Nats keep first baseman
The Nationals fielded trade offers from other Major League Baseball teams for weeks. But in the end, general manager Mike Rizzo and his staff decided against moving first baseman Adam Dunn before the Major League Baseball trade deadline expired on Saturday afternoon.
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The two sides will continue to work on a new contract, according to Rizzo. If nothing is agreed upon Dunn will be a free agent at the end of the 2010 season and hit the open market as a sought-after commodity thanks to his home-run power and plate discipline. But for now, he will continue to anchor Washington’s lineup.
“The reason we didn’t trade Adam Dunn is we never got a deal that we thought was equal or greater value to Adam Dunn,” Rizzo said. “We were on the receiving end of the calls. We weren’t making the calls. We got a lot of interest in Adam. We just didn’t see an equal return to what Adam Dunn brings to the ballclub on and off the field.
Rizzo said he was engaged with other clubs right up until the 4 p.m. trade deadline, but avoided direct comment when asked if he actually came close to making a deal. Rizzo also denied that his organization lobbied other teams to trade for any specific player, who they in turn would acquire for Dunn. That was an indirect reference to Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Edwin Jackson. Some national reports have said White Sox general manager Kenny Williams was furious that the Nats cooled on Jackson only after Chicago acquired the pitcher.
Earlier in the week, Washington traded infielder Cristian Guzman and closer Matt Capps for prospects. And while 22-year-old catcher Wilson Ramos was considered a nice haul for Capps, Rizzo was adamant that he needed more for Dunn.
“I think [the goals are] playing better, evaluating the big league club, seeing what we have to do in the winter and certainly signing the remaining draft picks that we want to sign,” Rizzo said.
