Mere days ahead of the 2016 MLB All-Star Break, the Washington Nationals find themselves atop the National League East standings, a few games ahead of the New York Mets and Miami Marlins.  However, as we have seen in the past few years, leading the division in July does not guarantee winning the pennant in October.

With this in mind, the Nationals front office certainly has begun looking ahead to the upcoming trade deadline and how they can improve their roster for the stretch run.  While most people agree the team’s biggest need is in the bullpen, I think the team could also use another bat to sure up their bench and provide depth in case injuries.  I believe the Nationals should try to procure catcher and first baseman Derek Norris from the San Diego Padres.

Before diving into this, I will acknowledge the quickest way to catch heat on the internet is to begin making hypothetical and fictitious trades to help your favorite team.  Nevertheless a case can be made that his addition would help the team both in 2016 and future seasons.

At first glance acquiring Norris might seem like a strange fit, as Wilson Ramos is in the midst of a career year and Jose Lobaton often acts as Gio Gonzalez’s personal catcher.  Not to mention Ryan Zimmerman feels firmly entrenched at first base for the Nationals.  On the other hand, Ramos is a free agent at season’s end and Jose Lobaton owns a 61 OPS+ in his three seasons in Washington.  No question Lobaton’s a good defensive catcher, but he’s also a major offensive liability.  Additionally, Zimmerman is currently hitting .221/284/.401, the worst statistical line of his 12-year career.  All of this is to say that there is the potential for ample playing time this season for a backup catcher, pinch hitter and occasional first baseman.

This website will show you exactly how you can go natural and resolve your cialis tadalafil 20mg issue to the full can take help from generic anti-impotency drug. The simplest way is the digital rectal examination, in which the doctor discount viagra levitra valsonindia.com insert a gloved finger into the rectum to check the prostate. A prolonged erection, often order viagra valsonindia.com lasting for more than four hours. Dosage The dosage pattern is quite tadalafil online uk simple to understand. The 27-year-old Norris is currently struggling through a subpar offensive season, hitting .207/.264/.394 with 11 home runs and 32 runs driven in.  For his career, Norris owns a .242/.316/.396 batting line and has experience both at catcher and first base.  Fangraphs.com rates him as an average to slightly above-average defensive catcher and he has the reputation as a reasonable pitch framer as well.  The biggest knock on his defense is his struggles throwing runners out, as his 28% career caught stealing percentage indicates.  Ideally he would act as the right-handed side of a platoon at catcher, while receiving occasional at-bats at first base and designated hitter against lefties.  Norris is making $2.9 million this season in his first year of arbitration and is under contract through 2018.

From Washington’s perspective, Norris would signify an upgrade offensively (and likely overall) to Lobaton and could be valuable insurance in case of potential injuries to Ramos, Lobaton or Zimmerman.  Additionally, Norris could provide the Nationals with a backup plan at catcher in 2017 if the team is unable or unwilling to meet Ramos’s asking price in free agency.  And his salary next year in his second time through arbitration should not be prohibitive to re-signing Ramos if the team wishes to agree to terms.

For San Diego, it might make sense for the Padres to explore Norris’s trade value, as the team is struggling through another difficult season and may not contend next season as well.  Also, San Diego has young catcher Christian Bethancourt currently on their roster and top prospect Austin Hedges waiting in the wings at Triple-A, which could make them eager to move Norris’s salary and see what type of return he could generate on the open market.

In conclusion, trading for Derek Norris has obvious positives and negatives.  Ideally, Norris would hit left-handed to make him the strong-side of a platoon, would be better at throwing out runners and be having a better season offensively.  Also, some teams are hesitant to acquire a catcher mid-season, figuring it is difficult to add someone unfamiliar with the pitching staff and not cause potential harm.  And these are all legitimate criticisms, as Norris is a solid but flawed player.

Nonetheless, Norris would be a solid acquisition for the Nationals, as he could immediately upgrade the overall roster, while providing the front office with possible leverage in contract negotiations with Ramos this winter.  Ramos will be the best catcher available this winter and one of the top overall free agents in a weak class, meaning he could sign a 4-5 year contract worth $15+ million annually.  If the Nationals are concerned about his past injuries or giving a long-term deal to a (then) 29-year-old catcher, Norris could be viewed as a reasonable alternative.  His value might be depressed at the moment due to his offensive numbers and the state of the Padres’ organization, making him an intriguing buy-low candidate.  If the price to acquire him is reasonable and not prohibitive to also strengthening the relief corps, the Nationals should look to trade for Derek Norris.

Months of speculation finally became reality Friday evening, as the Washington Nationals traded RHP Drew Storen and cash considerations to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for OF Ben Revere and a Player To Be Named Later. Storen lost the closer’s job back in July and will now look to re-establish himself with the Blue Jays, while conversely, Washington hopes Revere can help replace recently departed Denard Span in their outfield next season.

The 28-year-old Storen has been a major part of the Nationals’ bullpen the past few seasons, both working as the closer and as a set-up man, providing Washington with a 3.02 ERA, 3.09 FIP and 95 saves in 334 innings pitched. Last year Storen posted a 3.44 ERA with 67 strikeouts against 18 walks and 29 saves in 58 games pitched. Unfortunately his season ended rather abruptly in September when he broke his thumb punching his locker in frustration after a poor outing.

This lapse in judgement aside, Storen has been a consummate professional since being selected 10th overall by the Nationals in 2009. A popular fan-favorite, he quietly developed into one of the better relief pitchers in the National League during his six years in DC. Storen is under contract for one final year before reaching free agency next winter, and is expected to earn approximately $8.8 million in arbitration for 2016.

In return the Nationals receive 27-year-old outfielder Ben Revere, who split time in 2015 with Philadelphia and Toronto, batting .306/.342/.377 with 2 home runs and 31 stolen bases in 152 games played. Revere, a left-handed hitter, possesses almost no power, meaning his game is predicated on making contact and utilizing his blazing speed to create chaos on the bases. He does not have the walk rate ideal for a leadoff hitter (5% in 2015, 4.4% career) but counterbalances this by limiting his strikeouts (10.1% in 2015, 9.4% career) and putting the ball in play. For his 6-year career and 2,497 major league at-bats, Revere possesses a .295/.328/.348 batting line with 4 homers and 176 stolen bases. His impressive batting average and speed seemingly make him a natural leadoff hitter, but his lack of on-base percentage ideally makes him an 8th place hitter in a National League lineup.

Defensively Revere can play all three outfield positions, although he primarily belongs in either left or center field due to his poor throwing arm. Revere has a “30” arm or well below-average, giving him perhaps the weakest outfield arm in the majors. Fortunately Revere makes up for his arm with outstanding speed and infectious “want”, allowing him to rate as a fringe-average defender according to metrics like UZR. The expectation is Revere will be the opening day centerfielder and split time with Michael Taylor and Jayson Werth in left and center field next season.

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Without question this trade is difficult on a sentimental level for Nationals’ fans, as Drew spent his entire career in Washington and has been an integral part of the success of the franchise the past four seasons. After his disappointing performance in the 2012 NLCS and two demotions from the closer’s role, the time had come for Storen to leave Washington for another opportunity.

Fortunately for the Nationals the acquisition of Revere should bolster the lineup next season and help make Storen’s absence easier to tolerate. Revere’s excellent speed, left-handed bat and defensive versatility are a tremendous fit for the 2016 Nationals and these skills complement Taylor and Werth’s right-handed, more power oriented offensive approach. His on-base skills leave a bit to be desired, but his excellent knack for making contact pairs well with recent signing Daniel Murphy as General Manager Mike Rizzo attempts to alter the Nationals offensive approach.

In a vacuum the Nationals did extremely well in this deal, parting with one year of a top-notch reliever in order to add two years of a league average starting outfielder. Even with the explosion in salary demands for relief pitchers in recent years, trading a non-elite bullpen arm for an everyday starter is a trade you make every day.

My only reservation lies in my desire for the team to make a “greater upgrade” to their lineup. Considering free agents Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes are still available and Carlos Gonzalez seemingly via trade, I would have liked to have seen Washington’s front office be more aggressive in adding a “middle-of-the-order” hitter, rather than a table setter. My feeling of “good enough” rather than “perfection” dampens my overall opinion of this swap, but the clear fact Washington is better now than before the deal makes this a win for Washington.

NatsGM Grade ->     Solid B

Just prior to the conclusion of the 2015 MLB Winter Meetings, Thursday afternoon the Washington Nationals agreed to trade infielder Yunel Escobar plus some cash considerations to Anaheim in exchange for RHP Trevor Gott and minor league RHP Michael Brady. Washington acquired Escobar last offseason from Oakland in exchange for popular RHP Tyler Clippard, and now parts with him in order to fill more pressing needs in the bullpen.

The 33-year-old Escobar provided a veteran influence to the Nationals’ infield last season, hitting .314/.375/.415 with 9 home runs while splitting time at both second and third base. Over his 9-year major league career Escobar is a career .281/.350/.385 hitter and has played everywhere in the infield besides first base. Escobar has lost some range defensively in the past three seasons and fits best at this point in his career at third base. This trade allows the Nationals to move Anthony Rendon permanently back to his natural position at third base, while creating room for Danny Espinosa and Trea Turner in the middle infield. Escobar will make $7 million next season, with a $7 million team option for 2017 with a $1 million buyout.

In return for Escobar’s services, the Nationals are receiving a 23-year-old right-handed reliever in Trevor Gott, plus a 28-year-old Triple-A RHP Michael Brady. Gott made his major league debut in 2015 for Anaheim and provided the Angels with a 3.02 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 1.238 WHIP and 27 strikeouts against 16 walks in 47.2 innings pitched. Gott possesses a 3-pitch repertoire featuring a 96-98mph fastball with excellent movement, a curveball and the occasional changeup. His pedestrian 5.1 K/9 ratio was surprising for someone with an average fastball velocity of 96.2mph, although he did generate a career 9.5 K/9 in the minor leagues. Impressively he did post a 57.2% ground-ball rate which should fit well with Washington’s expected improved infield defense in 2016. Gott finished with only 114 days of major league service time last season, meaning the Nationals will control him through arbitration for six more years through 2021.

Michael Brady, though he is old for a prospect at nearly 29, had an impressive season last year at Double-A, making 19 starts and throwing 119.1 innings with a 3.77 ERA, 8.5 K/9 and 0.9 BB/9. During his 6-year minor league career, Brady has a 20-21 record with a 3.06 ERA, 9.4 K/9 and a miniscule 1.5 BB/9. His age makes me extremely skeptical that he is anything more than minor league depth, but general manager Mike Rizzo’s track record with “throw-ins” in trades is strong and gives me hesitation to dismiss him as organizational fodder.
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This trade is a classic baseball swap, as two teams parted with quality players that were less valuable to themselves than to the other organization. Washington has some present infield depth and needed to move Escobar this winter, while Anaheim had a desperate need for help at either second or third base. Conversely, Anaheim has acquired some bullpen depth in the past few seasons and capitalized on this to fill a greater hole in the organization. Escobar should hit near the top of Anaheim’s lineup and the acquisition of defensive wizard Andrelton Simmons will help shield Escobar’s diminishing range at third base. Alternatively, Gott should pair extremely well with new acquisition RHP Shawn Kelley to provide Washington with two quality pitchers as set-up men bridging the gap to the Nationals’ closer.

Overall Washington attempted to “sell-high” on Escobar’s strong season in 2015 and found a willing buyer in the Angels. Escobar fills a major need for Anaheim and the loss of Gott should not hinder their bullpen long-term. On the other hand, Washington has done well to receive a promising future high-leverage reliever in Gott and the organization must be eager to see his progress under the tutelage of new pitching coach Mike Maddux. Unfortunately Brady as the second piece feels slightly underwhelming, as the Nationals’ front office should have targeted someone with a bit more future potential.

This is a risky trade for the Nationals, as in general it is better to be trading for the everyday player while parting with the reliever, not the other way around. That said both teams did well in this deal and this is a solid swap for Washington.

NatsGM Grade ->      B to B-