Manager Riggleman and Werth reunited, Josh Willingham trade rumours creep up
The Washington Nationals are making runs for the best players in the off season and while the winter meetings are fast approaching in Major League Baseball, one of the biggest stars in the free agency will be out of the options’ menu.
Jayson Werth, who has been considered one of the top A-ball player agents in the market, has penned a 7 year, $126 million deal and that is something he was looking for since the playoffs concluded in the month of November.
The player, who has joined the Nationals, will find himself reunited with Manager Jim Riggleman. The gaffer worked with the player during their years in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ clubhouse. Werth was mostly injured during those years and Jim had been the
bench coach at the time.
Jim had been one of proponents of the idea to see Werth at the Nationals’ helm and he kept Mike Rizzo up to speed over the possibility, stressing on Jayson’s role in the club. Jim would insist that Jayson would play in the right field and come up fourth
in the batting line up.
Riggleman shared a few words about Werth and in particular he said, "Since he has been in Philadelphia, he has been on the field. He has had two years in a row where he led that team in at-bats. He really picked that club up when a couple of the Phillies
were hurt last year. Jayson really picked up the slack there".
With Jayson at the club, there is the Nationals’ regular right fielder, Michael Morse. The player who isn’t well accomplished in the first baseman position will likely find himself sitting on the bench. Many see his swings fly longer than usual and his ability
to tackle top pitchers hasn’t come through, so well.
However, Morse could find himself sharing the same faith as Josh Willingham. Rumours have come out from MLB.com that the middle order batsman may see a possibility lining up for a trade. Josh was reported by another source at the website as being a regular
feature in Washington but this news piece does make sense, given Willingham’s contractual obligations.
The player will enter the free agency after the 2011 campaign and while that wouldn’t give the team a good return on the player, in terms of using him in the line up, the best option being considered is a trade.
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