State Of The Union

This signing we all saw coming. Adam Kennedy, although not the greatest 2nd baseman on the market, is still a good stopgap in the wait for prospect Ian Desmond. Kennedy has been mostly relegated to the minors lately with teams like the Cardinals, Rays(whom he never acually played for), and Athletics. He posted a fair enough line with the playing time he had at 2nd and 3 rd for the As last season with a line of  .289 average with 11 home runs in 129 games.  Not an All-star but still more reliable at the moment that the alternatives.

In Conclusion:

Pros- The price was right, better everyday 2nd baseman than what the Nats sent out last year, veteran to mentor Desmond at 2nd.

Cons- Due to age(34), his range and defensive skills have diminished, especially last year. Has a tendency to bitch if he doesn’t get the playing time he thinks he deserves.

Grade: B-

The Washing Nationals are suprisingly showing a public interest in RHP Kris Benson. Toft-injured pitcher hasn;t thrown a ball in the majors since February 2009 for the Rangers, and he wasn’t impressive them.  Benson’s agent Gregg Clifton claimes his client is “100 percent healthy”. Too bad he didn’t claim he is any good.  The last time Benson took to the mound in 2006 he made 2 starts, and 6 relief appearances to the tune of a 8.46 ERA.

It would be nice to pick up another veteran for the rotation, but none of the rookies looked that bad last year. I would advise GM MIke Rizzo to pass, and fill the rest of the rotation from within.

Andre Dawson will be inducted into the Hall of Fall. Fact.

Andre Dawson would’ve rather joined the Hall of Fame with a Cubs cap on his bronze head. Fact.

Limping in to the Hall of Fame in your last year of eligibility, on allmost the bare minimum of votes should have humbled the guy by now. What the hell is he complaining about? Doesn’t he realize he was inducted by mostly baseball writers who had nostalgic memories of him playing the outfield for Montreal?

Don’t get me wrong, he was a great player in his time, but have some respect for the people that supported you when you were small market. Be thankful for being one of the greatest faces of a franchise that needed a star. Ungrateful bastard. I say they give him what he wants and let him have his Cubs cap and shut the hell up about it.  We still have Gary Carter.  The true Expo Hall of Famer.

Chien-Ming Wang is a veritable grab bag of talent. He possesses an ability to be a power pitcher, and a finesse pitcher at the same time. Great pitch selection, and deceptive delivery on his out pitch. Wang isn’t likely to strike many out, nor is he expected to. He allows few walks, and fewer home runs.  Wang also is efficient, and should keep a low pitch count in the earlier innings. This is all considering his health, which is the issue with him. 

Chien-Ming Wang hasn’t been particularly healthy or effective since May 2008. He may enter the rotation as soon as May of this season, if he has an impressive stint in the minors. For the price of his contract, he is of low risk.

Conclusion- Pros- Former staff ace in an AL East team, 4 plus pitches, Innings eater.

Cons- Health is suspect, groundball pitcher to a below average infield.

Grade- B+

A quick look a Willy Taveras is all you need to figure out what the man is made of, and what he can/can’t do. A super fast, Punching Judy hitter who’s primary talents include legging out infield singles and getting designated for assingnment.  A lifetime .276 hitter, with a whopping 8, yes 8 home runs over 4+ seasons.  He can steal bases with the best of them, but can’t take a walk to save his life. He has great defensive range, but strikes out enough to give the outs he catches back.

In conclusion:

Pros- Base-stealing pro, hits many infield singles, and has a flashy glove in the outfield.

Cons- Poor plate discipline, no power, can’t get on base, and a 4 mil is no bargain.

Grade- D+

The Washington Nationals are rumored to have signed right handed sinkerballer Chien Ming Wang to an undisclosed contract at this time.

“The Nats have agreed to terms with righthander Chien Ming Wang. The Nats have not confirmed the agreement.”      -Bill Ladson  MLB.com

With the possible addition of Wang to the midseason rotation, the Nationals starting rotation could gain some ground in the NL East. The only hang up being the middle infield’s ability to handle the multitude of groundballs destined to come their way. More news on this signing, and others as details come in.

OF Willy Taveras signed a 1 year/ 4 million dollar minor league contract with the Washington Nationals today. The speedy Taveras was previously playing center field for the Reds until he was traded to the Oakland A’s last week. The Athletics promptly non-tendered him on account of his vomitous .240 batting average and sub .300 OBP. Considering his speed and penchant for creating Web Gems on ESPN, Taveras will probably be a late inning defensive replacement for a corner outfielder.

Due to the fact that Willy Taveraz signed for 4 million brings up the question of whether he is going to be groomed to take over right field in the instance that Elijah Dukes can’t iron out his swing, and rediscover his power. Only time will tell. Taveras could prove to be a rather saavy signing, or a case of poor judgement.

Either way, Elijah Dukes better produce, and fast. His possible replacement may have just arrived.

With a wealth of new arms in the bullpen, the Washington Nationals are on the probable brink of respectability. The acquisitions of Matt Capps, Brian Bruney, Doug Slaten, and Eddie Guardado have sparked cautious optimism amongst the Washington faithful. The closer position is in flux, and many are fighting to take the 9th inning and run with it. The question is who? Sure there will be try-outs within the bullpen for the job, but some think the job should go to Drew Storen, and with good reason. All of the aforementioned pitchers usually pitch to contact, which isn’t a great idea with the Nationals questionable infield not accounting for Ryan Zimmerman’s great glove work. On the flipside of the coin you have Storen who is characteristically a strike-out pitcher. The NL East is full of free swingers ie: The Malins and Braves. Drew Storen may have a greater chance of weathering the storm longterm than the rest of the bullpen. Also, Storen has been rather dominant in Winter League play. He may be a flash in the pan. He may be the National’s 9th inning saviour. We all will know soon enough.