Hot Stove season finally kicks into high gear next week at baseball's winter meetings, which means lots of crazy talk starts making the rounds, effective immediately. Of course the Nats are interested in Prince Fielder. Who wouldn't be? And so, in case you haven't heard, the Nats need a center fielder. B.J. Upton rumors should start gaining steam right about now. And Yoenis Cespedes, of course.
What the heck, forget Upton, and Cespedes, we'll throw a name out there to get into the spirit of the season: Adam Jones?
A source who is right more often than he is wrong about Nats-related things gave us a little wink about the headline above, telling Nats Enquirer that although Mike Rizzo says he himself didn't inquire about Adam Jones...one of Rizzo's minions may have placed a call to Dan Duquette (at least, that's what our source's sources with the Orioles told him). Got it? Now, what does this mean for the Nationals? Probably nothing. One would expect the Nats to call most of the 29 other teams in baseball to inquire about CF and trades. Plus, you're reading this on a blog (non-credentialed, no less). You should probably go take a shower or something just for reading this.
But still, while Jones is certainly not the leadoff hitter Rizzo is looking for in his dream center fielder; he certainly would look good hitting #2 and patrolling center in a Curly W lid for the Nats for the next couple of years, no?
Question is, why on Earth would Duquette deal Jones now, when he's under team control for another 2 years? Secondary question (ingoring the vital first) is: what would it take to get him? Well, at least a couple of young, major league ready arms, to start. Good ones, too. And so IF the Nats sign Mark Buehrle (probably not so much Oswalt), the Nats wll have several expendable. Here's new O's GM Dan Duquette on how he plans to approach the feeding frenzy for pitching, via MLB Trade Rumors:
"Everybody else is chasing it, too. We have to wait for the sharks to feed and then we'll wait to see what's left over."
(Dan Duquette, via MLBTR, 11/15/2011)
Mike Rizzo might have a couple for you, Dan, as you well know.
And here's an anonymous scout, via CSNBaltimore.com, talking about the possibility of the O's trading Jones:
"If they’re willing to move him, they’re stupid. You build your team up the middle. Center fielders are hard to come by. Those guys don’t grow on trees."
(Anonymous scout, via CSNBaltimore.com, 11/12/2011)
And Mike Rizzo knows center fielders don't grow on trees; that's why the Nats are currently intrigued with the idea of Yoenis Cespedes.
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There's no way it happens, but a Werth-Jones-Harper outfield for the next couple years? Yes.
Posted by: JDC | November 29, 2011 at 10:17 PM
Adam Jones just doesn't take the walks which hurts his OBP.
It would fit the Orioles style to trade a player with 2 years left who is in arbitration, but the price will be high.
Posted by: Michael L.G. | November 29, 2011 at 10:35 PM
the O's would be stupid to trade Jones, CF is a key position and AJ is one of the best, but if they are stupid enough to trade him, I am willing to send two or three arms up 295 for Jones in a heartbeat!
Posted by: HARPER_ROY_2012 | November 30, 2011 at 09:50 AM
The O's want 1 veteran arm and 1 young top Minor League arm to develop.
Sounds like they should do some trading with the Houston Astros.
Posted by: NatsGo | November 30, 2011 at 01:28 PM