• Programming Note: There's no local coverage of tonight's Grapefruit League game between the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves. The 6:05 pm EDT matchup is, however, being covered by FOXSports South, which is available on MLB.tv and the Braves audio feed is available via MLB GameDay Audio or the MLB At Bat 11 app. NatsInsider.com's Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) wrote on Twitter yesterday that Washington's 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Tom Milone, a 24-year-old left-hander taken in the 10th Round of the 2008 Draft, will get the start for the Nationals. The Nats' official site is saying the same, though it's expected to be starter-by-commmittee against Atlanta, with the Braves doing the same. Tonight vs Atlanta, tomorrow vs the NY Mets at 12:05 pm EDT and then it's Nats FanFest and Opening Day on Thursday...(btw: Check out the quick Q&A that Tom Milone conducted with the D.C. press corps on the field at Nats Park last year.)
• LINKS AND LINKS AND...
• NATSBEAT:
• "On Thursday, Jordan Zimmermann threw a pitch clocked by MLB at 98 mph, faster than he’d ever been timed in ’09, before he had Tommy John surgery on his elbow 19 months ago." - "Are better days ahead for the Nationals? - Thomas Boswell, The Washington Post
• "Win Tickets To Nationals Opening Day" - 106.7 the FAN - CBS Washington
• "There are four teams -- Athletics, Astros, Braves and Padres -- who are showing strong interest in Nationals infielder Alberto Gonzalez, according to a Major League scout." - "Gonzalez drawing interest with solid spring" - Bill Ladson, MLB.com
• "Let's be honest: The Nationals never had any real intention of keeping Nyjer Morgan." - "Are Nats better in center without Morgan?" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com
• Twitter: "Brewers GM Melvin on Morgan: 'The price can change and the evaluation of a roster can change daily.'" - FOXSports.com' Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)
• Twitter: "Scout on IF Cutter Dykstra, the player #Nationals acquired from #Brewers for Morgan: "Lacks a position, marginal prospect." - FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)
• NatsTown: "Ankiel has hit .218/.271/.455 this spring. That doesn't beat anyone out of a job. Those are spring numbers of a guy that's had a job the whole time." - "Morgan Trade Leaves More Questions Than Answers" - Dave Nichols, NatsNewsNetwork
• "I would imagine [Trevor] Holder will move up to Harrisburg and [Ryan] Tatusko is destined for Syracuse early in 2011, if not starting the season one level up from last year.'" - "Prospects Holder and Tatusko continue to refine skills" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com
• Your Daily Message from the Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama):"Due to the fundamental interconnectedness that lies at the heart of reality, your interest is also my interest."
• Twitter: "Aaron Crow, the former #Nats 1st rd pick who didn't sign, has apparently made the Royals' Opening Day roster." - NatsInsider.com's Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman)
• "'Sometimes, it's just the slightest little thing will happen that changes somebody's feelings or perception about what's going on,' Riggleman said.'" - Jim Riggleman talking about Nyjer Morgan trade. - "Perception at the heart of Nyjer Morgan's departure from Nationals" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com
• Twitter: "Dykstra can't play any infield position well. Best suited to OF but I don't see his bat profiling there." - ESPN.com's Keith Law (@keithlaw)
• NatsTown: "Former Washington Nationals first round pick Aaron Crow will reportedly make the opening day roster for the Kansas City Royals." - "Nationals Today: Teams Interested In Alberto Gonzalez, Aaron Crow To Make Royals Roster" - Will Yoder, The Nats Blog
• "'There’s five spots and there’s six people,' Detwiler said. 'I can do the math. It’s not a perfect game.'" - "Ross Detwiler ends his strong spring" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• NatsTown: "Multiple sources are reporting that the Nationals have acquired RHP Alex Caldera for cash from the Kansas City Royals." - "Nationals Pick Up Royals Farmhand For Cash" - Sue Dinem, NationalsProspects.com
• "If he is voted into the Hall of Fame, Martinez would have no problem wearing an Expos hat, but he is aware that Hall officials would decide which team logo would go on his plaque. If it's an Expos hat or a Red Sox hat, I would have no problem with that,' Martinez said. 'Either hat would be great.'" - "Pedro Martinez and 1994 Expos honored in Montreal" - Danny Gallagher, MLB.com
• SharkNatsTown: "This shark, swallow you whole." - "Sharka La Vista, Nyjer" - Sharkadina, Street Shark: Roger Bernadina's Unofficial Blog
• "In flipping Morgan, the Nationals not only freed up center field for Rick Ankiel and Jerry Hairston Jr., they brought clarity to their lineup." - "Nats deal Morgan to Brewers, clearing logjam" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "Who hits first?" - Phil Wood, MASNSports.com
• Joe Blogs: "Saturday, doing my usual Baseball Think Factory reading, I came across Dan Steinberg and his blog about a couple of Washington Nationals radio ads, narrated by manager Jim Riggleman." - "Chinese Jibberish" - SI.com's Joe Posnanski
• NL EAST:
• Braves: "On the Beat: Braves' New World" - John Perrott, Baseball Prospectus
• Phillies: "Halladay completed his exhibition work Sunday with three scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves, lowering his spring training ERA to 0.42." - "Phillies Notes: Phillies' Halladay finishes Grapefruit League in fine form" - Bob Brookover, Philadelphia Inquirer
• Mets: "'It could go to the last day,' [Mets' GM Sandy] Alderson said. 'We don’t want it to. That’s not fair to the guys that are competing. On the other hand, it’s that close.'" - "Fight for final spot in Mets' bullpen has become a two-arm race" - Andy McCullough, NJ.com
• Marlins: "In what was his final tune-up before he takes the mound for the Marlins in their season opener Friday against the Mets, Johnson looked sharp Sunday by pitching seven scoreless innings." - "Florida Marlins ace Josh Johnson ready for season" - Clark Spencer, MiamiHerald.com