospects.

  One move the Twins might now regret: The trade of catcher Wilson Ramos to the Nationals last July for reliever Matt Capps. Ramos is off to a hot start, and Nationals officials believe he could develop into an All-Star.

  — Ken Rosenthal

   

   

   

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• Nationals facing numerous decisions

  March 22, 2011 by KenRosenthal

  The Nationals are a team to watch as the spring draws to a close. The team is trying to trade Ivan Rodriguez to clear the No. 1 catching job for Wilson Ramos and also faces decisions on outfielders Nyjer Morgan and Roger Bernadina, major-league sources say.

  

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  The thinking on Rodriguez is that he might be unhappy in a backup role. The Red Sox are among the clubs that the Nationals contacted about a trade, but the Sox are content with Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jason Varitek, sources say. The only catcher the Sox want to add is a veteran who could provide insurance at Triple A.

  The Nationals might prefer a third catcher, Jesus Flores, to start the season at Triple A; one rival executive says that Flores, coming off a right-shoulder injury, still isn’t throwing well. So, if the Nats traded Rodriguez, they might need to find another veteran catcher to back up Ramos.

  Meanwhile, the competition in center field remains intense. The Nats could end up using a platoon of Rick Ankiel, a left-handed hitter, and Jerry Hairston, a switch-hitter. If that happens, both Morgan and Bernadina will be squeezed; the Nats plan to keep veterans Matt Stairs and Laynce Nix as bench players, sources say.

  One area of concern for the Nats is the bullpen; Drew Storen, the projected closer, has an 11.74 ERA in seven appearances this spring, and the team now plans to use a committee to protect late-inning leads.

  Righty Henry Rodriguez, obtained from the A’s in the Josh Willingham trade, has struggled but is out of options. Righty Brian Broderick, a Rule 5 pick from the Cardinals, has allowed just one run in 12-2/3 innings.

  — Ken Rosenthal

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• The Orioles' newest helper: an old friend

  February 28, 2011 by KenRosenthal

  The other day at Washington Nationals camp, infielder Jerry Hairston volunteered that Baltimore Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds was going to have a big year.

  I couldn’t figure out the connection. Hairston and Reynolds have never been teammates. But Hairston told me they share the same offseason hitting coach: Brady Anderson.

  Yes, that Brady Anderson, the former Orioles slugger who hit 50 home runs in 1996 but not more than 24 in any other season.

  Anderson, 47, is now a spring-training hitting instructor with the Orioles and also works privately with players in Los Angeles during the winter.

  

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  Reynolds became a pupil of Anderson’s even before the Arizona Diamondbacks traded him to the Orioles on Dec. 6. They not only worked on Reynolds’ swing, but Anderson also prescribed a conditioning program for Reynolds that included sprints and weight work.

  Reynolds batted .198 in 2010 with a .320 on-base percentage and .433 slugging average, career lows in each category. He had 32 home runs and 211 strikeouts in 499 at-bats.

  “Obviously, he had an off year last year,” Anderson said. “But even when he hit 44 homers (in 2009) . . . because of his strikeouts, he gets negative attention that is unjust in my opinion.

  “I’ve talked to some managers he played for. This guy is a really good fielder. He is a really low-key but hard-nosed player who is willing to work and a really good teammate.”

  So, might Reynolds indeed be a different guy this season?

  “Absolutely,” Anderson said. “I think he’s comfortable with his swing. Last year, he just felt he was out of sync. I know what it’s like to feel out of sync. Certain hitters, like Manny (Ramirez) and Robinson Cano, never really get out of sync. They’ve had the same swing since they were teenagers. They mastered their skills earlier.

  “It’s such a hard skill. A hitter knows his swing is off when he steps into the batter’s box. And when you know your swing is off, it’s hard to focus on the most important thing — getting a pitch to drive, seeing the ball.”

  Jim Presley, the Orioles’ new hitting coach, will be the instructor who works most closely with Reynolds this season. But if Reynolds bounces back, give Anderson an assist, too.

  — Ken Rosenthal

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• Nationals in serious talks with free agent LaRoche

  January 03, 2011 by JonPaulMorosi

  A deal between the Washington Nationals and free agent Adam LaRoche wasn’t in place as of early Monday evening, but one person with knowledge of the talks said confidence is growing on both sides that the first baseman will end up in D.C.
  
  “It’s such a good match,” the source said.
  
  The Nationals covet LaRoche’s left-handed bat as a way to replace Adam Dunn. LaRoche is the best all-around hitter among the available free-agent first basemen, left-handed or otherwise.
  
  Similarly, the Nationals represent the best fit for LaRoche in the National League, where he has played for all but six games of his big-league career.
  
  LaRoche is coming off a season in which he batted .261 with 25 home runs and 100 RBI in 151 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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• Dodgers sign Redding to minor-league deal

  January 03, 2011 by JonPaulMorosi

  The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed right-handed starter Tim Redding to a minor-league contract, a source told FOXSports.com.
  
  Redding, who turns 32 next month, has been invited to the team’s big-league spring training.
  
  In 2010, Redding went 8-5 with a 2.89 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) between the Triple-A affiliates of the New York Yankees and Colorado Rockies.
  
  Redding’s most recent big-league appearances came with the New York Mets in 2009. During the 2008 season, he threw a career-high 182 innings for the Washington Nationals.

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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• Webb: Rangers or Reds?

  December 26, 2010 by KenRosenthal

  For free-agent right-hander Brandon Webb, the choice isn't easy.

   

  Sign with the Rangers,whose team physician, Keith Meister, performed a cleanup on Webb's right shoulder in Aug. 2009?

  Or go with the Reds, whose pitching coach, Bryan Price, and trainer, Paul Lessard, both were with the Diamondbacks for much of Webb's tenure?

  The Reds' interest in Webb is not confirmed, but Cincinnati is the principal challenger to Texas, according to major-league sources.

  The Cubs and Nationals no longer are pursuing Webb, sources say - a development first reported by ESPN.com. The extent of the Reds' involvement with Webb is unclear.

  The team also is talking with free-agent outfielder Scott Podsednik and exploring possible upgrades over Paul Janish at shortstop. Webb lives in Kentucky, but the Rangers appeal to Webb for a variety of reasons, sources say.

  Manager Ron Washington and pitching coach Mike Maddux are strong selling points. And, while the Rangers' ballpark is hitter-friendly, the other AL West parks - Anaheim, Oakland and Seattle - are more favorable to pitchers.

  Webb pitched only four innings the past two seasons due to shoulder problems. Pitchers with shoulder injuries are considered high-risk by clubs. As one exec said Sunday, Mark Prior never recovered fully while Joaquin Benoit enjoyed a spectacular breakthrough last season.

  - Ken Rosenthal

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• Balfour: A free agent in waiting

  December 22, 2010 by KenRosenthal

  The Rays are losing one free agent after another — outfielder Carl Crawford, first baseman Carlos Pena, relievers Joaquin Benoit, Dan Wheeler and Randy Choate, among others.

  Closer Rafael Soriano almost certainly will be the next to depart. Reliever Grant Balfour probably is a goner as well. But there is a chance, however small, that Balfour could return.

  Balfour, 32, is a Type A free agent, and teams historically forfeit high draft picks for right-handed setup types only with great reluctance.

  Two similar pitchers, the Blue Jays’ Jason Frasor and Rangers’ Frank Francisco, accepted one-year, non-guaranteed contracts through salary arbitration rather than risk a limited demand on the open market.

  Balfour, however, rejected the Rays’ offer of arbitration, believing he would land a multi-year contract elsewhere.

  Chances are, he will.

  Twenty-one of the 30 clubs cannot lose a first-round draft pick for signing Balfour. The worst they could do was forfeit a second rounder.

  The Red Sox, Angels, White Sox, Phillies, Tigers and Nationals already have sacrificed first rounders for Type A free agents, and would lose only a second rounder for signing Balfour. The price could even drop to a third rounder if any of those teams added one of the other remaining Type As — Soriano, third baseman Adrian Beltre or right-hander Carl Pavano.

  The teams that finished in the bottom 15 of the overall standings last season also cannot lose their first-round selections for a Type A free agent. Those clubs, too, can sign Balfour and sacrifice only a second rounder.

  The Rays, then, need 21 teams to determine that Balfour is not worth the price of a second-round pick.

  Could it happen? Sure.

  Will it happen? Probably not.

  — Ken Rosenthal

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• The latest on Blanton

  December 22, 2010 by KenRosenthal

  Teams looking for starting pitching could do worse than Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton.

  In fact, Blanton isn’t all that dissimilar from free-agent right-hander Carl Pavano - but at 30, he is almost five years younger.

  The Phillies want to trade Blanton, who is owed $8.5 million in each of the next two seasons. Pavano likely will command a higher salary in a two- or three-year deal.

  Blanton rates a slight edge in career ERA and strikeout ratio, Pavano a slight edge in career WHIP and strikeout-to-walk ratio.

  Trade interest in Blanton could intensify once Pavano chooses his next team, most likely the Twins. The Nationals, one of the teams interested in Pavano, could attempt to obtain Blanton, and so might other clubs.

  The Phillies likely will not demand much in return for Blanton – their goal is to clear as much of his salary as possible after signing free-agent left-hander Cliff Lee to a five-year, $120 million contract.

  It is not out of the question that the Phillies will keep Blanton, whose durability would help protect them against injury to one of their top four starting pitchers.

  The team, however, will have almost no flexibility for trade-deadline acquisitions if Blanton remains on the roster, according to a source with knowledge of the club’s thinking.

  If the Phillies are going to act, they will need to move quickly. A spring-training deal would be unlikely; most teams’ budgets will be set by then.

  -Ken Rosenthal

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• Cubs, Rangers, Nationals show interest in Webb

  December 21, 2010 by JonPaulMorosi

  Free-agent starter Brandon Webb is drawing interest from the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals, multiple major league sources said Tuesday.

  Webb, 31, isn’t expected to decide on a team on Tuesday, one source told FOXSports.com.

  Webb won the National League Cy Young Award in 2006 but has pitched four innings over the past two seasons. He never has pitched for an American League club.

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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• After Greinke deal, Pavano-Twins reunion more likely

  December 19, 2010 by JonPaulMorosi

  Sunday’s trade of Zack Greinke to the Milwaukee Brewers makes it more likely than ever that Carl Pavano will re-sign with the Minnesota Twins.
  
  The Brewers had been in contact recently with Pavano’s agent, Tom O’Connell, but the Greinke trade satisfied their need for a top-of-the-rotation starter.
  
  Meanwhile, sources say the Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals – who had attempted to acquire Greinke – haven’t seriously pursued Pavano. (It’s possible they will change their approach and bid on Pavano now that Greinke is off the board.)
  
  The Twins have a desperate need for rotation help. Their lack of an ace was evident in their first-round playoff exit, and starters Nick Blackburn and Scott Baker underwent off-season elbow surgeries.
  
  Pavano, 34, led the Twins with 17 victories this year, while maintaining a 3.75 ERA over 221 innings.

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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• Sources: Marlins, Nolasco reach impasse in contract talks

  December 18, 2010 by JonPaulMorosi

  The Florida Marlins and right-hander Ricky Nolasco have arrived at a stalemate in negotiations for a long-term contract, major league sources told FOXSports.com.

  The impasse sets up a number of possibilities for Nolasco, who was 14-9 with a 4.51 ERA in 26 starts this year:

  — The Marlins and Nolasco agree on a one-year deal

  Nolasco, 28, is still in his salary-arbitration years, so the Marlins could simply allow that process to play out and retain his rights through 2012. He’s due to receive a raise on the $3.8 million he earned this year.

  — The sides compromise and sign a long-term pact

  There is still plenty of time for the parties to reach agreement. They have been exchanging three-year proposals, sources say.

  — The Marlins trade Nolasco

  Florida could deal Nolasco and still have a formidable five-man rotation: Josh Johnson, Anibal Sanchez, Javier Vazquez, Chris Volstad and Alex Sanabia, who had a 3.73 ERA in 15 games (12 starts) as a rookie this year.

  Clubs have been calling the Marlins in recent days to express interest in Nolasco, sources said. While it’s not clear which teams have contacted the Marlins, it’s well-established that the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals have been active in the trade market for starting pitchers.

  — Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal

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• Details on Greinke’s no-trade clause

  December 16, 2010 by JonPaulMorosi

  Zack Greinke's no-trade clause allows him to block trades to 15 teams. That list includes the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals, according to a major league source.
  
  However, Greinke could be traded to the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels or Detroit Tigers without his permission.
  
  The Kansas City Royals are open to moving Greinke, who has two years and a total of $27 million left on his current contract.

  The Nationals would like to trade for a starting pitcher and have shown interest in both Greinke and Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza.

  — Jon Paul Morosi

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