Nats interested in Prince?

[JohnBriggs12]

Was alluded to in their website mailbag.

 

Nats don't have one guy that stands out as a target for the Brewers but several that might interest Brewers.

 

Nick Johnson, the oft injured 1st baseman. Is expected to be ready for spring training but is recovering from serious wrist injury. Owed $5.5 million in 09. FA in 10.

 

Roger Bernadina. CF. Blocked by Milledge. Blossomed offensively in 08 at age 24. Hit .323/.398/.474 in 266 AA ABs, then hit .351/.404/.513 in 191 AAA at bats. Good combo of speed, power, and on base skills. Didn't do much in brief trial with Nats late in season. Hits lefthanded.

 

Collin Balester, SP. One of their top pitching prospects. Just 22. Minor league numbers don't blow you away. 3-7, 5.51 ERA in 15 starts for Nats.

 

Joel Hanrahan RP. Didn't do awful as closer for part of 08. Was strictly a starter in minors. 27 years old.

[Hammer]

The only way Prince winds up w/ the Nats is if there is another team involved. Bernadina (don't know much about him) looks good in the minors but so did Laynce Nix...otherwise they have more junk than most teams. Is this more about linking your team to a big name to boost your fan's spirits than actually target a player?

[RyDogg66]

I would think Nick Johnson, Ryan Zimmerman and John Lannan would be a start.

[yoshii8]

I agree, any deal would have to start w/ Ryan Zimmerman.

[Hammer]

I agree, any deal would have to start w/ Ryan Zimmerman.

This is why I don't think this has even a remote chance of happening. I just don't see them moving their only real player to add only one other player. If they were even possibly going to consider a deal w/ Zimmerman they would probably be looking for a Sexson type of deal. Multiple pieces to make their horrid team better...and that doesn't fit with the current Brewers.

[paulmolitor4]

Both Zimmermans (Ryan and Jordan) and then some.

[JohnBriggs12]

Let's be real, they aren't going to include Zimmerman or Lannan. But a case could be made that a healthy Johnson, a hard throwing cheap reliever, a lefthanded hitting CF with leadoff skills and some promise and a back of the rotation 22 year old starter candidate is at least something though I'll grant there should be better offers for Fielder. Then again how many teams are looking for 1B?

 

Maybe if they are high enough on this Bernadina in CF, you could coax them to part with Milledge instead.

 

The big key is Johnson if he's healthy. He's an absolute on-base machine. He'd almost certainly be part of any package they offered for Fielder and even though he's a FA after 2009, if he's healthy he can really be a nice offensive player.

[yoshii8]

With his injury history and contract status, I don't think it would take very much to acquire Nick Johnson, I doubt he would be the key player in a Prince deal. Also the Nats have Dmitri Young for the short term, and Chris Marrero as their top prospect for the long term as replacements. I could see the Brewers trading some decent prospects for Nick Johnson if Prince is traded to another team.

[colbyjack]

Then again how many teams are looking for 1B?

 

If Fielder is on the market, my guess would be that Melvin would receive quite a few inquiries. In the AL alone, benefiting from the DH, you would have to guess that the Yankees, Angels, Orioles and Rays would all be interested. The Tigers and Royals could get into the mix as darkhorses (the Royals reportedy are looking for an impact bat this offseason), and again, that doesn't even touch on the NL teams (such as the Giants & Nats).

 

I think a pretty good trade barometer to use is the package that the Braves gave up to the Rangers to acquire Teixeira. For those of you ready to point out just how much better Tex is, the two of them currently have nearly identical career lines (.290/.378/.541 vs. .274/.370/.533) and Fielder is 4 years younger. I recognize that Tex is Gold Glove material at 1B, but I think the trade value is roughly a wash when you factor in age and the fact that Fielder won't be a FA for 3 more years.

 

The Braves gave up mostly top prospects, as I'm sure the Brewers would be looking for more MLB ready material, but most of those prospects were at least close to contributing. Saltalamacchia and Harrison are already with the big-league club, Elvis Andrus is the team's top prospect at SS, while Beau Jones and Neftali Feliz finished the year with AA.

 

And that would quantify as a substantial package. If the Brewers can't get that, they shouldn't settle just because the right offer isn't made. $7+ million in arbitration is more than worth the investment for another year of Fielder, hopefully one that he bounces back, even if he wasn't terrible this past year.

[endaround]

The problem with that is that this is a bumper year for 1B/DH types. You have Texeria and Giambi of course. But then you have a bunch of OFers who likely shouldn't be in the OF and fit better at 1b/DH: Dunn, Burrell, Floyd, Ibanez, Ramirez. Then you have aging infielders that team might take a flyer on at 1B in Nomar, Kent and Durham.

[nate82]

The problem with that is that this is a bumper year for 1B/DH types. You have Texeria and Giambi of course. But then you have a bunch of OFers who likely shouldn't be in the OF and fit better at 1b/DH: Dunn, Burrell, Floyd, Ibanez, Ramirez. Then you have aging infielders that team might take a flyer on at 1B in Nomar, Kent and Durham.

I agree but if the Yankees miss out on Teixeira I wouldn't be suprised if the Yankees offered Hughes, Jackson, and a low prospect to the Brewers for Fielder. To me the Yankees are always looking at star power over anything else. A lineup that consists of Arod and Fielder in the middle of the lineup would be very good.

[dadofandrew]

DC could together a package for Prince w/o Ryan Z, but the Crew would not have to take it. Considering Prince is 24 and has 3 years left until FA, the Crew won't take less than a bonafide star or top prospect for him.

[colbyjack]

The problem with that is that this is a bumper year for 1B/DH types. You have Texeria and Giambi of course. But then you have a bunch of OFers who likely shouldn't be in the OF and fit better at 1b/DH: Dunn, Burrell, Floyd, Ibanez, Ramirez. Then you have aging infielders that team might take a flyer on at 1B in Nomar, Kent and Durham.

 

And if teams choose to pursue those options to fill their needs at 1B and DH, than so be it. The Brewers don't have to trade Fielder right now, which is why they are in the driver's seat, and they will be for a few more years. I'm guessing at some point some team is going to recognize Fielder's value vs. the options that are available.

[endaround]

I agree I just think this is a bad year. And you can add in possible moves of Vlad and C Jones to 1B. I also think people are heavily overestimating what Fielder will get in arbitration when comparing him to Howard. Howard had an MVP award and a ROY award.

[colbyjack]

MLB Trade Rumors had a story up earlier today about Prince possibly being shopped, which of course generated significant interest. It's fun reading through the replies to gauge what other fans from other teams think it may take to get him.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors...ers-willing.html#comments

 

I personally like the idea of trading him to Cleveland for Ryan Garko, David Huff and Nick Weglarz. Garko could platoon at 1B, as he's somewhat of a Kevin Millar clone, although the team would really need to find a left-handed hitting complement (Cliff Floyd?). David Huff had an awesome year between AA and AAA, and could make the starting rotation out of spring training. He and Travis Snider were my favorite picks for the Brewers first-rounder in 2006 (Snider never made it that far, Huff went in the sandwich round). Weglarz had a good, not great year at high-A, and is a big, lefty slugger often compared to Justin Morneau (that's right, he's Canadian!). Like Morneau, originally signed as a catcher IIRC that spent some time at 3B, Weglarz may be better off being moving from the OF back to 1B.

[princeginterhallhelms04]

Personally my feeling is that the brewer's brass will dip there toes in the water and maybe some hot and heavy rumors at the winter meetings. Right now if i'm Doug Melvin I don't trade Prince unless i am blown away with a deal think the Dodgers and a deal like Fielder for Loney (sp) and a pitcher. The dodgers won't do it but that's the type of deal i would do. Knowing Melvin it will be a big trade that brings in a mix of MLB ready players and minor league players.

[Invader3K]

Right. You don't trade Prince right now for two or three middling guys.

[fondybrewfan]

I suppose we could always trade Prince and Braun for Grienke like one KC Fan mentioned on mlbtraderumors. Sounds like a good deal to me!!

[splitterpfj]

For one thing, I wouldn't go anywhere near Nick Johnson, let him break someone else's heart.

 

I really don't think Prince will be traded this off-season, but if he is, I suspect the key player coming back to Milwaukee will be a starting pitcher - and then fill in the blanks. Washington doesn't have a pitcher that fits that description, IMO, so I believe that will wind up being empty noise.

 

When the Brewers traded LaPorta, I felt as though that took Prince off the market for this winter. First off, Fielder is the only real lefty bat this team has right now, he's also the best OBP this team has at the moment, which certainly is not something they can afford less of. Even if you felt comfortable letting Prince go, who do you play at first base next season? Sorry, but I'm not sold on Brad Nelson, and there's no way I'd just hand it to Gamels, with zero playing time over there, and not even one AAA at-bat.

 

I think Prince will be traded, but I think it's a year early for those talks.

[joepepsi]

I think Prince will be traded, but I think it's a year early for those talks.

As it is for Hardy.

[DHonks]

Colby, what about just dealing Prince for a package that includes LaPorta, giving us our 1b?

[RockCoCougars]

I'll do it for Zimmerman and Milledge. That would fill two holes. I'm such a nice guy I'll throw Billy Hall in as well.

[lukevan]

One question would be why would the Nats be interested in Prince? CMIIW, but aren't they still rebuilding and a couple of years away, by which time Prince would be close to hitting free agency? If they were an average .500 team with great pitching/defense and not enough pop in the lineup, it would make more sense to me.

 

I don't see Prince going anywhere this offseason. Maybe next winter.

[smetana34]

Werent the Nats interested in Weeks last winter? Didnt they offer Cordero for Weeks straight up? So maybe a package is wrapped around that. Something like Milledege(sp) and Cordero for Prince? Also, i would think a deal of Prince and Weeks for Zimmerman, with prospects as fillers, would be something to look into. Slide either Hardy or Escobar over to 2nd, and we have a GG infield. You can find any scrub to play in the minors or FA to fill a 1B void with solid D and good OBP.

 

Let CC walk, and try increasing the deal to involve Cordero too, then all we need is a #2 or #3 SP (AJ Burnett maybe?) and I would think that would make us competitive next year.

 

I dont know the figures of Zimmerman, Cordero, and Burnett, but im sure its not too much more then what it would take to get CC, and all our holes are filled. Hell, throw in Suppan and/or Hall to dump some salary.

 

I think something could happen here. Prince, Weeks, Hall, and Soup for Zimmerman and Cordero. It gives an overall bad team a pretty good boost. Makes them a lot more competitive. Especially is Hall and Weeks figure it out.

[endaround]

And it takes a pretty good team and guts it. Zimmerman is a solid player but thats it. Codero is coming off serious injury.