Farewell To A Giant?

Jon Rauch on the block?

Quietly, too, the Nationals have let teams know that they would listen to offers for Rauch, according to two baseball sources. The 6-foot-11 right-hander is coming off a season in which he appeared in a career-high 85 games and posted a 3.35 ERA.

Not so quietly anymore!

Nickel reaction before my mom tucks me in -- If neither her nor the team is inclined to start him, trade him. If he's afraid his arm is going to get hurt starting, it's likely to get hurt pitching in 80+ games as he'll likely do again this year. Rauch is a good pitcher, but he's not a dominant one, and if the Nats can get something shiny to distract Bowden for a day or two for him, they should go for it.

Rauch'll be arbitration-eligible at the end of the year, and the Nats retain his rights for four more seasons (including this one). I don't want to say that money is/would be a factor, but it wouldn't shock me either.