Trading Places

November 11, 2008

By AllStarsPlus

So basically Jim Bowden just traded Jon Rauch for Scott Olsen and P.J. Dean and shortstop Jake Smolinski for Josh Willingham. For anyone confused, Jon Rauch was traded for the 2nd baseman of the future Emilio Bonifacio just a few months ago so the 2nd baseman of the future is no longer part of the Nationals future because Bonifacio was actually the one traded to the Marlins in this Olsen/Willingham package. Are you still confused?

Since this is breaking news, who knows where JimBo sees Josh Willingham playing. If Josh plays full-time he projects to hit over 20 HRs and 70+ RBI’s, but what about Austin Kearns? Maybe Jim Bowden will answer that shortly.

I called Matt Sosnick who is the agent for both Willingham and Olsen, and have no inside scoop on that (lol). Then I called super agent Tom O’Connell who represents Tim Redding (arbitration eligible) and Carl Pavano just to talk about nothing I can disclose, but Tom is certainly busy because Carl Pavano is a Free Agent so…

….new to the rumor mill is Carl Pavano who is a Yankee Free Agent and also a former Montreal Expo most well known in Canada for giving up Mark McGwire’s 70th HR in 1998. Pavano was a key in the Marlins World Series rotation in 2003 and also for dating Alyssa Milano. Bill Ladson wrote today, “I’ve always said that I never put anything past general manager Jim Bowden. However, I would be surprised if the Nationals had interest because Pavano has a history of injuries”. So looks like Pavano is not part of the Nationals future.

Then you have Matt Holliday who is rumored to move in a Western direction to Oakland in a trade that doesn’t involve the Nationals so if true now Bill Ladson can stop his daily reporting that a trade with the Nationals is a HOT rumor in his Hot Stove report.

Posted in Baseball - General, MLB, Washington Nationals