Early Thursday morning, when most baseball executives were trying to recover from the 3-day marathon known as the MLB Draft, the Washington Nationals acquired right-handed reliever David Carpenter from the Yankees for 2B prospect Tony Renda. The Nationals bullpen has been dreadful in recent weeks and with the Yankees designating Carpenter for assignment the other day, the trade was a natural fit for both clubs. In corresponding moves, Washington moved OF Nate McLouth to the 60-day disabled list to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Carpenter and optioned LHP Sammy Solis to Double-A Harrisburg.

The 29-year-old Carpenter has struggled in 2015 since being traded from Atlanta to New York, posting a 4.82 ERA and 11 strikeouts against 7 walks and 3 home runs allowed in 18.2 innings this season. His fastball velocity has remained consistent in 2015, averaging 94.9mph and his groundball percentage is a career high 42.4%, though conversely his walk and home run ratios have spiked and his strikeout numbers have sharply declined. That said the previous two seasons with the Braves, he was an excellent late-innings shutdown reliever, with a 3.54 ERA, 2.94 FIP and 67 strikeouts in 61 innings in 2014 and a 1.78 ERA, 2.83 FIP, and 74 strikeouts in 65.2 innings in 2013.

The Nationals are clearly gambling that this poor start is either attributable to the pressure of pitching in New York and/or noise in the 18 inning sample size and he will bounce back with a fresh start returning to the National League. Carpenter is making $1.275 million in his first year of salary arbitration and is under team control through 2017.

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In exchange for Carpenter, the Nationals were forced to part with 2012 2nd round pick Tony Renda, a 24-year-old second baseman who was hitting .267 with 1 homer, 23 RBI and 13 stolen bases for Class AA Harrisburg this season. Renda was ranked as my #24 prospect in the Nationals system preseason, as I am a big fan of his bat-to-ball skills and think he could have an average to above-average hit tool in the majors. Unfortunately this tool is easily his best skill, as he has little to no power, fringy speed and a fringy arm which force him to a second base only profile. He has a true “gamer” mentality and gets everything out of his skills, but even this “want” cannot overcome his lack of physicality. If everything comes together, Renda could serve a below-average second baseman for a few years in the majors in a placeholder type role. However, most likely Renda settles in and develops into a backup or Quad-A player.

In general I am a major fan of this trade from Washington’s perspective – I think the front office is making a shrewd gamble that Carpenter is healthy and has simply struggled early in the season for whatever reasons. If the team is correct, Washington just acquired a well above-average 7th/8th inning reliever, under contract for 2.5 years, for a true spare part in their organization. And if they are wrong, Carpenter will likely be designated for assignment in two months and Washington lost the opportunity cost of trading Renda for another piece in the future. Historically the Nationals have done well trading for Yankee relievers, as Tyler Clippard and Matt Thornton immediately come to mind, and much like American Pharoah this past weekend, I think Washington goes 3 for 3 in this deal.

NatsGM Grade ->    B+

 

After watching the bullpen scuffle in recent weeks, in particular the meltdown Monday evening against the Orioles, Tuesday afternoon the Washington Nationals claimed left-handed relief pitcher Matt Thornton on waivers from the New York Yankees. Once the July 31st MLB non-waiver trade deadline passes, players can still be traded to other teams but they must pass through revocable waivers before they can change organizations. In subsequent Nationals moves, the team moved RHP Taylor Jordan from the 15-day to 60-day to clear a space on the 40-man roster for Thornton, and then optioned RHP Blake Treinen to Triple-A Syracuse to make room in the bullpen and the 25-man roster for Thornton’s arrival.

The 37-year-old Thornton is having a quality season in 2014, posting a 2.55 ERA with 20 strikeouts against 23 hits allowed and 8 walks issued. Thornton has been particularly effective against left-handed hitters, allowing a .259/.313/.259 batting line in 58 at-bats, though he is not just a pure lefty specialist as his .237/.318/.368 slash line in 2014 and career .241/.324/.361 suggests. During his 11-year major league career, Thornton has posted a 32-45 record with a 3.49 ERA, 1.284 WHIP, a 9.1 K/9 ratio, and a 3.5 BB/9 ratio. A 2010 All-Star while a member of the White Sox, Thornton has postseason experience and his veteran presence should have a positive effect on the Nationals’ bullpen. Thornton is scheduled to make about $1 million the rest of this season, and is signed for 2015 for $3.5 million.

Thornton’s acquisition should have an interesting effect on the Nationals bullpen, as the team is sticking with a 7-man bullpen and now has 3 lefties in their relief corps. Yet Thornton brings a new and intriguing dimension to the bullpen, as his 5-pitch repertoire consists of a 95-96mph 4-seam fastball, 94-95mph sinker, a 90mph curveball, an 85mph slider, and a low-80s changeup. However, Thornton primarily and overwhelmingly relies on his fastball and sinker, which he throws more than 70% of the time. Thornton should move into the role Jerry Blevins currently holds in the team’s bullpen, namely as a lefty who can get both left-handed and right-handed batters out. This will allow Blevins to slide into a pure lefty specialist role, whom he has held to a miniscule .135/.190/.235 batting line this year. In essence, Thornton’s arrival allows the Nationals to upgrade two roles in their bullpen in one move.

The sildenafil pill only solution is to find reliable air conditioning repair in Dunwoody. Now, move in the free viagra prescription course of the home and their kids, among many others. Pumping of healthy blood towards the male organ during climax, called retrograde climax. cialis 5 mg Still, not many live by line viagra this law. In the first waiver claim transaction post trade deadline, general manager Mike Rizzo should be commended for adding further depth and another power arm to the Nationals’ bullpen without having to deplete their farm system. Frankly, I am surprised the Yankees let Thornton go without receiving a prospect as compensation, since clearing future payroll does not seem like a typical New York consideration. I understand the Yankees are high on 2014 2nd round pick Jacob Lindgren, and believe he’s nearly ready to replace Thornton in their bullpen, but lefty relievers who throw strikes and 96mph are typically coveted commodities at the trade deadline.

Nevertheless, Thornton’s addition immediately improves the Nationals bullpen and his salary for 2015 should not be any impediment to future moves for the organization. While this move can hardly be described as a blockbuster, the Nationals did well to acquire Thornton for only the price of his future contractual obligations, making this a quality, shrewd move.

NatsGM Overall Grade ->    B-

In a trade deadline day full of interesting and exciting trades, the Washington Nationals traded versatile infielder Zach Walters to Cleveland in exchange for veteran shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and cash considerations. After news broke earlier this week that Ryan Zimmerman’s injured hamstring will be a lengthy, if not season ending injury, the pressure was on the Nationals’ front office to make a trade to bolster their infield. Cabrera is expected to take over as the Nationals’ everyday second baseman, and returns Danny Espinosa to a role as a reserve infielder.

Asdrubal Cabrera, like several Cleveland hitters in 2014, is scuffling through an average season offensively, hitting only .246/.305/.386 with 9 home runs and 7 stolen bases in 97 games played. However, a two-time All-Star selection in 2011 and 2012, the 28-year-old Cabrera is a switch-hitter with a career batting line of .270/.331/.410, and specifically .282/.332/.421 right-handed and .265/.332/.407 left-handed.

Defensively Cabrera is considered an average or slightly below-average shortstop, mostly due to his subpar range. However, Cabrera’s strong arm will help him compensate for this weakness on the right side of the infield, and combined with his previous experience at the position early in his career, should allow him to be an above-average or better defensive second baseman. Cabrera is making $10 million this season, the balance of which will be paid by Cleveland, before reaching free agency this fall.

To acquire Cabrera from Cleveland, the Nationals were forced to part with 24-year-old Walters, whom the team acquired at the trade deadline in 2011 from Arizona for Jason Marquis. Arizona’s 9th round pick in 2010, Walters quietly climbed the Nationals organizational ladder before a true breakout season in AAA in 2013, hitting 29 home runs and slashing .253/.286/.517. A switch-hitter, Walters has legitimate home run power from both sides of the plate, but scouts question if his excessive strike out numbers (25.5% of his at-bats) will not allow it to translate against major league pitching.
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In the field Walters shows average speed, fringe-average athleticism, and a strong arm, making him profile best at third base. Overall I question if he settles in as a starting infielder or if his ultimate position rests as a super-utility multi-position reserve, but there is little doubt Walters should have a quality major league career.

While Cabrera is not a superstar like Adrian Beltre or Chase Utley or perhaps even a household name, he is a league-average or slightly better player, motivated with a change of scenery and his impending free agency this winter. Considering Espinosa’s struggles at the plate, especially left-handed, Cabrera should make the Nationals approximately 0.5 – 1.0 wins better the rest of this season, not an inconsequential sum with Atlanta only 1.5 games back in the division standings entering Thursday.

Walters should go on to have a lengthy career in Cleveland, likely in a reserve capacity for Lonnie Chisenhall, Francisco Lindor, and Jason Kipnis at third base, shortstop, and second base respectively. Quality reserves are difficult to develop or expensive to sign, as the past two seasons in Washington have proven, so parting with Walters stings – nevertheless the Nationals needed to upgrade their roster regardless of whether or not Zimmerman returns this year. The price to improve was steep but fair, and should not hinder the Nationals long-term. Although I like this trade for the Indians, I believe the Nationals made a shrewd deal with Cleveland and appreciably improved their team as they chase their 2nd NL East championship in 3 years.

NatsGM Official Grade -> Solid B