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Wire Taps: Washington Nationals Links, Anthony Rendon's Mustache + More

And now... a very special edition of Wire Taps, where instead of just linking to all of the Nationals stories that we could find out there, we discuss the biggest issue of the day in MLB news. It's been a long time coming but at some point we have to discuss it...

By Patrick Reddington
Jim McIsaac

So it's time we have a serious discussion about Alex Rodriguez. After watching 60 Minutes last night and hearing... Yeah, no thanks. Why would possibly talk about A-Rod? Why? When there is video footage of a mustached Anthony Rendon in a wig ("That's not a wig?") lifting very large weights as he bulks up for the 2014 campaign. Who cares about A-Rod? If you do care you can check out the 60 Minutes episode from last night here. If you want to talk about Anthony Rendon you can in the comments section. If you want to catch up on the last few days of Nationals news you can check out the links that follow... Links and lots of them, starting... RIGHT NOW!!!:

• THE BIG STORY!!!:

• "Video: Anthony Rendon getting as big as a house, has a mustache" - Nats Enquirer

• NATS BEAT:

• "Strasburg will earn a base salary of $3.975 million this year, with performance incentives, according to a source familiar with the contract." - "Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals agree to 2014 contract terms" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "Strasburg will earn $3.975 million on his one-year deal, plus a possible $125,000 performance bonuses..." - "Strasburg, Nats avoid arbitration, agree to $3.975M deal" - Adam Kilgore, Washington Post

• "Strasburg had surgery to remove bone chips from his throwing elbow back in October, but the Nationals say that he's recovering well and is expected to be full-go come spring training." - "Nationals Pastime: Nats agree to terms with Stephen Strasburg, avoiding arbitration" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Some readers felt that Strasburg's salary for this upcoming season was a bit low and that the Nationals should have offered him a deal with a larger payout for 2014." - "Nationals Pastime: Answering a question on Strasburg, plus a NatsFest update" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported that Strasburg will receive $3.975 million in 2014, plus performance bonuses." - "Nationals, ace right-hander Stephen Strasburg avoid arbitration with one-year deal" - Cash Kruth, nationals.com: News

• "It's probably important, however, to look at what Hairston has done in the last handful of years before writing him off just because of a sub-par 2013." - "Nationals Pastime: Despite down 2013, Hairston still holds value" - Dan Kolko, MANSports.com

• "Problems arise when a bursa becomes inflamed. This is known as bursitis, and the bursa loses its gliding capabilities, which can lead to irritation." - "Harper's Knee Injury Was Worse Than Expected" - Dr. Ray Solano, NBC4 Washington


• "Best-case scenario: The second half of last season truly was a sign of things to come." - "Washington Nationals 2014 Roster Preview: Wilson Ramos" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "Ross Detwiler certainly appears to be the favorite for the job. He battled injuries in 2013, but has put up pretty strong numbers the last two seasons when healthy..." - "Nationals Pastime: Assessing the candidates for the final spot in the Nats' rotation" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Washington won 16 of its final 22 home games to no effect in finishing 10 games back and out of the playoffs." - "Washington’s Baffling Home-Field Disadvantage" - David Elfin, CBS DC

• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama):

• NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

• "The short case for Ramos: He’s a poor man’s Wilin Rosario and you won’t pay nearly the price for him that you would for Wilin." - "Fantasy Players to Target: Catchers" - BP Fantasy Team, Baseball Prospectus

• "'When the trade first went down, my Twitter followers went from 200 to over 2,000,' [Ray] said with a laugh." - "Why Detroit Tigers prospect Robbie Ray, key player in Doug Fister trade, may put his roots in Grand Rapids" - Lenny Padilla, MLive.com

• "Not to revisit the same jokes and criticisms of the past, but Nationals Park is the chicken breast of stadiums. You can do wonderful things with chicken breast..." - "Where home runs look their best, part IV: #22 - #24" - Grant Brisbee, Baseball Nation

• NATSTOWN/MINORS:

• "Current high Single-A Potomac and former Hagerstown manager Tripp Keister saw all those qualities in Renda's play every day." - "One to watch: Second base prospect Tony Renda" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

•"Baseball was once plentiful in the southeast with the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, former Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles all used to call the area their spring home." - "Palm Beach spring training baseball is in Jeopardy -- again" - Scott Wuerz, Cheap Seats Blog | News Democrat

• "The Nationals on Friday signed outfielder Joseph Dunigan to a Minor League deal." - "Nationals sign outfielder Joseph Dunigan to Minor League contract" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News

• "Baseball America National writer Aaron Fitt still likes what he sees from Skole, despite the injury." - "Nats No. 4 prospect: Matt Skole" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• NL EAST UPDATES:

• Phillies: "As this will be Ryne Sandberg‘s first full season at the helm, we don’t know his quirks yet, but he doesn’t have the same relationship with the players that Charlie Manuel did." - "Let’s Talk About the Phillies Lineup" - Bill Baer, Crashburn Alley

• Mets: "As we sit here in mid-January, there seems to be no more obvious free agent fit than the idea that Stephen Drew should sign with the Mets." - "The Mets, Stephen Drew, And the 'Obvious Move'" - Mike Petriello, FanGraphs Baseball

• Marlins: "The one-year contracts free agent infielders Rafael Furcal and Casey McGehee signed with the Miami Marlins are flush with incentive clauses." - "Rafael Frucal, Casey McGehee contracts flush with incentives" - Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

• Braves: "It was all part of the Braves' most important scouting expedition of this off-season -- a nationwide search not for players but for ideas to incorporate into the stadium and mixed-use development the team plans to build in Cobb County." - "Atlanta Braves scouting nation for stadium ideas" - Tim Tucker, Columbus Ledger Enquirer

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