Ouch! The Nationals have just announced that Jose Guillen will likely be out for 3 months after damage to a tendon in his left wrist was discovered. The team will seek a second opinion.
Acquiring Sammy Sosa was Jim Bowden's plan to backup Guillen, but Sosa has turned down two offers from the Nats now. The latest on Guillen however should spark more acquisition rumors.
Sam, do you think they could get an OF from Tampa? They seem to have about a dozen in camp, decent ones with no position to play (Delmon Young springs to mind.) I don't know what they could give up in return, but it seems like there are outfielders out there to be had.
I think that's going to be key: what can the Nationals offer in return? They're minor league ranks are exhausted, and without ownership there isn't much of a budget. I know the Nats went after Joey Gathright–who would have been a sure option for the lead off spot–but Tampa didn't want what the Nats were offering (2004 first-round pick, pitcher Bill Bray). The fact that talk of a Gathright trade has almost totally died down (at one point, the Nationals were competing with the Marlins, Red Sox, Angels and Dodgers for his services) might suggest that the Rays are keeping him as insurance in case Baldelli isn't 100% by opening day. You'd think Delmon Young could be the backup since Gathright makes for better bait…
Exactly right! Young is going to be sent back to AAA so that Gathright can be a utility player. When you're as bad as Tampa has been lately, it doesn't make much sense to me.
Well, it looks like Guillen's injury is much better than the original prognosis, and he should be ready for Opening Day! I read somewhere today that the team would *not* have looked outside the organization to fill Guillen's shoes.
Yeah, all of a sudden his injury is no big thing. Weird. I think I may still avoid him in my Fantasy Leagues.