From mlbtraderumors:

"According to Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com's Twitter page, "Livan Hernandez's agent says his client 'would be interested in returning to the Nationals.'"

Hernandez's agent said the Nationals also like Hernandez.

It does raise the question: should they?

Hernandez got off to a strong start with the Mets in 2009, but was released after tossing 135 innings with a 5.47 ERA. Picked up by Washington, his ERA was only slightly better, at 5.36.

Over the past two seasons, Hernandez has thrown 363 2/3 innings- and has a 5.74 ERA to show for it.

On the plus side, he eats innings- hit-filled, run-scoring innings.

So would you bring him in? Is the ability to stay healthy valuable enough to make up for his performance?"

ALSO:

"Don Mattingly passed on a chance to interview for Washington's managerial opening, according to Alden Gonzalez and Ken Gurnick of MLB.com."

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Man...I am really on the fence with this!

What if Rizzo is unable to get a dependable free agent pitcher this year like he said he was going to try to do?

I say take him back. Our younger guys are not ready for a lot of innings yet, and he'll take some of the workload from them. He's still got something in the tank. I'd give him an incentive/performance based deal and hope he takes it. I doubt any other club will pay him more than we do.
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Let's go Nationals!

I'd agree, he helps at least provide some relief for the team if the young guys struggle, and the Nats can't afford to have no fallback if some of the arms have issues throwing well against major league hitting.

With the heavy price for pitching, as long as it isn't an outrageous deal, why not.

With the number of injuries that SP's have, knowing you can run the same guy out there every 5 games is a nice luxury, even if he's a #4 or #5 pitcher. Livan's value now lies in his ability to give the bullpen a rest (or only a couple of innings of work). When's the last time he has not pitched 200-plus innings in a season?

I think we have to take him.

With only Lannan as a sure thing in the rotation next year we need another guy we can count on once every 5 days, even if we can only count on losing them. When someone deserves the spot over him then we can release him. But right now there are not 5 guys on the team who deserve a starting rotation, and we know livo can at least put up a bunch of mediocre innings.

Yes sign him but to a reasonable deal. He doesn't have the stuff to be a regular in the rotation but he could be the long man where he spot starts and eats innings in the pen. I would rather give the last rotation spot to JD Martin who does something similar to Livan but with higher velocity.

I guess I will have to jump on the old band-wagon on this Livan issue. All of you know that I was against the team picking him up from the git-go. There is no doubt in me mind that if the Nationals don't pick up Hernandez, the only destination left for him will be his home and retirement IMHO.

Nuff said

GO NATS in 2010 !!!

gimmy

I would pass..but fearing he may be the biggest acquisition of the winter for the Nats, I'd take him over getting noone.

>>"but fearing he may be the biggest acquisition of the winter for the Nats"

That's ridiculous, look at the money coming off the books, who shelled-out that money in the first place? If that knucklehead Bowden could convince the Lerners to spend that much money on the likes of Kearns and others, it will be very interesting to see what we can get now that we've got a real GM with a quality support staff that will bring in players worthy of $8-10 million a year, or more.

I want Livan back ------for his bat

I want Livan back because of his poise on the mound, his craftiness, and his leadership. He is one of the all-time Nat players. He is a gamer. Shows up and wants the ball. He is a club house leader and a stabilizing force on the pitching staff. He has a lot of experience to impart to our young staff.

Livo is a lot like Adam Dunn. No surprises. You get exactly what you expect to get. Sometimes he gets the bear and sometimes the bear gets him. And that's good enough.

Go Livo!
Go Nats!

If we are letting Olsen go, then Livan and two quality SPs are the route to go. If we keep Olsen, then I'd like two SPs and neither of them to be Livan.

You can never have too many SP's. Pitchers always get hurt. Better to bring back both Livan and Olsen in addition to signing a FA or two this winter.

Yes, because the pitching situation with the Nats is a such an unbelievable disaster that anyone with a pulse and legitimate major league ability is an improvement.

>>"Yes, because the pitching situation with the Nats is a such an unbelievable disaster that anyone with a pulse and legitimate major league ability is an improvement."

LOL, cmon Shoe, tell us how you really feel!

>>"You can never have too many SP's. Pitchers always get hurt. Better to bring back both Livan and Olsen in addition to signing a FA or two this winter."

Agreed. I really want to see Olsen brought back since they should be able to get him at a reasonable price due to questions about him coming off shoulder surgery holding down his market value, but if he does fully recover, there's way too much upside there and that would greatly solidify the rotation next year.

>>"Yes, because the pitching situation with the Nats is a such an unbelievable disaster that anyone with a pulse and legitimate major league ability is an improvement. "

- LOL! - Quote of the year.

With the amount of money the NATS have to spend on free agents it's time they went out and got real talent and not burdening us with guys who are pretty much guaranteed to have a plus 5.00 era just because he throws a lot of innings.
The city built a nice stadium and we're charged enough at the gate, we shouldn't settle for guys nobody else wants.

Who said anything about settling for Livan? If he's re-signed, he will be the #4 or #5 SP and an innings-eater, not someone counted on near the top of the rotation. Lannan should be the #2 SP right now, but if the Nats get a top-tier FA SP, he could be a very nice #3 guy.

Lackey and Wolf are Type A FA's, while Pineiro is a Type B.

I want Livan back ------for his bat "...

... And i don't want Livan back------ because of his fork.

If we run out of mustard next year halfway through the season at Nats Park because you all want Livan back, I'm gonna be @#$SED !

Livan may be an INNINGS EATER, but that's only the beginning. : (
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Here come the Nationals !