Washington Nationals: Grading Mike Rizzo’s 10 biggest trades
By Brian Foley
2012 with Minnesota
Denard Span for Alex Meyer
Minnesota should no longer pick up any calls from Mike Rizzo. It’s as simple as that. He is too dangerous.
Span filled Washington’s leadoff/centerfielder hole admirably, and posted a .292/.345/.404 line with passable defense over three seasons. Span was not a dynamic player by any means; he hit just 14 home runs in three season with the Washington Nationals. But he paired an excellent contact rate with solid speed, and found his way on base with enough frequency in front of the heart of the order.
Meanwhile, Meyer is 27 years old and is just now finding some semblance of success in the major leagues. The former top-100 prospect has a 3.74 ERA with the Angels this season, but his 5.61 walk rate and .255 BABIP are screaming for a statistical regression.
The Span trade could have gone very badly. Span’s game is incredibly dependent on batting average, which can go awry at a moment’s notice (see Revere, Ben). To his credit though, Span held off the demons and posted two three-to-four win seasons before injuries claimed his final year in a Nats uniform.