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Nats will be sellers at the deadline. But how much will they sell?

Adam Dunn--expiring deal at 12 million.

Josh Willingham--makes 4.6 million this year, under team control through 2011. Salary should be around 6-7 a year for 2011.

Livan Hernandez--expiring deal at 900k this year.

Matt Capps--expiring deal at 3.5 million this year.

Cristian Guzman--expiring deal at 8 million this year.

We could see other guys go, but these are clearly the five most likely people to be traded. The only other people that could be traded to contenders are Willie Harris (expiring, 1.5 million) and Adam Kennedy, but the Nats' fairly cheap club option for 2011 on Kennedy makes that unlikely.

Rizzo says that it would be painful for other teams to deal for Dunn. He also says that as usual the price he would ask for any of these guys would likely be young pitching. But do the Nats really need more marginal pitching prospects? I just don't see teams giving up top-level prospects, pitching or otherwise, for a less than half-season rental of these guys.

Willingham may be different, since he is under team control through 2011. But if the Nats dealt Dunn, you have to feel like Rizzo would want a minimum of an average starting first baseman (until Marrero is ready) and a top-level pitching prospect. There would be a fair amount of fan backlash for not signing Dunn, and I just can't imagine teams giving up this much for Dunn.

Dunn's situation may be resolved after Prince Fielder's as well. Fielder is a younger player who just turned down 5 years/100 million with the Brewers. If teams are willing to deal top-level pitching prospects, they may target Fielder first, who at least is under team control through 2011 and is younger than Dunn.

I don't see Willingham or Dunn going anywhere for the offense-starved Nats. I feel the Nats are more likely to deal Capps or Hernandez for marginal prospects than either, and if the Nats can somehow get near .500, I don't see anyone leaving. They'd of course love to trade Guzman, but that will be very difficult. Still, some teams, especially in the AL could use him, so you never know.

We'll see though. People are tired of the Nats' lack of success and low payroll, and a fire-sale after some steps forward just wouldn't go over well.

Tigers and apparently a couple other teams came calling about Pudge Rodriguez, but were rebuffed. Can't see the Nats getting rid of Rodriguez with Flores still ailing unless they were absolutely bowled over.

Nothing has changed about the Nats' other guys. You get the feeling teams like the White Sox, Red Sox, Angels, and Giants have multiple options and are going to wait to make a move to try and lower the price for their targets.

Tigers are now supposedly thinking about Dunn or Willingham from the Nats due to their recent injuries (Ordenez is now out for 6-8 weeks). Also, Buster Olney tweeted he has heard rival executives think the Nats will trade Capps now instead of pay him next year.

That obviously is far from gospel, but it's information.

Buster Olney says (via Twitter) the Nats are making progress acquiring D-Backs starter Edwin Jackson.

He signed a two-year extension this offseason for 13.35 million dollars. Most of that would be payable in 2011 (approximately 8 million).

It's hard to believe the guy is only 26 years old as he's been around forever. He hasn't had too much success in the bigs save for 2008-2009, and the no-hitter he threw earlier this year. This year he's 6-9 with a 5.01 ERA. Career he's 44-48 with a 4.72 ERA.

He is a power pitcher, which Mike Rizzo covets. And he certainly could still blow up. But with Strasburg, Zimermann, and Detwiller figuring to claim spots next year, and Maya, Lannan, Marquis, Atilano, Stammen, and others in the mix for the other spots...well...

I hope Rizzo isn't giving up too much. If he is, I hope he's giving back very mediocre pitching prospects in return.

"Wobbly contenders weaken trade market"
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=A ... buzz072810

Another Matt Capps rumor:

http://blog.prorumors.com/2010/07/rumor ... att-capps/

Add the Twins to the list of possible suitors for Capps, to join the Yankees, Reds, and Red Sox. This article says the Nats probably won't do anything because they lack a suitable replacement for Capps, but apparently whoever said that isn't aware of Drew Storen's success this year.

In any case, the author is correct that it is against the odds it happens. The Nats appear to covet young players like Wilson Ramos of the Twins and Gordon Beckham of the White Sox but it remains unlikely teams would part with such promising players for what might amount to only possible rentals.

Capps to the Twins comes to fruition. The Twins do part with Ramos, who immediately becomes the Nats' future at catcher. Minor league pitcher Joe Testa also goes to the Nats in the deal. He's a 24-year old lefty reliever that has been struggling this year at AA but has had some success in the minors.

Ramos is a catch, and this is a good trade for the Nats. He was having a down season at AAA, but he's still only 22, and he's still probably a top 75 prospect in all of baseball. He's also got a helluva arm.

Surprised the Twins gave him up actually.

It's a logical move for the Nats, but very sorry to lose Capps, who was just a quality guy on and off the field. Good luck to him!

He's a top 60 prospect according to Baseball America, I think, and I reckon he will be our catcher in 2012 when Ivan's contract comes off the books.

This team still needs a left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder, plus a second basemen and if we're letting Dunn go...probably a first basemen.

Guzman gone to the Rangers for two mid to low level pitching prospects. Article doesn't mention the Nats paying any salary--if that's true the Nats make out.

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/ne ... id=5424026

Storen to become the closer?

craig01 wrote:Storen to become the closer?

Definitely. Burnett might do some of the work as well. Clippard has been downgraded in the pen of late because of bad performances.

Nats are reportedly kicking in a little over 2 million of Guzman's salary.

Not unexpected for the vastly overpriced Guzman. Still, a deal the Nats were happy to make.

Best of luck to Guzman!

Nats won't miss Guzman's defense though..

Or the fact that he doesn't walk.