Welcome to Washington, Mr. Morgan. We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay.Hello Nyjer Morgan and your world class stirrups. The Nats traded for you and your teammate Sean Burnett and gave up two players who have given us fits over the past six months.
"We are open for business," said a happy Mike Rizzo, the Nationals' acting general manager. "We improved two of our greatest needs. We have a great character guy in Morgan. We have our center fielder. Even though he will be 29 in two days, he plays better than most younger men."
In return the Pirates received the volatile Lastings Milledge who created a whole host of problems, not the least of which was not playing CF very well – the reason the Nats acquired him in the first place.
The Pirates also got Joel Hanrahan who has been the Nats closer twice and demoted from the role twice. The most recent outing for Hanrahan was a disaster in Baltimore which probably sealed his fate as trade-bait.
Morgan appears to be no more than one of those “tweeners” that vascillate between AAA and the major leagues. He’s 29, so it’s not like the Nats got younger. Morgan appears to be the CF of remainder of the 2009 season which could help solidify the outfield defense. He’s instantaneously better than anyone on the roster to play CF.
Sean Burnett will certainly take Hanrahan’s spot in the bullpen and probably help to improve an anemic relief corps. Even if Burnett is less than advertised, he cannot be worse tha Hanrahan.
With the acquisition of Mike Morse from Seattle earlier, I have to think the end is near for Ronnie Belliard as well. Morse is a serviceable backup and makes less money than Belliard (not to mention can’t play any worse defense). Also, the acquisition of Morgan might free up some room in the outfield for a trade of either Josh Willingham or Adam Dunn. Of course, rumors still swirl around a possible trade involving Nick Johnson who was pursued by the A’s in the off-season and lately there are whispers that the Mets are asking about Johnson. Should that happen, I’d imagine that Dunn moves to 1B (which, in my opinion, is an awful mistake) and we are left with a very serviceable outfiled of Willingham, Morgan and Elijah Dukes.
No matter what the scenario, I think this is not the last we hear of the Nationals on the trade front in 2009.
"We are open for business," said a happy Mike Rizzo, the Nationals' acting general manager. "We improved two of our greatest needs. We have a great character guy in Morgan. We have our center fielder. Even though he will be 29 in two days, he plays better than most younger men."
In return the Pirates received the volatile Lastings Milledge who created a whole host of problems, not the least of which was not playing CF very well – the reason the Nats acquired him in the first place.
The Pirates also got Joel Hanrahan who has been the Nats closer twice and demoted from the role twice. The most recent outing for Hanrahan was a disaster in Baltimore which probably sealed his fate as trade-bait.
Morgan appears to be no more than one of those “tweeners” that vascillate between AAA and the major leagues. He’s 29, so it’s not like the Nats got younger. Morgan appears to be the CF of remainder of the 2009 season which could help solidify the outfield defense. He’s instantaneously better than anyone on the roster to play CF.
Sean Burnett will certainly take Hanrahan’s spot in the bullpen and probably help to improve an anemic relief corps. Even if Burnett is less than advertised, he cannot be worse tha Hanrahan.
With the acquisition of Mike Morse from Seattle earlier, I have to think the end is near for Ronnie Belliard as well. Morse is a serviceable backup and makes less money than Belliard (not to mention can’t play any worse defense). Also, the acquisition of Morgan might free up some room in the outfield for a trade of either Josh Willingham or Adam Dunn. Of course, rumors still swirl around a possible trade involving Nick Johnson who was pursued by the A’s in the off-season and lately there are whispers that the Mets are asking about Johnson. Should that happen, I’d imagine that Dunn moves to 1B (which, in my opinion, is an awful mistake) and we are left with a very serviceable outfiled of Willingham, Morgan and Elijah Dukes.
No matter what the scenario, I think this is not the last we hear of the Nationals on the trade front in 2009.
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