The Nats (as we call) “Sister” Cristian Guzman is heading to the MLB All-Star game for the 2nd time in his career. Additionally, he is the last man standing (player without a trip to the DL) from the Nats opening day starters. This is a very different experience from the past few years, when Guzman was on the DL from 3/27 - 10/9/2006, 4/3 - 5/7 and 6/25 - 9/21/2007 (after batting .219 in 2005…)
Here is what happened to the rest of the Nationals 2008 Opening Day roster:
Guzman, SS: All-star
Milledge, CF: DL 6/28 - ?
Zimmerman, 3B: DL 5/26 - ?
Johnson, 1B: DL 5/14 - ? (out for season)
Kearns, RF: DL 5/22 - 7/3
Lo Duca, C: DL 4/14 - 5/2; 5/9 - 6/17
Dukes, LF: DL 3/21 - 5/9; 7/5 - ?
Belliard, 2B: DL 5/16 - 6/10
Perez, P: DL 6/4 - 6/26
In total, the Nats have had 566 calendar days of players on the DL so far this year (and we are essentially only halfway done.) The opening day starters represent 302 of those 566 days.
So here is to Guzman for leading the NL in hits, making the All-star team, and being the sole opening day starter without a trip to the DL in 2008.
7 Comments until now
And here’s to Bowden inevitably overpaying for Sister in his contract year to keep him in town.
Would a 2-year deal of something near $8M/per - or the equivalent of his current 4-year, $16M - be over-paying? That’s a rumor that’s been bandied-about recently:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/06/nationals-offer.html
Even tho Bowden has been hammered - and rightly so - for giving Guzzie that much money, for which Guz has been injured for more than half of, $8M-ish for 2 years might be a good deal. Most players get MORE money than their current deals, especially when coming off (or in the midst of) a career year. If the Nats could extend him for 2 years at under $10M, I think that’s a deal worth making.
Keep in mind that there are NO MLB (or even AAA) prospects at SS in the Nats organization, and the free agents at the position next year are real thin, outside of Furcal, perhaps.
COMMENT EDIT: in my first line, I meant $8M TOTAL, or roughly $4M/year. Sorry for the typo.
At his present rate of production, it’s fine. But there’s nothing to suggest that this is anything other than an aberration in his career, perhaps because he’s in line for a new contract?
The real issue is this - would you rather have Dmitri Young and Cristian Guzman for $9M per season total, or spend that money on either one better player or on other players with more upside? I would prefer the later. The Nats will end up paying the top end of what it would cost to keep Sister and that’s generally not good business practice.
Scott - would generally agree with you on this one, but I think we may be stuck with Sister, which is also why we will overpay for him.
There is a dearth of free agent shortstops this year, and it would be hard to pick someone else you’d want to trade for with the levels of salaries out there. Unless we could get a young prospect like a Yunel Escobar or JJ Hardy (who would cost us our entire minor league system), we are probably spending $10MM a year for a shortstop. At $10MM+ there aren’t many out there to get excited about. Personally, I still have to laugh when I see Tejada making $14MM. Even Khalil Greene, who is putting up 2005 Guzman like numbers by batting .224, is making $4.5MM.
Sadly, if we get Sister for ~$4MM / year for 2 years, its probably one of the best bargain signing out there. At least on a 2 year deal is contract year comes back in 2010!
And I’m sure if you could make hind-sight deals, giving Meathook two years at $5M looks ridiculous. When he was hitting .330-ish at the time of the deal last year, with NJ looking like he might never play again, a $5M all-star 1B-man didn’t look so bad. Of course, now Nick is hurt again and “Steak Grows On” Dmitri is in an overweight, underperforming funk. He DOES, however, have the history to suggest he could hit .300 on a regular basis. I agree, that Sister does not.
But unfortunately, I don’t think the Nats have m/any alternatives at SS for the next 2 years, whereas at 1B they can use Boone in a pinch (were he hitting any better himself), they WILL use the stone-handed, lead-footed LoDuca from time to time, and they COULD bring up Larry Broadway from AAA, or reach deeper down for Bill Rhineheart, hitting .350 at AA. Chris Marrero at Potomac is at least 2-3 years away from being ML ready, and maybe more (as he’s only hitting .250 in A-ball, and still learning 1B).
For SS, I see the options as as sign “Sister”, or give up some real prospects and more money for a star non-free agent SS.
I still don’t question the Dimitri deal at 2x$5MM. What I question, then and now, is why the contract has an guaranteed 1 year, $6MM option if DaMeatHook has 500 plate appearances in 2009 or 900 combined in 2008 and 2009. If Dimitri’s agent was betting on Johnson being injured, that was probably a smart bet. It looks like Dimitri will likely be under 400 plate appearances this year, so the 500 next year will be the big question.
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