The hot stove is burning, and winter meetings start this week. There will be endless rumors of who is signing where and what player is available to be moved. One guy that seems to be on the block, according to multiple sources, is Nats second baseman Danny Espinosa. I’m not so sure he should be.

Espinosa certainly comes with his share of problems. Primarily, he led the National League in strikeouts in 2012, which is the last place you want your second baseman to be in the rankings. While that’s a big issue, he has many redeeming qualities in the lineup and on the field.

While Espinosa struck out an exorbitant 189 times last season, that’s going to matter less in 2013. The Nationals traded for center fielder Denard Span last week, who will automatically be put in the leadoff spot. That probably slides Jayson Werth down to the number two slot and Bryce Harper into the four or five spot. That’s all a fancy way of saying Espinosa will still hit seventh or eighth this year, unchanged from last season. He’s not going to be counted on as a significant part of the offense.

Since the top of the lineup got way better, what does it hurt to allow Espinosa to remain in the bottom part of the order? The answer: it doesn’t. In fact, it may help the Nats a whole lot. Espinosa is quickly becoming among the best defensive second basemen in the NL, meanwhile he provides the Nats great wins above replacement (WAR), even with his extraordinary strikeouts.

For the MLB-best Nationals, Danny Espinosa provided the fourth-most WAR of all players. The only Nats who had higher WAR than Espi: Ian Desmond, Bryce Harper, and Ryan Zimmerman. That’s not terrible company. Espinosa was also tied in WAR with Adam LaRoche, who was widely considered the Nats MVP last year.

WAR isn’t a tell-all stat, but it’s certainly a good gauge of quality. Espinosa also provides much better defense than the guy who would inevitably replace him, Steve Lombardozzi. I’m a fan of Lombo’s, personally. However, he doesn’t have nearly as much range, his glove work isn’t as good, and his arm isn’t as strong as Espinosa.

The bottom line is the Nats wouldn’t gain much, if anything, on offense, and they would lose on defense with Lombardozzi compared to Espinosa. With Span in the lineup, both Espinosa and Lombardozzi will sit at the very bottom of the Nats batting order, so why would you want to get rid of Espinosa’s defense and ability to hit for power?

The only reason is more pitching. If the Nats were able to trade Espinosa for a quality starter, likely from the Tampa Bay Rays organization, then it may be a smart move. Otherwise, the Nats would be giving up a bottom of the order power threat with plus defensive ability for very little reason.

If Espinosa is moved this week, or this offseason, it will be for something huge, not for a marginal improvement. With the shrewd moves that GM Mike Rizzo has made in the last couple seasons, I’m not worried that he’ll make the wrong move.

The Washington Nationals have announced that they have acquired outfielder Denard Span from the Minnesota Twins in return for minor league starting pitching prospect Alex Meyer.

The #Nationals today acquired OF Denard Span from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for minor league RHP Alex Meyer.

— Nationals PR (@NationalsPR) November 29, 2012

Span, 28, hit .283/.342/.395 with 71 runs scored an 17 stolen bases in 128 games last season. Perhaps most importantly, however, the centerfielder posted UZR/150 of 9.6, meaning the Nats acquired both a leadoff hitter and a true centerfielder in one deal.

Meyer, however, was quite a price to give up for an above average outfielder. The 22-year-old had a monster first professional season in 2012, posting a 10-6 record with a 2.86 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 129 innings between low and high Single-A. While this competition was arguably below, or on par, with what he faced every day while playing for Kentucky, the six foot nine hurler possesses incredible tools that may one day help him mold into a frontline starter in the MLB.

Mike Rizzo’s focus, however, is on the here and now. The Nationals had three major needs leading into this winter; a true centerfielder, a leadoff hitter, and another starting pitcher. They checked off two of those needs in just one move and it’s not even December yet.

The deal does have some deep implications, however, about what the team’s opening day lineup may look like. It was believed that if the Nats decided to make a move by adding an outfielder, that it would probably imply that the team would not look to re-sign Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award winning first baseman Adam LaRoche. It is far more likely that the team will shift Harper to left field, move Mike Morse to first, and say thanks, but no thanks, their on-the-field leader from 2012.

LaRoche had a charmed 2012 season to be sure. The 32-year-old hit .271/.343/.510 with 33 home runs and 100 RBI, but at his age and the type of contract he is likely to demand now being on the free market, it just makes good business sense for Rizzo to say good bye.

Throughout the offseason, The Nats Blog will look back at every player’s 2012 season to summarize and analyze his performance, and we’ll look ahead to his possible role in 2013. We’ll go from #1 Steve Lombardozzi all the way to #63 Henry Rodriguez with about two posts per week until Spring Training. Enjoy.

Chad Tracy was picked up before the 2012 season began as a role player and bench guy. He quickly became the leader of that group, who called themselves "The Goon Squad." Without guys like Tracy, the Nationals wouldn't have finished with the best record in baseball last season.

Tracy ended up posting a respectable .269/.343/.441 slash line for an impressive .784 OPS in just 105 plate appearances. He became the catalyst for a number of big hits and late inning rallies that allowed the Nationals to earn the best record in baseball.

He doesn't provide a lot as far as defense goes traditionally, but in the few instances when he spelled Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche on the bases, Tracy did a nice job filling the roles when necessary. He's not someone who you want in the field regularly, but he's proven himself passable if he needs to step in for injuries and occasional days off.

Next year: In August, the Nationals extended Tracy's contract to include the 2013 season, so he will once again lead The Goon Squad next season. He made $750,000, and his $1 million contract for the upcoming season is probably a bargain for the role he's proven he can fill. Tracy underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in late October, and he's expected to be ready by spring training.

Next up: #20 Ian Desmond

Throughout the offseason, The Nats Blog will look back at every player’s 2012 season to summarize and analyze his performance, and we’ll look ahead to his possible role in 2013. We’ll go from #1 Steve Lombardozzi all the way to #63 Henry Rodriguez with about two posts per week until Spring Training. Enjoy.

Whether dressing up as a toga-clad flight attendant, playing pranks on Manager Davey Johnson, or performing “50 Shades of Grey” with the rest of the bullpen, light-hearted lefty Sean Burnett kept the clubhouse entertained during the 2012 season. And from the pitcher’s mound when he dominated hitters with his 92-mph fastball, he kept Nats fans entertained, too.

Burnett was among the Nationals’ best pitchers out of the bullpen in 2012. He was stellar at the beginning of the year and great at the end of it. By the numbers, this was one of the best seasons of his six-year career, and during half of it he pitched with a bone spur in his left elbow.

Burnett finished out the year with a 2.38 ERA through 70 games and 56.2 innings, with 57 strikeouts and just four home runs allowed. He went the entire month of April without allowing an earned run, and pitched through May giving up just one, earning his two saves in key situations that month.

His most notable personal success of the year was only walking 12 batters all season, more than halving his average walks per game for previous seasons (26.2). His 12 free bases were the least walks on the Nationals among pitchers who had thrown more than 30 innings.

Burnett’s putting up his best numbers since 2010 when he first joined the Nationals was a key part in how the team stayed competitive when a crucial piece of the bullpen, Drew Storen, was missing. Burnett was mostly used as the eighth-inning set-up man for Tyler Clippard while Clippard served as the closer, and he continued in the set-up role when Storen returned.

Next Year: Because he declined his half of the mutual option with the Nationals, Burnett is now a first-time free agent. Both Burnett and Mike Rizzo have said they want him to be a member of the 2013 Nationals. But Burnett will be looking for a multi-year deal – his most comparable counterpart, Jeremy Affeldt, just completed a three-year, $18 million deal with the San Francisco Giants – so his status with the team will be based on how much time and money the front office is willing to commit to him. Based on the numbers he has put up through three seasons in Washington, it would make sense for the team with a growing need for left-handed arms to bring Burnett back, but it's not likely that the Nats will pay Affeldt-like money for Burnett.

Next up: #18 Chad Tracy

Throughout the offseason, The Nats Blog will look back at every player’s 2012 season to summarize and analyze his performance, and we’ll look ahead to his possible role in 2013. We’ll go from #1 Steve Lombardozzi all the way to #63 Henry Rodriguez with about two posts per week until Spring Training. Enjoy.

It’s time for another ridiculous edition of the 2012 Player Wrap Up – this time featuring a player with fewer hits than Chien-Ming Wang, Brett Carroll!

Carroll was originally signed to be a significant piece of the 2012 Washington Nationals roster (kind of like Mike Cameron was, right?) – expected to play center field against left-handed pitchers, while also providing another bat off the bench. Things changed quickly for Carroll as the Nats signed Xavier Nady mid-Spring Training, though Carroll was still able to crack the Nats Opening Day Roster. You might not think much of Carroll’s brief career in the curly “W”, but he was able to make a positive impact on the ballclub.

Let me take you back to Opening Day against the Cubs at the Friendly Confines. The Nats were in a 1-1 contest late in the game when the head of the Goon Squad, Chad Tracy, was able to hit a 2-out double against Carlos Marmol (only the Nats 3rd hit of the day). Tracy (who runs approximately a 40-second/ 40-yard dash) was abruptly replaced by our hero, Brett Carroll, who was able to score easily on a line drive to shallow right by Ian Desmond giving the Nats the lead and their first win of the season.

The rest of Carroll season didn’t go as smoothly – he scored another run, played some defense, flied out, popped out, and was DFA’ed - thus ending the wonderfully brief tale of Brett Carroll.

Bonus Fun Fact: Carroll appeared in 5 games for the Nats this season; all wins.

Next year: I wouldn’t expect to see Brett Carroll crack an MLB 25-Man Roster next year, unless it is in Houston. He is a league average defender at the corners but doesn’t hit for enough power or have enough speed to warrant a roster spot. Carroll appears destined to be an organization depth player – AAA or bust.

Next up: #17 Sean Burnett

Throughout the offseason, The Nats Blog will look back at every player’s 2012 season to summarize and analyze his performance, and we’ll look ahead to his possible role in 2013. We’ll go from #1 Steve Lombardozzi all the way to #63 Henry Rodriguez with about two posts per week until Spring Training. Enjoy.

The 2012 season was really a tale of two seasons for Washington Nationals franchise third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. In the early part of the season, Zimmerman struggled mightily at the plate, and until the infamous cortisone shot on June 24, he put up a paltry .218/.285/.305 slash line. Not exactly what you hoped to see from baseball's newest $100 million man. Everything changed when our old friend cortisone came to party.

From that day forward, Zimmerman put out a .321/.383/.584 slash line, good for an incredible .984 OPS. Zimmerman provided 4.5 WAR, even with his bad start, which was good for the fourth best NL WAR among third basemen. The four cortisone shots were the only way that Zimmerman was able to produce last season, and he underwent arthroscopic surgery at the end of October to have the shoulder fixed. He's expected to resume baseball activities before the end of the calendar year.

One part of Zimmerman's game that seemed to regress a bit was his defense, most notably his throwing motion. Ever since he came back from an abdominal injury, Zimmerman started using an awkward overhand throwing motion that's resulted in some ridiculously terrible throwing errors on routine plays. Meanwhile, when he charges a ball and has to make a miraculous side/submarining throw, it tends to be on target. Zimmerman's astronomical UZRs from 2009 and 2010 have moved in to negative territory in 2011 and 2012. It's something that he has to fix. No matter how good his glove is, and it's great, he has to be able to make the routine throws.

Next year: I expect Zimmerman to have a solid, Zimmerman-esque 2013 season. The cast of characters around him and his 98-win team will be largely unchanged, and since his first full season in 2006, it's always been clear what you're going to get from the Nats franchise player. He's going to have a great glove and a solid bat that goes through extremely hot and extremely cold spells. I also think we'll see a revamped throwing motion on those routine plays. Davey, a pretty good infielder in his time, won't let those throws continue.

Next up: #15 Brett Carroll

Bryce Harper walked away with National League Rookie of the Year honors last night, and it was much deserved. He had arguably the best rookie season by a teenager in the history of baseball, and the company of Mel Ott, Tony Conigliaro, and Ken Griffey, Jr. when comparing Harper to other teenagers only helps solidify that point. So, why was the difference between Harper and runner up Wade Miley only four first place votes and seven points overall?

First, let me be unequivocally clear. Wade Miley had a stellar rookie season, and in most other years, he may have been a lock for the award. Harper's 4.9 WAR compares well to Miley's 4.8 WAR, and they were both talked about regularly as the top rookies in the NL throughout the season. However, there are three main reasons that I think Harper was a lock for the award.

1. Age - During the 2012 season, Bryce Harper was 19 years old, while Wade Miley was 25. This is surely the most astounding factor here. Miley toiled in the Diamondbacks minor league system for four years with plenty of time to work out any issues and get used to the rigors of a full baseball season. Harper got one full year in the minors in 2011, then he got less than a month in 2012 before his call up. The 19-year-old phenom got called up as someone who could have a significant offensive impact for a playoff-contending baseball team. 

2. Intangibles/Impact - When Bryce Harper was on the field or at the plate, there was a buzz on the field. His at-bats were must-watch, seconded only by his ability to run the base paths. When Harper was on base, you had to watch, because you never knew when he was going to steal home or steal second and then third base in the same at-bat. He did both this season. While Miley was important to the D-Backs, he couldn't have possibly had the kind of impact in 29 starts that Bryce Harper had in 139 games. 

3. Expectations - Fair or not, the expectations game is relevant when talking about Rookie of the Year candidates. People expected great things from Harper, and he lived up to, and maybe even exceeded, those expectations. Miley, on the other hand, came out of nowhere in his mid-20s and had a solid September call up in 2011. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have even gotten the opportunity this season.

It's definitely difficult to compare rookie position players to pitchers. Besides WAR and a few other stats, it's comparing apples and oranges in a lot of ways. However, if the goal of the award is to select the game's young star and the one that had the most impact on his team, Harper was the obvious decision.

Throughout the offseason, The Nats Blog will look back at every player’s 2012 season to summarize and analyze his performance, and we’ll look ahead to his possible role in 2013. We’ll go from #1 Steve Lombardozzi all the way to #63 Henry Rodriguez with about two posts per week until Spring Training. Enjoy.

Outfielder Corey Brown was one of the reasons the Washington Nationals were able to remain resilient during the 2012 season when a multitude of injures struck. Brown spent most of his season at Triple-A Syracuse, where he hit 22 doubles and 25 home runs, combining for a slash line of .285/.365/.523. His stellar performance there earned him the right of being called up with the likes of Bryce Harper and Tyler Moore to fill holes in the Nats often injury-riddled roster.

Although he traveled back and forth from the majors to the minors for much of the season, simply filling in for the Nationals when he was called upon, Brown wasn’t without his major league highlight-reel moments. He showed off his potential for power on the big stage by hitting three of his five hits on the year for extra bases: two doubles and a home run. The home run – against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 28 – was also his first major-league hit.

But perhaps his biggest moment of the year, and even of his career, was the walk-off single he hit to lock up a win for the Nats against the Miami Marlins after a deluge, a two-hour and 33-minute rain delay, a chicken salad and a Jayson Werth home run.

Next year: At 26 years old, Brown still has potential to develop into a powerful major-league hitter. But despite his coming up big for the Nationals in situations like the rain-delay game, they simply don’t have room for him in their already clogged outfield. Brown’s big bat is what will make him an excellent trade piece if he is not sent back down to the minors for the 2013 season.

Next up: #11 Ryan Zimmerman