At the start of June it was rumored that the Washington Nationals had checked in on Houston Astros center fielder Michael Bourn. Now Peter Gammons has said they are still on the case:
↵↵↵Washington isn't selling, except for Tyler Clippard; instead, they keep asking for Michael Bourn -- thus far without success -- and had been one of several teams interested in Julio Borbon until his recent injury.
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Some might ridicule this move, because the Nationals probably won't challenge this year, but I think it might be a smart play if the front office is thinking long-term. Acquire Bourn and they might slot him into a lineup in two years that includes Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth.
↵And Gammons provides this nugget on Wandy Rodriguez:
↵↵↵The Astros have been meeting the past few days to discuss their trade possibilities, which is difficult because GM Ed Wade is in a maze between ownerships. "Right now," says a GM, "they want for Rodriguez what the Rockies want for Ubaldo [Jimenez]."
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Considering Dan O'Dowd is trying to pull off the next Herschel Walker trade, that might kill off any hope of Wandy moving, but Wade might get a sympathetic hearing from teams frustrated by negotiations with the Rockies, or so we can hope.