Notes on Espinosa's switch-hitting, Nats' search for infielder

SAN DIEGO - Infielder Danny Espinosa said last season that he's toying with the idea of ditching switch-hitting and batting exclusively from the right side of the plate. While Espinosa seems willing to make the switch, the Nationals aren't saying if that's the plan going into spring training.

It might not be until Grapefruit League games begin that their plans for Espinosa become evident.

Meeting with reporters today in his suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt to recap the first day of baseball's Winter Meetings, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo wouldn't say whether Espinosa would abandon switch-hitting.

"It's something we're not going to comment on," Rizzo said.

But the Nationals could be growing frustrated with Espinosa's maddening splits as a right- and left-handed batter. In his career, Espinosa has hit .213 with 40 homers and 128 RBIs in 1,450 plate appearances from the left side of the dish. Though he's got a smaller sample size as a right-handed hitter - 509 plate appearances - he has batted .271 with 15 homers and 48 RBIs.

Hitting left-handed, Espinosa batted .183 in 249 plate appearances in 2014, and he's been prone to swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, often being badly fooled. He fanned 97 times in 230 at-bats against lefties last season.

The Nats are intrigued by the prospect of Espinosa being less of an automatic out from the left side, especially since his splits as a right-handed hitter show both decent power and a lower rate of swings and misses.

Rizzo acknowledged that the idea has been discussed, but not this offseason.

"His offseason has been pretty busy; he got married," Rizzo said of Espinosa. "We've had multiple conversations with his agent and with him and he's going to come to spring training ready to compete."

While the Nationals have been rumored to be seeking a second baseman at the Winter Meetings, Rizzo admitted it's possible the team might instead move third baseman Anthony Rendon back to second and find someone else to man the hot corner. Rendon's ability to play both positions gives the Nats two ways to go.

"The roster flexibility we have works in our favor," Rizzo said. "The fact that Rendon can play several positions really makes us a fluid roster that gives us more possibilities. ... There's all sorts of possibilities that we can go any which way."

Rizzo cares less about whether a new solution at one of those positions comes via trade or free agency - so long as it meets the goal of the Nationals improving at a position. He doesn't care if it's a veteran player or a younger player.

The GM said the Nationals have kept in contact with the agent for free agent second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, who came to D.C. in a trade with the Indians on July 31 and batted .229 over 49 games. The Nationals liked the glovework of Cabrera, who had played mostly shortstop over the past several seasons, and the way he fit into their clubhouse.