Brains! 2061.9: Jacksonville in Negotiations with Nawaf

[aaronweiner]

It's funny to think about in retrospect, but the Jacksonville Zombies almost didn't trade for Majd Nawaf. They really only traded for him because Steve Holcombe had an injury that you might only find in a video game, blowing out his knee tying his shoe. Even when they got him, he sat in limbo for a week, caught up in some kind of inexplicable paperwork problem with the trade in the front office.

This doesn't profile as the sort of player that someone would look to re-sign, no matter how talented, especially with the team's wealth at DH when Holcombe returns next year. Except...except that Nawaf has won two Player of the Week Awards since coming to Jacksonville, is currently hitting .446, has posted a 285 OPS+, is on an 18 WAR pace...do we need to go on, or is that enough credentials for anyone?

"Majd has caused us to reconsider our potential path forward," said Jacksonville GM Aaron Weiner. "We had a fairly simple mission this offseason: sign a rotation starter, get a couple veteran bullpen members, run it back with Big Papi. That young man makes us believe we can contend by outhitting people. When Steve gets back, I don't remember having this bananas a lineup since my mid-30s Rockville squads."

Nawaf himself is reportedly open to a long-term deal with Jacksonville, whose cap situation going forward makes it possible to sign Nawaf long-term, especially if they backload the deal. It will likely complicate some things going forward, and the team's defense will suffer somewhat as they will probably have to rotate Nawaf, Holcombe, and Bae Pae through left field and DH, but his offensive upside and perfect team fit makes it possible to carry him while still staying in contention.

"I'm excited every day about the idea of playing in a lineup this incredible," said Nawaf. "Me and Big Papi and that Benedict Daniel kid and Donny Colbert and Pepe and wow, this is going to be big fun. I'd love to spend the next few years of my career driving in those guys, and Steve comes back next year, and we ALL get to play - it's going to be amazing."

Should Jacksonville reconsider and allow Nawaf to free agency, he is likely to be the top free agent hitter on the market this offseason. However, it appears the team is ready to prevent that fate.

[Trebro]

How the absolute F does he immediately go back to being good after playing like a 1 WAR player with me?

I knew it would happen and I'd do the trade again. I'm just mystified. Nash and YS have almost identical ball parks and we play the same teams. His horrific run that torpedoed my shot at making a run is just inexplicable to me.

[aaronweiner]

How the absolute F does he immediately go back to being good after playing like a 1 WAR player with me?

I knew it would happen and I'd do the trade again. I'm just mystified. Nash and YS have almost identical ball parks and we play the same teams. His horrific run that torpedoed my shot at making a run is just inexplicable to me.

I literally don't know.

Maybe he would have broken out for you instead of me if he stayed.

[RonCo]

Talk to Steve "Fucking" Nebraska.

[Trebro]

How the absolute F does he immediately go back to being good after playing like a 1 WAR player with me?

I knew it would happen and I'd do the trade again. I'm just mystified. Nash and YS have almost identical ball parks and we play the same teams. His horrific run that torpedoed my shot at making a run is just inexplicable to me.

I literally don't know.

Maybe he would have broken out for you instead of me if he stayed.

I gave that a season and half to happen. It's just one of those things that I chalk up to some intangible OOTP has in there that they don't tell us about LOL. Plus it's a good story if I can get myself energized to write more again.

[RonCo]

I'm guessing this kind of thing are data that says environmental factorsmake a difference for some players. I've had three or four guys who took off when I traded them.

[ae37jr]

Could be desire to play for a winner, better clubhouse chemistry or just having better protection in the lineup. Big Papi is tearing it up in Jacksonville too. Likely for the same reasons. Once you get that winning synergy going, a lot of things fall in place easier.

[Trebro]

Could be desire to play for a winner, better clubhouse chemistry or just having better protection in the lineup. Big Papi is tearing it up in Jacksonville too. Likely for the same reasons. Once you get that winning synergy going, a lot of things fall in place easier.

The plan was for him to help create some winning synergy, LOL.

Oh well, sometimes #$%# just doesn't work.