The Nationals Report

Just a quick rundown of the "Winter Meetings Checklist" posted on Nats.com last week and what can be checked off:

More starting pitching:

Half Check! Tyler Clippard from the Yankees. Youth talent but nothing proven yet. More importantly no innings eater yet. I'm still holding out for Livo.

Leadoff Hitter:

Nothing! There aren't many true leadoff hitters out there on the market but anything is better than what we've got. Problem is that the defensive lineup seems set, so who would squeezed out for a leadoff hitter...I predict 2B. Its going to be a tough find though.

Center Fielder:

Check! The Nats have acquired both Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes through trades. Both come in with some questions about character and none about talent. Hopefully a change of scenery will provide both with new life.

Power Hitter:

Check! Both Milledge and Dukes have above average power so it seems as if we're trying to kill two birds with two stones here. Neither have played full major league seasons though so the breath is still being held on this. Smart money is on at least one or both working out.

Most Nationals fans that I know are pretty familiar with the names Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes for various reasons. The same cannot be said though for Tyler Clippard. All you ever hear Yankee fans talking about is Phil Hughes. So I'd like to take a moment and go around the blog nation and give you a little taste of what people are saying about our new pitcher. BTW, here is his myspace page...lame.

Pending Pinstripes:

Clippard throws a fastball from 88-92 mph, throwing all of his body at the batter to create some mild deception. He backs it up with very good curveballs and change-ups...Clippard was 22 years old and was just the 2nd or 3rd High School pitcher in his draft class to make it to the majors. That’s impressive. I like the way his secondary pitches work when his fastball can be located.

Fire Joe Torre:

A lot of ballclubs would take Clippard's mind blowing second half and set him up in the major leagues right away. However, Clippard is a finesse pitcher. Finesse pitchers take a little longer than power pitchers to adjust to new leagues...That is not a knock on Clippard - as he is only 21 years old.

Baseball America:

When Clippard is on, his biggest strength is his ability to keep hitters guessing.

Moreover, if you look at the stats of Clippard, you'll see that he's consistently thrown 150 innings every year for about 4 years now (~130 in 2007 due to moving around in the system). With his finesse pitching style, it seems as if he's going to be a durable guy. This bodes well for his future in Washington, where it seems the rotation is survival of the fittest at times.

Many out there are giving Albaladejo no play in this story, simply putting him a "a reliever" and therefore a wise more for the Yanks. What they're missing out on is that he's a good pitcher. Watch some of his film from last summer/fall and you'll see some nasty stuff out there. His career K/IP is nearly 1 and his WHIP in the majors is a minuscule 0.63. This is no chump we're sending the other way. I see him becoming a mainstay of the Yankee pen for the next few years provided he doesn't implode under the pressure.

I chalk this deal up as a win/win on both sides. The Nationals are absolutely stacked in the pen. It's the only reason we were able to win as many games as we did in 2007, especially with the starters only giving you 5 innings night in, night out. The Yankees, have a dearth of talent in the pen sans Joba (who looks to be in the rotation at the moment) so this trade makes sense all around. I'm excited to see how Clippard progresses this spring and look forward to cheering him on at stadium to be named later.