Remaining Free-Agent Options for the Nationals
ESPN Insider re-ranked Keith Law's Top Free Agent List to display the top players still available on the market:
Unfortunately for the Nationals, this list reads as a who's-who of the old-guard in major league baseball. While all of these guys are still very potent players, very few of them project as potential fits for Washington.
Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Johnny Damon, Vladimir Guerrero and Nick Johnson can all still hack but almost all of them figure to be in the American League next year. Neither of them have tremendous value in the field anymore and in a league that is continually valuing defense more and more, it's not likely to see these guys outside of a DH role.
Andy Pettitte is seemingly ageless however it seems that if he will come back at all it will be with the Yankees.
Rafael Soriano is a strong talent but he is a Type-A Free Agent which has kept a lot of teams away from this bullpen hand. The Nationals would be wise to stay away too.
This leaves two pitchers on this list for the Nationals to take a look at, Brad Penny and Brian Fuentes. Fuentes, the former Los Angeles closer, recorded 24 saves last season with a 2.81 ERA between Los Angeles and Minnesota last year. He led the majors in saves with 48 in 2009. There have been rumors this winter that the Nationals may look to add Fuentes as either a closer or a late inning option for the club. The Nationals had money allocated to spend on starting pitching this offseason, but failed to land any of the arms they had targeted, so they may very well now go after Fuentes.
Penny had a strong season last year before suffering an upper back injury that lingered the entire season. He is expected to be at full strength and could be signed for a bargain.
Unfortunately for the Nationals, this list reads as a who's-who of the old-guard in major league baseball. While all of these guys are still very potent players, very few of them project as potential fits for Washington. Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Johnny Damon, Vladimir Guerrero and Nick Johnson can all still hack but almost all of them figure to be in the American League next year. Neither of them have tremendous value in the field anymore and in a league that is continually valuing defense more and more, it's not likely to see these guys outside of a DH role.
Andy Pettitte is seemingly ageless however it seems that if he will come back at all it will be with the Yankees.
Rafael Soriano is a strong talent but he is a Type-A Free Agent which has kept a lot of teams away from this bullpen hand. The Nationals would be wise to stay away too.
This leaves two pitchers on this list for the Nationals to take a look at, Brad Penny and Brian Fuentes. Fuentes, the former Los Angeles closer, recorded 24 saves last season with a 2.81 ERA between Los Angeles and Minnesota last year. He led the majors in saves with 48 in 2009. There have been rumors this winter that the Nationals may look to add Fuentes as either a closer or a late inning option for the club. The Nationals had money allocated to spend on starting pitching this offseason, but failed to land any of the arms they had targeted, so they may very well now go after Fuentes.
Penny had a strong season last year before suffering an upper back injury that lingered the entire season. He is expected to be at full strength and could be signed for a bargain.
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