Bill Ladson has a news item about the Nationals re-signing both RHRP Chris Booker and IF Tony Batista. We already knew the Booker news from back in late January, but the Batista signing is new.
Ladson says
Both players will start the season with Triple-A Columbus.
Booker is likely the de facto closer for the Clippers but Batista’s presence is bit more puzzling. With both Kory Casto (at 3B), Josh Whitesell (at 1B), and Luis Jimenez (at DH), there isn’t a starting position for Batista at present. If nothing else this seems to spell the end of Larry Broaday with the Nationals. There is no room left on the bench.
e | 10-Mar-08 at 2:54 pm | Permalink
couldn’t this also spell the end of Casto? He hasn’t done much in Viera this Spring, but is that enough for the Nats to get rid of him? Personally, I’d rather hold onto Casto or Broadway than Batista, mainly because of the age difference and the hopes that they will somehow learn what it takes to make it to the majors.
Brian Oliver | 10-Mar-08 at 2:56 pm | Permalink
e - Quite possibly, though Batista only “plays” 3B at this point in his career. I’d imagine we’ll se Batista primarily as a 1B/DH
John | 10-Mar-08 at 3:00 pm | Permalink
Perhaps it’s the end for Whitesell. Wouldn’t they have to outright him to send him to AAA? i wonder if they think he’ll be claimed.
John | 10-Mar-08 at 3:06 pm | Permalink
I found this at the bottom of the article.
“But, according to Boone, manager Manny Acta wanted Batista back in the organization in some capacity. For now, Batista is looked upon as a player/coach.
“We don’t really have a position for him [at the Minor League level], but at the end of the day, you know what kind of bat he is going to give you,” Boone said. ‘Whether there’s enough room at the end of the day, I don’t know. We’ll sort it out.’”
Brian Oliver | 10-Mar-08 at 3:08 pm | Permalink
John - No. Whitesell has his full allotment of options left. He was not added to the 40-man until the end of the 2007 season. Both Casto and Whitesell have options.
Looking at it further, there are other potential 3B options if Casto was to go. Brandon Powell can play 3B. As could William Bergolla or Antonio Perez.
But I still think Casto sticks around as a lefthanded 3B/OF option.
John | 10-Mar-08 at 3:14 pm | Permalink
Brian: Thanks for clearing that up.
I think the answer is in Boone’s quote in my comment above. They want him around as a player/coach. They probably trade/dump either Whitesell or Jiminez. Perhaps Jiminez goes to AA.
Brian Oliver | 10-Mar-08 at 3:23 pm | Permalink
Then the Nationals should just make him a coach. They waited until the last minute to hire Rick Eckstein as their hitting coach in Columbus. They should have just made Batista their coach then.
To me it seems silly to burn any roster spot with a guy who realistically isn’t anywhere near a part of their future on the playing field.
John | 10-Mar-08 at 3:38 pm | Permalink
Columbus isn’t exactly teeming with future MLB prospects. I would agree with you if he were blocking a legit 1B prospect, but I don’t see it.
I think he is also there because the Nats know Boone, Young, and Johnson all have injury/conditioning issues. Young will likely be traded and there’s a good chance Johnson and Boone spend time on the DL.
Brian Oliver | 10-Mar-08 at 4:08 pm | Permalink
John - For me, it’s not a matter of blocking prospects (though I’d still not choose Batista over Casto or Whitesell from a return on investment POV). I just see little value in taking up any roster spot with a guy who they think is a coach. They have a staff for coaching.
Neither Casto nor Whitesell are likely to have anywhere near the career Batista has had, but they are both lefthanded, under club control, and still as viable a consideration to fill in for a couple of weeks as Batista.
Positively Half St. | 10-Mar-08 at 5:02 pm | Permalink
Well, it seems that one of the cuts yesterday was C Chad Moeller, since he has since signed with the Yankees.