Federal Baseball, a Washington Nationals community

There's little or no ambiguity in MLB.com's Bill Ladson's latest "Inbox: Nats inspiring confidence", where he writes that it's hard to make predictions about how successful the Nationals will be in twenty-ten, "...because Rizzo is not finished trying to build the Nationals for 2010. I know they're trying to trade for a top-of-the-rotation starter." Still trying, huh? Who could the DC GM be targeting?

According to Washington Post writer Dave Sheinin's Nationals Journal post entitled, "Nats were 'in it to the end' with Chapman", the Washington Nationals offered Aroldis Chapman more than $20 million dollars because DC GM Mike Rizzo liked what he saw from the 22-year-old left-hander: "'We had a private workout with him. [General manager] Mike [Rizzo] liked him as much as any young lefthander he's ever seen,' said Kasten." If Rizzo liked Chapman that much should the Nationals have gone as high as $30M?

DC GM Mike Rizzo will be online to answer your questions in a chat at the Nationals' official site starting at 12:00 noon today. You can submit questions ahead of time if you like, I already did, asking Mr. Rizzo why he was the only out-of-town GM at the Aroldis Chapman sessions, and wondering where he saw Roger Bernadina and Justin Maxwell starting the season...Check back later to see if he answered...

Here's another link for y'all. Sounds like Brandon Webb, potential free agent, isn't interested in a reduced salary from his current employers, the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-backs have a team option for Webb at $8.5 million with a $2 million buy-out. Sounds like Webb might just hit the open market, but if he's that adament about not taking a pay cut, what chance to the Nats have of signing him at $8.5+ million? My guess: Little to none. Should be an interesting off-season for GM Mike Rizzo in finding a veteran free agent starter to head up his "kiddie corps".

Let's see how long it takes for this one to be refuted by the Nationals... MASNSports.com's Pete McElroy is reporting, in an article entitled, "Nats Won't Sign Strasburg", that ESPN.com's Pedro Gomez is citing: "...a source close to the negotiations, said the Nationals have had ongoing dialog with Strasburg's advisor Scott Boras, but they have made no offer other than the mandatory minor league tender that all clubs must make to their picks within 10 days of the draft. That is a standard minor league deal that pays the player $1,000 per month but does not include any bonus money." Mr. McElroy and the entirety of the remaining DC Faithful are awaiting an official response... (ed. note - "Thanks to federal baseball reader vanatsfan, who found the original MASN article and this one from ESPN.com): ESPN.com News Services, "Source: Nats, Strasburg not close."

FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal is reporting, in an article entitled, "Sources: Acta out as Nats' skip soon, Riggleman in", that according to his "major league sources": "Manny Acta's time as manager of the Washington Nationals is just about over..." More info when it's available...

According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, the Washington Natonals optioned Jason Bergmann to the minors and moved Roger Bernandina from the 15 to the 60-day DL to make room for the newest member of the DC Bullpen, Logan Kensing, who was acquired from the Florida Marlins for Nationals' Minor League pitcher Kyle "Marge" Gunderson. Kensing, a 26-year-old right-hander, was a 2nd Round pick by the Marlins in 2003 out of San Antonio, Texas. So far in his major league career, in parts of 6 seasons, Kensing's (7-8) with 5.21 ERA in 133.0 IP. Kyle Gunderson's stats from Baseball-Reference.com