SB Nation - Ivan Rodriguez

Washington Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo Talks Hot Stove With Rob Dibble.

Ed Chigliak — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:33:37 -0000

More photos » by Haraz N. Ghanbari - ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo is rebuilding the team this winter and finding that players want to be part of the process of putting together a winner in DC. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

Browse more photos »

A few hours after introducing Jason Marquis to the nation's capital's press corps, DC GM Mike Rizzo phoned in to MASN TV Analyst Rob Dibble's XM show, "The Show" with Dibble and his co-host Jody McDonald to discuss the signing of free agent pitcher Jason Marquis and the other moves the Nationals have made (so far) this winter:

Rob Dibble: Mike, great job by you, but as soon as you sign somebody, then you hear the Yankees make a trade for Javy Vazquez, you just have to shake your head sometimes?

Mike Rizzo: "The Yankees are a terrific franchise, and they have depth in the organization, and that's what everyone is trying to build, depth in the organization, and depth means, they'll help you in the big leagues, your own players help you in the big leagues, but they also help you obtain players through trades, and deals like that, so, yeah, they're terrific and they do a great job over there, (NY GM Brian) Cashman's one of the best in the game, but the other teams are trying too and we're out to get' em, the World Champs, so we're always out to beat them..."

Jody McDonald: Mike, what was it about Jason Marquis that attracted you, that you targeted him and said alright there's a guy that can we can use as a veteran for our staff?

(cont)...

Mike Rizzo: "Well, certainly his track record speaks for itself, he's one of the most consistent starting pitchers in the last six years that there's been, you know, he takes the ball, he averages 29 or 30 starts per season the last six years, and he's one of ten pitchers in the major leagues, the entire major leagues, that has been in double digits wins in the last six seasons, and he ranked fourth this year in wins and innings pitched, and he's just a terrific character guy which is an important thing for me in the clubhouse, and I think a guy who's young enough at the age of thirty-one, but also has the veteran presence to help our real young staff, and those are some of things that appeal to me, I like the person that he brings, his competitiveness and his playoff experience."

Rob Dibble: And that World Championship when he was with the Cardinals and also postseason experience, and he talked about it in our open, we played a clip from the press conference today, Mike, where he talked about, listen, I want to do things that hopefully will rub off on the younger players, and that's exactly what I think the Nationals and yourself and Stan Kasten and the Lerners have been going for, first with Ivan Rodriguez and now getting Jason Marquis, and you said, you're building up from the ground up, obviously you guys are rebuilding the minor leagues, you got a lot of great evaluators and scouts here in the offseason, but landing a big name free agent in Ivan Rodriguez has led to some really good things for you?

Mike Rizzo: "I think it does, I do believe Washington is a place that players are beginning to want to go to, I think that players that really are fans of the game, that understand what's going on here in the Nationals, they see that it's going in the right direction, they see that the things we're trying to accomplish, not only for 2010, but for 2010 and beyond, and believe me, we've had a share of good veteran major league players, established major leaguers that have chosen to make Washington, D.C. their home, when they had options to go to just about any other major league city in baseball and they chose to come to Washington, and it's a great thing..."

Jody McDonald: Mike, we know that Marquis was not the only veteran starter that you talked to, you talked to several others and eventually got a deal done with Jason, is there a chance that you'll sign another veteran starter before Spring Training rolls around off the free agent market?

Mike Rizzo: "Well, we're trying to acquire several players, we've got several holes that we're trying to fill, starting pitching was obviously our number one, the thing that we tried to fix, and we're not finished yet, we still have a lot of moves to do to get to where we want to be as a franchise, but we're certainly looking towards 2010, but I also always have an eye toward 2010 and beyond, so we're going to be active in the market, be it the free agent market, the trade market, waiver claims, any which way that we can acquire the talent that brings us to become a viable championship type of organization and franchise, we're going to do it, and the Lerners have given us the resources to go out and play in the free agent market, in the international market, and in the trade market, where a trade such as Brian Bruney, we picked up salary with him, but we thought it was a trade we couldn't afford not to make."

Rob Dibble: Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that, I've learned an awful lot about baseball through you in the last year, especially having control over younger players, and Bruney's got a pretty big price tag, especially for the Nationals, but you're willing to take that risk and make a trade, explain maybe to some of the listeners how you like picking up the Nyjer Morgan's and the Sean Burnett's and guys like that and now other teams are calling you to try to pick up their contracts and pick up them as players, why do you like having control of the younger players, and like you said having the pieces to also deal with, that's something that the Yankees and clubs like them even the Red Sox, that's one of their trademarks, whereas now...years past, they'd give up everyone in their minor leagues, now they're acquiring as many guys for the minor leagues so they can turn around and trade them later?

Mike Rizzo: "Like I said in the opening, that's the way of building a championship organization, you know you get an inventory of good minor league talent and they either help you by performing for your club in the major leagues or by packaging them together and getting even a better established major leaguer to help you in a more short term, but control of the players is a vital ingredient to planning long-term with your ballclub, because when you have control of the player, you have some cost certainty and you also know the player's going to be with you for a certain amount of years, where you don't have to worry about losing them to free agency or for them to be too expensive in arbitration and that sort of thing...and often you can get a good deal on a player because he's going to arbitration and the team that has the rights to him wants to move him because they don't want to go to arbitration with them and pay the arbitration rate, they'd rather trade him off and getting a younger, farther away from the major league piece, but a much more inexpensive piece."

Jody McDonald: Mike, we know in June you put together your quote unquote "board", when you go through a amateur draft and you add a ton of talent to your organization from the high school or collegiate level, I'm sure you have something similar when the season ends when it comes to free agents, guys who are out there, guys who are available, filling holes and positions that you need, but then even at that there is additions to that board, and that would be a guy like Matt Capps who some people didn't expect to be non-tendered by the Pirates, but that's exactly the way it came down, how do you factor him in to a board that you've already put together, could a guy like Matt Capps help your bullpen at a stage like this?

Mike Rizzo: "Well, speaking about the board and the preferential order that that's in, that's always a very open-ended conversation, because I often control the magnets, and I put the magnets in whichever way I want, and that controls the board. So, uh, Matt Capps is a, you know, he's a guy we've talked about over the last year, and was a guy that I had inquired about in the trade talks earlier in the season with Pittsburgh, we've always liked him, we like his make-up on the mound, he's a twenty-six year old guy that's had success as a closer, coming off a year that he obviously feels was a down year for him, but a year he also had 27 saves, he's a guy, he fits our age parameters, that can grow with the club, a 26-year-old guy that we would control for another two seasons before free agency, and a guy that has good stuff, like I said, coming off a down season, but with some history of success, you know, some upside to him..."

Rob Dibble: My final question is, are you able, at this point you've been around the game for so long, your dad also, and trying to smell out the guys that are just using the Washington Nationals and yourself to kind of get more bargaining power toward other teams, are you able to see who the real players are and the people who are interested in the Nationals and the guy that just want to have that as part of the, oh there's five teams interested in my guy?

Mike Rizzo: "I think that some of that goes on, you know, it's hard to kind of gauge sometimes if you're being played just as a pawn to get more money from another team, but I try to consider myself as a good sense of a person with a judge of character and I deal openly and honestly with the player's representatives, and expect to be treated the same way in return, and we don't just stop with the agents, we certainly use all our entities and if we see a relationship that some player on our team that we feel speaks our language and speaks for the organization, I often have them if they've played with the player before if they have a relationship with them, I'll have one of our players, or one of our coaches, or our manager give the player a call just to show our interest and gauge their real interest in it, and there's a lot you can tell from that, and you have to have some street smarts about it and see if you're being played and if you are then I think you have to realize that, go in a different direction and get the players that really, really want to play in Washington, we find there's more and more of those types of players out there that really see Washington as a good destination as an up and coming franchise and as someplace that they want to be and they want to be involved in this thing because they feel that we're going in the right direction, we're going to be a winning franchise in the very near future and they want to be a part of it, and it starts with guys like Adam Dunn and signing Ryan Zimmerman long-term, and then you go out and you draft and sign a Stephen Strasburg and then all of a sudden a Hall of Famer, Pudge Rodriguez wants to come to you and wants to be a part of the action here and then a pitcher, Jason Marquis, and it goes on and on, I think there's a domino effect, there's a synergy that's going on, people see we're running in the right direction and I think it kind of takes a life of its own, and we're fielding calls on people who want to come here and have legitimate interest in become part of the Nationals' family."

Are Ed Wade and Brian Cashman on the same page?

DyingQuail — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:48:00 -0000

More photos » by Billy Smith II - AP

This is the face of a man who knows he still has two more years to phone it in.

Browse more photos »

A lot has been made today of the importance of Javier Vazquez's contract. Vazquez comes to the Yanks at one year and $11.5 million dollars. Thus, many have speculated that all signs point to the fact that Yankees' GM, Brian Cashman, is setting himself up to shed payroll at a time when a bountiful crop of FA talent opens up on the market and Cashman can open up the Steinbrener's coffers. Think Joe Mauer catching Sabathia and Burnett, while batting in front of, behind—or whatever—of A-Rod and Teixeria. And that just would be the tip of the iceberg.

A lot has been said of the saviness of the Vazquez trade for Cashman precisely because of this (also because: how in the hell do you trade away the league leader in xFIP, who only makes $11.5 million, for Melky Cabrera?). Savvy moves by a GM. That's really not something I have heard said of a Houston GM in a long time.

Seriously, think about our signings.

Even the ones that turned out well were ridiculued at the time. Arbtration decisions? Caustic reactions. Last offseason? Splash signings of Jason Michaels, Ivan Rodriguez, and a trade that saw Drew Sutton depart for Jeff Keppinger. The year before? Kaz Matsui at three years and $16.5 million dollars. Don't forget the Miguel Tejada trade on the eve of the Mitchell report, or how much the Brad Lidge for Michael Bourn swap made your head explode throughout 2008. Even if the Valverde trade wasn't bad, by the time all was said and done, our farm system was pretty much desolate and people hated it. 2007? You have to love an offseason that sees Drayton McLane run Andy Pettitte out of town and bring in Carlos Lee and trade for Jason Jennings and sign Woody Williams to a two year deal on the basis of his ballpark enabled late-career-peak-season at Petco. 2006? Preston...ok, I'll stop.

The point is there hasn't been an offseason move, in awhile, in Houston that had a majority of pundits, fans, etc. all agreeing that a Houston Astros GM did something pretty savvy. This offseason has been no different. Painfully so, at times, actually.

But then, in the wake of the Vazquez for Cabrera hubub, it dawned on me: Ed Wade is stacking his chips up for 2013, just like Cashman is for 2011. The following players are off the books, if we want them to be, after 2012: everyone making anything meaningful in the way of salary. Carlos Lee, Brandon Lyon, Kaz Matsui, Roy Oswalt (could take a reduced buyout and walk away after 2011), Lance Berkman (technically his contract is out in 2011). Left on the books (hopefully, due to some "the time is ripe" extensions): Wandy Rodriguez, Hunter Pence, Jason Castro, Bud Norris, Feliepe Paulino, Wesley Wright, Sammy Gervacio, Chia Jen-Lo? Jordan Lyles? Jiovanni Meyer?! That entire combination costs what? $20-25 million to field? Throw in the likelihood of new ownership and there could easily be a $90 million pot of gold at the end of the hot stove rainbow.

I'm not trying to suggest that Wade should let Oswalt and Berkman walk away. In fact, he shouldn't. The point is, Wade came into Houston two years ago with no payroll flexibility and no farm system. In two years, Ed Wade could have an absurd about of payroll flexibility thanks to Bobby Heck, and co.'s farm system. All of this because Ed Wade hasn't signed anyone to a contract that impinges on the magical offseason of 2012.

That's right, there's method to the maddness...possibily.

Does that excuse the iffy of signings, or moves, that Wade has made? No. But Ed Wade won't be searching for guys on the fringe at that point. He'll targeting the top tier free agents. Whatever kind of analysis he's using at that point, it's hard to botch those (unless we through Prince Fielder a Carlos Lee type deal*). Depending on what happens in the next CBA, he probably won't even have to worry all the much about losing a ton of draft picks.

It's like a perfect storm. Ed Wade will get to put the garnishes on a team that he'll have worked for four years to make salvagable. The meat and potatoes will be the guys he's hung onto and the guys he's drafted. I'm almost ready to purchase my 2013 playoff tickets.

Of course, the problem with thesis that Ed Wade has been patiently playing the fool and/or just kind of screwing around for four years to set up a blockbust 2012 offseason has one flaw: it could be what the Mayan's were predicting would bring on the apocalypse. Can you imagine an entire slew of FanGraphs articles praising Ed Wade? Thinking about that possibility has more more convinced that the Mayans might have it right.

*I have no idea who exactly will and won't be in the 2012 Free Agent class, but Prince Fielder just fit the range and weight of the analogy I needed to make.

Washington Nationals Sign Jason Marquis...Matt Capps Next?

Ed Chigliak — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:52:52 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

These two will be teammates in twenty-ten! The Washington Nationals signed Jason Marquis to a 2-year deal on Monday, (pending a physical), and they're still talking Matt Capps! (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Browse more photos »

• So...I was wrong about Jason Marquis feigning interest in the Nationals to force the Mets' hand...I'll admit it. The Washington Nationals signed the 31-year-old right-handed free agent this afternoon to what is reportedly a 2-year/$15 million dollar deal (pending a physical). Marquis told MLB.com's Bill Ladson, in an article last week tellingly entitled, "Marquis interested in Nationals", that he wanted, "...to play for a team that is headed in the right direction and making the moves that (are) necessary to get themselves back to being a winning organization." Who would have guessed he was talking about the Washington Nationals? Uh, if not for the article's, uh, title, of course...

BACKPAGE:

• Reaction To Marquis Signing With DC.

• Capps Too? Is It Possible?

• MASN's Rob Dibble On The Nationals' Moves.

BACKPAGE:

• Reaction To Marquis Signing With DC.

• The second big signing of the winter for Washington, following close on the heels of the much-maligned two-year deal extended to future Hall of Fame catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, the Nationals' deal with Marquis has already drawn similar scorn, with most of it the "why sign players when you won't compete this season" variety, which is usually in reality the bitter rant of a fan who thinks (most often incorrectly) that his or her own team is just one pitcher away from competing with the game's elite, and thus doesn't want to see any player "wasted" on a perennial doormat like the Washington franchise. This makes Nationals fans happy! (ed. note - "Some who don't like the deal think Marquis walks too many...His 3.3 BB/9 ranked as the 10th highest amongst starters in the NL last season, these folks might have an argument.")

Capps Too? Is It Possible?

• And just when you thought you were going to get Matt Capps, Cubbies! MLB.com's Bill Ladson is reporting that former Pittsburgh Pirates Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett, both acquired by the Nationals in a mid-season deal for Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan, are teaming up in an attempt to lure Capps away from what are rumored to be preliminary discussions with the Chicago Cubs, where more former Pirates, Tom Gorzelanny and some other Cub reliever, (I know his name it's John Grabow, just subtly insulting him) had come together to attempt to lure the free agent closer to the so-called Windy City according to an ESPNChicago.com article this weekend.

And according to FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi's latest Nationals-related tweet:

"The #Nationals would be able to afford both Marquis and Capps, if Capps wants to sign there. He should decide this week."

MASN's Rob Dibble On The Nationals' Moves.

I made sure to tune in for the beginning of MASN tv analyst Rob Dibble's XM Radio show, "The Show" with Dibble and Jody McDonald to hear what MASN's Nationals announcer had to say about the Marquis signing:

"(Players) moving into Washington are not saying, 'Oh hey I can't wait to play for that 100-loss team,' they're doing what Ivan Rodriguez did when he went to Detroit, 'We're gonna turn this thing around, we're gonna go in the right direction'...and I think the people in charge are giving them every opportunity, now it's up to the players...Last year I was very critical of the players and now I think it's really gonna fall upon them to go out there and give their best efforts because they are going to get backing, they are going to get better pitchers like Bruney in the bullpen, and Marquis in the rotation and Ivan Rodriguez to either be the starter or the backup there for a few years, they're doing everything they can to give them an opportunity to turn this thing around, now it's up to the players to grab hold of this, go to Spring Training with the proper attitude and not be happy about any loss next season, we're not talking about a hundred, we're talking about the first loss, you gotta be ticked off from that point on and want to change things..."

The Nationals have scheduled a 2:30 pm EST press conference for Tuesday afternoon to introduce their new starter. Plan for it to begin around 5:00 pm EST...MASN's covering it LIVE and hopefull Streaming as usual!!! It starts at 2:30 pm EST to be clear.

• MASNSports.com's Byron Kerr broke the story of Marquis signing, here's the latest update of his article entitled, "Nats to sign Marquis."

Washington Nationals: Matt Capps And Jason Marquis Impressed By DC.

Ed Chigliak — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:57:12 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Matt Capps in considering closing for the Nationals, and he tells MLB.com's Bill Ladson that he likes what Washington is doing so far this winter. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Browse more photos »

Free agent closer Matt Capps took another step in deciding which team he'd like to pitch for in 2010, once again trimming what started as a twelve-team list of suitors shortly after the Pittsburgh Pirates non-tendered the 26-year-old right-hander last Saturday, and according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article entitled, "Nationals a finalist to acquire Capps", the Washington Nationals are on the shortened short list, and can be considered, "...a finalist to acquire the services of free-agent right-hander Matt Capps."

Echoing the sentiments expressed by free agent pitcher Jason Marquis, who told MLB.com's Bill Ladson in another article entitled, "Marquis interested in Nationals", that he liked, "Some of the moves the Nationals have made -- like [signing Stephen Strasburg] signing Pudge [Ivan Rodriguez] and getting [Brian Bruney]..." Capps told Mr. Ladson tonight, that in addition to the fact that Washington has an up-for-grabs closer's role heading into Spring Training, he's considering DC because he likes what he sees:

"I already like the moves they already made in trying to be competitive next year and beyond. Ivan Rodriguez is a Hall of Fame catcher. To have the opportunity to throw to him and learn from him, I definitely think that is a big deal."

Asked if a Hall of Fame-bound catcher might attract free agent pitchers and whether or not it figured in his decision to sign the veteran backstop during the press conference introducing new Nationals' catcher Pudge Rodriguez to the Washington press, DC GM Mike Rizzo responded half-jokingly, "If you think that didn't go into my thought process when we were talking to Ivan Rodriguez, you don't know me very well." We'll save the Cpt. John "Hannibal" Smith, "I love it when a plan comes together" talk for when one of these free agent pitchers actually signs...(ed. note - "Especially after FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal listed the Yankees, Mets and Cubs as other teams that are interested in Capps..."), but so far it looks like it's not just front office types who like what Mike Rizzo is doing in the nation's capital.

Washington Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo Chats With The Faithful.

Ed Chigliak — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:34:28 -0000

More photos » by Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

DC GM Mike Rizzo took some time off this afternoon to talk to the DC Faithful about how the winter is progressing for the nation's capital's favorite major league team. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Browse more photos »

Before the 2009 season had ended, the Washington Nationals had already identified the areas that they needed to improve this winter with veteran starting pitching, backend bullpen help and a legit (defensive-minded) middle infielder at the top of their list. This afternoon in a Chat with fans at the Nationals' Official site, DC GM Mike Rizzo once again reiterated that the team's offseason plans haven't changed:

"Even with the addition of a quality back of the bullpen arm like Brian Bruney and a veteran catcher like Ivan Rodriguez, I still feel it is important to address the starting pitching, bullpen arms and middle infield defense."

The two questions I submitted weren't answered directly, but the topics they dealt with were addressed. The first concerned a couple on-the-cusp "prospects", Justin Maxwell and Roger Bernadina, and the role the two 26-year-old outfielders would play on the 2010 Nationals' roster. Bernadina, who suffered a fractured right ankle in April of '09, has, according to Mr. Rizzo, "...been cleared to participate fully in all baseball activity. He started participating again as far back as the instructional league in October." Mr. Rizzo makes no predicition as to what Bernadina might contribute this season, nor does he say whether or not Maxwell is ready for a bigger role with the team, but his comments on Maxwell mirror what fans consistently hear from the DC Front Office about the 6'5'', 225lb, '05 4th Round pick:

"We believe that Justin has grown as a player both on and off the field and fully anticipate him competing for playing time with the other talented outfielders we have. His makeup and positive attitude have been contagious in our clubhouse setting."

The second question I submitted dealt with the DC GM's presence at the recent bullpen session thrown by Cuban-born left-handed free agent Aroldis Chapman. I wondered why Mr. Rizzo was the only out-of-town GM to attend the exhibition, and what he thought of the 22-year-old fastballer, but the question that the moderators took dealt solely with Mr. Rizzo's impressions of the pitcher:

"Aroldis is an extremely talented, athletic left-handed pitcher with a ceiling as high as any current amateur pitcher in the world. He has great arm strength and velocity on his fastball and is just in his infancy as a frontline Major League prospect."

The rest of the quick chat can be summed up pretty easily...The Nationals are watching Bryce Harper along with the rest of the baseball world. Stephen Strasburg is recovering nicely from the knee injury he suffered in the AFL. The Nationals will be inviting far fewer players to Spring Training this year than they have in the past and Shairon Martis will be one of many starters competing for a spot in the Nationals' twenty-ten rotation...The Nationals are still looking for a middle infielder....uh...that's about it...What? Did you expect the DC GM to announce a major signing or trade?

Washington Nationals Ask, "Is Jason Marquis The One?"

Ed Chigliak — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:26:49 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

5 months ago: Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jason Marquis, front, looks to throw as Washington Nationals base runner Ryan Zimmerman leads off first base in the first inning of a baseball game in Denver on Monday, July 6, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Browse more photos »

In an 11/18/09 New York Post article entitled, "Marquis calls Mets, 'perfect fit'", Jason Marquis told the New York Post writer Barth Hubbuch that he thought the New York Mets were "a perfect fit" for him, and the 31-year-old free agent right hander called on a fellow former Brave and current Mets' right fielder Jeff Francoeur as a character witness, to reinforce that Francoeur, "...wasn't kidding when he told the Post this summer that free-agent right-hander Jason Marquis badly wants to be a Met in 2010,":

"It would always be nice to come back home and represent your hometown [as a member of the Mets]," said Marquis, who grew up in Staten Island and still lives there."

Having lost out to the Boston Red Sox in their attempts to sign free agent pitcher John Lackey, the New York Mets have reportedly turned their attention toward former Sox' left fielder Jason Bay, who appears unlikely to return to Fenway now that Boston's signed Mike Cameron, and NY is reportedly resigned to choosing from what Newark Star-Ledger sports writer Brian Costa described Tuesday morning in an article entitled, "The Arms Race", as, "...a handful of far less desireable free agents to fill their need for another starting pitcher."

Tuesday evening, MLB.com writer Bill Ladson had this report via his Twitter Feed:

"I spoke to Jason Marquis and he has interest in playing for the Nationals. I will have a story shortly."

In the article on Marquis' interest in DC entitled simply, "Marquis interested in Nationals", MLB.com's Bill Ladson acknowledges the "published reports" about Marquis' desire to play in his hometown, but as Mr. Ladson writes, Marquis also, "...said he wants to play for a team that makes him feel wanted." Marquis' was the first name on The List of free agent pitchers of interest for Washington that DC GM Mike Rizzo gave to Washington Post writer Chico Harlan for an early September '09 article entitled, "Reading Material, Shopping Lists", (though more than likely just by chance), but just last week, in an article from the Winter Meetings entitled, "Nats search for arms, backup middle infielder", MLB.com's Bill Ladson wrote specifically that, "Rizzo acknowledged that Washington still has interest in right-hander Livan Hernandez, the team's own free agent, and right-hander Jason Marquis."

When asked a few weeks back what it was the Nationals were looking for in a free agent pitcher, Mr. Rizzo described their ideal target to MLB.com's Bill Ladson in an article entitled, "Nats interested in free agent Lackey", as, "...a special type of veteran pitcher,":

"...(a pitcher) who is willing to give of himself as a teacher and mentor type of guy. We have to get a team-oriented person, a person that is going to give his time and his knowledge. It's not an easy task."

In MLB.com's Bill Ladson's latest article, "Marquis interested in Nationals", Marquis says he feels he can fill that role in DC, much as he has in Colorado over that last few years, with Mr. Ladson writing that, "...Marquis said he can be one person who can help Washington's young pitching staff...(and)...teach the young kids what he learned from veterans like Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Chris Carpenter and Matt Morris."

...oh, he's saying all the right things, but is Marquis just trying to put pressure on the Mets? Is his interest in Washington genuine? Have the Washington Nationals have found their man? Mr. Marquis, the 31-year-old veteran of 10 MLB seasons, sounds like he might have found his team, whether or not they're ready to bring him on board, telling Mr. Ladson:

"'Some of the moves the Nationals have made -- like [signing Stephen Strasburg] signing Pudge [Ivan Rodriguez] and getting [Brian Bruney] -- they are making the necessary steps. I feel I can fit right in and bring a winning attitude to the team. Every where I've been, I've won. I feel it's not a coincidence. I want to help a team get over the hump.'"

Oh, this guy's good. Is Jason Marquis the free agent starter Washington's been looking for?

Washington Nationals' Catcher Jesus Flores "Shut Down" Until February?

Dave at Nats News Network — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:03:49 -0000

More photos » by Matt York - AP

7 months ago: Washington Nationals catcher Jesus Flores catches a pop-up by Arizona Diamondbacks' Mark Reynolds for an out during the seventh inning of an MLB baseball game Friday, May 8, 2009 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Browse more photos »

According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, Washington Nationals catcher Jesus Flores has been "shut down" from baseball related drills until February, presumably when pitchers and catchers report for spring training.

Flores is recovering from labrum and elbow surgeries following a 2009 season that saw him get just 106 plate appearances before being shut down with what was originally diagnosed as a fracture in his shoulder, then a torn labrum after he attempted a painful comeback in Triple-A.

Whether or not Flores has already been performing baseball related activities (i.e.,hitting and throwing) is undetermined in the article, but Flores' quotes in the piece seem to indicate that he is building up strength but the team is being cautious in his return.

"I'm doing great," Flores said. "After surgery, I'm feeling much better. My strength is coming along. I'm moving my arm lot better. I'm going to be ready for the season. I'm completely shutdown [for Winter Ball]. I guess I will start to throw a baseball in February."

This news seems to be at least incongruous to the report we got from GM Mike Rizzo last week at the Ivan Rodriguez press conference that Flores should be ready for spring training.

"I can only go by what the medical people tell me," Rizzo said. "They say he should be 100 percent and ready to participate in spring training. Now, we take them at their word, but we all know that specifically shoulders are very difficult to predict."

News from the player himself that "I guess I will start to throw...in February," is somewhat disconcerting. I'm not a doctor, but I know a little about rehabbing a throwing shoulder, and it certainly seems that if he's not even going to start throwing until February, that will not leave him, according to Rizzo on Friday, "100 percent" ready to participate in spring training."

It could take him months to get into throwing shape if he doesn't start until February. It's not like he's a pitcher, with all the stress of throwing off a mound, but he had labrum and elbow surgery since we last saw him.

When questioned about the major league depth at catcher at the Rodriguez press conference, Rizzo responded, "We have three capable catchers on the major league level. We have (Jaime) Burke on the Triple-A level and we have (Derek) Norris—who is an up-and-coming and potential significant contributor for us in the future."

Perhaps the part of that quote that got glossed over at that point was "three capable catchers ." We can only assume now that Rizzo meant Rodriguez, Flores, and Nieves, with Burke re-signed for Triple-A Syracuse.

So maybe we shouldn't have been surprised that Nieves was offered arbitration after all. Rizzo apparently told us as much on Friday. I'm sure this revelation in Ladson's story will get some glossing over, organizationally speaking, in the next day or so. "Shutting down" until February will turn into "part of the doctor's plans all along" and that they expect Flores to be ready, etc.

But expecting in the media and planning for the worst-case scenario are often two different things. And right now, it looks like the Nats are stocking up at catcher.

Hopefully it's just out of an abundance of caution, but it seems, from today's news, that the caution is at least warranted.

Washington Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo On Pudge Rodriguez.

Ed Chigliak — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:37:14 -0000

More photos » by Kevin Wolf - AP

11 days ago: Washington Nationals new catcher Ivan Rodriguez looks on during news conference announcing his signing with the baseball team on Friday, Dec. 11, 2009 at Nationals Park in Washington. The 38-year-old catcher agreed this week to a $6 million, two-year contract (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Browse more photos »

Q: How did the deal come together? What does signing Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez mean to DC?

Mike Rizzo: "Going into the offseason we had a check list of things that we wanted to accomplish," DC GM Mike Rizzo responded when asked what Pudge Rodriguez signing in Washington meant for the Nationals, "to address the catching situation was certainly a priority for us, with the injury and the surgery to Jesus Flores, we thought that we needed a person that could be a significant contributor to the ball club, particulary in 2010, but in 2010 and beyond, and when we made our checklist and our evaluations, and it was very evident very quickly in the process, when we gathered all our evaluators together in one place, that we were no longer looking for "a" catcher to fill that role, we were looking for Ivan Rodriguez to fill that role."

Q: Why Pudge?

Mike Rizzo: "Not only his character, his leadership abilities, his track record and the aura that he brings to a clubhouse, but also for the fact that he threw out 38% of the would-be base stealers, which was fourth in all of baseball last year, has a potent bat and we think that there's a lot left in the tank with this particular player."

Q: The status of Jesus Flores?

(cont)...

Q: The status of Jesus Flores?

Mike Rizzo: "Jesus Flores is still rehabbing the shoulder surgery, it's been passed along to me in a meeting as early as yesterday, that he should be ready to go by the beginning of Spring Training, and we'll go to Spring Training with that in mind. But, we have, we certainly have in the past, specifically with arm surgeries, and labrum surgeries, specifically, we go into it cautiously optimistic."

Q: "The biggest catcher signing of the Winter Meetings, how did it come together?

Mike Rizzo: "It all began before the Winter Meetings with our discussions with our evaluators, and in the Winter Meetings, in the suite, we were putting together our hitlist, our check list, and how to improve the ballclub, and the catching situation, we thought, needed to be addressed, with the uncertainty of where we're at with Jesus Flores, we feel he's going to be healthy for Spring Training, but those injuries are kind of a...you never know. We felt that we had an opportunity to go out and fill the need with a major league catcher, and it wasn't so much as we were looking for "a" catcher, it came very apparent, very early in our room in Indianapolis, that we weren't looking for a catcher to help us, we were looking for Ivan Rodriguez to help us. The sense that I got in the room, it was a unanimous evaluation that this was the guy at this time in this place for this franchise."

Q: How much of a difference will Pudge make in attracting free agent pitchers?

Mike Rizzo: "If you think that didn't go into my thought process when we were talking to Ivan Rodriguez, you don't know me very well, but it certainly doesn't hurt when you talk to prospective free agent starting pitchers that they're going to be throwing to a legendary Hall of Fame catcher, and the 14 Gold Gloves does not go unnoticed by the guys you're trying to court to come to the Washington Nationals. So, we certainly will give them that information, when we talk to prospective pitchers, if they don't know that already, and it certainly is an asset to the ballclub in so many ways..."

What They're Saying:

• SI.com's Jon Heyman, in an article entitled, "Winners and losers from relatively uneventful winter meetings", put Ivan Rodriguez on his list of the Winter Meetings Winners, writing that the 38-year-old catcher, who was, "Thought to be nearing the end of his great career entering last winter...somehow finagled a two-year deal from the Nationals (with Scott Boras' help)."

• Washington Post writer Thomas Boswell notes, in an article entitled, "Nats act like they belong", that the Nationals started to address their needs this winter by bringing in a reliever (Brian Bruney) and a catcher (Pudge Rodriguez), which should help when the Nationals talk to free agent arms:

"What gives a pitcher a sense of security? Why, the catcher in front of him and the bullpen behind him. So, Rodríguez and Bruney came first."

• MLBTraderumors.com linked to an AP report by Howard Fendrich Friday night at SI.com entitled, "Kendall goes to Royals, Putz to White Sox", wherein Mr. Fendrich reports that the Washington Nationals signed free agent pitcher Ryan Speier. An undrafted free agent signed by the Colorado Rockies in 2001, the 30-year-old, right-handed Speier is (7-3) with a 3.99 career ERA in 90 games pitched for the Rockies in which walked more batters per 9 innings (4.8 BB/9) than he's struck out (3.2 K/9).

The State of the Rockies (Post GM Meetings Edition)

Jabberwocky — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:55:40 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

Chris Iannetta got his. Will Clint Barmes be next?

Browse more photos »

Well, the 2009 Winter Meetings could have gone two ways for the Rockies. One, Dan O'Dowd could have dangled Brad Hawpe, the Rockies could have made overtures to well...anyone of significance. This was unlikely, and did not come to pass. Instead, Rafael Betancourt did the smart thing and accepted arbitration from the Rockies while Jason Marquis made an equally good business decision and declined. The Rockies didn't select anyone in the Rule 5 draft, nor did they have anyone selected. Pretty ho hum to be sure.

However, some significant events did take place regarding the Rockies during the Winter Meetings, giving fans an even clearer picture of the way the roster will shake out. Betancourt's acceptance of arbitration was obviously the most significant, as the Rockies were prepared to bring back LaTroy Hawkins for two years, $7.5 million--a move that for some reason screamed Luiz Vizcaino 2.0 to me--if he had declined. So I'm glad that the Rockies will have an accomplished 8th inning man next year so long as they can fit it into their budget.

As I've said before, if there's a year to spend a little for an extra marginal win or two, it's this one. The NL West crown has never seemed more up for grabs for the Rockies than it appears this year, especially with the Dodgers shuffling through a bizarre offseason, the Giants yet to secure a big bat, and the Padres nickeling and diming their roster. Meanwhile, it was the Diamondbacks who were the big movers of the NL West at the GM meetings in trading away high-upside Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth to Detroit as part of a three team deal that netted them All-Star pitcher Edwin Jackson as well as Yankees pitcher Ian Kennedy to solidify their rotation for at least 2010. Should Brandon Webb come back strong from surgery, that is one scary rotation developing in Arizona for 2010--and a reason why they will be overrated by about 10 wins in preseason predictions by pundits everywhere. At least, that's my prediction--the Diamondbacks coming in at around 78 wins next year because I'm not sold on their hitting nor their health.

In any case, the Rockies made a move over the winter meetings in locking up Chris Iannetta through his arbitration years (three years, $8.3 million) plus a cheap club option ($5 million) for his first year of free agency. Rob Neyer applauded the move and I agree with him. Love him or like him, this is a solid move for the Rockies, and here's why...

The Rockies are paying Iannetta roughly market value for a player of his stature...if he repeats his 2009 season for four more years. Many people, myself included, seem to believe that Iannetta will perform a bit better than that. Fangraphs' Matt Klaassen projects Iannetta for 2.5 WAR in 2010 (assuming only 100 games played) and explains that he's being paid to be a 1.5 win player this year when you adjust for the fact that the contract is buying out his first arbitration year and not a free agency year. The fans on FanGraphs who have projected Iannetta seem to believe that he will be a 4 WAR player in 2010--which is a little optimistic for me (I see him in the 2.5-3 WAR range next year given adequate playing time), but Iannetta is entering his baseball prime and I wouldn't rule the upper range out.

In return for the security of having a guaranteed paycheck for the next three years (something the soon to be non-tendered Garrett Atkins might be wishing for right now), Iannetta has given up potentially larger arbitration salaries over the next few years--and if he plays as well as Klaassen and myself have predicted he will, CDI will ultimately be a large bargain (to the tune of $30-40 million in net value) for the Rockies over the life of his contract.

The Rockies are busy negotiating multi-year deals with Huston Street and Clint Barmes, but it is unlikely that either of those deals, if signed, will be as team friendly or have a comparable net value (especially in Street's case due to his 3 year, $30 million demands).

The Torrealba Situation

In his Iannetta article, Klaassen bemoaned the handing out of multi-year contracts to aging, marginal at best catchers like Ivan Rodriguez and Jason Kendall. While Yorvit Torrealba is only 31 and has definitely shown that his bat has some life last year, he's far closer to those catchers in value added than he is to Iannetta. Meanwhile, he has seen that Rodriguez got 2 years, $6 million and wants the Rockies to match this number. The Rockies have countered with $5.6 million. Either contract will give Torrealba way more money than he's worth in tangible on the field value. At most he's worth $4 million over two years. At most. Any more is, quite frankly, ludicrous. Just because the market for aging backup catchers who can't hit or field particularly well but can "handle a pitching staff well" has gone crazy doesn't mean that the Rockies need to succumb to it. In all honesty Torrealba should be happy that he has garnered as much interest in his modest skill set as he has.

Look, it's no secret that I'm neither a fan of Torrealba as a player nor am I convinced of the importance (or tangible benefit) of the attributes for which he is valued. So take my advice how you will. But the only way that makes sense to me is to evaluate a player based largely on his quantifiable production (I'm not advocating that this is the correct way to do so, just that it is the way that I do it), and the numbers that I value rate Torrealba at a very low level. He has been an important part of the Rockies' Rocktober runs as an emotional leader and as someone who has produced well in high leverage situations, and for that I thank him sincerely. However, it's just time for both parties to move on.

Free Agency Update

For the Rockies, moving on from Torrealba could land Miguel Olivo, formerly of the Royals, in their laps for a similar 2 year deal. Olivo, who is four days older than Torrealba, is famously lacking in patience (BB rate of 4.6% in 2009) but he does have some pop in his bat (23 HRs) and he did produce 2.2 WAR for the woeful Royals last year. You could call him a Chris Iannetta without patience. Looking at his career numbers, Olivo's 2009 stands out as a clear career year at the plate, so he could be due for some regression that could be mitigated somewhat by moving to the NL and a hitter-friendly park. If he can be had for 2 years, $4-5 million, the Rockies could certainly do worse than Olivo as a back-up.

As for other previous targets, the Winter Meetings saw prospective utilitymen Pedro Feliz and Bobby Crosby got snapped up. Orlando Hudson remains a possibility, albeit one that would only be consummated very late in the offseason at a discounted price. Meanwhile, the Rockies appear to have shied away from several other potential players to fill the Garrett Atkins role. However, there are a few that I haven't gone over yet that have been linked to the Rockies:

Fernando Tatis: The utilityman will be 35 on Opening Day, has been bumming around the majors since 1997 for five teams but has accrued only 7.105 years of service time, a testament to his journeyman status. However, in 2009 Tatis was quite good in part time status, producing 1.5 WAR in 340 PAs with positive value in both hitting and fielding. He can probably be had cheaply (around $2.25 million), can provide depth at several positions, and has demonstrated his ability as a pinch hitter (as Franklin Morales can attest). I'm putting him at the top of my revised wish list.

Melvin Mora: The 37 year old Mora has been at least a league average player as recently as 2008 (and much better than that in the recent past), but does he have anything left in the tank and would he accept a part-time slot? That and his likely $4-5 million asking price is enough to scare me away.

Rob Quinlan: Quinlan is a 32 year old AAAA player who has spent parts of the last seven years with the Angels as a reserve corner infielder. At this point it's clear to me that he's pretty much a replacement player and I wouldn't advocate signing him to a major league deal.

The Rockies have talked with Jose Contreras about him returning, though the Rockies want to pay him as a reliever while Contreras wants starter money. Quite frankly, he should be paid as a starter given his FIP (4.11) last year. Colorado has also approached Jason Giambi about returning to fill Atkins' spot, though he is searching for a DH job that will give him more PAs next year. If Giambi does become available, having his bat on the bench definitely provides the Rockies with an intimidating edge for opposing managers to worry about.

Roster and Payroll 2010 Update

There has been some discussion by some that I've projected Betancourt's arbitration award too high at $6.4 million, and they do certainly have a point. Betancourt does not measure up well in saves, the traditional reliever stat valued highly by arbitrators, and the Darren Oliver case that I've cited in projecting Betancourt's salary does seem like an outlier. In any case, when I was projecting Betancourt's salary (indeed, any salary in this projection) I have been erring on the high side, being conservative on the amount of money the Rockies have to spend.

For this projection, I'm going to switch gears a little bit and reduce Betancourt's salary to that of his $5 million option that the Rockies declined. Plus, I'm adding Iannetta's salary (represented as $2 million, which is what I've heard) into the players under contract category. Outside of the Rockies selling the rights of OF Matt Murton to Japan's Hanshin Tigers, the Rockies made no 40 man roster moves at the Winter Meetings--and since Murton wasn't projected to be on the 25 man roster not much has changed on that front (though the Rockies do now have three open 40 man roster slots).

Players Under Contract (Torrealba and Embree are team option buyouts)

Player Name	ML Service Time	2010 Salary	Add. Min. Obligation	Years After 2010
Todd Helton	12.059	$16,600,000	$23,700,000	1
Aaron Cook	7.02	$9,833,000	$10,583,000	1
Brad Hawpe	5.058	$7,500,000	$500,000	0
Jeff Francis	5.04	$5,875,000	$0	0
Troy Tulowitzki	3.033	$3,500,000	$25,750,000	3
Manuel Corpas	3.076	$2,750,000	$3,750,000	1
Ubaldo Jimenez	2.087	$1,250,000	$8,000,000	2
Yorvit Torrealba	8.03	$500,000	$0	0
Alan Embree	15.059	$250,000	$0	0
Matt Belisle	4.02	$850,000	$0	0
Randy Flores	5.061	$650,000	$0	0
Chris Iannetta	3.029	$2,000,000	$6,300,000	2

Total		$51,558,000	$78,583,000

Pre-Arbitration Players: While I'm still projecting Phillips as the back-up catcher for now, I'm not holding my breath on that one and am expecting an expenditure of roughly $2.7 million in 2010 on the back-up catcher's roster spot.

Player Name	ML Service Time	2010 Salary
Eric Young Jr.	0.042	$412,000
Dexter Fowler	1.027	$413,030
Franklin Morales	2.01	$414,060
Ian Stewart	1.154	$416,120
Carlos Gonzalez	1.06	$415,090
Seth Smith	1.119	$415,090
Matt Daley	0.155	$412,000
Paul Phillips	2.06	$427,450

Total		$3,324,840

Arbitration Players: With the subtraction of Iannetta from the ranks of the arbitration eligible, the Rockies now have seven potential arbitration cases this winter counting Betancourt.

Player Name	ML Service Time	2010 Salary	Difference from 2009
Huston Street	5	$8,775,000	95.00%
Jorge De La Rosa	5.015	$5,600,000	180.00%
Clint Barmes	4.122	$4,225,000	160.00%
Taylor Buchholz	3.14	$1,055,000	0.00%
Jason Hammel	2.153	$2,026,560	380.00%
Rafael Betancourt	6.079	$5,000,000	50%
Ryan Spilborghs	3.072	$788,500	90.00%

Total		$27,470,060	136.29%

Grand Total Payroll: $82,352,900

Remember, this roster has only 24 players on it (with Buchholz starting the year on the DL)--it still requires a replacement for Garrett Atkins. In other words, it will likely end up around $84.5 million--by far the highest in Rockies history. The increase from last week's projection is due to the fact that Iannetta's salary increased by larger than the 350% I had projected (actually it is a 482% raise from 2009).

Well, that's it until next time (TBD). I'd love to hear any and all thoughts, Rowbots--just please try to keep it civil.

Poll

Who would you rather have as the backup catcher for the Rockies in 2010?

Washington Nationals: Winter Meetings Day Two - Bruney, Pudge And Smoltz?

Ed Chigliak — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:32:16 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Don't Stare At "Pudge" It Only Makes Him Angrier...Is Pudge Rodriguez coming to DC to start? Or is it Jesus Flores' job to lose? (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Browse more photos »

Brian Bruney's name was all but forgotten as the DC Faithful and the national press turned first to the story of the Washington Nationals signing 38-year-old catcher Paul L...uh, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, and then to the three-way-deal between the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees, which of course dominated the headlines once it was announced. But that trade holds little interest for fans of the Washington Nationals, who were still naval-gazingly introspective as they pondered the significance of signing Rodriguez, and the effect it would have on Jesus Flores' future in the nation's capital. Oh, and Bruney, (while he said all the right things yesterday to the Washington press, telling Washington Post writer Chico Harlan, as quoted in a Nationals Journal article entitled, "Bruney wants a chance to close", that he, "'...felt like New York was a good stepping stone with lots of pressure-filled situations. But to be honest, I had talked to my agent and I said, 'I can't wait to get to the place where I can try and close somewhere.'")...Bruney struck a slightly different tone in the New York press with New York Daily News' writer Mark Feinsand, in an article entitled, "New York Yankees trade Brian Bruney to Washington Nationals for draft pick", quoting Bruney saying that he believes, "...the opportunity is going to be better for me over there," with "there" of course being Washington, but, "Going from winning the World Series with the Yankees to playing for the Nationals," Bruney continues, "...that's going to be different." ...(ed. note - "And I know it will be "different", I wouldn't deny that, it's just that five years after the promise of change once the team was taken from Montreal, the Nationals are still talked about in such a condescending tone by everyone in baseball, even their own fans...")

BACKPAGE:

• Nationals And Lo D...uh "Pudge" Define The Word Backup.

• Ken Rosenthal: "Nats are Smoltz's Last Resort"

BACKPAGE:

• Nationals And Lo D...uh "Pudge" Define The Word Backup.

I wasn't the only one who wondered exactly what signing catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez said about the Nationals' plans for 2010 when I heard Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez's agent Scott Boras on XM's Home Plate Update all day repeating the same assessment of his client's role in the nation's capital as the Nationals' newest backstop:

"Certainly in Washington, Pudge has an opportunity, particularly this year to play at a number that's well above that of a backup catcher, so he's going to be a significant contributor..."

Define "significant contributor"? According to Washington Times' writer Ben Goessling, that means Jesus Flores, "...could lose significant playing time to Rodriguez, who the Nationals expect to play 70-80 games." Not quite the mentor/teacher role everyone was talking about when the deal was first announced, and Mr. Goessling goes on to report that, in fact, "Washington had interest in Rodriguez since late this season, and he was their No. 1 option for a backup catcher." Is Flores not recovering as quickly as they had hoped? Will Flores be ready for the start of the season? Is Pudge Rodriguez still an everyday catcher? And if Flores isn't ready, who backs up Pudge? Please don't bring up Josh Willingham as an emergency catcher, or tell me about how Robert Fick is somewhere practicing...

How do the Nationals make a significant signing (pending Pudge passing his physical) and end up with more questions than they began the winter with?

• Ken Rosenthal: "Nats are Smoltz's Last Resort"

FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal sent a Tweet out late this afternoon concerning the fate of 42-year-old free agent pitcher John Smoltz:

"Smoltz still possibility in STL. J. Garcia might not be ready to be No. 5. Smoltz could start and/or relieve. Nats are Smoltz's last resort."

Smoltz is still on the list of pitchers the Nationals are interested in according to former DC GM Jim Bowden, who put out a Twitter post today which read in part:

"Nats in on Garland, Pineiro, Padilla, Smoltz but not Lackey."

MLB.com's Bill Ladson said in a Tweet that, "The Nationals see Smoltz as a starter" and Mr. Ladson adds one name to that list with his own Tweet on the Nationals' targets:

"The Nats have interest in free-agent pitchers such as Jon Garland, Vicente Padilla, Joel Pineiro, John Smoltz and Jarrod Washburn."

The Meetings aren't over yet...