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It's been reported that the Nationals may look to move Josh Willingham in a trade this winter. He's arbitration-eligible again, and the ballclub is apparently not motivated to give him more than a one-year deal.
The prospect of trading Josh during an offseason where Adam Dunn walks away as a free agent is an obvious major loss of power. Unless there's something else afoot, it's puzzling.
One thing is certain: you can't make a major deal without trading something of value. Willingham, at 31, is still technically in his prime. Perhaps there's some concern about his season-ending knee surgery, but according to reports, his rehab is right on schedule. Nonetheless, Josh alone won't bring a very large return.
I tend to trust Mike Rizzo's judgment. Most fans really have no clue exactly how his job works, and no GM worth his salt shows his hand to the media. That both Josh and Adam are extremely popular with the fan base is not much of a factor in terms of personnel decisions. It's all about building a winner. Josh has been a big contributor the two seasons he's spent here, and his willingness to change positions - possibly a move to first base - is a big point in his favor.
Let's see how this thing plays out between now and Christmas. Frequently the best deals are the ones you don't make, and that scenario could emerge from these recent rumors.
