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Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa, who finished sixth in the National League Rookie of the Year race, was named to the Topps Major League Rookie All-Star team on Wednesday morning. Espinosa hit 21 homers in 158 games for the Nationals during the 2011 season. The second baseman finished behind teammate Wilson Ramos in the Rookie of the Year balloting after slumping badly in the second ... read more
The Nationals' picture at first base next season got a little more uncertain this week, with the news that Chris Marrero had surgery to repair a torn hamstring and will miss the start of the 2012 season. When paired with the fact that Adam LaRoche is coming off shoulder surgery, Marrero's surgery is certainly an unnerving development at a position where the Nationals looked like ... read more
A week from today, the Nationals will set up shop at the Winter Meetings in Dallas, where they'll be looking to cross two items - a veteran starting pitcher and a leadoff hitter - off their offseason shopping list. But it's as clear as ever this morning that they shouldn't expect their hunt for a pitcher to be easy. The Tigers are reportedly interested in ... read more
We're back at work on the blog after a couple days off for Thanksgiving; hope you all had a safe and enjoyable holiday. We'll be gearing up for the Winter Meetings next week - highlighted by a live video chat with MASNsports.com's Byron Kerr and Pete Kerzel on Tuesday at noon - but for now, we're going to take a quick look at a trend ... read more
The Phillies decided not to offer right-hander Roy Oswalt arbitration, effectively reducing the price it would cost the Nationals to sign the veteran starter. And though left-hander Mark Buehrle is also high on the team's list of targets this winter, the development could make Oswalt a more attractive alternative. Had the Phillies decided to offer Oswalt arbitration, it would have cost the Nationals a first-round ... read more
Among the handful of other sweeping changes in Major League Baseball's new collective bargaining agreement - like a second wild card spot and blood testing for HGH - was one that should be of particular interest to Nationals fans, or at least anyone who has watched the transformation the team has undergone in the June draft the last four years. In 2008, the Nationals drew ... read more
Nationals outfielder Michael Morse, who hit .303 and slugged 31 homers during a breakout season, received two votes to finish 19th in the National League Most Valuable Player balloting. The results were announced today by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Morse received a seventh-place vote on one ballot and a 10th-place vote on another, finishing just ahead of Mets/Giants outfielder Carlos Beltran. Brewers outfielder ... read more
The point was made again yesterday, as Joe Nathan - a 37-year-old closer who used to be one of the game's very best, but hasn't been at the top since 2009 after Tommy John surgery - got a two-year, $14.5 million deal from the Rangers with a $9 million option for 2014: Closers are really expensive. Actually, it's not just closers. Setup men, like the ... read more
