Archive for the ‘Nationals’ Category

Rauch, Nationals agree to $3.2 million for 2 years

Sunday, February 3rd, 2008

Reliever Jon Rauch and the Washington Nationals agreed to a $3.2 million, two-year contract Saturday, avoiding arbitration. The right-hander will make $1.2 million in 2008 and $2 million in 2009. The deal also includes a club option for $2.9 million in 2010 that must be exercised within five days of the end of the 2008 World Series.

Rauch’s arbitration hearing had been scheduled for Wednesday. He had asked for a raise from $455,000 to $1.4 million while the Nationals submitted an arbitration figure of $1.1 million.
Last season, Rauch went 8-4 with four saves and a 3.61 ERA in 87 1-3 innings. He led the major leagues with 88 appearances.

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Estrada agrees to deal with Nationals

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Johnny Estrada and the Nationals agreed to a $1.25 million, one-year contract Thursday, giving Washington an experienced catcher to back up Paul Lo Duca, who is recovering from knee surgery. The 31-year-old Estrada is coming off knee and elbow operations and became a free agent last month when the New York Mets declined to offer him a contract for next season.

Estrada, a switch-hitter, played for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007, batting .278 with 10 homers and 54 RBIs and drawing only 12 walks as part of a .296 on-base percentage. He threw out six of 79 base stealers.

An All-Star in 2004 with Atlanta, Estrada is a .280 career hitter with 42 homers and 281 RBIs in 589 games over seven major-league seasons. He also played for Philadelphia and Arizona.

Estrada’s deal includes $1.5 million in performance bonuses based on games started. He would earn an extra $100,000 if he makes 70 starts and another $100,000 at 75 starts; an added $150,000 at each plateau if he reaches 80, 85, 90, 95, 100 and 105 starts; and an extra $200,000 each for 110 and 115 starts.

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Reports: Lo Duca, Nats agree to deal

Monday, December 10th, 2007

Paul Lo Duca and the Washington Nationals agreed to a one-year contract pending a physical, according to several reports Monday. Lo Duca, a free-agent catcher who played for the New York Mets the past two seasons, would give the Nationals a veteran to replace Brian Schneider behind the plate. Washington traded Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church to the Mets last month in the deal that sent outfielder Lastings Milledge to the Nationals.

A four-time All-Star from 2003-06, Lo Duca hit .272 with nine homers and a .311 on-base percentage this season that was the lowest of any Mets regular — and lower than Schneider’s .326. Both Lo Duca and Schneider drove in 54 runs.

The agreement was first reported on The Washington Post’s Web site, citing an unidentified source; MLB.com and ESPN.com also said Lo Duca and the Nationals have a deal in place.

In 10 major league seasons with the Dodgers, Marlins and Mets, Lo Duca has batted .288 with 80 homers and 466 RBIs.

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Nationals want equal return for Cordero

Thursday, March 22nd, 2007

The Rockies, seeking to acquire a setup man, are interested in Nationals closer Chad Cordero, but a trade appears unlikely.

The Nationals have told the Red Sox and other clubs that they would want multiple high-end prospects in any trade for Cordero, who will not be a free agent until after the 2009 season.

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Braves acquire Ward from Nationals

Saturday, September 2nd, 2006

The Atlanta Braves acquired Ward from the Nationals in exchange for Luis Atilano, a right-handed pitcher who was the club’s first-round selection in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft.

Ward hit .308 with six homers and 19 RBIs in 104 at-bats with the Nationals this year. In 47 pinch-hit appearances, he hit .298 with three homers and 10 RBIs.

The left-handed-hitting Ward will likely be primarily used in pinch-hit roles against right-handed pitchers, against whom he’s hit .341 (31-for-91) this year. In 12 at-bats against left-handers, he’s recorded just one hit.

The Nationals are well aware of the fact that Atilano is rehabbing from ligament-replacement surgery. In 19 appearances (18 starts) with Class A Myrtle Beach this year, the 21-year-old right-hander was 6-7 with a 4.50 ERA. He was disabled after his July 24 start.”

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Nationals Trade Livan Hernandez to Diamondbacks

Monday, August 7th, 2006

Nationals right-hander Livan Hernandez has been traded to the Diamondbacks for two minor-league pitchers.

Hernandez has made 24 starts for Washington this season, going 9-8 with a 5.34 ERA.

But he knows a thing or two about pennant races, having helped the Florida Marlins win the 1997 World Series, earning MVP honors for the NLCS along the way. He also was a member of the San Francisco Giants’ starting rotation when they reached the 2002 World Series before losing to the Angels.

In return, the Nationals will receive two Class AA pitchers — left-hander Matt Chico, 23, and right-hander Garrett Mock, 23.

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Reds, Nationals make 8 Player Trade

Friday, July 14th, 2006

The Cincinnati Reds get Relievers Gary Majewski and Bill Bray, shortstop Royce Clayton, infielder Brendan Harris and pitching prospect Daryl Thompson. The 36-year-old Clayton, will take over at shortstop for Lopez, who made his first All-Star team last year.

The Nationals get right fielder Austin Kearns, shortstop Felipe Lopez, and reliever Ryan Wagner, a first-round draft pick in 2003.

At first glance it looks like the Nationals got the better end of the deal by far but the Reds have a shot at making the playoffs and they needed to make their bullpen better and they did that. Royce Clayton is also an upgrade defensively over Lopez.

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Sosa turns down Nationals’ offer

Wednesday, February 15th, 2006

The Nationals had offered Sosa a non-guaranteed contract that would have included performance bonus opportunities. Team spokesman John Dever said Wednesday that Sosa had rejected the deal.

The Nationals were the only team that showed interest in the aging slugger whose performances have dropped drastically since steriod testing became a hot issue in baseball. Hopefully Sosa will just retire.

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Soriano to Nationals for Wilkerson, Sledge, & Prospect

Thursday, December 8th, 2005

With Jose Vidro already in place at Second Base, the Nationals will most likely most Soriano to Left Field, which he has always said to be against. This is a great move for the Nationals, as we all know, the main element they lacked on their team was a power bat, now they have it.

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