Mike Rizzo's main goal this off-season was to make the Nationals a more complete team. He wanted players that were decent with the bat, but could also play defense, and heading into Spring Training the Nationals are betting better defense can lead to better win totals. --Thomas Boswell in The Washington Post
Of course better defense wasn't the only goal and as far as getting the top of rotation starter the Nationals need. It simply didn't happen. --Dave Nichols at natsnewsnetwork.com
They say you can't lose by trying, but all the effort in the world didn't get the Nationals the pitching they needed. --Harper from natsbaseball.com
A time-line of the effort to acquire pitching. --Adam Kilgore at washingtonpost.com
While the pitching is still a work in progress the defense has gotten better. --Ben Goessling at mansports.com
It might come as a surprise to some that the offense hasn't gotten worse and might actually be slightly better. --Bryce Wilson Stucki from thenatsblog.com
Matt Garza is the latest pitcher the Nationals failed to land, and while they likely could have outbid the Cubs they probably shouldn't have. --Adam Kilgore at washingtonpost.com
The Nationals are very likely to have a lower payroll in 2011 than they did in 2010 unless arbitration really doesn't go their way. --Ben Goessling from masnsports.com
The Nationals might not have added any starters, but if the starting staff is going to be weak the bullpen better be strong, and it is likely that the Nationals bullpen will be the strength of the team. --Dave Gershman at beyondtheboxscore.com
If Derek Norris stays at catcher he could be something special offensively, but his bat is good enough for first. --Byron Kerr from masnsports.com
As special as Norris could be he didn't leave High School in order to get drafted a year early, and hasn't yet been on the cover of SI. Those honors belong to the Nationals number 1 prospect, Bryce Harper. --Byron Kerr at masnsports.com