and all the Nats have dealt has been a player that can be very useful for 2 more seasons. Not that I totally mind the deal, but I’d like to see more to aid in the rebuilding. Here are some other guys that could be moved:
1 Paul Lo Duca – The guy wants to catch, would be happy to leave to a contender, his cell phone is TOAST, and he can still hit a little bit. With Posada unable to sit behind the dish until at least 2009, the Yankees are desperate for a catcher, and Lo Duca can provide more offense than Jose Molina. Plus, if they believe in that leadership sort of thing, maybe they want this guy to help inspire them to the playoffs. Although that’s stepping on the captain’s territory, it may not go over so well. Gary Sheffield and David Wells aside, the team tends to believe in being very boring when talking to the media, saving tirades and inspirational talks and all that stuff for closed door, inside the clubhouse sort of thing. Regardless, Lo Duca is one of the few available catchers that can actually start without being a total drag on the offense. My bet is that this is who the Yankees end up getting to fill in for Posada.
2, 2a Tim Redding and Odalis Perez – Tim’s pitched more than 6 innings exactly 3 times this season, his ERA isn’t great, and his ratios aren’t the prettiest things. But he also has pitched well enough to keep the Nats in games for most of his starts, and the team is 15-6 in games that he starts. If not for the putrid offense, would probably be at least 10-4 instead of 7-4. He has some value on the market, and is one of the two starting pitchers that would make sense in a trade. Odalis is the other one, and, despite his 3-7 record, he has a better ERA than Redding. At 3.99, that first number may entice some GMs. His freedom at the end of this season hurts his trade value as much as Redding’s, but he has shown more consistency than Tim this season. The chances of moving either these guys is probably under 50-50, but since they are gone at the end of the year anyway, really any fair deal may be worth it.
3 Ronnie Belliard – Ronnie is 33, he signed through next season at just under $2M, so despite the uproar about the wisdom of signing him “long term”, it’s really not much at all. Since he’s come back from injury on June 10th, he is hitting .252/.352/.514 with 7 HRs in 128 PAs. His bat still works, and there are definitely some teams out there that could use him. A team with money who don’t have someone that can both hit and play second base could really use a guy like Belliard. Playoff contenders that fit this description include the Dodgers, the Mets, and a team Belliard won the WS with, the Cardinals.
4 Willie Harris – While the MASN crew may think this is blasphemy, Harris may be of use to some teams. I don’t know that there is much to get in return for him, but his value is probably at an all time high right now. Personally, I think he’s the kind of guy that can really help a team, including the Nats, so I have no problem keeping him. But he is 30, and if someone will give you an actual prospect for him, take it. I don’t expect a trade to get done here, and I’m ok with that.
5 Felipe Lopez – Oh, if only…