There is nothing quite as wonderful as money.
There is nothing quite as beautiful as cash.
Some people say it’s folly,
But I’d rather have the lolly.
With money you can really make a splash.
— Monty Python’s Flying Circus, 1969
After years of fans’ complaining that “the Nationals are cheap,” it now appears that they’ll need to dig up a new mantra. The recently completed Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., showed that, indeed, you can make quite a splash with money. When the meetings commenced with word that Washington signed top-tier free agent outfielder Jayson Werth to a seven-year, reported $126 million deal (the math works out to $18 million per), the foundations shook at Disney World.
Not surprisingly, a lot of the criticism was of the “How dare they?” category. Apparently, second division teams aren’t supposed to do things like that. They’re supposed to see their own good players walk away to good clubs. That Washington, losers of 298 games over the past 3 years, should keep Werth from going to a contender? Perish the thought.
Philadelphia fans feel betrayed, and have turned on Werth en masse. It matters little that the Phillies had no intention of re-signing him; they were counting on him going to the American League, not to another club in the NL East.
The Werth deal had one quick benefit. Nationals GM Mike Rizzo had a face-to-face with agents for nearly every significant unsigned free agent on the market, post-Werth announcement. Would that have occurred otherwise? Maybe, but it was no lock.
True, it’s doubtful that pitcher Cliff Lee ends up in a Nats uniform, but their negotiations with him paint a pretty picture for other potential blue-chippers in the coming years. They’re still in the running for first baseman Adam LaRoche, pitcher Brandon Webb, and a few others.
This was only Mike Rizzo’s second Winter Meetings as “The Man.” Last year he warmed up by tweaking the roster slightly, signing players like Pudge Rodriguez, Matt Capps (later turned into catcher Wilson Ramos), and Jason Marquis. The Capps and Pudge signings brought immediate dividends. The Marquis signing grades out as incomplete, based upon his injuries and time missed. Still, Rizzo had a plan and stuck to it.
That plan has been ramped up a bit with the Werth signing and the pursuit of Lee. It also served to insert the Nats into every rumor thereafter. One rumor last week had Washington signing Adrian Beltre and moving him to first base, but no one beyond a few bloggers took it seriously.
The Nationals’ primary offseason goal was to be better in 2011 than they were in ’10. On paper they already are slightly better and a regular first baseman and additional starting pitcher should move them closer to .500.
Yes, with money you can really make a splash. When’s beach towel night at Nationals Park?
Examiner columnist Phil Wood is a contributor to Nats Xtra on MASN. Contact him at [email protected].
