Did Jim Bowden do the right thing by not moving Soriano?

It's tough to say, because at the very least they'd get two first round picks if he signed elsewhere. Sometimes those picks mean something, as when the Mets drafted David Wright and Aaron Heilman the year Mike Hampton walked. But even in cases like that, you're not going to get a MLB ready player for two or three years, and ultimately draft picks or even more of an unsure thing than prospects.

For what the Nats are trying to do, which is build a competetive, young team, they probably ought to have dealt Soriano.

First round picks in baseball are no sure thing, probably even less so than in other sports. Soriano said he wouldn't consider resigning with Washington if they dealt him midseason, but if the goal is to lock him up at some point, they're probably going to end up overpaying for what looks like a career year. If Bray and Majewski were worth two position players, I'm assuming Soriano could have brought a quality player or two in return that could help the team immediately, plus a prospect.

I didn't know the Mets got Wright and Heilman when Hampton walked. Good stuff.

Great example with Wright and Heilman