The Washington Nationals President of Baseball Operations, Paul Toboni, appeared on MLB Network Radio on Sunday. Much of what was discussed you have heard before from Toboni, then he was asked by @JimBowdenGM and @JimDuquetteGM if he is ready for West Palm Beach, referring to the team’s Spring Training site. Toboni answered that, “We’re an attractive landing spot” for free agents, and he explained why. Toboni also said, “We’re continuing to have trade conversations with other teams … those conversations are ongoing.” Then he finished by saying, “In NO WAY are we set going into West Palm.” For anyone who read our sourced tweet five days ago, that confirmed what we wrote.
Of course, the skeptic will warn that nothing happens until it happens. Yes, that is true. But for those who declared the offseason a bust, they should wait until Opening Day before definitive declarations. And yes, many of the top free agents are gone. Many. There are still many who are left too.
And Toboni wasn’t shy early into his employment when he clearly said what he wanted in his roster construction that included the catcher position, first base, and pitching. Toboni addressed the catcher position via a trade for Harry Ford, and they signed Foster Griffin as a starting pitcher. Unfortunately, Toboni traded their closer, Jose A. Ferrer, for Ford. And speaking of Ford, a source told us that he might be in the market for a new agent. Currently with the Boras Agency as we sourced on his trade day. Stay tuned on this.
❝… We’re going to be really open-minded [on offseason signings]. I don’t think you can ever have enough pitching. We’ll be open-minded at the first base position, and potentially at the catching position. We’re going to see how it plays out, and what opportunities present themselves.❞
— Toboni said at the GM Meetings in November
When things felt like the front office had no leaks of good info, we have broken several stories since the calendar turned to January. And yes, we’ve heard vague whispers that the team wants a right-handed first baseman. That makes sense on a stopgap deal because the team has both the right-handed Yohandy Morales and Ethan Petry in the minors. And with the recent signing of lefty Matt Mervis, we will see who can rise to the top.
We could make a short list of some right-handed first baseman and a switch-hitter who is still available. Rhys Hoskins, Paul Goldschmidt, and Carlos Santana are all names who could work.
Shifting gears to the trade market, what is going on with all of those hyped rumors on MacKenzie Gore? Nothing materialized into a trade. But Toboni addressed it on MLB Network Radio by saying, “We’re continuing to have trade conversations with other teams … those conversations are ongoing.” Conversations — plural. And they are ongoing. We will see if they go anywhere.
The Nats just finished their coaches and front office retreat in Washington, D.C. They will travel later today to West Palm Beach, Florida for the start of the mini camp tomorrow. Toboni said he got that idea from something similar he did with the Red Sox. This certainly feels like the start of something new.
We are a dozen days from the month of February, and 21 days to the official opening to Spring Training camp at the CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. The Nats announced that the first Pitchers & Catchers workouts would be on Feb. 11. What can Toboni and his staff accomplish in that amount of time? The Hot Stove is warm, let’s heat it up!
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