Pujols and the Cardinals have set a date for negotiationsto end one way or the other, and by the end of that time Pujols will most likely be the highest paid player on the planet. Just look at the graph for a second and realize how much better Pujols is than other baseball players, and then realize that Scott Boras will locate the planet, factory, dimension, or genetics lab where Pujols is from and sell off his own army of Pujolses to the highest bidder. --Dave Cameron at fangraphs.com
The Nationals likely do not have an all-star at first, but at least they have someone and Adam LaRoche was introduced to the media on Friday. Also important to note that when Rizzo was asked about Strasburg throwing he said not a minute before a doctor tells him to. --Ben Goessling from masnsports.com
Mike Rizzo has a plan to make the Nationals a better defensive team and Adam LaRoche hopes he can help with that. --Dave Nichols at natsnewsnetwork.com
LaRoche also feels that opponents shouldn't feel like Nationals Park is a home away from home. --Byron Kerr at masnsports.com
The Nationals need to figure out marketing if they are ever going to make that happen, and exclusive fashion shows and a fanfest on a workday might not be the way to make that happen. --Jenn from natsfangirls.com
Of course winning cures everything and the Nationals have a powerful bat that will start working his way through the minors this season. --Bryce Harper video from mlb.com
Stephen Strasburg held a 5K in San Diego this past weekend, and while he is performing impressive feats in the gym he won't pick up a baseball until doctors tell him he can throw. Strasburg still remains confident that he will heal faster than people expect. --Chris Jenkins from signonsandiego.com
The Nationals rotation has little chance to be good this season, but it still could be better than last season. --William Yoder at thenatsblog.com
Judging a pitcher based on the first couple years of his career is reckless, and while Detwiler hasn't yet lived up to his hype as a first round draft pick that doesn't mean he won't. If he is finally healthy and able to perform this could be a big year for him. --Byron Kerr from masnsports.com
The Nationals pitching staff is composed of guys whose names might as well be the Riddler, the Question, Mysterio, or Mxyzptlk, but not all questions are answered in the negative and Yunesky Maya has just as good a chance as any one of them to prove the doubters wrong. --Mike Henderson at nationalsdailynews.com
Of course talk of Detwiler's health, Maya's DWL performance, Lannan's second half, Marquis Bone chips, or Livan's regression could have all been moot points if Rizzo had accomplished his goal of procuring a top of the rotation starter. --Ben Goessling at masnsports.com
Finding reasons for hope can be hard at time, but three Nationals prospects are rated in John Sickles top 50 bats of 2011. --Sue Dinem at nationalsprospects.com
Jayson Werth is the most overpaid free agent this off-season, and I am still not sure that is such a bad thing. --Jon Heyman from si.com
General Baseball
Joey Votto agreed to a three year deal with the Reds, but that only takes care of his arb years and that could spell trouble for the Reds. --John Fay at cincinnati.com
I have never wanted to be a cult leader, nor did I realize I had that power. Actually I don't think I do, and I think self deprecation has a lot to do with it. I having probably called myself an idiot more than commentators have, but always remember the most dangerous people in the world are the ones that exclude themselves from the ability to be wrong. --Craig Calcaterra from nbcsports.com