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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

A very happy holiday

I have no idea what's under the tree for me. I haven't been very good this year, so I have no right to expect much. I think I'm getting a pair of shoes I've had my eye on, a couple of books, that kind of thing.

If this report comes true about the Nats and Matt Capps, well, Mike Rizzo will certainly have earned his Santa Claus stripes from me. I gave Rizzo a "B" in my recent poll - I'd upgrade that to an "A" right now, even without Capps. Put a plus by it if Capps is delivered.

Mike isn't exactly dealing from a position of strength. A team that has hit the 100-loss mark twice in a row isn't going to get the huge names available. Just the way it is. But in addition to the two drafted pitchers who have everybody excited, he's added Bruney, Marquis and catcher Pudge Rodriguez to the mix without giving up any of the future (or present) core of the team. He didn't have to give up Willingham to get pitching. He didn't have to trade prospects.

If Capps comes aboard, too? Not to sound all Harry the Homer here but I don't see how we could have reasonably expected more from the offseason. I don't think the Phillies are quaking in their boots just yet and I don't think the Yankees are figuring out how to deal with D.C. come Series time. But there are reasons to really like the direction the team is moving. I haven't thought to myself, "Oh, they'll get there" too much the past two years. I'm thinking that now.

Marquis is a solid starter who will win double-figure games and he's been on winners. Don't think that doesn't count for something. I like the addition very much.

What's left? Has Mark DeRosa signed somewhere yet? Orlando Hudson? I'd take one of those two. Or neither. It's already been a fine offseason. Capps makes it even better.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I still think we should try to snare Doug Davis to a cheap 1 year deal, just to give one of the young guys another year in the minors. We've already seen that going from AA ball to the Show yields bad results.

Softball Girl said...

Marquis and Pudge are both Type B free agents, right? That means the Rangers and Rockies get supplemental picks. So those aren't our picks necessarily. Just picks sandwiched between the first and second round, right?

MikeHarris said...

I'm pretty sure that's right but will leave the "for sure" answer to one of the many more knowledgable about that kind of thing.

I'm checking all the Web sites about once every five minutes to see what's up with Capps.