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• Monday 12:00 pm EST: FOXSports.com's Jon Morosi had the Washington Nationals on a list of six teams along with the Yankees, Angels, Blue Jays, Marlins and Rangers that his sources tell him, "... have already expressed interest in [C.J.] Wilson," this morning in an article entitled, "Execs forecasting five-year deal for C.J. Wilson -- maybe six." The FOXSports.com reporter also mentioned that he was hearing that the soon-to-turn-31-year-old left-hander was expecting to find a five or six-year deal on the FA market this winter after two straight trips to the World Series with the Texas Rangers who drafted Wilson in the 5th Round of the 2001 Draft.
• 2:00 pm EST: ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (@JCrasnick) wrote much the same on the Twitter this afternoon, first noting that, "C.J. Wilson & Roy Oswalt have the same agent, Bob Garber," and then writing that the, "#Nationals & #Rangers among the clubs likely to talk to him about both." According to the SI.com writer, "Several teams already showing willingness to go to 5 years on Wilson. In the end, a guaranteed 6th year could be a tiebreaker." MLB.com's Bill Ladson's sources are telling him, "Washington's top priority is to sign free-agent right-hander Roy Oswalt," as he wrote this afternoon in an article entitled, "Rizzo expected to be busy at GM Meetings", in which he quotes Jayson Werth endorsing the idea of signing the 34-year-old right-hander who spent the last season in the Phillies' rotation, struggling with back issues on the way to posting a 3.69 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 6.02 K/9 and 2.14 BB/9 in 23 starts and 139.0 IP.
FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reported last week sources were tellling him that, "The Nationals plan a major push for free-agent right-hander Roy Oswalt, viewing him as the perfect veteran complement," to the young pitchers already in the rotation. The bow-tied FOXSports.com reporter also reported, in an article before the Phillies' deal with Ryan Madson fell apart entitled, "Phillies again talking to Papelbon", that if the deal with Philadelphia and Madson broke down, the Nats, "... could jump more seriously into the bidding." Both FOXSports.com's Mr. Rosenthal and SI.com's Jon Heyman cited sources who told them that Jayson Werth had talked to Madson about joining him in the nation's capital.
Werth told Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore in a Nationals Journal post last week entitled, "Jayson Werth had ‘a conversation’ with Phillies closer Ryan Madson about the Nationals", that he had talked to his former teammate, but, "... dismissed the notion that he was actively 'recruiting" Madson to join the Nationals,'" telling the WaPost reporter that they'd simply talked about the direction Washington's headed. Madson reportedly had agree to a 4-year/$44M dollar deal with Philadelphia before he didn't. Why the Nats would spend that sort of money on back-of-the-bullpen arm with Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen under contract is unclear? Unless, as the WaPost writer suggests, the Nationals were to deal one of their relievers.
• 3:00 pm EST: One 2011 Nat who doesn't seem likely to come back is catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. SI.com's Jon Heyman wrote on the Twitter this afternoon (@SI_JonHeyman): "my neighbor pudge rodriguez, 40 in 2 weeks, will play in '12. possible teams: minn, stl, phil, tor, balt, lad & marlins." The last comment from the Nats, who signed the future Hall of Fame catcher to a two-year/$6M dollar deal in December of 2009, came from D.C. GM Mike Rizzo, who told reporters in a recent press conference that the team hadn't spoken to Rodriguez or his fellow veteran free agent Livan Hernandez, "... since early in the offseason. They wanted to step away from it for a period of time. I think when we figure out what we're doing as far as an organization. When we get a manager, when our coaching staff is on board, we'll discuss it with them and see which direction we want to go, not only with those two, but with the rest of the ballclub and how to construct the roster."
• Tuesday 1:00 am EST: Both FOXSports,com's Jon Morosi on Twitter and Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore in the Nationals Journal reported early Tuesday morning that Washington Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo met with Bob Garber, the agent for both right-hander Roy Oswalt and C.J. Wilson.