Nationals beat Lannan in arbitration (updated)

Since 2006, the Nationals have undergone seven arbitration hearings, winning five of the seven disputes. After today, you can chalk up another win for the Nationals. One day after holding an arbitration meeting with pitcher John Lannan, it's being reported the Nationals won out, meaning the left-hander will earn the Nationals' offer of $5 million in 2012. The meeting was held Wednesday to determine whether the left-hander would earn $5.7 million he and his CAA representatives requested in 2012, or the $5 million offered by the Nationals. Lannan was arbitration eligible for the second time this offseason and will remain under club control through 2013. He is coming off of a season in which he posted a 3.70 ERA in 184 2/3 innings in 2011, marking the third time in four seasons the 27-year-old started at least 30 games while keeping his ERA under 4.00. According to MLBtraderumors.com, all of the Nationals' arbitration eligible players have been signed for 2012. Update: Just after beating Lannan in arbitration, the Nationals are reportedly aggressively shopping the left-hander in an effort to clear his $5 million salary from the payroll. According to Ken Rosenthal, the Nats are targeting starter Edwin Jackson, but cautions that acquiring Jackson is contingent on shipping Lannan out of Washington. Reports also indicate that should the Nationals find a suitor for Lannan, they're hoping to pick up a position player in exchange. It's not a bad move for the Nationals, particularly considering the status of their rotation. Lannan's new salary makes him the highest paid pitcher on the team, yet he'll likely battle for the final spot and could wind up in the bullpen. Currently, Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Chien-Ming Wang figure to fill the initial four spots, with Lannan and Ross Detwiler battling it out for the No. 5 position. Should the Nationals pick up either Jackson or Roy Oswalt, their starting five would be virtually solidified, so seeing what's out there for Lannan makes sense at the moment.