Washington Nationals' Future Closer: What Did We Learn About Drew Storen.

In an AP article published in the San Francisco Examiner this past weekend entitled, "Nationals' Zimmerman: 'I can do better' in 2010", the unnamed author spends time in the Nationals' clubhouse in Viera, Florida's Space Coast Stadium and takes note of future Flat-Brimmed Closer Drew Storen's individual-toe socks, which, as the author describes them, "...literally fit like a glove, with each toe encased in its own sheath." Storen talked about the socks as, "(something I have on my list to go out and get)," in an early October post from the Arizona Fall League published at the Nationals' Notes from Natstown blog entitled, "The Storen Identity 10/16", in which Washington's second '09 1st Round pick showed a writerly attention to detail in describing what he was learning from two of his Phoenix Desert Dogs teammates who were from Japan, Ryohei Tanaka and Toshiyuki Yanuki: 

"I have learned a lot from the Japanese players already in the first week of being around them. The first thing is that the jerseys, gloves, cleats and even the belts they wear have a lot of flare and is definitely something I am a huge fan of. The gloves they have are not ones you can get in the US. The gloves are bright colors (which I am a huge fan of as well) and they have their own personal logo stitched on them...They rock the patent leather belts and socks with individual toe slots (something I have on my list to go out and get). It's pretty cool to see how they go about their business and to learn new pitches from them, even if they are just ones you throw for fun when playing catch."

Storen tells the AP writer back in the San Francisco Examiner article that there is also a practical reason he's adopted the Japanese players' sock preference, "...the unusual half-socks cut down on ingrown toenails, blisters and other foot problems." That Storen's a particularly fashion conscious player, is something he discusses in a Baseball Prospectus' "Prospect Q&A: Drew Storen" by BP writer David Laurila, in which he talks about studying "product design" at Stanford and offers his opinion on some of major league baseball's best uniforms:

"I'm actually a big fan of the Blue Jays uniforms; I think those are cool. And I think that the cream Phillies uniforms are up there among the coolest ones as well..."

The Nationals?

"I think they’re good. Obviously, they have a lot of patriotism behind them, and I really like the gold intertwined in there. I’m a big fan of them."

The 22-year-old right-hander also discusses his pitch selection amidst all the discussion of baseball fashion when the Baseball Prospectus' writer Mr. Laurila asks the former Stanford Cardinal closer if he'll continue to use his curve and slider if he eventually ascends to the closer's role:

"Yeah, definitely. I learned the slider as a cutter and it kind of turned into a slider. I think that’s crucial because it gives me a different edge. The ability to throw a lot of pitches as a reliever is a little like playing with house money. I kind of feel lucky in that regard, that I can do that."

• It's Storen's fastball and "plus slider" in particular that lead Mr. Laurila's colleague at Baseball Prospectus, Kevin Goldstein, who published an article on Sunday entitled, "Future Shock: Nationals Top 11 Prospects", to rank the future Nationals' closer third overall in the Nationals' system behind only right-hander Stephen Strasburg and catcher Derek Norris as one of two "4-Star" prospects in the Washington organization alongside shortstop Danny Espinosa, both of whom Mr. Goldstein predicts will start the season at Double-A Harrisburg. Storen should be in the majors by mid-season according to Mr. Goldstein, and he should be a good, but not "elite" closer in the near future.