From the Nationals:
WASHINGTON ACQUIRES OUTFIELDER NYJER MORGAN AND LEFTHANDER SEAN BURNETT FROM PITTSBURGH IN FOUR-PLAYER TRADE

The Washington Nationals today acquired outfielder Nyjer Morgan and left-handed pitcher Sean Burnett from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for outfielder Lastings Milledge and right-handed pitcher Joel Hanrahan. Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

The 28 year-old Morgan was batting .277 (77-for-278) with six doubles, five triples, two home runs and 27 RBI in 71 games with Pittsburgh prior to the trade. Thanks to a career-high 29 walks and a .351 on-base percentage, Morgan has scored 39 runs this season, or two fewer than his career total in 86 games entering 2009. His five triples rank among NL (tied for second) and MLB (tied for third) leaders. Morgan departs despite pacing the Pirates in batting (.322, 66-for-205) against right-handed pitchers in 2009.

Morgan is blessed with the brand of speed that the Nationals were lacking both on the basepaths and in the outfield. Morgan currently ranks fifth in the National League with 18 stolen bases, and his eight swipes in June are just one less than the nine registered by Washington this month. Morgan played primarily left field for the Pirates. He currently leads all MLB left fielders in total chances per 9.0 innings and range factor per game.

Morgan’s patience (3.9 pitches seen per plate appearance) and batting eye (career-best walk ratio of one base on balls per 11.1 plate appearances) have both played a role in his breakout 2009 season.

Burnett, 26, was 1-2 with six holds, one save and a 3.06 ERA (11 ER/32.1 IP) in a team-leading 38 appearances for Pittsburgh at the time of the trade. A two-time (2001 and 2002) Pirates Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Burnett is 7-8 with 14 holds, one save and a 4.54 ERA (81 ER/160.2 IP) in 109 games (13 starts) spanning three big league seasons with Pittsburgh.

Burnett sports a .200 (22-for-110) batting average against in 2009, and has been nearly equally effective against left-handed batters (.189, 10-for-53, four walks) as those that hit from the right side (.211, 12-for-57, one home run). Burnett shifted exclusively to relief in 2008 and in 96 appearances since, has neutralized opposing left-handed batters with a stingy .178 (23-for-129) batting average against.

The Pirates’ No. 1 selection (19th overall) in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft, Burnett is currently tied for eighth in the National League having allowed only four of 28 inherited baserunners to score. His .345 slugging percentage against is .067 better than the NL average of .412.

Milledge, 24, went 4-for-24 (.167) with one RBI and one walk in seven games with Washington this season.

The 27 year-old Hanrahan finished 0-3 with five saves (10 save opportunities) and a 7.71 ERA (28 ER/32.2 IP) in 34 appearances with the Nationals in 2009.

From the Nationals:

The Washington Nationals today acquired right-handed pitcher Logan Kensing from the Florida Marlins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Kyle Gunderson. To make room on the roster, the Nationals transferred outfielder Roger Bernadina from the 15- to the 60-Day Disabled List. Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

Kensing, 26, joins the Nationals after going 7-8 with 20 holds and a 5.21 ERA (77 ER/133.0 IP) in 108 career games (three starts) spanning five seasons with Florida. Kensing is expected to be in a Nationals uniform for tonight’s series finale at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.

A hard thrower, Kensing has averaged nearly a strikeout per inning—or 8.9 per 9.0 innings—during his career (131 SO in 133.0 big league innings). He was Florida’s second-round selection in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft after a standout career at Texas A&M.

Kensing’s finest season came in 2006, when he posted 14 holds en route to a .221 batting average against in 37 appearances with the Marlins. Last season, in his first full campaign after August 2006 Tommy John surgery, Kensing pitched in a career-high 48 games for Florida, going 3-1 with five holds and a 4.23 ERA. He posted an impressive .234 batting average against, including a .208 mark when facing left-handed batters, in 2008.

Gunderson, 24, was selected by the Nationals in the 48th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Rice University. He pitched in five games for Potomac of the Single-A Carolina League prior to the trade.

Rosenthal says that the Oakland A’s and Billy Beane have a serious interest in Nick Johnson, a fragile OBP machine. They have requested his medical records.

From the Nationals:

The Washington Nationals today acquired left-handed starting pitcher Scott Olsen and outfielder Josh Willingham from the Florida Marlins in exchange for second baseman Emilio Bonifacio, minor-league second baseman Jake Smolinski and minor-league right-handed pitcher P.J. Dean.   Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.

The 24 year-old Olsen—who stands 6-foot-5—teams with southpaw John Lannan (3.91 ERA in 31 starts in first full big league campaign) to give the Nationals a pair of left-handed starting pitchers currently 24 years-old or younger. Among pitchers currently under the age of 25, Olsen’s 31 wins rank fifth behind only Scott Kazmir (47), Felix Hernandez (39), Cole Hamels (38) and Chad Billingsley (35).

In the last three seasons (2006-08), Olsen’s 30 wins rank second in baseball among pitchers 24 or younger, as only Kazmir (35) has more.  In the same three-season span, Olsen ranks among NL left-handed pitchers in wins (tied for fifth, 30), starts (first, 97), innings (second, 559.0), strikeouts (fourth, 412), quality starts (tied for fifth, 46), ground-ball double plays induced (seventh, 45) and batting average against (eighth, .269) despite being burdened by a big league-leading 45 unearned runs. He has eclipsed the 30-start plateau each of the last three seasons and Olsen’s quality-start percentage of 47.4 percent in that span ranks 11th in baseball among left-handed pitchers (minimum 90 starts).

A two-time double-digit winner (12 wins in 2006, 10 in ‘07), Olsen finished 8-11 with a 4.20 ERA in 33 starts for Florida last season, when he walked a career-low 69 in a career-best 201.2 innings. He was one of just 18 National League pitchers to reach the 200-inning plateau in 2008. Olsen’s average of 15.4 pitches per inning—which was a career-best effort—would have paced the 2008 Nationals by nearly one pitch per inning (Lannan, team-leading 16.2 pitches per inning). For his career, Olsen is 31-37 with a 4.63 ERA in 102 games (101 starts) for Florida from 2005-08. Originally Florida’s sixth-round selection in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Olsen has never been placed on the Disabled List.

Sporting a career big league on-base percentage of .361, Willingham is known for his power and patience during his three seasons as an everyday player with the Marlins, during which he blasted 62 home runs—one every 22.2 at-bats—and saw 4.03 pitches per plate appearance to rank among the NL’s top 15 in that span. Willingham has never posted a sub-.350 on-base percentage during his nine-year professional career.

After posting consecutive 20-homer seasons (26 in 2006, 21 in ‘07), Willingham hit 15 long balls in 102 games last season, averaging a home run every 23.4 at-bats.

By joining the Nationals, Willingham will play his home games at Nationals Park—where he blasted three long balls in just five games in 2008—as opposed to pitcher-friendly Dolphin Stadium. Willingham is a career .266 (374-for-1422) hitter with 82 doubles, 11 triples, 63 home runs and 219 RBI in 416 big league games. He was drafted by Florida in the 17th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of North Alabama.

But I want to sleep on it…

It sounds like Olsen has some anger management problems, but he’s only 25 and at face value, it all looks good to me.  We met Jake Smolinski’s mom last year at spring training and want to wish her the best with his transition to the Marlins franchise.  And congrats to Mike Harris for breaking the news before anyone else.  ESPN’s story here.

Rumors were flying all afternoon about Ayala, Lannan and Hanrahan.  Zuckerman shot down the Lannan and Hanrahan rumors, but Minaya’s interest in Ayala was still out there as of the 4 pm deadline. 

The one trade that was announced was with the Yankees for Short Stop Alberto Gonzalez, in exchange for Jhonny Nunez.  From the Nats:

Gonzalez, 25, is a plus defensive shortstop who last season was rated as the top defensive infielder in the Yankees’ minor-league system. Gonzalez, who played in 28 games during a pair of stints with the Yankees this season, batted .250 (47-for-188) with eight doubles, four home runs and 23 RBI in 47 games with Scranton/W-B of the Triple-A International League in 2008.
 
Gonzalez was acquired by the Yankees as part of the January 2007 five-player trade that brought Randy Johnson to New York. In 2005, he was rated by Baseball America as the top defensive infielder in Arizona’s minor-league system. At the minor-league level, Gonzalez tallied at least 20 doubles each of the last three seasons and has fanned just once every 8.6 at-bats in five-plus seasons.

The Nationals traded Jon Rauch to Arizona today for prospect Emilio Bonifacio.

From the Nationals:

The Washington Nationals today acquired second baseman Emilio Bonifacio from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jon Rauch. Bonifacio was optioned to Triple-A Columbus of the International League. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.

The switch-hitting Bonifacio entered the 2008 season rated as Arizona’s No. 6 prospect according to Baseball America. The same publication also cited Bonifacio as its 2008 Winter Player of the Year—an award encompassing the three Caribbean winter leagues (Dominican, Venezuelan and Mexican)—after he batted .300 and posted a .359 on-base percentage with Licey of the Dominican Winter League.

“This trade brings us a quality, young player, who has the potential to develop into a solid leadoff hitter and outstanding defensive second baseman,” Bowden said. “He is a high-energy player with a lot of potential, and we anticipate he’ll fit nicely into our long-term plan of drafting, acquiring and developing a solid nucleus that will lead our club in the near future.”

In Washington, Bonifacio joins third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, outfielder Elijah Dukes, outfielder Lastings Milledge, and catcher Jesus Flores as building-block position players who began this season 23 years-old or younger. Bonifacio, Dukes and Milledge were all aquired via trades within the last year.

Widely recognized as one of the fastest runners in professional baseball, Bonifacio is viewed as having all of the tools necessary to hit leadoff in the big leagues. Last season, playing for Double-A Mobile, Bonifacio led the Southern League in stolen bases (41) and hits (157), while ranking second in runs scored (84). For his career, Bonifacio owns a stout stolen base percentage of 78.1 percent (280 of 357).

Bonifacio batted .302 (111-for-367) with 18 doubles, five triples, one home run, 29 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 85 games with Tucson of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League before being recalled by the Diamondbacks in early July. He was a Pacific Coast League All-Star selction, marking his fourth consecutive All-Star season.

Originally signed by Arizona as a non-drafted free agent on December 21, 2001, Bonifacio is a career .284 (788-for-2770) hitter with 107 doubles, 36 triples, 13 home runs, 231 RBI and 280 stolen bases in seven minor-league seasons in the Diamondbacks’ system.

Considered well-above average defensively, Bonifacio’s sure-handedness and range are reminiscent of Orlando Hudson, the Diamondbacks’ current second baseman. Baseball America named Bonifacio as the best defensive infielder in Arizona’s chain entering this season.

The 29 year-old Rauch was 4-2 with 17 saves (22 save opportunities) and a 2.98 ERA (16 ER/48.1 IP) in 48 appearances with Washington at the time of the trade.

We’re going to think about this some more.  We imagined we’d get a few more prospects for Rauch, since prospects are so unknown and Rauch has been a quality closer. 

Dave Sheinin says the Nats are shopping Felipe Lopez to the Cubs.  We haven’t chimed in lately on the Lopez stuff, but we’re more on this side than this one.  Ken Rosenthal says the Nats are looking at Angel Berroa, a non-roster invitee shortstop and former Rookie of the Year who has also dissapointed in recent seasons.  He’s with the Royals.  Rosenthal also mentions the Orioles, Giants, Twins, White Sox and Cardinals as possible 2008 teams for Lopez. 

Lopez recently said that he would not be happy on the Nationals’ bench.  It seems that Belliard and Guzman have locked up 2nd and Short and indeed that Lopez will be the man left out.  We’re still pulling for Felipe to turn this thing around and return to All Star form. 

Given this…

and this…

this is timely and a little fun.

We’re still reacting to this, but wanted to share the news.

Brian Schneider and Ryan Church have been traded to the New York Mets in exchange for Lastings Milledge.

The Nationals will make an announcement at 3 PM.
More to follow…

*new* ESPN report