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Wire Taps: Nationals weekend in review, Nats links, tweets and more...

The GM Meetings start today... and so do the rumors. The Washington Nationals signed two minor league deals today. Guess who? (Answers below). Jerry Blevins is in Japan. It's link time. Some lunchtime reading for you, Nats fans.

By Patrick Reddington

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Thearon W. Henderson

We spent a little over an hour last night surveying the landscape and searching for Washington Nationals news, and we did find some... but not enough for the usual early morning link post, so we pushed things back and put together some lunchtime reading for Nats fans with all the links we could find.

The GM Meetings get underway today, so in a few weeks at the Winter Meetings (the exciting meetings) or maybe later you'll likely hear Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo talking about how the groundwork for the deal he made was laid this week.

There will be baseball in Japan at 4:00 AM tonight (Tuesday morning) with Jerry Blevins in uniform for the exhibition opener. If you didn't hear, Bryce Harper, who was originally scheduled to play, is no longer taking part.

We'll find out this week if Nats' skipper Matt Williams will win the BBWAA's Manager of the Year award in his first season on the bench in the majors. There are plenty of rumors coming out of the GM Meetings already. Without further ado, let's get to the links... starting... RIGHT NOW!!!:

• Blevins represents:

• "Bryce Harper was announced in late September as a participant but was not on the final roster released Friday by MLB, though he is not injured." - "Jerry Blevins to play for MLB all-star team in Japan in November" - James Wagner, The Washington Post

• Moore, Moore, Moore:

• "Moore’s place in the Nats’ organization has diminished over the last three seasons, not necessarily by Moore’s fault, but by circumstance." - "Nationals 2014 roster review: Tyler Moore" - Chase Hughes, Nats Insider

• "When getting a start as a big leaguer, Moore is hitting .254/.307/.447. When coming off the bench, Moore's slash line is .181/.244/.301. Big difference." - "Nationals Pastime: A big few months for Moore" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• Minor League Deals:

• NATS BEAT:

• "The Nationals have added to two new scouting positions — one assigned to the Northwestern United State and another to the upper Midwest — bringing their amateur scout total to 17." - "Washington Nationals add more scouting positions" - James Wagner, The Washington Post

• "MLB already offered up a tease last week, revealing the three finalists for each honor, so we know only one member of the Nationals (manager Matt Williams) has a chance to win something." - "Previewing MLB awards week for the Washington Nationals" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "The GM meetings don't get nearly as much attention as the Winter Meetings, which will take place in San Diego a little less than a month from now..." - "Nationals Pastime: Some of this, some of that" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Nate McLouth, however, did not have the year that was expected of him by any stretch. He was a non-factor offensively for the 79 games he did play..." - "Nationals 2014 roster review: Nate McLouth" - Chase Hughes, Nats Insider

• "The right-hander has made 11 appearances, and has yet to allow a run. He's struck out eight, walked none and collected four saves." - "Nationals Pastime: Another National excelling in winter league play" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

• "Lowrie could be interesting at second base for the Nationals or Yankees. The Nationals are looking for an upgrade over Danny Espinosa..." - "Alex Rodriguez’s future more uncertain than ever" - Nick Cafardo, The Boston Globe

• Scherzer, Mr. Ferrin? (via MLB Network Radio on Facebook)?:

MLB Network Radio

• "He hit 26 homers last year in Washington, and if you take the distances and overlay them on Petco’s dimensions, every one of the 26 still would have been a homer." - "The best teams for 10 hot MLB free agents" - Joel Sherman, New York Post

• "Righthander Blake Treinen made his major league debut in the second week of the season and also was with the Nationals for the stretch run." - "Treinen Dealing For Nationals" - Lacy Lusk, BaseballAmerica.com

• "'I spent time on three (Nationals') teams and really enjoyed it. No cliques, no prima donnas, and that's pretty rare in this business.'" - "Reunion with Runion - pitcher enjoying life in baseball" - Keith Jarrett, Citizen Times.com

• "Matt Williams, in his first season managing the Washington Nationals, helped the club recover from a disappointing and injury-prone 2013 campaign..." - "Award season: Who takes home the trophies" - Ted Berg, USA TODAY Sports

• NL EAST UPDATES:

• Phillies: "Whether by striking early or by reeling in an pre-Christmas gift, the Phillies under general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. have never lacked for drama during baseball's hot-stove season." - "Let the wheeling, dealing begin" - Ryan Lawrence, Philadelphia Daily News

• Mets: "The Mets’ early read this offseason is they are more likely to solve their corner outfield cravings via a trade than free agency and they are now more likely to retain Daniel Murphy than deal him." - "Mets doing their homework on outfielder trades" - Joel Sherman, New York Post

• Marlins: "Negotiations are ongoing, and Miami GM Dan Jennings told me, 'There’s only one hope — we want to sign him.'" - "The Giancarlo Stanton conversation takes positive Marlins turn" - Joel Sherman, New York Post

• Braves:

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