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Wire Taps: Nationals' spring home, Deric Ladnier talks Royals, links, tweets

The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros are still talking about sharing a Spring Training home, and Palm Beach County is apparently still an option. Are you ready for the start of the World Series? No, the MLB season isn't over yet. I know, right?

By Patrick Reddington
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Honestly, the most interesting Washington Nationals-related thing I came across yesterday was an MLB Network Radio interview with Deric Ladnier, the Special Assistant to Nats' GM Mike Rizzo, who was a scout and assistant scouting director with the Atlanta Braves and Scouting Director for the the Kansas City Royals from 2000-2008 before joining the Nats in 2009.

Admittedly, the interview is more about Ladnier's time with the Royals, but it's interesting for anyone who wants to hear someone talk scouting, projecting and sticking with prospects...

• Deric Ladnier talkes Moustakas, Hosmer and more on MLB Network Radio:

As for directly Nats-related links...it's slim pickings these days, but we're commited to bringing everything Nationals we can find to you here every morning, so...

• Roster Reviews - Ian Desmond/Nats' outfield:

• "What Desmond is: One of the best all-around shortstops in the majors. He possesses a power-speed combination exceedingly rare for his position." - "Nationals Roster Review: Ian Desmond" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "In his second season in the National League and with the Nationals, Span was perhaps the team’s most valuable position player not named Anthony Rendon." - "Nationals positional review, Part 4: Outfield" - James Wagner, The Washington Post

Don't give up on hope of the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals sharing a Spring Training home in Palm Beach County just yet...

• County considering revamped stadium deal:

• "The county is trying to work out a deal that could bring the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals to the area to share a new stadium for spring training." - "County considering revamped stadium deal" - Andy Reid, Sun Sentinel

We wrote about 6'8'' starter Doug Fister this morning. MASN's Dan Kolko looked back at Fister's first season in the nation's capital last night...

• Doug Fister in D.C.: Year One:

• "The 6-foot-8 right-hander posted the sixth-best ERA of any qualified starter in the majors..." - "Nationals Pastime: Fister's first season in D.C. a major success" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

They're experimenting with new rules to speed baseball games up out in the Arizona Fall League. Pitch clocks?

• Maybe just speed up A.L. games?:

• "There is a 20-second pitch clock and a time limit between innings of 125 seconds. There also are no-pitch intentional walks and only three meetings allowed at the mound." - "Pace of play reaction from Arizona Fall League" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• "Indeed, when the Rafters convened before the Fall League began, their manager, Andy Haines, went over the new rules with them and stressed that everyone should stick to what they normally do." - "In Arizona Fall League, Baseball Experiments With Quickening Games" - Tim Rohan, NYTimes.com

• Natstown!!!:

• "You can make a strong case for Rendon as the most valuable Washington player in 2014..." - "The Nationals' 10 Most Irreplaceable Players Of 2014" - David Driver, PressboxDC

• "Offseason Position Discussion : Second Base" - Harper, Nationals Baseball

• "Also, hockey fans will be descending upon Washington on New Year’s Day. The NHL Winter Classic takes place at the Nationals Park outdoor arena..." - "Start Planning Now for Lonely Planet's 2015 Top Travel Picks" - Bekah Wright, Yahoo! Travel

• Some World Series prep? It does start tonight, you know?:

• "The foursome has helped the Royals to their first World Series since 1985 at every level of the organization. They have done it together under Moore..." - "George Mason products have helped cultivate Royals’ success" - Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post

• "It seems like forever ago that the Giants and the Washington Nationals played their epic 18-inning Game 2 of the NLDS." - "The eight best moments of the MLB postseason so far (Videos)" - Mike Oz, Big League Stew - Yahoo Sports

• Do you remember Bill Bray? He threw 23 innings for the Nationals back in 2006 and signed with the Nats as a free agent in 2012...

• Bill Bray - Writer/Reliever:

• "As a player who has had Tommy John surgery, I’m inevitably asked in every interview what the experience is like." - "Bray: Tommy John experience is so much more than one surgery" - Bill Bray, Sporting News

And now it's time to wrap up this morning's link post with a look at the Nats' NL East opponents...

• NL EAST UPDATES:

• Phillies: "On MLB Network Radio in early March, GM Ruben Amaro said that Hernandez’s ground ball rate and relative cheapness were factors into the decision to bring him aboard..." - "2014 Phillies Report Card: Roberto Hernandez" - Bill Baer, Crashburn Alley

• Mets: "The Mets have a desirable commodity in young pitching talent and have a couple of apparent needs at shortstop and a corner outfield spot. Who are the Mets' most likely trade partners this winter?" - "Burning Questions: Best trade partners?" - Mark Simon, Mets Blog - ESPN New York

• Marlins: "McGehee's comeback was more literal than most, as he played in Japan in 2013 before returning to Major League Baseball on a one-year deal with the Marlins, for whom he proved a capable run-producer and lineup-stabilizer." - "McGehee's comeback year recognized by Sporting News" - Adam McCalvy, marlins.com

• Braves: "Remember the buzz after the Braves traded for Justin Upton in January 2013, only a couple of months after signing his brother B.J. Upton as a free agent?" - "Braves outfield: Who stays among Uptons, Heyward?" - David O'Brien, AJC.com

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