This offseason has been a difficult one for the Washington Nationals. The team has unsuccessfully tried to trade either closer Jonathan Papelbon or annoyed ex-closer Drew Storen. Additionally, the Nationas have failed to sign at least three of the major free agents thus far. The latest is a tough one: Jason Heyward.
According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, not even the most money would do it:
Belief is that nats offered about $200M (maybe exactly $200M), yet doesn't look like it'll be them. That's a big try here.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 11, 2015
Cubs are believed to have gotten heyward for less than $200M. Apparently taking less to be at addison and clark. @GDubCub 1st
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 11, 2015
But Heyward was not the only one who spurned the Nationals to go be a Cub. An "uncomfortable" Nationals clubhouse appears to be the issue, says the Washington Post's James Wagner:
Both the Nationals and Giants offered Zobrist $60 million over four years, the person said. The 34-year-old switch-hitting infielder-outfielder was reunited with Manager Joe Maddon, for whom he played in Tampa, and will play for a contender. The Nationals weren’t close in the sweepstakes because Zobrist didn’t feel as comfortable in the Nationals clubhouse, according to another person familiar with the situation.
But wait – there's more! Reliever Darren O'Day, whose wife works in Washington D.C., went for the longer commute in Baltimore instead:
Source: Nationals had a better offer on table for O'Day as far as average annual value. But Os offered fourth year. Nats didnt.
— Dan Connolly (@danconnollysun) December 6, 2015
OK – so the fourth year could have done it. Either way, the Nationals are having trouble.
Inexplicably, the Nationals traded infielder Yunel Escobar, with no real replacement around. The Nationals will save some money by trading Escobar to the Angels – around $7 million – but, that money will not go to Heyward, if that was their plan. But, the Nationals are short on talent. Ian Desmond is a free agent, and Trea Turner will get the first shot to be shortstop.
Senior ESPN writer Eddie Matz is concerned:
… jettisoning a nine-year veteran who can play second base or shortstop (not to mention third) comes at a cost. Specifically, the Nationals are now perilously young and thin up the middle.
When it's all said and done, the Nationals will have somebody.
Daniel Murphy, Jimmy Rollins… both are infielders who may need a job after the dust clears on the bigger names. But, the perception around baseball is clear: The Nationals clubhouse is not somewhere that players want to go. Could it be Papelbon? Could it be Harper? Manager Matt Williams lost his job over it, but the problem is not likely solved.
