Random Thoughts on Off-Day Thursday

BULLET-POINT STYLE!

• Reading a lot of "Nats are going to turn into the Padres" next year in light of the possibility of not re-signing Adam Dunn.  C'mon.  I know when Boswell writes something it's written in granite, but let's think about this for a minute.  Boswell postulates on the Nats current "Theory of Baseball"
  
  

  When the Nats look at their lineup of the future, they see golden gloves or spectacular defensive range or powerful arms everywhere they look - and Dunn doesn't fit that model.

  Of course Dunn doesn't fit into that specific model.  But only three players on the team do: Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa.  They don't have a single plus-fielder in the outfield (sorry Bernadina fans, he's average at best despite his speed), and Wilson Ramos, though ready defensively and yesterday's homer notwithstanding, has a lot to prove his bat can stick at the big league level.  Yes, it looks more likely that the Nats will let Dunn walk and take the picks, and they would like to upgrade the defense at first base without sacrificing all of the power.  Can we leave it at that?
  
  
• While we're on the subject: Derek Lee and Carlos Pena are not the only two options in the world available to replace Dunn if he leaves via free agency.  And signing a free agent isn't the only way to obtain talent, either.
  
  
• Nyjer Morgan's disciplinary hearing is tomorrow.  And he still maintains he's done nothing wrong past his shirt popping and chest thumping walking off the field.  But it's starting to get out into the national media (scroll down) that Morgan is less and less likely to make a return to D.C. next year. His on-going feud with his own manager can't be helping matters either.