4 Players The Nationals Could Target In Trade Talks

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Mere days away from the trade deadline and still feeling the sting of losing out on Yankee’s closer Aroldis Chapman, the Nationals must now refocus their efforts toward other ways of bolstering their roster.   The team silently stated their intent to improve the bullpen in the Chapman chase, but it would not be a surprise to see the front office also seek another hitter as well.  These are four players who could be available and what it might take in order to acquire them.

Jay Bruce             OF          Cincinnati Reds

Reasoning -> Cincinnati is struggling through another difficult season and projects to continue rebuilding next year as well.  Bruce is in the midst of a rebound season and could be one of the top hitters available in this market.  With a $13 million dollar team option for 2017, he would not be a pure rental, adding to his appeal.

The Nationals could be seeking another hitter, especially in the outfield, to help bolster their lineup down the stretch.  An ideal fit for Washington would be a center fielder who could hit atop the lineup, something Bruce is not.  However, his ability to play first base and both corner outfield positions, not to mention his 21 home runs and .871 OPS, would be a significant addition to Washington’s offense.

Offer:    Austin Voth, A.J. Cole, & Wilmer Difo

Wade Davis       RHP       Kansas City Royals

Reasoning -> Kansas City, while not fully committed to rebuilding, is currently 1 game under .500 and 6 games back (behind 4 other teams) in the chase for the wild card.  The Royals, seeing the return for Aroldis Chapman, could look to save some future payroll and rebuild around several young prospects.

For Washington, if Davis is not the best closer in baseball, he is certainly in the conversation and comes with a $10 million contract option for next season.  He would instantly lock down the closer role and strengthens the most glaring weakness on the roster.
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Offer:    Erick Fedde, Michael A. Taylor, Koda Glover & Edwin Lora

Jeremy Jeffress RHP       Milwaukee Brewers

Reasoning -> Milwaukee is in the middle of a lengthy rebuild and their front office could see an opportune time to capitalize on a hot reliever market to sell-high on Jeffress.  Because he will go through arbitration for the 1st time this offseason, it also could entice the Brewers to move Jeffress and save some future payroll.

The logic for Washington is simple, as Jeffress is a hard-throwing closer under contract through 2019.  Jeffress has 23 saves and a 2.23 ERA this season, quietly making him one of the top 20 relief pitchers in baseball.

Offer:    Erick Fedde, Michael A. Taylor & Wilmer Difo (Maybe More)

Steve Pearce      1B/OF   Tampa Bay Rays

Reasoning -> Tampa Bay is an obvious seller and Pearce’s standing as a free agent at season’s end makes him an obvious trade candidate.  In addition, Pearce is a right-handed hitter having a rebound season, hitting .311/.379/.526 and can play several defensive positions.  He would be a nice addition to virtually any contender’s roster.

Offer:    Andrew Stevenson & Drew Ward

THE NatsGM Show #74 – Special Guest Chris Cotillo

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THE NatsGM Show is back with episode #74 and we are proud to welcome back MLB reporter for SB Nation and MLBDailyDish, Chris Cotillo!

Symptoms of Premature Ejaculation:- The only symptom of premature ejaculation is climaxing remarkably quickly either viagra sample pills before or shortly after penetration. viagra prices canada In spite of the fact that some side effects inform your doctor immediately. You could easily increase your credit score by over 100 points if viagra in the uk you only removed one charge off. There are no studies showing the safety of purchase generic viagra the product. On this episode Chris breaks down the upcoming trade deadline on August 1 – we begin in Washington discussing the rumors of bullpen upgrades and the possibility of acquiring a hitter.  Then we shift to the Orioles, talking about their need for a starting pitcher and several arms that could fit for Baltimore.  Finally, Chris gives his thoughts on what the Yankees, Athletics and Red Sox plan to do, and a few names that should move before August.

Thanks to Chris for coming back on the show, and to our sponsor, No Halftime!  Please Rate, Review and Subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, thanks for listening.

Uncorked For A Cause – A Recap of Gio Gonzalez’s Charity Event

Sunday evening I was kindly invited to attend Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez’s charitable event, Uncork for a Cause, to raise awareness and funding for The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation and Big Blue BaseballThe gathering occurred at Claudia’s Steakhouse and also served as the release party for Gio’s new wine, Gio Gonzalez 47, a 2013 Sonoma County Reserve red wine.

The festivities began at 6pm with a VIP cocktail hour, with the party running from 7pm – 9pm; unfortunately things were delayed as the Nationals found themselves in an 18 inning marathon, forcing Gio to arrive closer to 8pm.  However, once he arrived Gio made a brief speech, welcoming everyone and thanking them for waiting through the delay.  He then mingled with the crowd, answering everyone’s questions and taking pictures with anyone who asked.  Finally, Gio made his way over to a table, where he signed autographs and took pictures for a donation to the charities, which also included a bottle of his wine.

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In addition the event had a silent auction filled with impressive Nationals’ items such as a Bryce Harper signed All-Star jersey, Stephen Strasburg autographed cleats and a Jayson Werth autographed jersey, along with many items donated and autographed by Gio himself.

Also, one must commend the staff at Claudia’s, as the food was wonderful with a Latin/Mexican theme and the house cocktails were delicious.  And yes, I had the opportunity to taste Gio’s wine and it was quite tasty.  I usually avoid wines with a $30 price tag, as my pallet does not appreciate such quality, but I would eagerly drink this again if I had the opportunity.

Overall this charitable event was a major success and a fantastic evening.  The location was outstanding, as was the food, beverage and service, and while the guest of honor was unavoidably delayed, he could not have been a nicer and more gracious host once there.  I cannot recall ever hearing so many adults saying “What a good guy” and “How nice he is” after meeting Gio, which is a testament to his character after sitting in broiling heat for 18 innings earlier in the day.  Thank you to my friend Dennis for the invitation and I encourage everyone to visit Claudia’s steakhouse and drink Gio Gonzalez 47.

My Futures Game Observations

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Last Sunday Major League Baseball presented the 18th annual Futures Game, an exhibition contest played each year as part of the All-Star Game festivities.  Baseball America selects the players on both teams, with rosters filled with the top prospects in the game.  Each team must have one representative and clubs have historically been accommodating in sending their top prospects to the event.

This contest is the highlight of All-Star week for scouts and prospect-nerds, as it provides the unique opportunity to watch the top prospects compete against one another.  This year’s event was yet another success, as a seven run explosion by the World Team in the 9th inning pushed them toward an eventual 11-3 victory.  Below are my scouting notes from the game.

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Reynaldo Lopez                RHP Washington Nationals

Washington’s lone representative in San Diego, Lopez entered with 2 outs in the 6th, retiring David Dahl to finish the inning before returning for the 7th – additionally he retired both hitters he faced in the 7th, including the scalding hot Alex Bregman.  Lopez needed 11 pitches (7 strikes & 4 balls) to get these three outs, a pop fly to first base, a ground ball to second and a fly to left field.

Lopez flashed his entire 3-pitch arsenal in these 11 pitches, featuring a 99-100mph fastball (according to the television radar gun) with life that he struggled to locate.  He appeared to be overthrowing the fastball, likely a result of the adrenaline rush of pitching on a national stage.  Additionally Lopez threw four 77-80mph curveballs with downward movement and above-average potential.  Finally he threw one 89mph changeup to a lefty, forcing a meager ground ball.

Though it is difficult to conclude much from such a quick outing, it was nice to see Lopez look comfortable pitching in relief and in two separate innings.  This could portend well to a possible late season promotion to enhance Washington’s bullpen this fall.
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Chance Sisco                      Catcher Baltimore Orioles

Sisco was the lone Baltimore representative and the starting catcher for the US team.  Offensively his first at-bat came in the 2nd inning with runners on 2nd and 3rd and two outs – Sisco worked a 1-1 count then pounded a 97mph fastball to deep right-center field for an out, flashing solid bat speed against top-end velocity.  His second and final at-bat came in the 4th as he impressively worked a 3-2 count before depositing a 94mph fastball over the left-center field wall for a home run.  The ball noticeably jumped off his barrel and flashed the in-game raw power he has lacked thus far in 2016.

Defensively Sisco showed that this glove still lags well behind his bat, as he still looks LOUD receiving the baseball and made a horrendous throw to second on a stolen base attempt in the 4th inning.  It was not all negative, as he has added strength in his forearms to improve his receiving and is making an effort to quiet his body.  This outing did little to assuage my fears of him being a long-term catcher, as his work ethic is apparent but his skills are still raw.

Additional Notes

Perhaps the most impressive individual play occurred in the 8th inning, as Boston 2B prospect Yoan Moncada destroyed a hanging 86mph changeup deep into the left field bleachers.  The 21-year-old Moncada resembles an NFL strong safely and looks more muscular than any middle infielder in the minors.  The Red Sox have been patient with his development, as he has just recently reached Double-A, but he should force his way to Boston either this fall or in 2017.

Houston Astros infielder Alex Bregman stood out as the top player and most major league ready prospect in this year’s event.  Bregman went 3-5 with a run scored, while spending time defensively at both shortstop and third base.  Drafted 2nd overall in 2015, Bregman was expected to move rapidly through the minor leagues, but it is still a credit to his work ethic that he appears ready to combat major league pitching.  I expect Houston to call him up in the next few weeks to bolster their offense down the stretch.

Although only a one batter cameo, I was happy to see former Baltimore Orioles draft pick and Milwaukee Brewers prospect LHP Josh Hader make an 8th inning appearance.  Hader was traded, along with L.J. Hoes, to Houston for Bud Norris, a swap the Orioles are likely to come to regret.  Hader needed only 5 pitches to strike out Marlins prospect Josh Naylor, sitting 94-97mph on his fastball and inducing two whiffs.  The 22-year-old has a unique delivery not ideal for a starter, but Hader dominated Double-A earlier this year and could arrive in the majors in 2017.