Nationals sign LaRoche; could Morse be on the move?
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Jan 08, 2013 
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Now we might have a trade candidate worth discussing.
According to Adam Kilgore, the Nationals have agreed to a two-year deal with Adam LaRoche, a signing that would mean next to nothing to the Yankees except for this: The Nationals no longer have a spot for Mike Morse.
As the Yankees continue to look for a right-handed hitter who can play the outfield, Morse stands out as a potential target who would cost less than Justin Upton or Giancarlo Stanton but might perfectly fill the opening. He’s signed through 2013, can play both outfielder corners and has hit both lefties and righties in his career.
In theory, Morse could be the power right-handed bat the Yankees need, starting at DH against right-handers and giving the outfielders a break against lefties.
How much would he cost? I’ve said before, I’m bad at estimating these sort of things, but I know this much: Morse turns 31 in March, and although his career numbers are good, his track record is fairly short. He came up with the Mariners and it took him a while to really establish himself in the big leagues. His age and affordable contract are going to drive up his value. His fairly small sample size is going to push it down.
Washington already has Jayson Werth, Bryce Harper and newly acquired Denard Span in the outfield, and with LaRoche back in the mix, there’s no everyday role for Morse and he’s too valuable to keep as a reserve. It’s common sense to sign him, and although I know nothing of the Nationals inner workings, I’m not sure they’d agree to bring back LaRoche without knowing there’s a strong market for Morse.
Boone Logan, Frankie Cervelli and a Flores or Zoilo Almonte for Mike Morse and Kurt Suzuki
Morse is a guy that makes too much sense for the Yankees. I really expect the Yankees to make a big push on him.
I think Napoli will still sign with the Red Sox, but with some debilitating injury clause that turns his third year into a team option where Napoli actually pays the Red Sox 13 million dollars instead of the other way around.
They take a long time to finalize contracts precisely because they are butts. Peter Gammons was on the radio & said it was just deciding the language to be used, being discussed between the lawyers & doctors.
G. Love had a good riff on that on twitter.
Jerkface –
So do I; at least I hope they do. The problem is that he makes sense for a lot of teams and I wonder if one of those teams would overpay for him. I think if the Yankees were also willing to take back Suzuki’s contract it would be a fit.
Jerkface January 8th, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Morse is a guy that makes too much sense for the Yankees. I really expect the Yankees to make a big push on him.
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I think so too. Logan isn’t good… if you can convince some other team he is, by all means move him for Morse.
My only concern is I don’t think we’ve signed anyone outside of Kuroda where there was actual competition from other teams. Now would be a good time to buck the trend.
Stupid rays will probably get him
Logan fits their reliever need….but it’ll take more than him
Morse would be a nice addition to the team and I think an upgrade over a guy like
Matt Diaz
If the price is right and if Morse wants to play for a winner, then he should sign on the dotted
line and play in The Bronx.
@JimBowdenESPNxm: Nationals looking for LH relief help and/or prospects to help replenish farm system in a Michael Morse swap according to #Nats source
Logan+Jose Ramirez to clear a roster spot, or adam warren. Then hope no one else beats that.
Cashman probably will say he doesn’t want to deal Logan cause he needs his LOOGy
WTP – Morse doesn’t have any say in where the Nats trade him (or if they trade him)
Blake – Yeah, that’s why I also give them Almonte – a fourth OF this year who could become more; and I relieve them of the money owed Suzuki while giving them a guy who can be their BUC for a lot less money.
The hangup, I think, will be whether or not Cashman is willing to include a Boone Logan in the deal. After going through Feliciano, Marte, Myers, Heredia, Villone – he finally has a LHRP that he trusts, as silly as it sounds I don’t know if he would value that more than Morse.
Stupid rays will probably get him
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If the Rays whisper the magic words Jake McGee and a prospect, that’s probably the ballgame.
I think they’ll have to give Logan and a real prospect like Flores or Gumbs to get him
Rays won’t deal McGee for a guy like Morse
“Cashman probably will say he doesn’t want to deal Logan cause he needs his LOOGy”
And he can continue to cite him as the reason that trading for Vazquez’s sucking doesn’t matter.
Blake,
I’m fine with sending them Flores – But I think they’ll want someone closer to ML ready.
@jcrasnick: The 3 still unsigned (Soriano, Lohse and Bourn) all have Scott Boras as an agent. He has a lot of work left to do.
“I’m fine with sending them Flores – But I think they’ll want someone closer to ML ready.”
Why? They are set at every spot on the field and they’d be getting a big league reliever
Boras is gonna have to really earn his money this time
I’d be fine with sending them Logan and Ramirez, but they might want someone closer to the big leagues. Maybe Brett Marshall?
If Logan was an effective LOOGY I’d get it…. but he’s completely average.
I’d take a RHP who can get ALL the hitters out over Logan.
RApada is a better Loogy than Logan
Blake –
I wonder if it would make sense for the Braves to re-sign Bourn; the Cards to re-sign Lohse and then the two to be traded for one another.
Rays won’t deal McGee for a guy like Morse
==========================
Probably not, no. Just sayin’ that if they did, there wouldn’t be much the Yankees could do to top it.
Blake –
I would be fine with the Yankees going with Rapada and Cabral as the two LHRP in the pen next year. But Cashman loves his known quantities.
Chip says:
January 8, 2013 at 12:59 pm
Blake –
I wonder if it would make sense for the Braves to re-sign Bourn; the Cards to re-sign Lohse and then the two to be traded for one another.
Considering the Braves need a LFer….my guess is they’d just keep Bourn if they signed him
Not trading Logan to get Morse would be madness.
1yr of Morse at $6.75 Mill, means you do NOT give up a Good prospect. I wouldn’t do Gumbs for Morse straight-up, not to mention Gumbs\Logan.
@DCameronFG: Jack Morris pitched 563 more innings than Curt Schilling. Jack Morris allowed 569 more runs to score than Curt Schilling.
@acomak
Acc. to source, LaRoche’s deal is $24 million guaranteed: $10m for ’13, $12m for ’14, $2m buyout of mutual opt for ’15: http://ht.ly/gDMJ6
Either way, this deal needs to happen.
On the one hand, Logan is not useless against righties like Rapada, which makes for a much better situation tactically. But Logan is coming off a very high usage year, and Cashman has been stockpiling lefty relievers for a reason, so I think you include him in a deal.
@acomak
Acc. to source, LaRoche’s deal is $24 million guaranteed: $10m for ’13, $12m for ’14, $2m buyout of mutual opt for ’15:
–
Thats incredibly reasonable for a very good defensive first baseman who can hit
@YankeeSource
Too much. RT @zshap what do u think it takes for the yanks to land Morse?
@YankeeSource
He’s usually wrong.
On the one hand, Logan is not useless against righties like Rapada, which makes for a much better situation tactically.
–
Close to useless though
2012: .238 .371 .417 .788
2010: .279 .372 .471 .842
Career: .302 .387 .477 .864
There are going to be a bunch of teams going, ‘pay for Bourn or trade for Morse??’
@Ken_Rosenthal
Source: #Nationals speaking to 5-6 teams about Morse. Earning $7M this season, then eligible for free agency.
These free agents that are hanging as ST approaches usually get the short $$$. LaR
How is a productive Adam Laroche making less per year than a declining Youkillis????
Logan is just completely average… you can find completely average bullpen arms anywhere, I don’t care if they’re RHP or LHP.
Yankeesource thought swisher would get 100 million
spidanyc says:
January 8, 2013 at 1:07 pm
How is a productive Adam Laroche making less per year than a declining Youkillis????
He signed for two years and the Yanks over paid
A lotta the time it’s when a guy signs. Teams starting 8 or 9 players, ( including a DH), are getting set-in-stone. LaRoche was getting cold out there.
Yeah, the Yankees vastly overpaid Youkilis. At $5m, I would have had some interest.
Yankees should just sign Paulina Gretzky and let her learn on the job
Get it done, Cash. This is a no-brainer.
Maybe the best hope of getting Morse is if Levine gets involved, but that risks overpaying.
@JonHeymanCBS: michael morse could be a fit for the #yankees if they can work out a deal. he’d fit as dh & part-tim OF
I want Morse and Upton! Is that too much?
Maybe the best hope of getting Morse is if Levine gets involved, but that risks overpaying.
==================================
The overpay is a virtual lock based on the number of teams involved.
Levine is too aggressive, and Cashman is too passive. Need to mix the two together
Last 3 years Logan’s ERA+ were 149, 125, 112. That’s not just average.
Saw an interesting article in the LA Times about MLB’s escalating salaries. It pointed out the MLB Minimum is $480K, while Obama makes $400K. Please, no usage of The Babe’s line.
“The overpay is a virtual lock based on the number of teams involved.”
Depends what they offer though…..
I’d love for them to make a trade for morse BUT the one year deal scares me because of that stupid yankee rule where we don’t negotiate contracts during the season so we get him for a year for Logan and a prospect and then after a year we gotta hope we didn’t just rent him. Make the trade for him and agree on extension he’s only 30 and its exactly what yankees need but he might be too young for cashmans liking
You gonna sign Gretzky, you better get Marty McSorley also.
“The overpay is a virtual lock based on the number of teams involved.”
Maybe, but for all his faults, I trust Cashman far more than Levine to know when the “over” isn’t reasonable.
I do think that Cashman will need Levine/Hal’s approval for this move though.
I can’t get over how funny this account is.. who is in charge of this account?!
@MikeFrancesaNY
Rex Ryan picked EVERY PLAYUH! Lets not sugahcoat dis. He knocked awf his parents den claimed to be an awphan! HE ROONED IT!
@MikeFrancesaNY
Woody, when youah ah a fawth generation Jawnson and Jawnson aiyah, lets be faiyah. Youah stahted on Third Base. Youah stahted a billionaiyah
I say go all in on a major step towards the future
Logan and Cano for Morse, Rendon, Suzuki and Espinosa ??? Gotta add something?
Cashman needs Approval to purchase Scott TP for the Executive Bathroom.
Make the trade for him and agree on extension he’s only 30 and its exactly what yankees need
======================================
Thing with Morse is he’s a DH or 1B, and on this team he is not a 1B. You can put him in the OF, but he is not merely bad. He is awful. He’s “I envy Manny Ramirez’s outfield skills” awful. He’s “avert your eyes” bad.
1 year is probably good. After 1 year, Rodriguez will quite possibly be spending a lot of time at DH.
Guys.. mark your calendars.. January 27th, the first videos of the giant squid alive in its natural habitat will be aired on the Discovery Channel.
It may or may not make up for the time the Discovery Channel convinced me mermaids might be a real life thing… we shall see.
Morse has got to have some kind of character flaw that NYY can exploit as cover not to pursue him, right?
LOL at the Francesa account. His Mets tantrum from last year is my favorite sports talk radio moment ever.
If the Yankees don’t get Morse it won’t be about character; it will be about the money.
The stock Cashman quote: “there were players available to us who either didn’t make sense financially or in terms of we would be weakening ourselves somewhere else to plug one hole and that didn’t make sense to us either.”
I’m still waiting on those Clod Hoppers to get use some footage of Big Foot.
Tyler January 8th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
LOL at the Francesa account. His Mets tantrum from last year is my favorite sports talk radio moment ever.
———————–
Omg, I remember that!! It’s this one, right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgyRKcEXYtI
Nova and one middling prospect for Morse.
@MikeFrancesaNY
I cant remembah a coach in dis town bein heah foah faw yeahs and tawkin to New Yawk City and sayin: I WANT A DO-OVAH!
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I’m almost positive this is just someone live tweeting his show lol…. this is amazing.
“Logan and Cano for Morse, Rendon, Suzuki and Espinosa ???”
So the Yankees trade their best player for the Nationals’ bench? I’m not making that trade.
Coulda had Revere for Many seasons, for the players being discussed to get 1 season of Morse.
JoeyVegas January 8th, 2013 at 1:37 pm
“Logan and Cano for Morse, Rendon, Suzuki and Espinosa ???”
So the Yankees trade their best player for the Nationals’ bench? I’m not making that trade.
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It’s more of a move to get Rendon, but no way I do that deal either.
Yeah that was it, lol.
Morse would fit well for the right price, as most said on here. It makes a lot of sense if they can make a deal.
The stock Cashman quote: “there were players available to us who either didn’t make sense financially or in terms of we would be weakening ourselves somewhere else to plug one hole and that didn’t make sense to us either.”
__
I guess if a player doesn’t bring in money (Ichiro), or they don’t have an aging veteran solution to fill a need (Youkilis), the bar to make financial sense rises substantially.
Rendon is a big time 3B prospect, Espinosa is a 25-year-old switch-hitting 2B with some power (17 HR) and speed (20 SB) and Morse hit 74 HR the last three years.
That’s hardly the Nationals’ bench.
I’m not sure I’d do it, but I’d consider it and would like others’ thoughts.
Don’t forget viewing possible deals much be done through the prism of $ 189 M in 2014.
Morse isn’t a good fit for NY….he’s only 30
Rich,
Again, to me the issue is going to be whether Cashman has the baseballs needed to part with a known quantity in Logan for Morse. He’s failed time and time again in bringing in LHP and in Logan he has an average guy that he trusts to be average.
You and I and everyone with a brain knows this is garbage – that Morse could be a lot more useful to the team than Logan – the only excuse Brian has that could possibly be viable is that he doesn’t believe he needs a RH DH because by July he expects to have Youk/Alex splitting 3b dH.
Morse would strictly be a rental….but you might could get a draft pick for him
Morse would strictly be a rental….but you might could get a draft pick for him
============================================
Thought about that, but can you really offer him a 1 year $14M QO?
If Cashman comes to Hal asking for $$ to pay for Morse, then Hal should ask Cashman where is all the minor league talent you promised to develop
When you assumed full control almost 7 years ago?
While Morse has his flaws, such as never walking, he would be a big improvement. He is far preferable to Hairston.
I am a bit shell shocked from seeing the Yankees not get anyone I have hoped for in th elast couple of years so I will believe it when I see it.
Blake, Morse and Upton are not too much as long as we still have a spot to play Giancarlo.
Chip
I agree, unless Levine/Hal don’t want to spend the extra money right now.
“Thought about that, but can you really offer him a 1 year $14M QO?”
It really depends on what the budget is looking like and how much Cash wants to gamble…..also what kinda year Morse has…..if he hit 30 homers with a .900 Ops next year then yea you probably do
“Blake, Morse and Upton are not too much as long as we still have a spot to play Giancarlo.”
Oh I’ll find a place
It really depends on what the budget is looking like and how much Cash wants to gamble…..also what kinda year Morse has…..if he hit 30 homers with a .900 Ops next year then yea you probably do
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Were it to happen that way, it would take letting Swisher go to an even higher level of asshattery.
If Logan is the obstacle to Morse, then I give up. Surely he wouldn’t be.
I have little doubt his 2013 cost would have to be blessed by Hal. Let’s hope he would since Morse would be another we don’t owe in 2014.
The Rays always make me nervous since they seem to always have pitching. They lost their lefty reliever in Howell.
If I am Cashman I would call the D-Backs and take one more shot at Upton by telling them you are about to move toward Morse otherwise. Of course, I have no clue what the response would be.
Discussing what Cashman thinks is immaterail. It comes down to Levine and Hal. The Winter Meetings told us all we needed to know about Cashman’s sway these days.
“Discussing what Cashman thinks is immaterail. It comes down to Levine and Hal. The Winter Meetings told us all we needed to know about Cashman’s sway these days.”
I do think he has lost power, but it’s just a guess.
Cashman said he likes Big Hairy Monsters. Then Hal and friends gave him no money so he signed small hairless monsters. Cashman can say whatever the heck he wants. End result is: will Hal spend the $?
Mac -
I wouldn’t say Morse is better than Hairston, they’re just completely different players. Hairston is by far the better defender but he’s strictly a fourth OF against LHP. Morse on the other hand would be an every day DH who you would put in an OF corner or 1b if you needed to.
The giant squid is not a valued commodity on Lohud… fine, be that way Lohud.
Espinosa is a low average, high SLG guy right? Not sure we need more of those and I dunno if the Nats would do that deal either. But nice work, 86. We’re all trying to think outside the box.
Can’t get over A-Rod being unable to do a simple leg-lift, yet roughly 6 weeks earlier the ER Detected no problem with that hip\leg.
Cashman probably is big on Gia Pets come every X-Mas.
Wonder if we can get back Christian Garcia in a deal with the Nats for Morse – I always liked that kid.
“I wouldn’t say Morse is better than Hairston, they’re just completely different players. ”
Morse is a lot better hitter…..
Chip says:
January 8, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Wonder if we can get back Christian Garcia in a deal with the Nats for Morse – I always liked that kid.
Considering he’s probably gonna be their set up man I kinda doubt it
This is exactly the type of move the Yankees need to do in order to turn the corner here a bit during the off-season and start the trend upward. A nice 3 for 1 deal to get Morse and clear some room on the 40-man.
Rich in NJ January 8th, 2013 at 1:06 pm
@YankeeSource
He’s usually wrong.
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Like when he took the all the Yankee bats went into a slump at the wrong time route.
The Yanks should not trade Logan because Rapada hasn’t done enough to warrant taking on the primary lefthanded reliever role, Cabral has done nothing to warrant becoming the secondary lefty, and the Yanks have no other viable secondary lefty options. The Yanks need to be three deep with lefties as all teams should be.
I say let’s go into 2013 with Romine/Stewart (Romart or Stewmine LOL) at C and either Mustelier or Nunez at DH and see what they can do. If they suck through May, the Yanks could always get a new C and/or a new DH, or they could get a new C, ride it out with whoever the DH until A-Rod returns (if he returns), and hope for the best with A-Rod at DH July 19 on (assuming he returns after the All-Star Game break like his doctor said he would return.) Let’s also see what Matt Diaz can do also.