This off-season so far has been nothing if not frustrating. I myself and frustrated by people's willful ignorance of the starting pitcher market. People complain and complain about how the Nationals have done nothing, they demand they spend money to sign an Ace without once checking to see who is out there, and then complain when the Nationals are linked to one of the pitchers available.
So for me it is good to see that there are other people out there that feel my frustration, and I would just like to point out De la Rosa had a 5.02 career ERA and has never pitched 200 innings and would have cost a draft pick. --Dave Nichols at natsnewsnetwork.com
Now a little bit of good news as Strasburg was named to the Topps all-rookie team. --Bill Ladson at nationals.com
2011's motto should be Waiting for Strasburg, because looking at this list of remaining free agents and who the Nationals can sign I really only see discontent. --Mark Zuckerman from natsinsider.com
It is always interesting when we as Nats fans reach this level of frustration and then see some outsider come on-board and say the reason they did it is because the organization is headed in the right direction.Bob Schaefer is the newest special assistant to Mike Rizzo. --Adam Kilgore from washingtonpost.com
Vazquez is a guy that can give a team a lot of innings, but he is going to have to do it without his fastball. --Dave Cameron at fangraphs.com
Here is some news for you, Adam Dunn might not care that much about playing first and just wants the most years and money. --Jon Paul Morosi via Twitter
Interested in talking to fellow frustrated Nats fans and drowning your sorrows in some happy hour specials? Or maybe you just want to chat with the nice Mr. Goessling (it is awesome how open and willing to talk with fans he is)? I am going to do my best to be there. This will probably scare some people away. Sorry Ben. Friday, 6:15 PM, Front Page D.C. --Ben Goessling from masnsports.com
More links and fun after the jump.
The Nats best chance to trade for an Ace might be to get some lawyers and find a way to make it so Alyssa Milano is running the Dodgers, because according to her Twitter they don't have an Ace. Kershaw is on a very short lists of guys that could win the Cy Young in 2011. Right now I would put him behind Halladay, Wainwright, and Lincecum. --Alyssa Milano via Twitter
Quick interlude for the Who's the Boss theme. Seriously underrated as a theme song. It is right up there with Charles in Charge, Family Matters, Full House, or Saved by the Bell.
A look at the top ten bats in the Nats minor leagues. The only guy some people might say is out of place in Lombardozzi. not a lot of experts like him, but he is a middle infielder that hits like a middle infielder. Those guys might not be superstars but they have value. --Sue Dinem at nationalsprospects.com
The Hot Stove might be ready to heat up, and Adam Dunn might be ready to find his true value. All this talk of Dunn being convinced to DH just has me imagining Emperor Palpatine standing next to Dunn and telling him to unleash his true power, to feel the anger and hate. --Ken Rosenthal from foxsports.com
It was long ago and seems like it was in a galaxy far, far away, but the Nationals were at one time said to be interested in Carl Crawford. So, I wonder if they got their iPad, and i also wonder why Crawford's agent thinks teams need convincing. --Craig Calcaterra at nbcsports.com
General Baseball
It was a near perfect game, and one of the biggest moments from the 2010 season, and it may have produced the Sportsman of the Year. --Joe Posnanski at si.com
Jeff Bagwell should probably get in on the first ballot, but Robby Alomar should have too. This year could have three Hall of Famers in Alomar, Blyleven, and Bagwell. It could also have only one or none. Trying to predict what the voters will do seems pointless. I also think Edgar Martinez should get in, but DH's probably have to wait for Frank Thomas to get their due. --Rob Neyer from espn.com
Scott Boras is full of ideas, and he would like a posting system for minor leaguers not on a teams 40 man. Some front office folks don't think there is enough talent in baseball for this to work. --Ken Rosenthal from foxsports.com