How Kershaw's deal might impact Zimmermann

How Kershaw's deal might impact Zimmermann
We now live in a world in which a major league player will make more than $30 million per season. Despite that remarkable fact, you won't find many people around baseball who feel the Dodgers overpaid yesterday when they gave left-hander Clayton Kershaw a seven-year, $215 million deal, one that is far and away the richest contract for a pitcher in major league history. Kershaw's average annual salary of $30.7 million is also the highest ever for any player, regardless of position. Kershaw...
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Nationals extend affiliation with Double-A Harrisburg

Nationals extend affiliation with Double-A Harrisburg
The Nationals this afternoon announced that they have extended their affiliation with Double-A Harrisburg for four more years through the 2018 season. "Our partnership with Harrisburg and the Senators dates back more than 20 years, and it is with that history in mind that we are excited to sign on with them for another four," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said in a team-issued release. "Harrisburg is an Eastern League gem, and we are proud to continue our association with a team, and...
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Update on Nats' eight remaining arbitration-eligible players

Update on Nats' eight remaining arbitration-eligible players
Eight Nationals players filed for salary arbitration last night, bringing us closer to the deadline for players and the team to reach terms on a contract for the 2014 season. Jerry Blevins, Tyler Clippard, Ian Desmond, Ross Detwiler, Doug Fister, Wilson Ramos, Drew Storen and Jordan Zimmermann all officially filed for arbitration, which really was a procedural move. They had all been tendered contracts for 2014 in December, ensuring that they'll be with the Nationals this upcoming season....
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One area Harper should look to improve in 2014

One area Harper should look to improve in 2014
Bryce Harper has done some pretty impressive things early in his major league career. Not many players can say that they hit 42 home runs and posted an OPS higher than .830 over their first two big league seasons. Harper did that before turning 21, and he did it while spending the first month of his rookie season in the minors and then missing significant time in 2013 due to a knee injury. Harper is a special talent. We know this. That said, entering Harper's third season in the majors,...
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Assessing the candidates for the final spot in the Nats' rotation

Assessing the candidates for the final spot in the Nats' rotation
Yesterday was quite a day of television. Two NFL Divisional Round playoff games, a very interesting "60 Minutes" episode that featured a piece on Alex Rodriguez's alleged PED usage (I guess we still have to say "alleged," even though Rodriguez might be the only person left on the planet who doesn't believe he took PEDs), and then the Golden Globes. I'm usually not a big awards show guy, but I flipped over to the Golden Globes right as Jon Voight won an award for the Best Supporting...
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Despite down 2013, Hairston still holds value

Despite down 2013, Hairston still holds value
When discussing the Nationals' bench options for this upcoming season, I've heard a few people take casual shots at Scott Hairston, saying that they don't see much of a place for Hairston in 2014. That's only natural, I guess; not only do we live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of world, but fans in this area have yet to see Hairston have much success in a Nationals jersey. They have seen Tyler Moore slug 10 homers in limited playing time in 2012, and some might feel that Moore...
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Answering a question on Strasburg, plus a NatsFest update

Answering a question on Strasburg, plus a NatsFest update
Yesterday's news that the Nationals agreed to terms on a one-year contract with right-hander Stephen Strasburg, avoiding arbitration, led to some discussion on Twitter and in the comment section of the blog on the $3.975 salary the pitcher will receive in 2014. Some readers felt that Strasburg's salary for this upcoming season was a bit low and that the Nationals should have offered him a deal with a larger payout for 2014. In reality, the arbitration system is very controlled and leans...
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Nats agree to terms with Stephen Strasburg, avoiding arbitration

Nats agree to terms with Stephen Strasburg, avoiding arbitration
The Nationals announced tonight that they've agreed to terms with right-hander Stephen Strasburg, avoiding arbitration. It's a one-year deal for Strasburg, which really just serves as a procedural move. The 25-year-old is under team control through the 2016 season, but through the arbitration process, his yearly salaries over the remainder of his deal will be negotiated between his agent and the Nats, with a hearing with an arbiter looming if the two sides cannot settle on terms. Strasburg...
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One spring competition just got a lot more interesting

One spring competition just got a lot more interesting
As of yesterday morning, Danny Espinosa was the clear favorite to land a job as the Nationals' reserve middle infielder this spring. He and Zach Walters (eight career major league at-bats) were the only middle infielders on the Nats' 40-man roster behind Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon. Former Rays and Tigers second baseman Will Rhymes was also an option, after the 30-year-old re-signed with the Nats on a minor league deal back in December. But with his major league experience the last few...
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Nats sign infielder Jamey Carroll to minor league deal (Nats sign Fontenot)

Nats sign infielder Jamey Carroll to minor league deal (Nats sign Fontenot)
The Nationals have added more depth to their infield, signing Jamey Carroll to a minor league deal, a source confirms. The contract is not finalized yet, but it will include an invitation to big league spring training, per the source. Carroll, who will turn 40 next month, has played in 12 big league seasons and has experience playing second base, third base and shortstop. He played with the Nationals during their inaugural season in D.C. in 2005, and suited up for both the Twins and Royals...
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Entering 2014, who's the most indispensable National?

Entering 2014, who's the most indispensable National?
A former Nationals hurler has joined the Braves organization, giving Atlanta added depth in the lefty relief department. Atahualpa Severino, who played his first seven professional seasons in the Nationals organization and made six appearances with the Nats at the big league level in 2011, has signed a minor league deal with the Braves, according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy. Severino posted a 3.86 ERA in those six major league appearances with the Nats three years ago, but he has yet to...
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Maddux, Glavine and Thomas to be inducted into Hall of Fame

Maddux, Glavine and Thomas to be inducted into Hall of Fame
In a year with a pretty loaded ballot, three players have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the 2014 class: Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas. Craig Biggio, who had 3,060 hits over the course of his career, 21st most in major league history, got 74.8 percent of the vote, coming up just 0.2 percent - or two votes - shy of the 75 percent needed for induction. Talk about a dagger. Maddux and Glavine will, perhaps appropriately, join their former manager, Bobby Cox, in...
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A big cat and a big day for baseball

A big cat and a big day for baseball
This morning, I present to you: Adam LaRoche with
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MASN announces Nationals spring training broadcast schedule (with note)

MASN announces Nationals spring training broadcast schedule (with note)
It's just a little bit chilly outside (have you heard that temperatures are pretty low today?), but I've got something that might help warm you up. With the start of spring training games now less than two months away, MASN has announced its Nationals spring training broadcast schedule. The network will air six live games, all of which will be played at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Fla., the Nats' spring training home. The slate of games opens with the Nationals hosting a division rival,...
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Cedeno one intriguing reliever to watch in spring

Cedeno one intriguing reliever to watch in spring
With the Nationals' lack of depth when it comes to left-handed relief, Xavier Cedeno was already going to be someone to watch in spring training given the way he performed at the big league level down the stretch last season. But after spending the bulk of this offseason pitching for Cangrejeros de Santurce of the Puerto Rican winter league, Cedeno looks like even more of an intriguing option as we sit just five weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Viera, Fla. Cedeno posted an...
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Tough decisions lie ahead in future offseasons

Tough decisions lie ahead in future offseasons
If it seems like it's been a long time since the Nationals have made an addition to their 40-man roster, well, it's because it's been a long time since the Nationals have made an addition to their 40-man roster. Simple enough reason, I guess. The Nats acquired left-handed reliever Jerry Blevins in a trade with the Athletics on Dec. 11, then officially signed outfielder Nate McLouth to a two-year contract on Dec. 12. Since then, it's pretty much been three weeks of silence out of the...
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Updates on a couple of former Nationals

Updates on a couple of former Nationals
Tony Plush is trying to return to the big leagues, and Joel Hanrahan is trying to pick up where he left off prior to elbow sugery. Nyjer Morgan, the talkative former Nationals, Brewers and Pirates center fielder who went by the nickname "Tony Plush," is attempting to land a major league contract after spending the 2013 season playing in Japan, his agent told ESPN.com. Morgan hit .294 with 11 homers in 108 games for Yokohama in Japan's Central League last year. The speedster got off to a...
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A few quick Harper notes

A few quick Harper notes
The internet seemed to be abuzz yesterday when quotes from Bryce Harper ran in an ESPN.com story about how players try to bulk up during the offseason in order to combat the natural weight loss that occurs during a season. "I want to go into spring training about 240, 245 (lbs.)," Harper said in the story. "I'll lose about 20 pounds during the season." Various Web sites picked up the story and it quickly spread. Ah, the Internet. In reality, this is the same offseason plan that Harper...
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A deeper look into Span's effect on Nats' 2013 results

A deeper look into Span's effect on Nats' 2013 results
This is the point in the offseason when hard news is sometimes tough to come by. While there are still a handful of quality free agents out there on the market (Nelson Cruz, Kendrys Morales, Stephen Drew, Masahiro Tanaka, Matt Garza, Ervin Santana, Ubaldo Jimenez, A.J. Burnett, Grant Balfour, etc.) and there are some big contracts that have yet to be handed out, many teams have already made their most significant moves of the offseason and don't have all that much left to do. The Nationals...
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Which Nats starter is most likely to win the Cy Young in 2014?

Which Nats starter is most likely to win the Cy Young in 2014?
After watching a beautiful snow-filled NHL Winter Classic game yesterday that dramatically ended in a shootout, count me among those who are pumped about next year's Winter Classic in D.C. The Capitals will host the NHL's signature event next year, and according to multiple reports, the Winter Classic will be held at Nationals Park, which is viewed as the best option in the D.C. area because of the uncertainty involving the Redskins' schedule. I think it's fairly safe to say the snow...
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