• I realize these link posts work better in the morning before everyone's searched around for all the Washington Nationals-related material out there on the interwebs, but it's hard to collect enough stuff for a post at this point of the offseason and I spent far too much time staring at Gameday's slow updates last night following Bryce Harper's big game in the Arizona Fall League and ran out of time to put this together for the early morning, so it's a mid-afternoon collection today instead. Deal with it. That was mean. I'm sorry. Here are your Wednesday afternoon World Series-starting Washington Nationals links...But first:
• Talking With The Nats Blog:
• I talked to the Nats Blog's Ted Youngling for the first of a two-part interview. The second part will talk more about the state of the Nats, this one is about writing online: "Around The League: Federal Baseball- Washington Nationals" - Ted Youngling, The Nats Blog
• THE BIG STORY:
• "There couldn't have been real concern over [Bryce] Harper's slow start in the Arizona Fall League." - "Bryce Harper busts out of Fall League slump" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• NATS BEAT:
• "The Nationals returned Rule 5 pick Elvin Ramirez to the Mets, the team announced in a news release." - "Nationals return Elvin Ramirez to Mets" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "In the best of possible worlds, the Nats will be in the World Series themselves in a few years — and dare we dream that they might face and flatten the Rangers?" - "HELLER: Rooting against the Rangers just feels right" - Dick Heller, Washington Times
• "[Elvin] Ramirez opened the season on the disabled list and had season-ending shoulder surgery in May. Per Rule 5 regulations, the Nationals were required to keep him in the organization while on the DL." - "Rule 5 pick Ramirez returned to Mets" - Elvin Ramirez, NatsInsider.com
• "'The Rangers have looked the best in the playoffs. Obviously, the Cardinals are hot. They are playing well. It's going to be a great series,' [Tyler] Clippard said." - "Nationals hurlers divided on World Series picks" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• "[Elvin] Ramirez came into spring training with a chance to make the team, as the Nationals tried to build a bullpen full of pitchers whose fastballs could approach 100 mph." - "Nationals return Ramirez to Mets" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com
• "With seven of the Nationals top prospects kicking around out here -- pitching, catching, and, occasionally, hitting -- for the Scottsdale Scorpions, I've dragged myself back into summer temperatures to check the whole thing out." - "An in-person check on the AFL" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "Several people inside the Nationals organization expect Johnson to return to the dugout next season..." - "Davey Johnson still likely to be named Nationals manager" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "As Emmanuel Burriss rose through the baseball ranks, from his Little League teams in D.C. to the minor leagues and finally to a spot in the majors with the San Francisco Giants, he noticed that fewer and fewer of his fellow players looked like him." - "Fostering love of baseball at the grass-roots level" - Washington Times
• "A few of the teams the Nationals will play next spring in the Grapefruit League have released their schedules, which means we're able to piece together a few of the team's 2012 spring training dates." - "Nationals' spring training schedule coming together" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com
• "Right-hander Christian Garcia, who began his career in the Yankees organization, has recovered from not one, but two Tommy John ligament replacement surgeries." - "Ex-Yankees prospect Garcia making big impression after a pair of Tommy John surgeries" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com
• "Now, with the 40th anniversary of Bob Short’s escape in the rearview mirror, it’s time to go all the way and let the last of the bygones be gone." - "Texas Rangers show blueprint for hitting homers in a football town" - Thomas Boswell, The Washington Post
• "The [Bryce] Harper-led Scottsdale Scorpions rallied to beat Choice's Phoenix Desert Dogs, 11-10, in 10 innings in the Arizona Fall League." - "Dogs' Choice unable to best Harper" - Robert Emrich, nationals.com: News
• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama): "If we change inside and disarm ourselves by dealing constructively with negative thoughts and emotions, we can literally change the world."
• NATSTOWN:
• "In this edition of roster predictions, we give you the scoop about the pitchers you can expect to start the 2012 season with a Washington Nationals minor league affiliate." - "Next Season's Roster: To the Minors - Pitchers Edition" - Joe Drugan, The Nats Blog
• "Make that, Little Leaguer. We've no idea how many kiddos he signed for, or if it matters, but here's video of Jayson Werth signing autographs for at least one Virginia Little Leaguer this past Saturday." - "Here's Jayson Werth signing autographs for Virginia Little Leaguers" - Nats Enquirer
• "It's nearly impossible to project high-end pitching prospects, the further they are from the minors. Think of someone like Colten Willems, our #1 draft pick in 2006 who retired before ever getting out of high-A." - "What is the 'ceiling' of the various Nats pitching prospects?" - Todd Boss, Nationals Arm Race
• "Washington Nationals prospect Bryce Harper broke out of a slump with a 3-4 day in the Arizona Fall League." - "Bryce Harper Hits First Arizona Fall League Home Run" - HarperMania
• "Who said the Nationals players are the only ones globe-trotting this offseason?" - "Screech Among Nats Represented In Taiwan" - Keara Dowd, Win For Teddy
• "Key Stat: BB/9 - 1.73. In his first full year back after Tommy John Surgery Jordan Zimmermann exhibited far better command than in any of his previous Major League seasons." - "A Few Good Men: 7 - Zimmermann" - Mac, Capitol Baseball
• NL EAST UPDATES:
• Marlins: "'I don’t say the White Sox pushed me out, (they said) ‘just think about it,’ [Ozzie] Guillen said. 'They put me on the spot. They said the (Florida) people want you, they need you now and you have to show up, and that’s what I did.'" - "No Bull: Guillen has no regrets about departure from Sox" - Mark Gonzales, chicagotribune.com
• Mets: "Between the uncertainy surrounding the team's owners and the lackluster attendance at Citi Field over this and the past two seasons, it was unsuprising when Sandy Alderson forecasted a 2012 payroll in the range of $100 to $110 million." - "The State of the Mets' 2012 Budget" - Chris McShane, Amazin' Avenue
• Phillies: "Raul Ibanez and The Good Phight had a funny history. If you look at that first link, the signing was almost universally reviled, and for reasons that mostly came to fruition." - "Raul Things Considered: Raul Ibanez's Philadelphia Tenure" - WholeCamels, The Good Phight
• Braves: "As the 'O' of the three-headed monster 'O'Ventbrel', Eric O'Flaherty had a career year in 2011." - "2011 Atlanta Braves Player Review: Eric O'Flaherty" - TonyAlmeyda, Talking Chop
• What's A DH?:
• "Since 1976, the designated hitter has played a role in the World Series. For a little while there — from 1976-84 — the World Series would used the DH every other year." - "To DH or Not To DH" - Joe Posnanski, SI.com