In reporting this afternoon on the Washington Nationals' desire to add a bullpen arm to the mix at the major league level, Washington Post reporter Adam Kilgore noted that "one National League general manager familiar with the Nationals’ thinking" told him that the Nationals, "... have focused on adding young shortstops to their minor league system," as well.
FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reported earlier this month that his own "major league sources" said the Nationals were, "... actively seeking to add a young shortstop... who could inherit the position if Ian Desmond departs as a free agent after 2015."
Desmond, of course, signed a 2-year/$17.5M contract this winter after he and the Nationals reportedly discussed but failed to agree on a long-term extension that would keep the 28-year-old shortstop in the nation's capital beyond the 2015 campaign.
As the WaPost's Kilgore notes today, the Nationals' lack of organizational depth at short alone would justify the Nats' pursuit of a young shortstop, writing that outside of Stephen Perez, 23, who has a .269/.380/.353 line in 90 games and 379 plate appearances at High-A Potomac in his third year in the Nats' system this season, "... the Nationals have no candidates who could fill Ian Desmond’s shoes," were he to depart as a free agent after the 2015 campaign and no one but Danny Espinosa in the organization who could play short now if Desmond were to suffer an injury.
Zach Walters, 24, has played short in the minors, but has more games at second this season at Triple-A Syracuse.
FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal mentioned Walters, catcher Sandy Leon, 25, and outfielder Steven Souza, 25 as well, as some of the organizational depth the Nationals could deal from to fill their needs.
In addition to adding depth at short, the Washington Post's report today said that any search for a reliever would be an attempt to "bolster depth" in one of the better bullpens in the majors.
The goal in any such deal the WaPost reporter suggests, would be to provide insurance to avoid a situation where the current members of the bullpen tire down the stretch.
Strengthening a strength? That sounds like Nats' GM Mike Rizzo.