The first year they did it was 2006, the first with Washington's new ownership in place, in November of '06, and it was described as a necessary step to refill a dried up system that had suffered under a lack of ownership since 2002 and seen it's Minor League system completely desiccated by the time the team relocated to DC, with then-Assistant GM Bob Boone telling MLB.com's Bill Ladson, in an article entitled, "Nats sign 21 Minor League free agents", that, "From our standpoint, we think a few of them will connect." The second time, in late November of '07, and it was described by MLB.com's Bill Ladson, in an article entitled, "Nationals sign 19 to Minor League deals", as an attempt to find, "...a diamond in the rough." This time, the Nationals signed just 13 Minor League free agents, according to a Washington Times' "Chatter: A Nationals Blog" post by Times' writer Mark Zuckerman entitled, "Nats sign 13 to minor-league deals", where no explanation for the moves is offered, but Mr. Zuckerman does report that all but one of the thirteen received invitations to Spring Training.

The first year, Nationals' fans had to endure a few jokes, like the sports writers who'd tell anyone who ever wanted to pitch in the Majors to head to Nationals' camp, which was funny, really, but it was understandable, after all, the best prospects in the organization were all either on the DC roster or had been traded away over the years, so it was necessary to cast a wide net, and the second season, it was accurately described as a way of maybe finding one or two players out there who had been cast aside for a variety of reasons, but still might have value...Why is DC still doing this after three seasons? A quick look at the results of the first two attempts, would seem to justify the approach...

Out of the 21 Minor League free agents signed in '06, three, "Don Sutton's Favorite Pitcher" Tim Redding**, current closer "Wild" Joel Hanrahan, and "The Nationals' Most Famous Player, 'Hollywood' Mike Bacsik", managed to make signifant contributions to the big club. Out of the 19 signed in '07, two, Mike Hinckley, (who was really re-signed), and Steven Shell were able to really impress and are considered part of the '09 bullpen at this point according to everything I've read this winter. So why not try to fill some spots in Triple-A and maybe with the big club from amongst those the rest of the league has let loose...Some of the 13 signed this year, Nationals' fans know well, returning free agents like Pete Orr, Ryan Langerhans, Ryan Wagner, and some others, Matt Whitney, Justin Jones, are names we've all heard before, while Freddie Bynum spent the last two seasons working thirty or so miles north of DC. I could see Wagner, Shell, Hanrahan, Hinckley and even possibly Redding, (if he's brought back) making significant contributions this season...Some around the Nationals' blogosphere have different opinions...

Further Reading:

Brian Oliver at the Nationals Farm Authority, in a post entitled, "Nats Sign 13 Minor Leaguers", focuses in on one of the 13, Joel Guzman, a 23-year old infielder who has spent time in the Dodgers' and Rays' organizations, as the most intriguing signing...

Steven at Fire Jim Bowden gets through an entire post entitled, "Lucky 13 Minor League Contracts", without taking a single shot at the DC GM, and Steven provides a quick, but thorough, look at each of the titular "Lucky 13"...

...and while we're mentioning the Nationals' Blogosphere:

-- I received an email recently from estopple.08, who writes a blog called 1500 South Capitol Street about following the Washington Nationals from his home in Tokyo, Japan, which I've added to the Nationals Links in the left margin...(ed. note - "1500 South Capitol Street is written in Japanese, so have some translation software handy.")

-- I also received a note from Dave from Bottomfeeder Baseball, who will be known as Dave from the Nationals News Network from now on, as he relaunched his Nationals blog to more closely mirror the Washington Capitals site, the Capitals News Network, that Dave writes as well, so update your bookmarks and links if you're following along...

Finally, there's Collin Balester, or Bally Star as he calls himself, and "Bally's Blog" at mlblogs.com, where the Nationals' pitcher has been blogging during the offseason, and this time he's back with a post entitled, "Thanksgiving Break in California and the debut of 'Bally's Minute'", where Mr. Balester does in fact recount his family's Thanksgiving dinner, and then, as promised in the title, delivers the first 'Bally's Minute' where he offers an anecdote about fellow National Nick Johnson, who is referred to by Mr. Balester as, possibly, "...the coolest guy I have met in baseball." Check out the post to see why...

PLUS...You can now follow along on FEDERALBASEBALL.com's Twitter page, where I hope to make (and receive if any readers out there are Twittering), quick updates on any Nationals-related news that I hear while I'm away from the federalbaseball.com bunker. If anyone out there's interested, it seems like an interesting way to keep each other updated on what we're all hearing and reading throughout the day, and a nice way to continue building a community around the nation's capitals' favorite baseball team...(the twitter accounts are free, I'm still waiting to see what their text updates add to my phone bill...)

(ed. note - " ** = Redding Non-Tendered?")

After announcing this weekend that they had offered arbitration to four players, pitcher Shawn Hill, the newly-acquired pair, Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham and the "Face of the Franchise Until All This Tex-Talk", Ryan Zimmerman...The Washington Nationals announced that they had re-signed outfielder extraordinaire, Willie Harris, (to a 2-year/$3 million dollar deal)...and then DC surprised just about everybody by non-tendering a pitcher one could claim was at least the first or second best starter for the Nationals last season, namely "Don Sutton's Favorite Pitcher" Tim Redding. 

...While many have speculated that the Nationals will probably quickly sign Redding as a free agent thus avoiding arbitration with the much-traveled veteran hurler, the pitcher himself doesn't seem all that pleased with the turn of events, as he explained to Washington Times' writer Mark Zuckerman in an article entitled, "Nats agree with Harris, opt to let Redding go":

"'I'm a guy who was going to make $3 [million] to $4 million,' he said. 'They can pay all five guys in the rotation for only a little more than they'd have to pay for me. So there was always a chance I thought this could happen.'"

...and it didn't sound any better in MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article on the non-tendering entitled, "Nationals give Harris two-year deal", where Mr. Redding told Mr. Ladson, (several paragraphs after an elated Willie Harris proclaims, "'It feels like everything just paid off...") that the move:

"...kind of came as a surprise, but I also know they are trying to cut cost and everything else because they are trying to bring in [Mark Teixeira]," Redding said."

...after which Mr. Redding announces that he won't be sitting around waiting for the Nationals to reach out:

"I'm a free agent, and I'll be checking the whole market," Redding said. "[General manager] Jim [Bowden] made it clear to me that there is still interest back in D.C., but not for the price arbitration would allow me to get. I'm going through the process."

So for anyone keeping score...there wasn't enough money to sign Soriano a few years back...Last summer, 1st Round pick Aaron Crow's monetary demands were too outlandish to consider signing the potential top-of-the-rotation starter...and DC doesn't want Redding (probably a 4th/5th starter) back at the "price arbitration would allow" him to get...but there's more than enough money for an 8-year/$162 Million dollar offer for Teixeira...You can't bring back a veteran pitcher because of all the money you're trying to committ to Teixeira?...Why would a city that had its Senators leave and become the Rangers want to start acting like that Texas team did with A-Rod?

WINTER LEAGUE WHIRLWIND...(Coming Tomorrow, we'll catch up on all the weekend action in the Dominican, Puerto Rican and Venezuelan Leagues...but NOW...)

Teixeira Update...as of 6:13 pm EST 12/14/08...Mark Teixeira has not yet accepted or rejected the Washington Nationals' generous offer...

The New York Yankees have, however, done what everyone hoped they wouldn't and officially announced their intentions to pursue the coveted free agent first baseman right along with the Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox...(ed. note - "I guess when two teams in your division and one powerhouse in the AL do it, the Yankees are left with no choice...")

The Yankees, as reported in an MLB.com article Lyle Spencer entitled, "Yankees enter Teixeira Fray", having already signed Nick Swisher, A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia to free agents deals this offseason, have decided that they might as well get involved in the bidding for not only Teixeira, but OF Manny Ramirez as well...and why not, right?...

Teixeira's stated in the past that he wants to know where he'll be playing before Christmas...which doesn't leave much time now...

DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE UPDATE...

As if Ronnie Belliard's 2 for 4, 2 HR, 6 RBI Dominican Winter League debut last Tuesday with the Tigres del Licey wasn't impressive enough, the DC infielder, expected to come off the bench for Washington this season, let the Nationals know he can still swing the bat the next night as well with a 2 for 3, 2 run, 1 HR, 4 RBI follow up on Wednesday and an opening week with Licey that ends with 6 hits in his first 15 at bats over five games in which Belliard's collected 3 HR's and 12 RBI's. 

Belliard's teammate on the Tigres and the Nationals, Anderson Hernandez, continued to make his case for the starting spot at second with Washington in '09, even after the trade of Emilio Bonifacio to Florida all but assured that, barring a spectacular Spring from Belliard, the job is his. That hasn't slowed the 25-year old infielder's roll this Winter, however, as 36 games in with Licey, Hernandez is hitting .391 with 15 doubles, 6 triples, 1 HR and 23 RBI's, 5 stolen bases, 11 walks,  a .429 OBP, .589 SLG and 1.019 OPS...No wonder Washington was comfortable trading Bonifacio...

Just take a quick look at these three links...

Baseball America's Aaron Fitt's, "Top Ten Prospects: Washington Nationals", from 1/4/05.

Baseball America's Matt Meyers', "Top Ten Prospects: New York Mets", from 11/11/05. 

Baseball America's Mike Berardino's, "Top Ten Prospects: Florida Marlins", from 12/23/04.

Did you notice what I did? Two players from the Nationals' list, Mike Hinckley and Collin Balester, two players from the Mets' list, Lastings Milledge and Anderson Hernandez, and two players from the Marlins' list, Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham, all of them on the DC roster this season along with the Nationals' '05 1st Round Pick Ryan Zimmerman, and the #7 prospect in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' system from 2004, (in Baseball America's Bill Ballew's eyes), Elijah Dukes...either DC's really living in the past, or the future is now. 

WDJD???

What did Jesus Flores do this week with the Navegantes del Magallanes of the Venezuelan Winter League? Not much! In fact, Flores has just 1 hit in his last 18 at bats, stretching back to November 18th, (when he went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI). Since then it's only the 1 hit, (which he made the most of, knocking in 2 runs with a double this past Saturday), for the Navegantes, and the Nationals' catcher's now hitting just .200 in 19 games and 60 at bats, with 4 doubles, 1 HR, 6 RBI's and 17 K's.

Elsewhere This Winter...

Justin Maxell's hitting just .172 in 17 games and 58 at bats for the Criollos de Caguas in the Liga de Beisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico...Did I mention that Sunday night, Maxwell also hit his 5th HR in 58 at bats, and he's connected for 3 doubles and collected 14 RBI's in 17 games...Maxwell's teammate, Garrett Guzman's 1 for 4 game Sunday left him with a .293 AVG, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR's and 8 RBI's in 17 games...

-- The Hall Of Fame Talk...is starting again. Here's a look back to the last time former Expos' Andre Dawson and Tim Raines were up for consideration, an 11/27/07 post I creatively titled, "Do Andre Dawson and Tim Raines Deserve To Be Hall Of Famers?"

-- The Washington Nationals declined to offer arbitration to either Odalis Perez or Aaron Boone, making them both free agents though DC does have a desire to see both return in '09...My Prediction - Boone comes back. Odalis Perez gets a better offer from some other pitching desperate ball club...and takes it. 

-- According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article entitled, "Kearns ready to battle for outfield spot", Austin Kearns isn't going to take the federalbaseball.com readers' attempts to relegate him to the bench lying down, as he tells Mr. Ladson rather confidently, "I've been through that stuff before with a crowded outfield. Those things usually play themselves out." But perhaps more interesting were Kearns' comments on his fellow former Cincy Red, Adam Dunn, a purported person of interest for DC. In Kearns' opinion, as quoted by Mr. Ladson:

"'Everybody likes the power and he walks. He is just a presence in the lineup,' Kearns said. 'You know he is going knock in his runs. You don't have to worry about that. He has stayed healthy, so he is going to be in there every day.'"

Don't encourage them, Austin. Or should I just resign myself to the inevitability of Adam "A Bigger Wilkerson" Dunn becoming a National?

end transmission.

This season will be Randy Knorr's second go-round as the Washington Nationals' Bullpen Coach, with the first coming when he replaced John Wetteland in June of '06, after Mr. Wetteland and the DC skipper at the time, Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, had what were described by MLB.com's Bill Ladson as "philosophical differences" in an article entitled, "Wetteland let go as bullpen coach". As Wetteland rode into the sunset on his motorcyle (uh,...literally), Randy Knorr was named as his replacement in the DC Bullpen... 

...A 10th Round pick in the 1986 MLB Amateur Draft by Toronto, Randy Knorr was in his 6th season in the Blue Jays' system when he debuted on September 5, 1991, and over 11 more Major League seasons with five teams, (Toronto, Houston, Florida, Texas and Montreal), Knorr managed to play 253 games, hitting in 153 of 676 at bats for a .226 Career AVG after an unsuccessful pinch hit opportunity in his last appearance in the Majors with the Expos on September 9, 2001...

...Knorr had been managing in Washington's system for several seasons when Frank Robinson introduced him as the new bullpen coach in June of '06, and Mr. Robinson had high praise for the former backup backstop, telling MLB.com's Bill Ladson, as quoted in an article entitled, "Notes: Knorr named bullpen coach", that Knorr:

"'... is an ex-catcher and was always praised about his handling of pitchers,' Robinson said. 'I know when I came into this organization, we kept him around for three or four years for insurance at the big-league level, had him at Triple-A to handle the young pitchers down there. I think he fits the bill here for the position that's open.'"

After Frank Robinson was dismissed as the Nationals' Manager, Knorr was sent back to his old job as the Class-A Potomac Nationals' Skipper, so that, as DC GM Jim Bowden explained to former Washington Post Nationals'-beat writer Barry Svrluga in an 11/1/06 article entitled, "Nationals reassign two coaches to Minors", Robinson's successor could select his own staff, though Mr. Svrluga wrote that Mr. Bowden believed Knorr should be given consideration for the position. 

Manny Acta selected his own staff, (which did not include Knorr), upon being hired as Washington's Manager in November of '06, but after this past season's 59-102 finish, Acta's coaches were dismissed (with the exception of "Teflon Randy" St. Claire), and Acta and Bowden set about selecting a new group of coaches together. Washington Post writer Chico Harlan noted, in an article entitled, "Nats add Grissom, Listach as Coaches", that Knorr was once again called upon, (along with First Base Coach Marquis Grissom, Third Base Coach Pat Listach, Bench Coach Jim Riggleman and Hitting Coach Rick Eckstein), as a way to, "...reward the work (he'd) done at the organization's lower levels," and Mr. Knorr was quoted in Mr. Harlan's article noting that his work throughout the organization had allowed him to work with, "...most of the guys in the bullpen."

Knorr managed the Class-A Potomac Nationals to the Carolina League title in 2008, and those experiences, combined with what he learned as the Nationals' Bullpen Coach back in 2006, have Knorr feeling confident heading toward the '09 season according to an article by insidenova.com writer Robert Daski entitled, "Knorr moves on to the major leagues", where an enthusiastic and optimistic- sounding Knorr tells Mr. Daski that he:

"...hopes Washington's players come to spring training eager to put the past behind them and that the coaches are on the same page in their plan to reverse the team's fortune."

With all the young starters Washington figures to have in their starting rotation next season, Knorr's bullpen, (which as of today consists of Saul "Sa-ool" Rivera, Jesus "Everyday" Colome, "Wild" Joel Hanrahan, Marco Estrada, Mike Hinckley, Garrett Mock and Steven Shell), is going to have its work cut out for it...Let's hope Knorr and the Relief Corps are up to the task...

In an AP article entitled, "Lerner selected as new Nationals owner" at ESPN.com shortly after the Lerner Group purchased the Washington Nationals from Major League baseball in May of 2006, the newly-named Team President Stan Kasten set out the agenda for beginning to rebuild the barren system the DC-based group had inherited from the MLB owners and Montreal:

"Kasten said his Nationals will focus on pitching and grooming talent -- core elements of what worked so well during his time with the Braves, who have won 14 consecutive division titles...'We're going to spend money on the minor leagues, player development and scouting,' Kasten said. 'We have principles.'"

MLB.com writer Bill Ladson started his 5/4/06 article entitled, "Notes: Robinson likes Lerner priority", by relaying an anecdote from the Nationals' Hall of Fame Manager, Frank Robinson, who in Mr. Ladson's words, "...has always said that the Minor Leagues are the lifeline of a franchise", and later Mr. Ladson notes Mr. Robinson's prediction that the rebuilding effort "...will take two to three years, as long as the organization is patient. He used the Braves as the model franchise..."

(ed. note - "...And not only the Nationals, who have talked of trading for a power bat this winter, but also the Braves, (who have come close to dealing some Grade-A talent in their pursuit of Peavy), should heed the advice Frank Robinson offers in his assessment of the old Atlanta Management's approach to building from within:

"'Dealing with the Braves, when I was with the Orioles, you couldn't touch their A prospects, their top prospects," Robinson said. "They would walk away from a deal before you could get any of those players. Those are the players they had marked that probably will be playing with us within a year or two years."

As Mr. Robinson predicted, two years after the Lerner Group and Kasten took over the Nationals, the results on the Farm are beginning to show, not only in the promotion to DC of players like Collin Balester, Shairon Martis, John Lannan, Mike Hinckley, etc., but also on the field in the Minors where the various affiliates have significantly improved. Former Washington Post Nationals-beat writer Barry Svrluga wrote a post at Nationals Journal in January of '08 noting the results of the Baseball America rankings of MLB Minor League systems entitled, "Baseball America: Nats farm system now no. 9", (ed. note - Which eschewed the use of poss. apostrophes!"), while reporting that the Nationals' System as a whole had jumped some twenty-one spots in the rankings from 30th (or last) overall to 9th, (as the title gave away), which was, Mr. Svrluga noted, the second largest jump by a franchise in the last decade.

(ed. note - "Coincidentally, Mr. Svrluga notes in the Nationals Journal post that the largest jump in the rankings was made by the Texas Rangers, who jumped, "...24 slots, from 28th to fourth, this year, helped by major trades of Eric Gagne and Mark Teixeira.")

In 2009, one Nationals' affiliate, the Class-A Potomac Nationals even went so far as to win their league's title, taking the Carolina League crown...and now they've been designated by MiLB.com voters as the 3rd best team in the Minors this season in the Minor League "Team Of The Year" voting, behind only, NY Yankees' Double-AA affiliate, the Trenton Thunder, who took the Eastern League title and the San Francisco Giants' Class-A affiliate from Georgia, the Savannah Sand Gnats, who were the South Atlantic League's best. (ed. note - "For those link-averse amongst us, the write-up on the MiLB.com award page reads:

"The Nationals combined to lead the Carolina League in batting (.265), runs scored (720), hits (1,234) and fielding percentage (.975) en route to their first title since 1989.")

Just this week, John Sickels at Minor League Ball.com, presented his "EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY" assessment of the state of the Nationals' system in a post entitled, "Washington Nationals Top 20 Prospects for 2009", where he names 2007 2nd Round pick Jordan Zimmermann, (who pitched the first half of the year with the Potomac Nationals before moving to Double-A Harrisburg), as the top prospect in the DC system, noting, "...I liked this guy in college, and I think he is significantly underrated on a national basis." Mr. Sickels then offers this analysis of the entire DC system after presenting his full (preliminary) Top 20 Prospects list:

"The Nationals system is not as bad as you think it is, but it isn’t very good, either. They have a lot of depth in C+ style prospects, but lack impact talents beyond the top few, and even guys like Marrero and Detwiler have big question marks. Health has been a big issue for a lot of their players. They need to continue being aggressive in the draft, and further investments in Latin America would likely help."

(ed. note - "Quoting Mr. Sickels from his post, "...'Reports on these guys and over 1,000 others can be found in the 2009 Baseball Prospect Book. Pre-order for January 31st shipping now!'")

(another ed. note - "The Nationals Farm Authority's Brian Oliver's own assessment of Mr. Sickel's list entitled, 'John Sickels Nationals Top 20 Prospects',  is a must-read post for DC fans.")

WINTER LEAGUE ROUNDUP...(all links to MiLB.com player pages)...

Tigres del Licey second baseman Anderson Hernandez was 0 for 2 with a run scored and 2 walks in a 16-8 loss to the Gigantes del Cibao. Starting at third for Licey? Ronnie B. Ronnie Belliard, who starts his Winter by going 2 for 4 with 2 HR's and 6 RBI's in the loss. (ed. note - "Watch out, Hernandez, Belli's Back! Once the Nationals don't get Teixeira, how about a trade with LAA for Kendry Morales, who started at first for Cibao tonight, and after hitting his 6th HR and collecting 4 RBI's, is hitting .451 in 18 games with 10 doubles, 6 HR's and 18 RBI's...just sayin'.")...Tigres del Licey RF Emilio Bonifaci...Eh, he's a Marlin now...In Puerto Rico Winter League action, Criollos de Caguas' DH Justin Maxwell went 0 for 3 with a walk and a K, and Garrett Guzman was 0 for 1 in a PH appearance. DC backstop Jesus Flores was 0 for 2 against the Cardinales de Lara in a 2-0 loss for Flores' Navegantes del Magallanes. 

end transmission.