Quote from fenn68 on July 20, 2018, 12:40 pm

Did a bit of a closer look at Washington's future to see how motivated they may be in dealing for Hedges and/or Yates ... based on their coming FA agency list they should be highly motivated. Yes they want Realmuto but Miami wants the core of their top prospects which Washington can't really part with give where their roster is headed.

Consider they have only three major pieces long term ... Scherzer (34 now) through 2021 and Strassburg (30) through 2023 both are elite pitchers (and under BIG contracts) who benefit from a top line defensive catcher. (note the third is Trea Turner).

What is scary for them (and should be a motivator) are the following FA after this season:

C: Wieters (32)

RP: Madson (37); Kelley (34); Benoit (41); Herrera (28); and club options on Doolittle (31) and Kintzler (34)

Others: Harper (RF - 25); Murphy (2B - 33); Gonzalez (SP - 32); Adams (1B - 29);

Washington has money but that is a LOT of holes to fill if they plan to be competitive in 2019. Yates and Hedges are both under control for years and low cost which would free up Washington money to sign some FA.

Should add that after 2019 Rendon (3B - 28); Zimmerman (1B - 33); Kendrick (2B - 35); and Roark (SP - 33) become FA.

It will be tough (if they even want) to resign Harper given Scott Boras is his agent and dispute a marginal season will be looking for that 10-12 year deal with an AAV well over $30MM ... irrelevant if he is worth that it is Boras.

This may be it for WASH in 2018 ... so?

Quote from fenn68 on July 20, 2018, 3:47 pm

While all the buzz is about the potential markets for Yates, Stammen, or Ross (everyone needs pitching) ... and some reports that Jankowski's name has surfaced as gain some "interest" ... I guess I would not exclude the movement of some position players and either secondary pieces or in minor deals when the buyer has struck out getting better options but still need some level of upgrade.

To that end, Morosi wrote on MLB.com his list of position upgrades being sought by contenders:

C     Washington, Houston, Seattle, Milwaukee ... all with a different level of need (Hedges or Ellis?)

1B/DH   NYY, Houston ... all soft interest so no real match and likely Morosi just needed to fill the blanks here

2B   LAD, Boston, Milwaukee, SF ... (Pirela, Spangenberg, Asuaje?)

SS   Philadelphia, Milwaukee ... both are really weak at SS due to injury (Galvis?)

3B   Philadelphia, Boston, Arizona .... (Spangenberg, Villanueva)

CF   Oakland .... (Jankowski? ... especially if paired with Ross who Oakland seems to like)

Corner  SF, Washington, Philadelphia, Arizona (Renfroe, Myers?)

Note that Philadelphia and Milwaukee are identified as needing upgrades at multiple positions ... sort of dilutes the assets they have to deal to get quality ... might settle for lesser upgrades especially if a seller can feed multiple upgrades by bundling a pitcher with the position player need. Unless it Hedges, Yates, or Myers the returns would be Preller specials (high ceiling Short Season / Rookie level).

Adds to the interest for the next few weeks (even after the trade deadline for most).

Quote from MrPadre19 on July 20, 2018, 4:14 pm

The window for the Nationals is indeed closing fast.

You would think they would be making some deals in the next 10 days.

Atlanta and Philly are about to be perennial Division favorites IMO.

 

Quote from MrPadre19 on July 20, 2018, 4:43 pm

If you can get anything at all for Ellis you have to take it.

He obviously is not in our future plans.

As far as Hedges....it just depends on “how much” Preller,Green and the pitchers value his defense.

Obviously they do.....but enough to pass up a good offer?

Quote from sportwarrior on July 20, 2018, 5:19 pm

Quote from David Nevin on July 20, 2018, 4:43 pm

If you can get anything at all for Ellis you have to take it.

He obviously is not in our future plans.

As far as Hedges....it just depends on “how much” Preller,Green and the pitchers value his defense.

Obviously they do.....but enough to pass up a good offer?

That question extends well beyond Preller and Green. Does anyone value Hedges' defense enough to even submit a good offer, let alone pass one up?

Quote from MrPadre19 on July 20, 2018, 5:25 pm

Teams tend to value and hold on to great defensive catchers.....but they seldom trade for one.

Especially at the deadline because defense for catchers means continuity with the pitchers.

 

Quote from fenn68 on July 21, 2018, 5:42 am

I doubt the Padres will deal Hedges (not likely to get that "compelling" offer) and until they know what they have in Mejia little upside in dealing him plus do think they will be comfortable with cutting back Hedges workload (that may help his offense). Should note that there are only seven "qualified" catchers at this point in the season and the norm is more towards dual catchers with a 60/40 split ... so having two ML quality catchers has value to both the Padres and contenders.

Now IF you accept the narrative that Hedges is an elite defensive catcher (no real reason to doubt that judgement) the question becomes his hitting and that has to be put into context of ML catchers ... Hedges is not so bad. Consider:

Hedges has a slash line of 233/288/372 .... the MLB average is 231/305/392 ... so Hedges offensively is about "average". Keep in mind he is low cost and controllable for a number of years.

Now why would a team like Washington find him of value, consider:

207/303/333 .... Wieters ...and an old FA after the season (100 AB)

211/270/296 .... Kieboom (brother of the highly touted SS) and career MiLer non-prospect (63 AB)

171/256/254 .... Severino sent to minors early July (203 AB)

I guess Hedges would be an OFFENSIVE upgrade for the NATS! Actually if you look at the catchers for Boston and Arizona as contenders their offensive production is also worse than Hedges.

Trade not likely to happen but not because others would not be interested in securing a short and longer term upgrade.

Quote from sportwarrior on July 21, 2018, 1:27 pm

Good points, fenn. For as much as I/we bag on Hedges' lack of offense, he's actually not terrible considering the state of the position around the league. Even the best players at the position aren't that great this year, and the mode for the league is pretty darn low.

Quote from Commie on July 21, 2018, 4:43 pm

Was it LAD last year in the postseason/WS that sat a good offensive catcher in favor of strong defense?  I recall commentary at the time that it was pretty sound strategy even though the offensive difference was significant.