Washington Nationals: DC Rumor Roundup...Chien-Mang, Arbitration Battles...

• The latest word on free agent right-hander Chien-Ming Wang...

...is from SI.com's Jon Heyman who wrote this afternoon in a section of an article entitled, "With ongoing Damon soap opera, nothing is as it appears", which was subtitled, "Around the Majors", that Mr. Wang's agent Alan Nero maintained (via text) that his client would choose his home for the twenty-ten campaign within a week's time, though one unnamed "competing executive" Mr. Heyman spoke to conceded that the Nationals made the most sense for several reasons, including the fact that, "Wang would be under their control next year as well, as he'd still be at least a few days away from being free-agent eligible." 

BACKPAGE: 

• Arbitration Battles

• Bryce Harper In Action.

• Arbitration Battles Ahead...?

Nats' reliever Brian Bruney, who intends to compete with fellow closer candidate Matt Capps for the stopper's job when Spring Training commences, is headed for arbitration if the Nationals and the soon-to-be 28-year-old right-hander can bridge the gap between the $1.85 million Bruney's asking for and the $1.5 million Washington's offering to the 6-year MLB veteran who made $1.25 million last season in New York where he was (5-0) with a 3.92 ERA (109 ERA+) with 23 walks (5.3 BB/9) and 36 K's (8.3 K/9) in 44 games and 39.0 IP.

Predict Arbitation Winner: Bruney vs Nats in the Comments Section.

Sean Burnett, who turned 27 in December, was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates along with DC CF Nyjer Morgan in a June 30th trade that sent reliever Joel Hanrahan and outfielder Lastings Milledge to play over in PNC. In 33 games and 25.1 IP, Burnett was (1-1) with a 3.20 ERA (131 ERA+), and a 1.07 WHIP. On the year in 2009, Burnett walked 28 (4.4 BB/9) and struck out 43 (6.7 K/9) with a 1.11 WHIP in 71 games and 57.2 IP. The Nationals offered the late-inning-lefty a raise to $775,000 from the $408,500 he made in 2009, while Burnett's looking for a more substantial bump up to $925K.

Predict Arbitration Winner: Burnett vs Nats in the Comments Section.

• Bryce Harper In Action...

The presumptive no.1 overall pick in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft will be back in action at 3:00 pm Nevada time as Bryce Harper's College of Southern Nevada Coyotes open the 11th Annual CSN Coyote Classic against Arizona's Cochise College. The Coyotes will play a doubleheader on Saturday and one more on Sunday so expect the Harper talk to heat up again this weekend. 

LINKS: 

• Check out what Former DC Skipper Manny Acta's working with in the Cleveland Indians' outfield in 2010 in MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince's article entitled, "Around the Horn: Outfield".

• Mister Irrelevant.com's Jamie Mottram talked to the people's beat writer Mark Zuckerman for an article entitled, "Ten Questions With Mark Zuckerman, The Nats Blogger Who Raised $5,000 in a Day."