MLB Trade Rumors: Nationals Need to Deal for Rays CF B.J. Upton

We are nearly two days into the Major League Baseball winter meetings with nothing but rumors and speculation about some of the biggest names on the market. One of the more interesting trade rumors that is being talked about would see B.J. Upton moving from the Rays to the Nationals. 

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports says that there have been discussions between the two teams. What exactly that means is anyone's guess, but I would be surprised if the Nationals didn't at least make a hard push to bring him into the fold. 

It is no secret that the Nationals want to make a splash this offseason. A lot of their young players and top prospects are making an impact on the big league club already or are really close to doing so, and the window is opening for them to compete in the National League East. 

Center field is definitely a position of need for this team right now, and Pete Kerzel of MASN Sports tweeted that he talked to people in their front office that really want to get someone to plug that hole as soon as possible. 

It is safe to say that the Rick Ankiel experiment did not work for the Nationals. He is a solid defensive player, but that .296 on-base percentage is a killer. 

Upton has all the upside in the world. He is already a terrific defensive player and would be an upgrade for the Nationals in that department. 

The questions about Upton are his focus and commitment to getting better. Moving from the brutal American League East to the still-tough but not as difficult National League East could be just the thing that kickstarts his career. 

And even if that doesn't work out, if Upton stays the same player he was with the Rays and puts up the same numbers with a new team in 2012 that he did in 2011—.243/.331/.429, 4.1 Wins Above Replacement—he would still be a significant upgrade over Ankiel, who's just a 1.4 WAR.

The Rays know better than anyone else how good Upton is, and how good he can be, so they are not just going to give him up. But the Nationals have a deep system and the prospects necessary to make a deal happen.