Nats News | -n- Notes. Groundbreaking, MASN quaking, GMs Taking, Dusty Baking, Desi Aching, Stupid Trading

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Nats Groundbreaking Ceremony Was Today in West Palm Beach

While the bulldozers have been on site for weeks, the ribbon cutting was today on the 2017 Spring Training home for the Nats and Astros.

Spring training West Palm Beach

MASN Source To Sports Business Journal Suggests More Heartache To Settle

Just when you thought the Nats really had the upper hand going back to to the RSDC for arbitration with the Nats taking the Judgers advice and making sure their independence with legal representation can’t be impugned, this Tweet sort of says, not so fast.

Great comments from JH11 and Steady Eddie who are both attorneys and have taken their time to comment on this as they have in the past.  You can see the comments in our previous post that was written by Don aka ZMunchkin about Relievers:  http://www.talknats.com/2015/11/09/who-are-your-free-agent-reliever-targets/

At the groundbreaking today, Rob Manfred was in attendance and was asked the question about the MASN appeal,

“We are intent on making sure that the agreement that gets the Nationals a fair market value for their TV rights is enforced, and we’ll do whatever is necessary to get that.”

Read those poetic words again, again, and again.  Angelos should realize that he might be a billionaire, and that’s nothing compared to the combined resources of MLB. —Let sleeping dogs lie— comes to mind when you keep poking the big dawg!

GMs Meetings Start Today in Boca Raton

While Mike Rizzo and staff are meeting with all the other MLB GMs in Boca Raton, the framework for trades are started here and that didn’t stop Tampa and Seattle from getting Jerry DiPoto off to big start last week with a blockbuster trade involving Boog Powell.  Byung Ho-Park was awarded to the Minnesota Twins in the Korean posting lottery.

In the Tweet above, Dave Dombrowski and Theo Epstein are both pictured, and you wonder if the person who did the graphics knows they’re no longer GMs— Yes, team Presidents are known to be at the meetings but it’s called the GM Meetings.  One GM who won’t be there which is Sandy Alderson who is having a medical procedure.   MLB execs: Why best chance to upgrade starts at GM meetings

Dusty Baker is Baking Up His Coaching Staff

Renteria is off the list for bench coach as he was hired today by the Chicago White Sox.  The favorites for bench coach are now a smaller list with Dave Roberts who is still in the running for the Dodgers job manager’s job, and the other favorite is Alex Cora.  Chris Speier might also factor in. Wishful thinking is Tim Flannery and Mark DeRosa and Gabe Kapler (favorite for Dodgers job).  Hitting coach candidates still include Rick Schu, Lloyd McLendon, Dave Magadan, Brooks Jacoby, and the name Barry Bonds has come up.

Ian Desmond Would Consider A Position Change

According to Ken Rosenthal, for the right team, Ian Desmond would consider a position change to 2nd base or the outfield.  It’s a curious move given that people who comment here have suggested Desi is a liability at shortstop and have suggested a position change for years.  What it does for Desi is create more demand as the Dodgers for instance are looking for a 2nd baseman who can play shortstop and so are the Mets who might move Wilmer Flores to 2nd base.  Seems like Desi wants to be a younger version of Zobrist which adds considerable value.

Rumors of Trades Names Andrew Miller for Stephen Strasburg

Somehow, the Yankees became an early rumor at the GM Meetings today that they would consider trading their closer Andrew Miller.  Sounds good until Heyman tweeted for “someone like Stephen Strasburg.”  Thanks, but no thanks from TalkNats.  Strasburg is worth more to the Nats to go for it in 2o16 and if the Nats aren’t in the hunt on July 31, 2016, the trade value for Strasburg far exceeds the value of Andrew Miller and look no further than what David Price fetched last July!

Nats Calendar Pictures Fenway Park as Nats Park

h/t to Susan Vavrick and also NatsLady for the picture of the 2016 Nats calendar with the wrong picture.  Yes, that is Fenway Park not Nats Park but this mistake clearly is on the company (Turner) that produces the calendar.

MLB: “Our licensee used an incorrect photo in its 2016 Nationals calendar, a product that the Nationals were not involved in producing. We are working quickly to rectify the situation including recalling the calendars from retail.”

World Series Odds Updated

Bovada Las Vegas odds just updated and the Cubs are the 2016 favorites.  Surprisingly, the Vegas odds have the Nats tied for 2nd with the Royals, Dodgers, Mets, Cardinals and Blue Jays.  The next picks all tied are Pirates, Astros and Rangers.

The odds will move greatly with the Free Agent and Trade market.

VEGAS ODDS with BOVADA

Baseball America Issues Nats Written List of Prospects

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/washington-nationals-top-10-prospects/

  1. Giolito
  2. Trea Turner
  3. Victor Robles
  4. Eric Fedde
  5. Reynaldo Lopez
  6. Wilmer Difo
  7. AJ Cole
  8. Andrew Stevenson
  9. Austin Voth
  10. Anderson Franco

 

The Buffalo is Pumping and MAT is Swinging

We said we would post up the 1st workout pics of any of our Nats and the Buffalo beat Bryce to that spot!

 

 

 

 

Updated: 11/9/15 8:25PM:

Bryce Harper Wins a Prestigious Award

This award is great, and clearly correct! Bryce came in 2nd in the MLB Player of the Year like he did on the Sporting News award, and we absolutely disagree with that. We expect the fans know Bryce is the best.

A busy day in NatsTown!

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