If the World Series ended a lot sooner than you anticipated, perhaps it’s time to throw a few more pellets into your wood-burning stove and prop up your feet.
The offseason is underway.
For the Nationals, hot stove league conversation revolves around the new ballpark and revving up the offense. How will Nationals Park play? A hitter’s haven? A pitcher’s preference? Fair for everybody? We won’t know the answer to those questions until the All-Star Break, most likely. At first glance it figures to be far less intimidating to hitters than its predecessor, but let’s not be hasty.
The Nats finished dead last in the majors in runs scored in 2007. They were last in the NL in home runs; only the Twins and Royals had fewer homers overall. That would seem to make the acquisition of at least one run-producing power hitter a priority this winter, but who’s really available? Free agent Torii Hunter has publicly indicated an interest in playing with his pal Dmitri Young in Washington, but he’s already turned down a 3-year, $45 million deal from Minnesota. Would a 5-year, $90 million deal make sense for the Nats as they’re currently constituted? I’m guessing the answer to that is no, and it has nothing to do with a reluctance to spend. Hunter would be a complimentary piece to a club that just finished .500 or better and was ready for a run at the top. Devoting that much payroll to a singleplayer after an overachieving 73 win season just doesn’t make good business sense.
I’ve addressed the dearth of quality free agents available this fall and winter in a previous column, and it bears repeating here. Beyond a few obvious names — Hunter, Aaron Rowand and Ivan Rodriguez — there’s not a lot available that’s better than what is already here.
One name that’s particularly intriguing requires an instruction manual to pronounce: Kosuke Fukudome. Fukudome — who prefers his first name to be on the back of his uniform (good thinking) — is a 30-year-old strong-armed outfielder who was the 2006 MVP in the Japanese Central League, when he batted .351 with 31 homers and 104 RBI. More comfortable in rightfield, he’s an unrestricted free agent, meaning he would not be subject to the “posting” process that requires MLB teams to pay millions for the right to negotiate. The Nats have indicated a sincere interest in having an international roster, and Kosuke, while not a guaranteed star, would give them a greater presence in the area’s Asian community. Kosuke is coming off a season that ended prematurely with surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow, but still managed to bat .294 with an OPS of .943 in 269 at-bats. He’ll likely get $10-12 million a year for 5 years from a club over here, which may make more sense for the Nats.
Expect GM Jim Bowden to be active in the trade market this winter — it’s his nature to wheel and deal — but don’t expect a willingness to part with their A level prospects. Baseball America ranked the Nats’ performance in the June draft first overall, and those players with high ceilings will be untouchable for at least a year or two. As an organization, the Nats know the novelty of a new ballpark only lasts so long; far more sooner than later you’ve got to contend.
Hear Phil Wood Saturdays at 10 a.m. on SportsTalk 980 AM.
