This Offseason makes no sense

alright so I know that I am not the only one to comment on the fact that the Nationals have not accomplished anything this offseason but from what I see as a lack of effort to improve the team just really frustrates me. With the whole issue about obtaining a front of the order pitcher to mentor the young arms in the rotation ( zimmermann and strasburg) it is reported that we want to go out and get Roy Oswalt who couldnt pitch more than 25 games last year because of a bad back (which I also dont understand why you would try and rely on someone that couldn't finish an entire season as your mentor to your young pitchers). Then comes the rumors that we want to go after Mark Buerhle and we low ball what we offer him. Lets be honest, I dont think anyone could reasonably expect Buerhle to pick up and leave Chicago, a city that he has played in his entire career, to potentially make just as much or less money than what he was offered by the White Sox. Now dont get me wrong, at least we put in a bid for his services but to not put in a bid for Darvish or Aoki makes absolutely no sense in my opinion.

The main frustrating point about the Nationals this offseason in my opinion is the fact that they came out and said last summer after signing Jayson Werth that we were turning the corner and entering "Phase II". This offseason, what I can figure phase II to be is letting everybody else in the division get better while we sink back to last place next season. To let the Marlins, a team that was pretty dreadful last season come out and completely outspend you and in my opinion surpass you talent wise is completely unacceptable. Yes the Marlins had good talent last year in Johnson, Stanton, Morrison and Ramirez but you pretty much let them get Heath Bell, Jose Reyes, Mark Buerhle and they are talking about signing Prince Fielder as well, this just doesnt make sense. I think that based on the effort the front office has put forth this offseason is completely pathetic and it will show come opening day.

I also just wanted to throw another idea out there for ya'll to think about which I think is very evident right now. I believe that the fiasco that went on with the Nationals last year with Jim Riggleman is really coming back to haunt the front office. Not being willing to even talk about an extension with your current manager and just letting him walk out the door because you dont want to discuss a new contract with him sends a really bad message to free agents and I think that is a main reason why we are having a problem getting people to want to come here and play so at the end of the day, I say thank you Rizzo for putting us in this position because you werent even willing to discuss a contract extension with our manager at the time.