04-13-2016, 03:15 AM
WASHINGTON - For the moment, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo plans to head into next season with newly acquired Yunel Escobar at second base and possible free-agent-to-be Ian Desmond at shortstop. Air Max 2016 Zwart .That does not mean Desmond definitely wont be traded, if the right offer came along.Our approach with Ian Desmond has not changed one bit since the end of last season. Ian Desmond is our shortstop. Hes a leader of our team. Hes one of the best shortstops in all of baseball. And hes going to be the shortstop of the Washington Nationals, Rizzo said Thursday during a conference call with reporters.With that said, (for) Ian Desmond — or any other player on the roster — if a deal comes up that we cant refuse, well always look to improve ourselves for 2015 and beyond, he said.Heading into this off-season, Desmond was one of five key players for the Nationals who could become free agents after the next World Series. Another was reliever Tyler Clippard, dealt Wednesday to Oakland for Escobar.Escobar, who hit only .258 for Tampa Bay last season, has been a shortstop most of his career. He started 20 games at second base for Atlanta in 2007.We see Yuni as being an above-average defender at shortstop and at second base. He has been his entire career, except for last year, Rizzo said, explaining that limitations Escobar had in 2014 at shortstop for the Rays were due to shoulder and quadriceps problems that are now fine.We have no qualms about his defence, Rizzo added.Asked about Escobars three-game suspension in 2012 for wearing eye black displaying an anti-gay slur while playing for the Blue Jays, Rizzo said: Were not going to be an apologist for poor behaviour. But that was years ago and when he was a younger kid. We believe he has matured. ... We vetted him quite a bit.With Escobars arrival filling the Nationals need for a starting second baseman, Danny Espinosa will move to a vital bench role, Rizzo said.As for Clippard, a two-time NL All-Star, Rizzo called him maybe the best eighth-inning setup man in the history of the game.Rizzo said hes thinks Washington can replace the right-hander with someone already in the organization. If not, there could be another move.Were not ruling out adding any more personnel via trades or via free agents or minor league free agents, Rizzo said. Were still a month away from the start of spring training and, believe me, were not taking any vacations or anything like that.NOTES: The Nationals avoided arbitration with four players by agreeing to one-year contracts — $3.55 million for C Wilson Ramos; $2.25 million for RHP Craig Stammen; $1.8 million for 2B Danny Espinosa, with performances bonuses of $25,000 each at 200, 250, 300 and 350 plate appearances; and $1.2 million for C Jose Lobaton. Ramos hit .267 with 11 homers and 47 RBIs for the NL East champions last season, when he made $2,115,000. Stammen, mostly a middle-innings reliever, was 4-5 with a 3.84 ERA in 49 appearances in 2014, when he earned $1.35 million. Espinosa batted .219 with eight homers and 27 RBIs, while earning $540,850. Lobaton, Ramos backup, hit .234 with two homers and 12 RBIs; he made $950,000. Nike Roshe Run Print Dames Schoenen Mint Groen Zwart .Y. -- When the New York Islanders lead was cut in half in the opening minute of the third period, the sense of impending doom began wafting through Nassau Coliseum. Air Jordan Kopen In Nederland . - Even on a night when the play was hampered by choppy ice, the puck still seems to find Joe Pavelski and he keeps finding the net.BERLIN -- Borussia Dortmund signed Serbian midfielder Milos Jojic and Werder Bremen presented attacking midfielder Ludovic Obraniak in the Bundesligas most eye-catching deals on Friday as the transfer window closed. Wolfsburg playmaker Diego completed his return to Atletico Madrid, where the Brazilian spent a successful loan season in 2011/12, for a reported fee of 1.5 million euros ($2 million). Diegos contract with Wolfsburg was to expire at the end of the season and the Volkswagen-backed club had already brought in a replacement in Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne. De Bruyne proved to be the biggest winter arrival to the Bundesliga following his switch from Chelsea for a fee reported to be around 20 million euros ($27 million). Dortmund reached agreement with Partizan Belgrade for a reported fee of around 2.2 million euros ($3 million) for the 21-year-old Jojic, who signed a contract through June 2018 with his new club. "We are very pleased to have signed such a versatile midfielder with enormous potential to complete our squad," Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said. Jojic had been the standout performer in the Serbian first division with six goals and seven assists in 15 games before the winter break. He also scored on his Serbia debut in a friendly against Japan in October, his only international appearance to date. Jojic provided Dortmund with another option following the season-ending injury to Poland midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski and Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogans ongoing back problems. Bremens capture of Obraniak from Ligue 1 side Girondins Bordeaux came at the "right time," according to the player. "For me its a whole new step. Ive only played in France up to now," said the 29-year-old Obraniak, who signed through June 2016. Nike Roshe Run Blauw. Obraniak previously played five seasons at Metz before switching to Lille in 2007. He helped Lille to the league and cup double in his first season and joined Bordeaux in January 2012. The French-born player has made 32 appearances for Poland. "I feel French but also have Polish blood. Its an honour to play for the Polish national team," Obraniak said at his Bremen presentation. Relegation-threatened Nuremberg signed Spanish youth international Jose Campana on loan from English Premier League club Crystal Palace with an option to buy at the end of the season. "He can play in many positions across midfield," Nuremberg chairman Martin Bader said of the 20-year-old former Sevilla player. The Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper reported that Hamburger SV had signed former Germany defender Patrick Owomoyela to the end of the season. The 34-year-old Owomoyela had been without a club since his Dortmund contract expired last summer. Croatian striker Srdjan Lakic returned to second-division Kaiserslautern on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, where he was on loan to the end of the season from Wolfsburg. Lakic previously played for Kaiserslautern between 2008-11. Hoffenheim also cut its wage bill, by letting Matthieu Delpierre go on a free transfer to Dutch side Utrecht. He was the fifth player to depart the club in January - the most for any German club. Altogether, the 18 Bundesliga clubs signed 33 new players in the winter transfer window, while 40 left. Germanys dpa news agency estimated that almost 40 million euros ($54 million) was spent, with around 13.5 million ($18.2 million) recouped through sales. Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '