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Wire Taps: Nationals' front office promotions, Nats weekend in review

Late last week the Washington Nationals made some front office promotions. Not much happened in NatsTown over the weekend, but if it did happen there's a link to it below. Catch up on the last few days of Nationals news, all in one place...

By Patrick Reddington
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo was asked for his thoughts on the balance between old school scouting and statistical analysis shortly after he was given the general manager's job on a full-time basis back in August of 2009.

"We bring the statistical analysis into it," Rizzo told internet-based writers that summer, "although, you know, I trust what I see more than what I read, but it's always nice when what I read corresponds to what I think I see."

"We bring the statistical analysis into it, although, you know, I trust what I see more than what I read, but it's always nice when what I read corresponds to what I think I see." -Mike Rizzo on statistical analysis vs scouting, August 2009

The acquisition of Doug Fister last winter was a deal Rizzo said pleased both sides of the Nationals' front office.

"We thought that we had really strong scouting reports from our scouts in the field," Rizzo told reporters including NatsInsider.com's Mark Zuckerman, after the deal was announced. "We had extremely strong sabermetrics reports from our analysts here in the office."

"It’s a good day in the Nationals’ office when the sabermetricians and the scouts in the field see the players in the same way. It makes things much easier for me. That’s what we had here."

Late last week, Rizzo promoted three members of his front office who have played an important role on the statistical end. Adam Cromie was named an assistant general manager after serving as director of baseball operations, Sam Modry-Cohen was named director of research and baseball analysis and Mike DeBartolo was named the Nats' manager of baseball research and analysis.

Rizzo told the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore that the moves were an acknowledgement of the important role that statistical analysis is playing in the Nats' front office:

"'I’ve always been a big proponent of it,' Rizzo said. 'It’s important enough that we increased that department. It’s a hugely important aspect of roster construction and building up a franchise. You combine that with some of the finest evaluators and scouts out in the field, I think you have the best of both worlds.'"

That was just one of the big stories from the last few days. Catch up on the last weekend in Nats news below. Links and lots of them... as many as we could find... starting RIGHT NOW!:

• THE BIG STORY:

• NATS BEAT:

• "The Nationals promoted former director of baseball operations Adam Cromie to assistant general manager and bumped his top assistant, Sam Mondry-Cohen, to director of research and baseball analysis." - "Nationals expand analytics department with promotions and additions" - Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post

• "The Nationals expanded their baseball research and development department on Friday by promoting Adam Cromie to assistant general manager and director of baseball operations." - "Nationals promote Cromie to assistant GM" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com

• "Yesterday, I discussed the Nationals bullpen, and how they could look to add to that already strong group this offseason, either via free agency or a trade." - "Nationals Pastime: Taking a look at the relief options" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "The Nationals have the makings of a bullpen that can dominate games. Their relief unit finished with a 3.00 ERA in the regular season, fourth-best in the majors." - "Nationals Pastime: Taking a look at the 'pen" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Strasburg was by no means perfect in 2014, especially early on, but by season’s end he was awfully good." - "Nationals Roster Review: Stephen Strasburg" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "Depending on the success of negotiations and payroll restraints set forth by ownership, the Nationals may have to choose between which stars they keep for the long term — and perhaps even the short term." - "Nationals must re-sign Ian Desmond, Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister, or risk losing one or all" - Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post

• "It was a sweet victory for the P-Nats prospects, according to manager Tripp Keister, because he believes they kind of flew under the radar despite steadily staying at the top of the standings the entire season." - "A look back at Potomac's championship season: Part 3 - P-Nats proved doubters wrong" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• "The Solar Sox have played 15 games now, providing a decent sample size for an update on their progress." - "Nationals Arizona Fall League update" - Chase Hughes, Nats Insider

• Your Daily Message from the Dalai Lama on Twitter (@DalaiLama):

• NATIONALS BEAT:

• "Some pitchers, such as the Toronto Blue Jays' Mark Buehrle and Washington Nationals' Doug Fister, motor along, averaging around 18 seconds between pitches..." - "Major League games face pace-of-play clock" - Bill Brink, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

• "As one major-league official put it to me Friday: 'Say what you will about Montreal, but the Expos drew well over two million fans four times there in their heyday, while the Rays did that only once, their first year.'" - "MLB commish Bud Selig's nightmare is Cubs dream as Joe Maddon leaves Rays" - Joe Maddon, NY Daily News

• "From the Bill Chuck files: 'The Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals (nee Montreal Expos) each came into existence in 1969. Since that time, the Royals have won 3,528 regular-season games and the Nationals/Expos have won 3,527.'" - "Jon Hart, Andrew Friedman have new challenges in new jobs" - Nick Cafardo, The Boston Globe

• "'Two years ago, when I was in the (NL) division series with the Nats against the Cardinals, if you told me I’d be in a World Series now I’d have never believed it,' said Morse..." - "SF Giants preparing to lose Pablo Sandoval to free agency" - Bill Madden, NY Daily News

• NL EAST UPDATES:

• Mets: "The Mets are moving the fences in at Citi Field, pushing the wall closer to home plate from just right of dead center up to the Mo’s Zone in right." - "Light-hitting Mets must learn from Series teams" - Joel Sherman, New York Post

• Marlins: "Giancarlo Stanton in Dodger blue? Yasiel Puig playing right field in Miami?" - "MLB Trade Rumors: Giancarlo Stanton for Yasiel Puig??" - Ray Guilfoyle, Fake Teams

• Braves: "Step by step, the Braves of now are seeking to resurrect the team of a record 14 consecutive division titles, five National League pennants and a World Series championship." - "John 3.0 can return Braves to glory" - Terence Moore, braves.com

• Phillies: "With the re-signing of Jerome Williams to a one-year deal, it seems increasingly likely that Kyle Kendrick has pitched his final game in red pinstripes." - "2014 Phillies Report Card: Kyle Kendrick" - Corinne Landrey, Crashburn Alley

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