I think it’s pretty easy to pick out the Washington Nationals as the most disappointing team in baseball this season. The Nationals have been hanging around .500 most of the season; they are currently 62-61 which puts them 7 games back of the National League East leading Atlanta Braves. There are a lot of questions that Washington has to answer down the stretch.
Will this be the only season that Dave Martinez is the manager? Martinez signed a three year deal to replace Dusty Baker who had guided the Nationals to the NL East title the in the only two seasons he was the manager. When the Nationals didn’t renew Baker’s contract they mentioned how they where interested in a younger manager who would relate better with today’s players and Martinez seemed to have the resume they where looking for.
Martinez started as a spring training instructor for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2006 and 2007. In December of 2007 Martinez was hired as the Rays bench coach. While Martinez had a few managerial interviews during his stint as the Rays bench coach it appeared as though his best chance to get hired as a manager was when Joe Maddon left Tampa Bay to take the Chicago Cubs manager’s job. Martinez was one of three finalist for the Rays job, but Tampa Bay decided to hire Kevin Cash. After not getting the Tampa Bay job Martinez announced that he’d be leaving Tampa Bay. In December of 2014 Martinez signed on with Maddon to be the Cubs bench coach which was the position he was holding when the Nationals hired him.
Martinez has always been looked at as a future manager and it looked as though he found one of if not the best landing spot possible with the Nationals, but it hasn’t worked out this season. With two years left o his contract; does Washington give Martinez another season to show his managerial skill? Or will they make a change?
One of the main goals Washington had hoped to accomplish with Martinez as their manager besides wining a World Series was to convince Bryce Harper to re-sign with them.
Even though Harper is having what has to be considered a down year he’ll still be one of the most sought after free agents this off season. Harper’s batting average has been on heading in the right direction lately as he is now up to .248. While the average may be down the power has been there all season. Harper has 30 home runs to go along with 23 doubles. He has a good chance to surpass his career high of 42 home runs that he hit in 2015 when he was the NL MVP.
As the Nationals have failed to make up ay ground in the NL East the rumors have started that Harper could be traded. As I’m sure you know the trade deadline was July 31st, but teams can still make deals until August 31st as long as a player is put on waivers.
I’ve never understood how these things get started, but there was an un-named (no surprise there) General Manger who stated that Harper would end up with the Philadelphia Phillies. While it’s an interesting scenario and Philadelphia has been predicted by many already as Harper’s landing spot as a free agent this off season I don’t think will see this trade happen.
What kind of deal could the Nationals get for Harper? If you where going to trade a superstar like Harper you’d need to get quite a few big time prospects for him. What team is going to give that up for just a month and a half of having Harper on their team. Imagine if the Phillies gave up two or three of their young starting pitchers and maybe someone like J.P. Crawford who’s had an injury plaque rookie season, but I looked at as a top prospect for Harper and then he signs somewhere else in the off season. I wonder how the Philadelphia fans would react to that.
When rumors like these come out they also seem to forget that the Nationals have stated that they would like to re-sign Harper. I seriously doubt if they traded him that he would sign with them as a free agent this off season.
While I don’t see Harper changing teams before August 31st I wouldn’t be surprised if Washington made some other moves.
Daniel Murphy is in the final year of his contract and finally looks to be fully healthy. Murphy’s batting average is over .300 after struggling after his return from the disabled list. Murphy is currently on a 10-game hitting streak that has seen his average jump 27 points.
Murphy’s bat could be an interesting add for a contender as he’s had post season success. Murphy is a .323 hitter in the post season and he also won the NLCS MVP in 2015 while with the New York Mets.
The Nationals might have some pitchers that could draw some interest. I don’t think that Kelvin Herrera or Ryan Madson would be moved since they’re both currently injured and the deadline is just 13 days away, but it is possible. It’s more likely that a team could be interested in adding a back of the rotation starter like Gio Gonzalez or even Jeremy Hellickson. All four of these players are in the final year of their contracts; so I don’t think the Nationals would get a ton in return for any of them, but they could get something for a player that they’re not going to be bringing back.
What do you see the Nationals doing?
Did bad luck just cost A.J. McCarron his opportunity to be the Buffalo Bills starting quarterback?
McCarron was signed to a two year $8.1 million dollar contract this off season and was looked at as the Bills starting quarterback until #1 draft pick Josh Allen was ready to take over.
McCarron made his start for the Bills Friday night against the Cleveland Browns. During the game McCarron suffered a hairline fracture of his collarbone and it appears that he’ll be out about 4 to 6 weeks. Even if McCarron was to return on the short end of his injury window he’d still miss the final two pre-season games and the first two regular season games.
Besides McCarron and Allen the Bills also have Nathan Peterman on their roster. Most people will remember Peterman from his 5 interception game last season against the San Diego Chargers.
While McCarron has never been a starting quarterback it appeared as though the Bills where going to give him that chance this season. You would have to think with this injury to McCarron that the Bills would turn to Allen as the starter and since he’s the future of the franchise there would be no really reason to go back to McCarron unless Allen was to get injured.
What do you think the Bills will do. Start Allen Week 1? Or let Peterman try to hold don the job for a few weeks until McCarron returns?
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