The Nationals have offered arbitration to Adam Dunn, according to a club source, ensuring the team will get two draft picks as compensation if the free agent first baseman signs elsewhere this winter.
The way the market is shaping up, though, Dunn may not find any suitors more enticing than the Nats.
Despite his hope of securing a long-term contract of at least four years, to date no club has been willing to meet those demands. And the list of potential matches appears to be dwindling, especially with today's news that the Tigers have signed free agent Victor Martinez to a four-year, $50 million deal.
Read my full story on this on CSNwashington.com.
27 comments:
I still have faith that Rizzo gets a deal Dunn!
If I am a fly on the wall listening to Dunn calling Genske & Peters right now after reading the comments on the previous thread, I think Dunn would be pissed off.
It is like deja vous all over again! The Tigers used him to finalize their VMart deal and it is no secret the White Sox want Paul Konerko so they call Dunn last week to put that pressure on Konerko,and now Aubrey Huff signs for a huge hometown discount of $11 million per year!
Dunn's agents messed up! So long as no bridges were burned then time to knock out a deal with the Nats. 3 years with an option should work. Aubrey Huff got 2 years with an option.
Dunn should pull an ARod and close the deal himself with the Nats. The other wild card is that Dunn could accept arbitration as that just became more of a possibility today.
Boy it's looking more and more like Rizzo has played this game of chicken perfectly.
Frankly I think that a three year deal and about $40 million is over payment of Dunn, but it will make the fans happy and put more people in seats.
It looks like Rizzo is winning the game of the nerves. Still waiting for the 9th inning.
Golfersal, was it really a game of chicken?
Who would have expected VMart to take that low of an offer from the Tigers followed hours later by Aubrey Huff giving the Giants a hometown discount to stay for 2 years!
I am blown away. It also hurts the bargaining position of Paul Konerko the most, as he was seen as the top 1st baseman/DH in this years Free Agency.
"Who would have expected VMart to take that low of an offer from the Tigers followed hours later by Aubrey Huff giving the Giants a hometown discount to stay for 2 years!"
Even absent collusion - which we all know never ever happens (wink wink) - who would you think would have a better grasp of what major league GMs would be willing to pay for a given free agent, someone who's a peer of those GMs and deals with them on a level playing field year-round (i.e. a fellow GM) or someone who only deals with them in an adversarial relationship (i.e. an agent)? Really, if it should turn out in the end that Rizzo had a better handle on what Dunn is worth on the FA market than Dunn's agent did, why should anyone be surprised at that?
Brian Sabean said the Huff deal was a price match as the Giants actually offered him lower to start.
I believe if Huff didn't accept either offer he could have received more by waiting for Konerko's deal. In the end, I respect Huff for staying.
Didn't Rizzo say a while back that Dunn should also test the Free Agent market?
Good call, Feel Wood....It's Dunn's agents that misread the market.
They misread two years ago and they're really misreading it now. Dunn nees a new rep.
NatsJack, I agree with your last sentence. I think for Dunn's previous Free Agent contract and now again his agents have over promised and possibly misread the overall situation. Dunn's agents set up 2 meetings this past week [Tigers & White Sox] and both were basically to use him in a Chess game to help their other negotiations.
I am sure the White Sox, Yankees and Red Sox would both hand him a 2 year deal right now to match Huff's but he would certainly be a DH or he can wait on how the Konerko negotations end up with the White Sox.
The Nats are probably the ONLY team in the NL that will give him a deal right now.
Oh look! It's a bunch of chickens! But how can I count them before they hatch?
All things being equal, the likelihood of Dunn coming back just went up. But let's wait. This is Baseball. This is Free Agency. It's where stupid happens.
I still could see the market growing for Dunn. I would not count the Cubs out just yet and if the Braves trade a starter they might decide Dunn is a safer bet than Freeman (Atlanta seems to being going for it in Chipper's last year). Also, if Milwaukee trades Fielder for pitching, then they will have plenty of money to spend and a hole at 1B.
As for the AL, I think the Orioles are lurking, and the Blue Jays could fit as well, especially if they trade for an Upton or Greinke and go for it this year. Either team could offer a 1B job. Boston could if they move Youk to 3B to replace Beltre.
There might not be a lot of obvious options but I think Dunn ends up doing better than Huff on the FA market. I'm guessing 3 years at $14 million, or 4 at $13 million.
Has there been any confirmation anywhere of what the Nats actually offered Dunn?
Didn't Ladson report 3 years $40 million as their offer?
That's what Ladson reported but it wouldn't suprise me if it's shrunk a little, like 3 years $36 Million.
Mark, please stop mentioning the Yankees as a possible landing spot for Dunn. It's just lazy reflexive sports reporting: "expensive free agent, the Yankees are on the list!" You're better than that.
The Yankees have committed to giving Jesus Montero the chance to win the everyday catching job, moving Jorge Posada to usual DH. Any remaining DH at bats will go to ARod, Jeter and any other player needing a day off. Oh, and they have this guy Texeira at 1b - there's simply no place/role for Dunn on that team, certainly not for $12-14 million a season.
John C.
And for anyone who is wondering, the mentioning of the Yankees is in the full CSN article in the link.
I really, really doubt the Red Sox are in either - they already have a Dunn in David Ortiz; having both in the lineup is going to make them very vulnerable to LOOGYs. But I guess with VMart gone there is a small chance that they are in; they would have to live for at least one season with either Ortiz or Dunn at first. So I guess you can mention them. But please stop with the Yankees, it's just ridiculous.
John C.
"John C." - Bonafide MLB Insider. ;)
John C. - For $11 mill a year the Yankees would take him if they don't need him because he could play LF if they don't get Carl Crawford. LOL
The Red Sox fit is more curious as they would need him if they don't get Adrian Beltre. Youk would move back to 3rd and Dunn would play 1st.
I think the Nats are his #1 option right now as they can pay him and they know what he is all about. If you read the A's blogs they have bashed him as they have in other cities.
The Yankees haven't signed Posada so they are a long shot.
I'm thinking the Nats have the upper hand now unless the White Sox don't get Konerko.
The Orioles are going after Derrek Lee from what I read.
Good point A8 that Boston could need him especially since this will be David Ortiz last year unless they wait on Pujols ;')
The Yankees will almost always find the $$$ to acquire a player that takes them "over the top" of everyone else in the AL at a given position (ex. Cliff Lee @SP, Carl Crawford @LF). Dunn doesn't meet that criteria for them, as DH is being looked upon as a "day off" position for players like Posada/Swisher/Rodriguez/Granderson & others this year.
In terms of teams Dunn would 'fit' with, look at possibilities like BAL (1B open), BOS (Youkilis to 3B, Dunn @1B), CUB (1B open), CWS (1B open if they lose Konerko), DET (if the owner Ilich has completely lost his mind), TOR (1B open, lacks LH power), or WSH (1B open, lacks LH power).
That's six, maybe seven teams still with possible positions (and $$$) available. Either BOS, CWS, or a return to WSH is possible, but TOR could be a 'dark-horse' in this race.
I'm going to assume that A8 is being facetious about the Yankees :D
John C.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Detroit-Tigers-deal-for-Victor-Martinez-affects-other-baseball-free-agents-112310
This writer is saying a source said today that the Washington Nationals aren’t pursuing him [Dunn] with much vigor any longer. They appear to be on the fringe of the sweepstakes now.
The Nationals don't need to be pursuing Dunn with any vigor now. Their three year offer is already on the table. He'll be coming to them before long.
i have to wonder how many teams are waiting in the wings if Pujols doesn't sign an extension with the Cardinals and a few more that know they have a shot at a trade for Adrian Gonzalez or to get him next year as a Free Agent.
If I were the Red Sox, instead of pursuing Upton, Adrian Gonzalez is a perfect match for them.
Anon8,
The Red Sox will be in on Upton,Crawford,Beltre, Werth and Gonzalez. They won't get them all but they will be bidding.
http://www.nesn.com/2010/11/theo-epsteins-red-sox-decisions-sure-to-keep-baseball-alive-through-cold-boston-winter.html
Anon8, I think you are correct about the Red Sox and Adrian Gonzalez which gives them more flexibility if they don't re-sign Beltre at 3rd so they would shift Youkilis back to 3rd and have Gonzalez who is one of the best fielding 1st baseman + his offensive stats.
Feel Wood, good point too as the Nats offer is probably still on the table for Dunn.
I wonder if Dunn's demands include a "no trade" clause which could also be a sticking point on a long-term deal.
Anyway, just looking at the Nats being the only National League team in the running for Dunn's services it would be nice to know shortly if he will stay in Washington.
I can hear Dunn's agents calling Rizzo now.... "Mikey babe, how you doin....is there a chance we can still get the 3 year $40 million deal that your guy Ladson reported that you offered us?"
Post a Comment