Tuesday, January 8, 2013

LaRoche Signs With Nats, Morse Available

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post tweeted that Adam LaRoche and the Nationals have agreed on a two-year contract. The terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, but one thing is clear now... the Nationals are open to trading Michael Morse. Washington currently has a full outfield (Harper, Span, Werth), and now LaRoche at 1B, leaving Morse without a position there.

Morse hit .291/.321/.470 last season, which includes his lowest on-base percentage in the last three years. Michael also hit 18 home runs in 2012, after hitting 31 in 2011, although last season he played in 44 less games than the year before. And Morse doesn't seem to have a preference of hitting righties or lefties, as he doesn't have a true split (career .292/.343/.487 vs. RHP, and .303/.357/.503 vs. LHP). So his bat would absolutely be nice to have in the Bronx.

The Beast would likely start in right field for the Yankees, seeing as how he's played either 1B or OF since 2006 (he played 450 innings at shortstop in 2005, but don't start thinking he's the heir to Jeter at that position), and it's more plausible that he'll knock Ichiro out of the regular starting lineup than Teixeira. Of course, against righties, I could see Morse DHing so that Gardner, Granderson, and Ichiro would all start in the OF.

Anyway, we'll have to see what happens, as the Yankees are surely not the only team in on Morse.

EDIT: ESPN.com reports that the deal is worth $24 million for two years, with a mutual option for a 3rd year.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)