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That's about what I'm thinking too. I'm not too excited about the middle infielders available in FA, but they really just need a placeholder until Carter Kieboom is ready (which might be September 2019).
Watching the way this played out, with Gio going through the order one time and then the Brewers switching to a long-relief RHP to force the platoon-happy Dodgers to either leave Bellinger and Muncy on the bench or burn through their pinch-hitting options in the fourth inning- was discouraging as a Nats fan. I just can't see our organization being that bold or forward-thinking at the moment. Seems like we used to be at the forefront of innovation but we're being left behind by the movement towards more roster flexibility.
Boras apparently said yesterday Harper already had a deal in place. Since he wasn’t a free agent until today, that deal could only be with the Nats. Or Boras just got himself into a whole lot of trouble negotiating deals for a player who still belonged to the Nats.
Yeah, Nats have found some good value with players coming off Tommy John, but I have a hard time believing other teams were willing to pay close that much for him.
Just felt like bumping this again. Just felt like bumping this seven year old post. 
I think they'll go with Max, Corbin, Stras, Roark, and Ross in the rotation with Fedde the backup option. They could use another lefty reliever so they don't have to rely on Solis. They still need this years version of Matt Adams/Adam Lind too.
Ross's injury history worries me, as well as Fedde not quite looking up to the part last year. Trading Rodriguez took another option off the table too. I don't think much is needed -- maybe it's just a matter of trying to bring back Hellickson, or some similar washout, like a Matt Harvey to add a little more rotational depth there.
Looks good to me. On second thought have Ross in the bullpen and Fedde in the minors as #6 and #7 guys does look a lot better.
Not a bad plan. Go strong on pitching and let Harper walk and stay out of a 10 contract type of deal.
Harper's skill set seems more age resistant than FA busts like Heyward and Carl Crawford but there's always the risk he'll run into a wall or something.
I always like Annibal but after watching Sanchez his last 2 years in Detroit I thought he would never pitch in MLB again..he had nothing.Ramblin Wreck said:
I love everything about it. I feel like I'm missing something. The only difference between 2018 Brian Dozier and the all-star caliber player from 2014-2017 appears to be a dropoff in power, which seems like an aberration given that he's still just 31, and uncharacteristically bad luck on balls in play. The underlying profile is basically the same. STEAMER projects him as a 2.5 win player.
I think so too. Dozier probably agreed to it in hopes that he has bounce back year, and can get more next year. Nats were presumably okay because it gives a spot for Kieboom in 2020 if shows he is ready.
I hadn't even let the thought of Harper returning creep into my mind until two weeks ago. I still think all the reports from Bowden and Heyman are just the Nats allowing Boras to use them to drive up the price for Philly or someone else. But at some point giving the fan base false hope weighs against any slight benefit to them of making the Phils spend an extra million or two a year. Who knows.
On MLB Network, one of the hosts asked the question if it wouldn't be better for Washington (or another team) to sign Kimbrel, Keuchel and Marwin Gonzalez instead of Harper. The money and years wouldn't be all that different.
Haven't seen anything from Harper to indicate this? I think it's just Boras trying to extract every possible dollar out of the team most likely to sign him. Did JD Martinez have "real reservations" about playing for Boston last year?
I think he'd prefer the West Coast, all things being equal, as it puts him closer to Las Vegas. Maybe hoping the Giants or Dodgers up their offer at this point. Kind of interested to learn what the Dodgers were offering to Harper last night.
All of these anti-Phillies theories are more believable than the "he doesnt want to play for Philly because he hasnt signed yet" take. That's just Boras being Boras.
I'm not sure "it's a great place to hit. I shared that, among other things" is as positive a message as you think.
For the record I posted this before the Bryce Harper news, it wasn't intended as passive-aggressive criticism of him.
Barry Svrugla tweeted that about $100 million of the Nats' money offered was deferred, and they would have been paying him out until he was 60. So, I could see that being a major factor in favor of Philly over Nats too.
It has been pretty rare. Kirk Cousins last year probably the closest. I'm not sure if he was ever really beloved though; more tolerated.
Actually, I was looking up Gonchar, and he was traded to the Bruins late in the season before he signed with the Penguins (part of the salary purge around the time that they traded Bondra). So, I guess he does not work either.
