Mike Rizzo (Nats GM) would be run out of town if he traded Harper for anyone. Nats have Ian Desmond at SS, Danny Espinosa at 2B, Steve Lombardozzi as the UIF/trade bait. While I think everyone would like an Elvis on their team, Nats have no real need for him. There's not even an option/need to move one of those MIF to 3rd, you've got Zimmerman for a couple more years before he has to move to 1st, and you've got Anthony Rendon waiting in the wings. Furthermore, no way they'd switch Harper for Martin in CF.

LOL @ anyone who thinks we could get Harper. Let's trade Young for Trout, too, while we're at it.

It would suck to see Elvis leave but he is the biggest trade piece we have, he's gonna be a Yankee in two years anyway if we don't trade him and we have an awesome replacement ready to go for him. We need BJ Upton and hopefully Elvis + a prospect is good enough to deliver him.

I'm not opposed to big Papi coming as a DH too for decent money.

@Joseph: Besides the other unrealistic things (trade for Harper?! Yeah, right), Bourn will likely get significantly more than $60m. And while I like him, he's essentially a better Gentry (better bat with a bit of power) for a lot more money. As such, he probably wouldn't make my top 5, maybe even top 10 choices for OFers next year.

Are you, by any chance, Jim Bowden in disguise?

Considering David Ortiz was on pace for a 5 WAR this year before the injury bug hit him, if he survives a full year or even 3/4 next year I think we can all assume at least a 3-4 from him. Now replace Young's ever so pathetic -2.4 WAR (all of these per Baseball Ref.) and you have about a 6 WAR gain.

The rest of the roster is a cluster F of decisions with Josh, Nap, Elvis, Ian, Cruz, Profar....Wash, etc.

But if there is one thing that I do this offseason (well I guess 2), it is get Beltre to call his boy to sign here and rid us of the Face Plague. Regardless if we keep Hamilton, I really want Ortiz here the more I think about it.

Personally, I get rid of a ton of players and start the youth/better team movement. See if there is any way to trade Kinsler and Cruz, do it. Moving Kinsler to the OF would make him a sub replacement player given his stats and the given decline. So it's either trade Elvis or Kins. We'll know either way this offseason whether or not Elvis will be for the future bc if he doesn't sign the extension, he's definitely gone. I would rather extend Elvis and put Profar at 2nd, but to each their own. I understand why it makes sense to trade him for a slugger. I just think we could trade for a Justin Upton type without having to include him. Maybe I'm overvaluing our farm. For all intensive purposes, I'm assuming we do w/out trading Elvis.

The kicker, which nearly everyone will say I'm nuts to do (I mostly do too), trade Kinsler for Joe Mauer and cash ($5 mil per season or $25-30 mil total). Just hang with me for a sec. For all you trade Ian people (I'm one of them), this is most likely the type of trade you would see for him. It's practically a wash for us financially.

Here's the lineup:
CF Gentry (R)
SS Elvis (R)
DH Ortiz (L)
3B Beltre (R)
C Mauer (L)
RF Upton (R)
LF Murph (L)
2B Profar (S)
1B Moreland (L)

Bench
Soto
Martin
Signed Vet

All of those guys, minus Profar, have high OBP's and see a high number of pitches per at bat with some definite pop spread out. If we get Upton, it allows him to chill in the 6 hole and not feel the pressure of having to carry a team. He can just do what he do. The lineup also makes us less "righty" which is always a positive.

For pitching issues. Please sign Greinke. The reliever market looks to be flush with talent, so I really have no worries in that department. But please, just sign Greinke. We won't survive unless it's him or someone else. (Josh Johnson?) Rumors are everywhere saying they'll trade him btw. We could/ will probably get him given our noted obsessions with him. So say we sign Greinke and trade for Josh. (I do not think he'll garner the package everyone thinks since he's on a 1 yr deal).
So here's the rotation:

1. Darvish
2. Greinke
3. Harry
4. Johnson
5. Holland

For everyone about to say Lewis and Nefti will be back in the middle of the season...regardless of the fact both had SIGNIFICANT arm surgery...Nefti is going to the bullpen. Guarantee it. Lewis will hopefully be back midseason, but worst case he's a perfect replacement for Dutch come playoff time...which is when I expect him back. Holland is a 4-5 SP anyways. Eventually, he just is what he is. Inconsistent.

So 2 big free agents and 2 big trades. Do I think it's possible? Yes. Do I think any of this that I took so much time to write will actually happen? No. But it would be nice.

Now blow it up.

We don't have the assets to pull off all those trades whilst keeping Elvis AND Profar. Physically impossible.

I still don't know why Arizona even trades Upton for Andrus. Do they really expect to re-sign him in 2015? I've warmed to the idea as a Ranger fan but I'm just not sure Arizona does it.

Kinsler for Mauer would not work. Mauer is Minnesota and they don't need Ian Kinsler anytime soon. It would have to be a Kinsler and a prospect, same goes for getting Upton and Johnson. The point is that would put a dent in our system, I would prefer that we are not title contenders the next 3 years and be ready to do some serious damage over the the next 10.
-
Regardless that is why I titled this a transitionless transition because there is a way to still be the best team while reloading for the long haul and if there is anyone who can pull it off, it is Jon Daniels. I think he can do it, and I don't doubt his abillity one bit. Like Joey said I'm just upset this group of guys didn't get it done, BUT MAYBE THEY STILL CAN. If you know what I am hinting.