For weeks, the Nationals have been bracing for a barrage of player moves before the July trade deadline. Just yesterday, the Post prepared for the onslaught with a detailed analysis of who’s on the trading block. Yesterday afternoon, Kasten & Co. launched the opening salvo: young pitchers Gary Majewski, Bill Bray, and Daryl Thompson, along with veteran playa hatin’ Royce Clayton and utility infielder Brendan Harris were all sent packing. In return, the Nats picked up SS Felipe Lopez, OF Austin Kearns, and minor league pitcher Ryan Wagner.
Just as exciting, the Post reports today that the FCC is bringing about the endgame of the Comcast and Angelos struggle. As a condition of approving a major Comcast acquisition, the FCC required that Angelos’ MASN network be able to force arbitration in its attempt to get the Nats games shown by Comcast. It doesn’t guarentee the Nats will be on TV soon, but it should force an end to the ongoing stalemate.
As for the trade, it was surprising, even as the team was braced for it. For a team with the stated strategy of building for a few years down the road, they essentially traded away potential for immediate help. Lopez is an immediate upgrade over Clayton (and Cristian Guzman and Damian Jackson, for that matter), and was an All-Star in ‘05. He’s got a little pop in his bat, and oozes speed, which the Nats sorely lack. He has not developed into a great defensive player. Kearns is a big slugger who absolutely wears out opposing pitching by taking tons of pitches – which leads to a lot of strikeouts, but also to a lot of walks. When he hits it, he hits it a mile. With Kearns and emergence of Alex Escobar, the Nats have some flexibility in the outfield, but both have had career-long injury issues. Wagner is a former first-round pick who Bowden fell in love with as Cincy’s GM. The Nats feel that his recent struggles were caused by changes to his mechanics by the Reds’ staff, and that he can be righted in AAA New Orleans. The impact of the trade is not yet understood, with many additional moves expected to follow.
AP photo by Dave Kohl
