Kuzul

A potentially new-and-improved Ross Detwiler took the mound in Viera, Florida yesterday and pitched two scoreless innings against the New York Mets. He allowed just two weak singles, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

A different release point—twice now the Nationals have tinkered with his across-the-body throwing motion—seems to have streamlined Detwiler’s follow-through and perhaps, finally, Detwiler 3.0 will take his place in the Nationals’ starting rotation.

Or will he? Many still believe that the team chose poorly when they made the then 21-year-old their top pick.

They point to the 2007 MLB amateur draft when the Nationals—who were holding a coveted No. 6 pick—drafted the left-hander from Missouri State. There were many highly respected players still available when the Nationals seemingly picked Detwiler’s name out of a hat.

Almost four years later, Detwiler has yet to mature and some believe he never will. He has been slowed by both hip surgery and changes in his delivery, and it seems that each spring, he has to start over.

Was Bowden wrong in choosing the lanky lefty or was Detwiler the appropriate pick that year?

Many forget that the Wentzville, Missouri native was considered the second best left-hander in the draft, behind only uber-prospect David Price, who went first to the Rays via Vanderbilt University.

But perhaps more importantly to Bowden and the Nationals, he was rated as being the third-closest prospect to the major leagues.

So really, for a team bereft any real talent, Bowden’s choice made perfect sense.

Coming out of college, Detwiler had a four-seam fastball that topped out at 94 mph and a solid two-seam sinker. His 12-6 curve buckled knees and his change—when he threw it—was a show pitch that still needed work.

In his last two seasons in college, Detwiler went 11-9 with a 2.51 ERA, allowing just six hits per game while striking out 12. Scouts liked his deceptive delivery and his cerebral pitching style.

It was believed that while he would never be a No. 1 starter, he would be a solid No. 2, something Washington desperately needed.

Looking back on the choice, some think that Detwiler was chosen too early, that perhaps Bowden was after a player polished enough to make it to the major leagues quickly while not costing the team a great deal of money.

It turns out that was totally untrue. Listed below are seven of the most respected mock drafts from 2007, showing where Detwiler was predicted to be drafted:

Mymlbdraft.com: Fourth (Chicago Cubs)

Outsidethebeltway.com: Second (Kansas City Royals)

John Sickels: Eighth (Colorado Rockies)

Jonathon Mayo, Mlb.com: Fifth (Baltimore Orioles)

FuturePhillies.com: Fifth (Baltimore Orioles)

SI.com: Fifth (Baltimore Orioles)

Yahoo.com: Fifth (Baltimore Orioles)

Sportingnews.com: Second (Kansas City Royals)

Of the eight mock drafts, only one had Detwiler going to a team who picked after the Nationals. There is little doubt, then, that Detwiler was a well-respected player who most considered a top five talent.

With the Nationals’ sixth pick, the mock drafts predicted that Washington would select either Phillipe Aumont, Matt Wieters, Beau Mills or Max Scherzer.

I’m not sure why so many think that Ross Detwiler has not played well thus far in his career. Over four minor league seasons, his record is 17-17, 3.79, 10.1/3.5/8.1. Last season, splitting time with Class-A Potomac, Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse, Detwiler went 3-2, 2.27, 10.0/1.9/8.0.

With the Nationals, he pitched well last season up until his last start, when the Phillies clobbered him. Before that game, Detwiler had a record of 1-2 with a fine 2.52 ERA, striking out 15 in 25 innings. Even with that horrid game against Philadelphia, his ERA was still a solid 4.25.

So to those who believe that Detwiler was a bad pick, I ask, who is it the Nationals should have selected? There were 24 players taken after Detwiler in the first round. Let’s see if we can find a better choice.

Remember, Bowden was not necessarily locked in on a pitcher. In fact, he said later that had they been available, he would have taken either Josh Vitters or Mike Moustakas instead. “Pitchers,” Bowden explained, “come with a much higher risk of injury than position players.”

Vitters made it to Double-A last season, batted .247-10-39 and was ranked as the 70th best prospect by Baseball America. Moustakas is ranked 80th and batted .293-15-48 for the Royals’ Triple-A club.

So both of Bowden’s first choices are doing well enough, but neither has yet to play in the major leagues like Detwiler.

Here are the 24 players taken after Detwiler:

7. Matt LaPorta is now 25 and has batted .232/.307/.388 with 19 homers in 162 major league games with Cleveland.

8. Casey Weathers has a 2-3, 3.63 record in 88 minor league games. Last season, he walked 8.2 batters per nine innings while striking out 12.1. He has yet to make it to the major leagues.

9. Jarrod Parker has done well thus far, going 17-11, 3.31 in 44 career minor league starts. However, he underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2010. He was the 36th best prospect prior to his surgery. He hasn’t pitched in the majors.

10. Madison Bumgarner made it to the majors in 2010 and went 7-6, 2.90 for the San Francisco Giants. He allowed just 2.2 walks per nine innings while striking out 7.1.

11. Phillippe Aumont was traded to Philadelphia in the Cliff Lee trade, but has yet to have any real success. In three minor league seasons, Aumont has gone 9-21, 4.57, 8.7/4.8/8.8.

12. Matt Dominguez hit .252-14-81 in Double-A last season and has a career .257 batting average. He has no major league experience.

13. Beau Mills batted .241-10-72 with a .312 on-base percentage in his second year of Double-A ball last season. He hasn’t played in the major leagues yet.

14. Jason Heyward is the one player who stands out in this draft. He joined the Braves last season as a 20-year-old and batted .277/.393/.456 with 18 home runs and 72 RBI.

15. Devin Mesoraco reached Triple-A last year and hit .231 in 58 at-bats. Splitting time at three different levels, he batted .302/.377/.587.  He has no major league experience.

16. Kevin Aherns has struggled throughout his four-year career, averaging .239/.309/.348 and showing little power or speed.

17. Blake Beavan went 14-8, 3.90 last year while playing at both Double-A and Triple-A. For his career, he is 33-22, 3.58 in three minor league seasons. He has yet to play in the major leagues.

18. Pete Kozma has a career minor league batting average of just .243 with a .319 on-base percent. He has yet to play above the Double-A level.

19. Joe Savery went 1-12, 4.66 for the Phillies Triple-A team. He hasn’t played in the major leagues yet.

20. Chris Withrow played in Double-A in 2010, going 4-9, 5.97.

21. J.P. Arencibia batted .143/.189/.343 for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010.

22. Tim Alderson went 11-9, 6.03 while playing at Class-A and Double-A in the Pirates organization. He has a career 4.13 ERA in the minor leagues.

23. Nick Schmidt has gone 12-18, 4.85, 9.2/4.4/7.9 in four minor league seasons.

24. Michael Main has won 14 games with a 4.83 ERA in four minor league seasons.

25. Aaron Poreda has pitched in 14 games in the major leagues with a 2.70 ERA. He was the 63rd best prospect in 2009.

26. James Simmons had a 7-7, 5.72 record in Triple-A last season and has won 16 games in three minor league seasons. He has no major league experience

27. Rick Porcello was certainly the best player available when Washington chose Ross Detwiler, but he and his agent made it clear that they were looking to break new ground with their bonus demands. Ultimately, Porcello ended up costing Detroit almost $11 million in bonus money and guaranteed major league contracts. Porcello has won 24 major league games with an ERA of 4.43.

28. Ben Revere has played 10 games with Minnesota, batting .179/.233/.179. He has a career .328 minor league batting average, but with little power.

29. Wendell Fairley has a career .267 minor league average with six home runs. He has yet to play above Class-A.

30. Andrew Backman was 10-11, 3.90 in Double-A last season, striking out 8.1 batters per nine innings. He has yet to play in the major leagues.

So six players drafted after Detwiler, Matt LaPorta, Madison Bumgarner, Jason Heyward, J.P. Arencibia, Rick Porcello and Ben Revere, have played in the major leagues and only two—Heyward and Porcello—have succeeded. The rest have either failed to this point or simply don’t have enough games under their belt to be able to render a fair decision.

A few of those still in the minors—players like Jarrod Parker, Devin Mesoraco and Blake Beavan—look like they could become quality major leaguers, but are still a year or more away from being ready.

And just too many of these first rounder’s seem headed to the minor league scrap heap. A great many of them are still at the Double-A level and a few still haven’t gotten out of Class-A.

Detwiler, on the other hand, hasn’t pitched at the Single-A level for two years.

The difference between a prospect and a player is that the prospect’s statistics get better as he is promoted and faces better competition.

In 151 innings at the Class-A level, Detwiler went 10-10, 4.64, 10.1/3.5/8.1. In his time with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, he improved considerably, going 2-5 but with a 2.90 ERA. His walks per nine innings dropped to 2.6 and his strikeouts improved to 8.8. With Triple-A Syracuse, Detwiler went 5-2, 2.98 in 13 starts.

In his first 10 starts in the major leagues, Detwiler looked very much like the rookie he was. He went 0-5 with a 6.40 ERA, allowing a batting average/on-base percentage/slugging mark of .322/.379/.457.

Since then, however, Detwiler has pitched extremely well for Washington. In his last 10 starts (since September 2009), he has crafted a fine 3.22 ERA and has allowed just a .252/.339/.330 batting average/on-base percentage/slugging. In those 10 games, he has had just one poor outing, against the Phillies.

Detwiler has had to deal with two problems since joining the Nationals’ organization. First, the organization tried to change his unconventional delivery which caused him to lose some of his effectiveness.

But they allowed him to return to his old form and he’s been sharp ever since (the new 2011 change is minor in comparison and seems to have tweaked, not changed his overall delivery).

Second, his hip surgery last year caused him to lose half of the 2010 season. But he is 100 percent healthy now and should be ready to compete for a spot in the Nationals’ rotation.

And here’s the thing: he deserves that spot. He has the baseball skills to be an effective major league pitcher, and has succeeded over the past year. Going back to the minor leagues isn’t going to help him in 2011. He needs 30 starts to prove his worth to the Nationals.

Is there a chance he will fail? Sure, but the team needs to find that out now.

Yes, it would have been nice to have a more experienced starter join the rotation, but I am perfectly content going into 2011 with a starting five of Jordan Zimmermann, Jason Marquis, John Lannan, Ross Detwiler and Livan Hernandez (with Yunesky Maya as the team’s first option at Syracuse).

Ross Detwiler, in spite of what we’ve heard, was the right pick with that sixth spot in the draft. Sure, Jayson Heyward seems to be the elite of that first round, but remember that 13 other teams failed to choose him as well. And the only other player who has outperformed Detwiler is Rick Porcello, which the team couldn’t have signed even if they did draft him.

No, Ross Detwiler made sense, both then and now. If given the chance, he can be an effective No. 3 or No. 4 starter, the kind of guy who can give a team 12-13 wins and an ERA around 4.00.

Now let’s see if he’s given that chance instead of being derailed by some guy with a little more experience and an ERA over five.

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Are you people serious?

I picked through the Internet sports news this morning, and it appears there are people who think it’s necessary to defend Bryce Harper after his two-strikeout performance yesterday in his first spring training game.

Some of these people actually get paid to analyze such things.

“Does his performance prove he can’t hit the big-league curveball?”

This kid is 18 years old. He is in his first spring training camp and he’s getting his first look at big-league pitching. This is not Instructional League against other recent draftees. This is not the Arizona Fall League where you face minor-league prospects. He’s facing major-leaguers.

Harper has been exceptional at every level he’s ever played and he’ll probably be exceptional this year at his assigned level, but it isn’t going to be the major leagues. He’ll start out in A-ball.

Sure, I’ve written previously that he’ll be in the big leagues in 2011, but that’s only talking about being called up when the rosters expand in September—and even that’s not a given.

It’s impossible in the Internet age, but what would be best for Harper would be to get assigned to minor league camp and begin his career away from the limelight.

The difference between baseball and other sports is that most of the kids drafted go to the minor leagues and develop as players and people and learn to handle all facets of becoming big league baseball players.

It’s not just learning to hit a curveball. It’s also learning how to live out of a suitcase for most of the year.

If an athlete is taken first in the NFL draft, he’s expected to play right away or he’s considered a bust. In the MLB, especially out of high school, a prospect is considered a phenom if he makes it to the big leagues with only a couple years of development.

Harper will be in the position soon enough that we can judge his ability based on present performance.

It’s too early for that now.

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While the Nationals didn’t do as badly as their disastrous 2009 season, where they went 59-103, they still found themselves in the basement of the division in 2010 with just 69 wins. While Washington wasn’t able to bring back power hitting first baseman Adam Dunn, they were able to bring in Adam LaRoche and Jason Werth.

With pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg not able to go until at least September, the Nationals simply don’t have the pitching or hitting to contend. Here is a quick look at the starting lineup and starting rotation for the Nationals, plus our MLB predictions on how we see them finishing the this season in the NL East.

Starting Lineup

The Nationals are counting heavily on the production of Werth and LaRoche, as their only other power hitter is third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who finished with 25 home runs with 85 RBIs. LaRoche hit 25 home runs with 100 RBIs while playing for the Diamondbacks. Werth hit 27 home runs to go along with 85 RBIs as a member of the Phillies. Other than these three, the rest of the lineup could be in trouble. 

Long-time veteran Ivan Rodriguez is projected to open the season behind the plate but doesn’t figure to be more than a leader in the clubhouse. Nyjer Morgan didn’t quite have the season the Nationals were hoping for, hitting just .253 compared to the .307 he hit in 2009.

Washington also took an interesting gamble on outfielder Rick Ankiel, who has had a tough time staying healthy, but he could end up being one of the big surprises of the this season. Finally for the Nationals to take that next step, they need their young prospects to be even more of a factor. Ian Desmond had a solid rookie season, hitting 10 home runs with 65 RBIS, but still has a lot of work to do, the same could be said for Danny Espinosa, who hit just .214 with a .277 OBP in 28 games last year. 

Starting Rotation

Even if Washington’s offense overachieves, it’s unlikely they compete in the division with the starting five they are predicted to start the year with. With Strasburg out for most of the year, Livan Hernandez is the ace of this rotation, and while he finished 2010 10-12 with a 3.66 ERA, he is better suited as a No. 3 starter.

What the Nationals need this season will be the continued improvement of youngsters John Lannan and Jordan Zimmermann. Lannan went 8-8 with a 4.65 ERA, but has pitched better in previous years, and could be ready to a breakout season. Zimmerman has started just seven games over the last two seasons because of Tommy John surgery, but Washington still believes he has what it takes to be a good pitcher in this league.

The the final two sports in the the rotation are a huge concern with Tom Gorzelanny and Jason Marquis. Neither figures to be dominant and we wouldn’t be shocked if the Nationals didn’t end the season with these two and try and get some younger arms some experience. 

2011 Projections: 5th Place NL East

The Nationals lost their best power-hitter in Dunn and top pitcher in Strasburg, it’s hard to imagine Washington improving a whole lot this season. The NL East has too much talent, and we don’t think there is anyway they make it out of the basement in this division.The Nationals current MLB odds to win the NL East this season are +6000

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According to legend, when he was 15-years old, Bryce Harper bombed a home run that went over the right field fence, two trees, a second fence, a sidewalk, crossed five lanes of traffic, a second sidewalk, and landed in the middle of a deserted area in the Nevada desert. The shot was estimated to have landed some 570-feet away from home plate.

Although there is no video to prove exactly how far the home run landed, one year later and from multiple angles, Harper blasted the longest home run shot at Tropicana Field during a home run derby at the ripe old age of 16. This shot heard and seen around the world, hit off the back wall of Tropicana Field.

Five months later, Harper and his legendary home runs landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

On Monday, Harper will longer be the stuff of legend, but rather of reality as he makes his pro debut when the Nationals take on the New York Mets.

At just 18-years old, Harper may just overtake fellow teammate Stephen Strasburg as the biggest reason to watch the Washington Nationals, especially this spring training.

Although he isn’t expected to land on the Nationals’ regular season roster until next season, the hype is enough to draw interest. Rated as the No. 2 overall best minor league prospect according to MLB Network’s Top 50 prospects, Harper without question is the most intriguing of all.

The real dilemma facing the Nationals is the same they faced last season: when is the right time to cash in the chips and call up the kids to play pro ball?

Common sense, money and the overall excitment of seeing Strasburg was too much for the Nats, and one year after being drafted No. 1 overall, Stephen Strasburg made his pro debut in April of 2010. 

Harper spent his first season in the minors playing in the Arizona Fall League and without Strasburg for the entire 2011 season, there really isn’t much to get excited about in Washington, especially considering that the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves only got stronger in the offseason.

Time will only tell if the rumors of Harper not making his pro debut until 2011 will prove true, but in the meantime, it should be an interesting and entertaining Spring Training for the Nationals.

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By the time the 2009 baseball amateur draft finally came to an end, the Washington Nationals had added 50 players to their minor league system.

But really, other than the first two—Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen—the other 48 were either minor league “inventory” or relative unknowns who would probably slip into the anonymity of the low minor leagues, likely never to be heard from again.

A player’s first couple years can be very telling regarding his hopes of making it to the major leagues.

Let’s take a look at the “lower 48” and see how they have done in their first two professional seasons:

Second Round: Jeff Kobernus (2B), Cal Berkeley

His first year, 2009, wasn’t particularly impressive for the 21-year-old, as he hit just .220/.273/.244 in 41 at-bats for Class A Vermont.

He improved last season, however, batting .279/.316/.346 with 21 stolen bases in 312 at-bats. He committed just 12 errors and showed excellent range.

But with Danny Espinosa and Stephen Lombardozzi ahead of him in the organization, I doubt we’ll see much of Kobernus at the major league level.

His father was a minor league player in the 1980s.

Kobernus batted .341-8-17 his junior year before being drafted by the Nationals.

Third Round: Trevor Holder (RHP), University of Georgia

Playing for Class A Vermont, Hagerstown and Potomac, Holder was 4-3, 6.97 in 11 starts in 2009. However, he was 2-0, 3.55 for Hagerstown before being promoted to Potomac, where he was clearly in over his head, going 2-3, 9.26 in six starts.

He again split time at Hagerstown and Potomac last season and pitched very well, starting 26 games and winning seven with a fine 3.64 ERA.

He struck out 6.8 batters per nine innings while walking an incredibly low 1.9.

Holder was thought to be a sure first-round pick in the 2008 June draft, but shoulder tendinitis caused his stock to drop.

He was picked by the Marlins in the 10th round but did not sign. Holder had an up-and-down season in 2009 and fell to the Nationals in Round 3.

General manager Mike Rizzo believes that Holder will one day be a middle-of-the-rotation starter for Washington.

Fourth Round: A.J. Morris (RHP), Kansas State University

Though Morris went 0-4 in 10 starts with the Gulf Coast Nationals and Low A Hagerstown in 2009, he had a very impressive 3.38 ERA, allowing 9.3 hits, 1.7 walks and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

He started 2010 with the Gulf Coast Nationals, but was promoted to Potomac after four games, finishing the season with a record of 5-3, 3.88, allowing 8.4 hits and 3.4 walks per nine innings while striking out 7.6.

Morris was the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in 2009, going 14-1, 2.09 with 100 strikeouts. He has a 92-mph fastball and a “plus” slider.

Fifth Round: Miguel Pena (LHP), La Joya High School, Texas

Pena didn’t sign with the Nationals, opting to play for San Jacinto Junior College instead. He was drafted last season by the Padres in the 13^th round, but has yet to play a professional game.

Sixth Round: Michael Taylor (SS), Westminster Academy, Florida

Taylor had planned to attend the University of North Florida, but was swayed by the Nationals’ offer of a six-figure contract. He signed just a few days after the draft.

In 141 at-bats over two seasons, Taylor has batted just .199 with a .276 on-base percentage and a .885 fielding percentage.

Seventh Round: Andrew (Dean) Weaver (RHP), University of Georgia

A teammate of Trevor Holder, Weaver split his first season between the Gulf Coast Nationals and Vermont Lake Monsters of the New York-Penn League. In 10 games, he was 0-1, 3.55 with two saves, allowing 9.9 hits, 2.8 walks and 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings.

Weaver pitched for Class A Hagerstown last year, going 1-3 with a 3.04 ERA, saving 16 games in 20 chances. He struck out 6.4 batters per nine innings.

Weaver was the closer for the Georgia Bull Dogs, saving 10 games while going 4-2, 3.60 in 29 games.

Eighth Round: Roberto Perez (SS), Dorado Academy, Puerto Rico

Perez signed in late August and played in just 11 games in the Gulf Coast League, hitting just .167/.211/.167 in 36 at-bats.

He returned to the GCL Nationals in 2010, and the 19-year-old thrived, batting .310/.392/.416 in 113 at-bats. His .952 fielding percent was good considering the level of play.

Perez is the nephew of former big league shortstop Dickie Thon.

Ninth Round: Taylor Jordan (RHP), Brevard Community College, Florida

Jordan started six games for the Gulf Coast Nationals in 2009, going 2-0, 3.63. He allowed just 6.5 hits and 2.3 walks per nine innings while striking out 8.6.

He split time between Class A Vermont and Hagerstown last year, going 2-4 with a 5.37 ERA. However, his 2.8 walks and 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings are intriguing.

10th Round: Paul Applebee (LHP), Cal State Riverside

Applebee played his first season for the GCL Nationals and Vermont, going 0-2, 3.24 while allowing just 8.4 hits and 1.1 walks per nine innings, striking out 7.5.

He was promoted to Class A Hagerstown in 2010 and went 6-6, 4.10 for the Suns, allowing 9.9 hits and 1.0 walks per nine innings while striking out 5.6.

If he keeps his walk rate to around one per nine innings, he’ll make it to the major leagues at some point.

11th Round: Justin Bloxom (LF), Kansas State University

Bloxom, a teammate of A.J. Morris at Kansas State, had a difficult first year, going .228/.346/.303 with 68 strikeouts in just 228 at-bats.

However, he became a full-time player in 2010, batting .309/.355/.476 with 11 homers and 70 RBI to go along with 10 stolen bases for Hagerstown.

12th Round: Nathan Karns (RHP), Texas Tech University

Karns signed just before the deadline in 2009 and has yet to play for the Nationals. I can’t find any information about why he has yet to appear.

13th Round: Patrick Lehman (RHP), George Washington University

Lehman was outstanding for Vermont and Low A Hagerstown, going 4.2, 1.97, allowing 6.5 hits, 0.3 walks and 4.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

Wait, 0.3 walks per nine innings? Wow.

In 59.1 innings, Lehman walked two batters.

Playing mostly for Class A Carolina last year, Lehman went 5-4 with a 4.53 ERA. Although his ERA jumped a bit, his control remained superb, allowing just 2.6 walks per nine innings while striking out 9.1.

14th Round: Naoya Washiya (RF), College of the Desert, California

Washiya went .246-0-14 for the Gulf Coast Nationals with a .331 on-base percent and a .314 slugging mark. He was released and signed in 2010 with a Japanese minor league team, the Ishikawa Million Stars.

15th Round: Corey Davis (1B), Coffee High School, Georgia

I can’t find any information about Davis. I don’t think he signed.

Among the remaining 35 rounds, many picks didn’t sign and those who did had a kind of first year you’d expect from a late-round draft pick. However, there were some exceptions:

16^th Round: Sean Nicol (SS/2B), University of San Diego

Over the past two seasons, Nicol has batted .265/.362/.330, reaching Potomac late last season.

21st Round: Mitchell Clegg (LHP), University of Massachusetts Amherst

Clegg was very impressive for the Vermont Lake Monsters in 2009. In 10 starts, he went 2-4, 2.20, allowing 8.8 hits, with 2.0 walks per nine innings while striking out 4.7.

Last season, Clegg played for the GCL Nationals and Class A Hagerstown, combining to go 9-4, 3.20 and allowing just 2.1 walks per nine innings.

Those are good numbers for even a third- or fourth-round pick. Perhaps the Nationals found a sleeper in Clegg.

22nd Round: Daniel Rosenbaum (LHP), Xavier University, Ohio

Rosenbaum’s 2009 stats need to be taken with a grain of salt because he was a 21-year-old pitching against 18-year-old kids in the Gulf Coast League.

That said, he went 4-1, 1.95, allowing 7.1 hits and 2.2 walks per nine innings. He struck out 9.2 per nine innings as well.

But he pitched against players his own age last season, pitching for Class A Hagerstown and Potomac, combining to go 5-7, but with a sparkling 2.25 ERA.

He walked just 2.6 batters per nine innings while striking out 7.2.

I think Rosenbaum is the real deal.

29th Round: Evan Bronson (LHP), Trinity University

Bronson was a closer for Vermont of the New York-Penn League, going 3-0, 0.55 with four saves in 2009. He allowed just 5.1 hits and 0.5 walks per nine innings while striking out 6.9

He became a starter last year, going 8-9 and a 4.36 ERA with Potomac and Hagerstown. He walked just 1.5 batters per nine innings.

30^th Round: Rob Wort (RHP), Jefferson Junior College

After a very “blah” 3-3, 3.91 2009 season for the GCL Nationals, Wort excelled as a closer for Hagerstown and Potomac, going 6-0, 1.92 with eight saves.

He walked 3.0 batters per nine innings, but doubled his strikeout rate to 11.1.

38^th Round: Chris Manno (LHP), Duke University

He first played in 2010 as a 21-year-old in the Gulf Coast League. However, he went 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA and struck out 14.5 batters per nine innings. Anyone with that many strikeouts needs to be watched.

It’s very difficult to predict future greatness based on just two seasons, but the Nationals’ 2009 draft seems to be well stocked with pitchers, but bereft of any standout position players.

The offensive players averaged .237 in their first year, though most of them improved in 2010.

The pitchers’ ERAs were 6.97, 3.38, 3.55, 3.63, 3.24, 1.97, 7.20, 2.20, 1.95, 3.51, 4.15, 4.35, 0.55, 3.91, 3.44 and 3.95.

It has been the policy of the Nationals, under both former general manager Jim Bowden and current GM Mike Rizzo, to draft pitchers over position players so that one day—hopefully—the team would have enough depth to stock the big club and trade the excess for hitters.

Bowden has often said (and Rizzo agrees) that it’s easy to draft a bat but no one ever has enough pitching.

Other than the first two players, I doubt there are any more real stars among this group, but if pitchers like Daniel Rosenbaum, Trevor Holder and Mitch Clegg continue at their current pace, the team will indeed have enough pitching talent to trade for major league bats.

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When discussing the Washington Nationals‘ 2010 offseason, many people have focused on what the Nats did not accomplish rather than what they did. The Nationals were able to improve greatly on their defensive deficiencies while not sacrificing too much offensively. 

The Nationals were also able to strengthen an already strong bullpen by acquiring Todd Coffey, Henry Rodriguez and Cla Meredith.

Last but not least, the Nationals were able to add depth to their rotation by adding Tom Gorzelanny via trade and Chad Gaudin via free agency, not to mention re-signing workhorse Livan Hernandez.

But with all that, people were still not satisfied because of the team’s inability to acquire a top-of-the-line starting pitcher.

No, without a true No. 1 starting pitcher, the Nationals will not contend for a playoff spot, but would they have if they had landed a Zack Greinke or Matt Garza?

Probably not.

So really, it could be seen as a plus that the Nats didn’t get one of those arms this offseason.

Behind Cliff Lee, the pitching available in free agency was thinner than Ross Detwiler. Theoretically, with a high demand (the demand for pitching is always high) and lower-than-usual supply, the price for pitching was unusually high this past offseason.

Sometimes it’s better to bide your time and wait for a better deal to come along; this offseason was an example of just that.

Now, being a Nationals fan myself, I understand those who want to win now after five seasons that were all but over before Memorial Day. It’s hard to accept gradual progress.

But take a look at last year’s World Series teams, both of which were considered surprises and failed to make the playoffs the previous season:

Those teams built themselves up gradually, from a losing record to a pennant in three years.

In 2011, the Nationals should be at a similar level as the 2007 Giants and Rangers with wins in the low-to-mid-70’s. If they continue on that same timeline, they should be ready to contend by 2013 or 2014, when Strasburg will be 100 percent recovered from Tommy John surgery, and Bryce Harper will have a year of major league experience under his belt.

That means the Nationals have two or three offseasons to add non-homegrown talent. Homegrown talent is cheap, but it takes a long time to develop, and the cornerstones of the Nationals’ organization are undeveloped homegrown talent.

Knowing that, why would you want the Nationals to spend money now when the team won’t be ready to contend until then?

In other words, why waste money paying players in 2011 and 2012, when the earliest the Nats will compete is 2013?

Which brings up another point: there is no need to rush Harper through the minors or Strasburg through rehab, especially in 2011.

You can bet that if Harper hits around .300 and slaps around four home runs in Spring Training, the fans will be clamoring for the teenage phenom to be on the Opening Day roster. Even if he proves to be the best player on the team, Harper still needs time in the minors. He needs time in a situation where instruction and development—not winning—are the focus, if he is to reach his full potential.

A year in the minors could be the difference between Harper being an All-Star, and Harper being an all-time great.

In late August, when reports of Strasburg’s full recovery start to come out, fans will be clamoring for his return to the mound, but the wise move would be to keep him off major league mounds for the entirety of 2011. Why put unneeded stress on Strasburg’s golden arm instead of letting him work his way back in the low-pressure situations of the minor leagues?

A year away from the majors could be the difference between Strasburg being Mark Pryor or Strasburg being an even better Josh Johnson.

As for the Nationals team as a whole, the same can be said.

Patience will prove to be a virtue. If the Nationals are around .500 come August, fans may be clamoring for the front office to make a bold move in order to make a playoff push. Such a move would be unwise, even if it is the popular move. But in 2013 when the Nationals are playing meaningful baseball in September, it will all be worth it.

Patience.

It’s the difference between the Nationals being the fourth-place New York Mets, and the Nationals being the World Champion San Francisco Giants.

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My goal today was not conduct a walk and talk, but seek out the part of the field where Nationals third base coach Bo Porter was conducting base running drills and simply listen.

Yesterday, after listening to Porter explain what kind of a team the Nationals wanted to be this season, I could not help but want to know what he had in store for the men today.

After his speech yesterday, I wanted run the bases and would have done it through a minefield. Porter seems to have a way of getting through to his listeners. Bo Knows base running and, if the guys he is teaching are paying attention, so will the Nationals.

Today Bo informed Rick Ankiel, Jerry Hairston Mike Moorse and Bryce Harper that “their team” was embarrassing running the basses last season and, as he put it, “we are going to get after people’s asses this season”

He informed them that the Nationals were ranked 27th in all of baseball in running from first to third last year. Porter gave the guys the stat to back it up: “Gentleman we had had 292 chances to go from first to third last season we made it just 63 times and that is embarrassing and pathetic,” Porter said while looking right at Bryce Harper.

Porter never had much of a major league career, batting just .214 lifetime with two home runs and eight runs batted lifetime, but how many good coaches do?

No big deal because a lot of good and great managers watched the game unfold from the bench and not the field.

Porter was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 40th round of the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft out of the University of Iowa.

In 1999, Porter made his major league debut with the Cubs. Following the season, the Oakland Athletics in the Rule 5 draft selected him. After the 2000 season, the Texas Rangers selected him off waivers.

He was granted free agency following the 2001 season and he played the remainder of his career in the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies minor league systems.

Besides base running, Porter implemented an outfield drill that I had never seen used: He had the outfielders catch fly balls with a football tucked under their arms. Porter believes the football allows the outfielders to better track fly balls, as they cannot move their arms allowing them to cover more ground when the ball is headed for the gaps.

Porter began using this drill when he was a coach with the Florida Marlins.

I overheard Porter explain his philosophy to the credentialed media this way, “I implemented it in Florida, and I have had great success with it,” Porter said.

“The more drills we do with the football, they start to keep their form for a longer period of time, which actually allows them to start making more plays.” 

The team continued their four-field rotation of drills as pitchers continued to throw live batting practice. Bryce Harper was again the hit, no pun intended, as he made his way from field to field. Harper looked impressive in the batting cage and then again on the field, as he hit several line drive shots into the right center field gap.

I learned today that Bryce Harper will travel with the team to play the Mets in the Nats first exhibition game, but will not start. Veterans Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche, Jayson Werth and Pudge Rodriguez will not play in the Nationals first game this Monday.

Many veterans do not travel to play away games during the spring.

Those players that are expected to travel and play include Jerry Hairston Jr., Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa.

Nats manager Jim Riggleman held a meeting with several of the teams leaders yesterday. Rigglemann asked the players to start holding each other accountable for mistakes made on the field. He wants more leadership and acccountability from all of his players.

Riggleman told many members of the media that his message was a simple one: “My message to the players was, ‘There is a tremendous amount of talent in the room. With that talent, expectations are raised. So let’s meet and exceed those expectations and play baseball,'” Riggleman said.

“We have a lot of good baseball players. We have good athletes in the room.”

I cannot, for whatever reason, download this video. This is a video I took of Bo Porter giving instruction.

It provides great insight into what the Nationals are looking to do this season on the base paths. Please click on the You Tube link below.

I caution you, there is language with Porter dropping more than a few “F” bombs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOPUhU0uutk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBJVygiGGCE

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What a difference one week makes. Last week at this time, I knew everyone by name walking around the Nationals Spring Training complex in Viera, Florida. Today, I hardly knew anyone. The Washington Nationals’ first official day of full roster workouts were met with hoards of media and many fans.

The National media, the local DC media and everything else in between were there for basically one reason: to see the spring training debut of the 18-year-old baseball phenom known as Bryce Harper.

Harper made an appearance yesterday and was mobbed by autograph seekers. Nats manager Jim Riggleman admitted to me today that allowing Bryce into the mob was one of his biggest spring training gaffes in recent memory. “That will not happen again,” Riggleman said, and it did not today.

It was amazing to see all of the kids out at camp today, considering yesterday was the school holiday. I spoke with a young 10-year-old boy that told me he was there just to see Bryce Harper.

He also pointed out that he was only eight years younger than Bryce. Feeling even older than I am seeing the young superstar, I thanked the kid for his time and scooted him along his way, calling him a stinking something or another under my breath.

Today, for me, was also about Bryce Harper. A kid whose baseball hero was a guy that passed away when Bryce was three years old fascinates me. A guy he never got to see play, hell, his father, Ron Harper, never got see him play.

I am fascinated by any guy that signs his autograph with a Bible verse attached.

Bryce’s Bible verse is Luke 1:37, “For nothing is impossible with God.” It is strange to think that if Bryce’s hero had been as grounded an 18-year-old kid as Bryce is, he may still be with us today.

Mickey Mantle passed away on August 13, 1995 from liver failure brought on by years of alcohol abuse. The irony is that almost 15 years to the date of Mantle’s death, Harper was introduced at a press conference and handed a jersey and hat by Ryan Zimmerman as this year’s newest Nationals young superstar phenom.

He mentioned Mantle in his first press conference and there may be a lot of similarities when it is all said and done. Mantle was just 19 years old when he made his Yankee debut. Mantle, like Harper, was a highly touted prospect and in fact, many were saying that Mickey was the next Joe DiMaggio.

That’s a lot of pressure for any kid at any age, especially in New York City. We will see what happens in the next 20 years, but for now, there are some comparisons to be made.

Harper already seems to fit in, he belongs and he will earn his way into this lineup before the end of this year. You just know greatness when you see “it” and this kid has “IT.” It is Bryce’s goal to hear, “Now batting for the Nationals, No. 34, Outfielder Bryce Harper,” before the end of the year.

If I am learning anything about this kid from talking to his dad and others around him, it’s when Bryce sets goals, he does accomplish them.

“It’s hard to believe that this is just the beginning, considering everything he has done and how hard he has worked, and still works, to get to this point,” Ron Harper, Bryce’s dad, told me. “Bryce is a focused, grounded kid that welcomes any and all challenges head on.”

“He expects nothing less than to be a good teammate first and a great player second,” Mr. Harper continued. When I asked him how he felt about the whole process and what he must be feeling today for Bryce, he answered “Like any other parent would, nervous, anxious and wanting nothing more than for my son to succeed. I am confident in his abilities in baseball as well as life.” Sounds like Bryce had some pretty good life coaching on top of his baseball training.  

Mr. Harper spent most of the day in a tower overlooking the four practice fields, watching Bryce in his first official day of spring workouts. It is too early to tell how quickly Bryce may make the show, but one thing is for sure.

If getting to the “BIGS” were strictly based on being grounded, well rounded and humble enough to be a God fearing 18-year-old making sure to give thanks when possible, then Bryce would be in the opening day lineup next month.

In other spring training news today, the Nationals completed about a three hour session of your basic baseball drill. Pitchers threw live batting practice on fields two and three. The infielders turned double plays and fielded bunts on field one, and an assortment of drills and conditioning took place on field four.

Each player took a turn, rotating fields, making sure they participated in every drill. Nats manager Jim Riggleman seems to be running a nice, focused and smooth camp. He has an array of veteran coaching help. Former Mets and Orioles manager, Davey Johnson, is a spring instructor, as is former manager Pat Corrales. Riggleman has some youth mixed in as well, like Coach Tony Tarassco.

All of the big guns were there taking their swings in the cage. Jayson Werth and his 126 million dollars worth of hair looked ready, as well as the clean-cut Adam LaRoche. Many of the players on all four fields could be overheard discussing the Carmelo Anthony trade to the Knicks.

However, there was one conversation I could not walk away from, a coaching session that just drew me in. On field three, third base coach Bo Porter was covering the signs he would be signaling this year while the players stood in the batter’s box.

Porter’s audience of about 20 players included future Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez. Porter told them that understanding signs was both a verbal and non-verbal communication skill. One that, if they are going to succeed this year, was needed.

He explained the ramifications of missed signs and why it is so very important to pay attention, “If coach has a play on and you miss the sign, then you probably have also cost your team a chance of winning the game. Coach doesn’t put a call on if it is not a crucial time of the game,” Porter reminded them.

He got down on the ground, pushing both arms in an up and down motion, yelling “get down, get down,” to demonstrate how the on deck batter is responsible for the third base runner on a play at the plate. He also said something that a few individuals have probably heard in their careers, but never in a Nats uniform.

A line of thinking that has been missing in DC since the arrival of the Nationals.

He explained in almost an evangelical tone that everyone, regardless of how many years in the league, must be on board with the program. He told them that they need to understand that when he puts his right hand to his right ear, then a sign is coming and it is time to pay attention and listen, they had better be prepared.

He then said, “It is important to learn this now, gentlemen, because when we are playing baseball in late October and there are 55,000 screaming fans, you will know that one of reasons we are there is because you understood the commitment of learning verbal and non verbal communication. It all matters, men.”

While it is just day one of full roster workouts in Viera, Florida, it is never a bad omen to remind the players that they have a chance to play deep into the fall. In my mind, it is the only way to start the spring.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Last week I received an intriguing e-mail from an avid reader of the site. Essentially, he asked me to choose between Nationals’ right fielder Bryce Harper and Angels’ center fielder Mike Trout in a keeper/dynasty format.

My initial reaction was Harper, without question. After a few days of thought, however, my answer became much more complicated…

Mike Trout was the Angels’ first round pick (25th overall) in 2009, signing for $1.215 million. He was the No. 1 ranked prospect in the Rookie-level Arizona League, posting a .360/.418/.506 triple-slash, stealing 13 bases in 15 attempts in 164 at-bats.

He advanced to to low Class A Cedar Rapids to start 2010, where he won the Midwest League’s batting (.362) and on-base (.454) titles. He was promoted to high Class A Rancho Cucamonga in mid-July and hit .306/.388/.434 in 196 at-bats. In total, Trout posted an eye-popping 106 runs, 10 HRs, 58 RBI, 56 steals (in 71 attempts, 81.7 percent), .341/.428/.490 in 508 at-bats at the tender age of 18 (he turned 19 in August).

Baseball America notes Trout “is a rare five-tool talent” with a “strong, compact stroke and impressive batting eye.” Scouts say his speed is a present and future 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale, while his bat and arm are graded as a 70. His bat speed and physicality suggest he’ll develop 20-HR power in the majors.

Peter Bourjos is currently blocking Trout in center field, but the New Jersey native won’t be ready for the majors until 2012 at the earliest. Trout could move to left field if needed, but he projects as a Gold Glove center fielder.

Bryce Harper has gotten all the hype he ever could have dreamed of, being dubbed “Baseball’s Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated at age 16.

In 2009, Harper earned the equivalency of a high school diploma, allowing him to skip his final two years at Las Vegas High and enroll at the JC of Southern Nevada. In a wood bat conference, Harper hit .443/.526/.987, while leading national juco players and shattering the previous school record (12) with 31 HRs. He also stole 20 bases in 24 attempts, and played right field, center field, third base and catcher.

He was the obvious No. 1 pick for the Washington Nationals’ in last June’s draft, signing a $9.9 million major league contract—the most ever awarded to a position player in the draft’s history.

Harper hit .343/.410/.629 in just 35 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League. There’s a chance he could jump straight to high Class A Potomac to start the 2011 season at the age of 18.

Harper, a left-handed hitter, is well known for the 502-feet HR hit at Tropicana Field in the 2009 Power Showcase. (Check out the YouTube video here and skip to 4:16 for the record-breaking moon shot.)

Harper’s power “rates as a legitimate 80 tool on the 20-80 scouting scale,” according to Baseball America; as one scout told me, “He could re-write the power scale.”

Some scouts question if he’ll hit for a high average in the majors because of his aggressive swing, but his bat rates as a 60.

His hand-eye coordination and work ethic are off the charts, and BA notes he possesses “slightly above-average speed.” The Nationals drafted Harper as a right fielder and his 80 arm makes for an ideal fit. His realistic ETA is 2013, and he has “super-star potential.”

In comparing these two young phenoms for fantasy purposes only, I project Trout as having the more dynamic game. His ceiling is likely in the range of 20 HRs, 50 steals and a .320 batting average. How many players reached those totals last season, you ask? None. In fact, 20/50/.320 hasn’t been reached since Hanley Ramirez posted a “redonkulous” 29/51/.332 line in 2007.

Harper, on the other hand, has a 50-HR ceiling and will likely hit .300 consistently. The last time 50/.300 happened? Also 2007, when Alex Rodriguez hit 54 HRs with a .314 batting average. The last time a player who wasn’t juicing did it? Who knows.

Bottom line: Trout and Harper both have stud potential. Trout is probably the safer pick, but Harper has the higher ceiling. Trout is a year ahead of Harper and thus will likely win the hearts of fantasy managers first. (No pressure, fellas.)

If you ask me, I’d take 20/50/.320 over 50/.300, but even that’s debatable.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: FANTASY BASEBALL INSIDERS

Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ 2011 Big Board:

• Nos. 1-10: Is Pujols Still The Top Pick?
• Nos. 11-20: Where Do Votto, A-Rod and Halladay Fit In?
• Nos. 21-30: Hernandez, Lincecum or Wainwright?
• Nos. 31-40: Heyward, Upton or McCutchen?
• Nos. 41-50: Kershaw, Hamels or Greinke?

MLB Trades: Fantasy Impact:

• Frank Francisco Traded to the Blue Jays, Who Will Be The Team’s Closer?
• Mike Napoli Traded to the Texas Rangers: Fantasy Impact
• Vernon Wells Traded to the Los Angeles Angels: Fantasy Impact
• Adrian Beltre Traded to the Texas Rangers: Fantasy Impact

Previous articles from Fantasy Baseball Insiders:

• Guerrero to Baltimore: Why He’s Better Off in Camden Yards than Rangers Ballpark
• The Sub-2.50 ERA Curse: Why Five Elite Starting Pitchers May Regress in 2011
• 2010 Batting Average on Balls in Play Leaders: What to Expect in 2011?
• 2011 Closer’s Corner: Papelbon, Cordero & Rivera Are the Only Reliable Options

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

If the good Lord picked one weather day to represent spring training for every baseball team spread out over Florida and Arizona, he would have chosen today.

With clear blue skies and temperatures hovering around 80 degrees, the Washington Nationals picked up the pace on the fourth day of workouts for pitchers and catchers.

Yesterday’s big story was no doubt Stephen Strasburg’s pain free throwing session.

Strasburg had Tommy John surgery at the end of last season and the Nationals are in no hurry to rush the pitching phenom back any time soon.

The talk around camp today was the impending arrival of another ready made MLB phenom, outfielder Bryce Harper.

Harper is due to report on Sunday when the rest of the positional players report.

Strasburg and his battery mates worked on the fundamentals of the game like covering first base and they even did some situational bunting.

Of course, there was also lots of running and stretching. Strasburg did no throwing today.

The Nationals spring training facility is located in Viera, Fla. The team reports to Space Coast Stadium each morning and then walks the quarter mile to the four beautifully groomed and perfectly greened practice fields, which surround the stadium.

Upon seeing the walk by the players today, I came up with the name for my diary segment that will include player’s interviews, “the walk and talk with…”

Today I was fortunate enough to meet and interview a fantastic young personality in the Nats bullpen.

His refreshing attitude on playing the game of baseball really made me feel as though the future of Americas Past Time is in safe hands. 

Today’s walk and talk is with pitcher Drew Storen.

Nats Manager Jim Riggleman has called Storen the closer of the future in DC.

Storen had quite a whirlwind of a year in 2010. Aside from turning just 23 last August, Drew was promoted from the AAA Syracuse Chiefs to the Nationals on April-30.

In the span of six days, Storen accomplished a lot for a young major league relief pitcher. He debuted in the show May 17 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

In three batters faced, Storen collected two outs, with Matt Holliday becoming his first MLB strikeout, as well as hitting his first batter, Ryan Ludwick.

Working two-thirds of an inning two days later, Storen would collect his first major league win against the NY Mets.

Four days later in an inter-league game against the Orioles, Storen smacked his first big league hit, a line drive to left center field off Kevin Millwood.

Storen is a born closer.

He was one of college baseball’s premier closers during a stellar two-year collegiate career at Stanford University. He was a first team All-Pac-10 selection following each of his two seasons in a Cardinal uniform (2008 and ’09) and he led Stanford in both wins and saves in 2009, becoming the first Cardinal pitcher since Jeff Ballard in 1984 to accomplish the feat.

Originally drafted by the Yankees in 2007, Storen did not sign so that he could attend Stanford.

After selecting pitching phenom Steven Strasburg with the number one overall pick in 2009, the Nationals drafted Storen, a native of Brownsburg, IN, nine spots later, making him the tenth overall pick.

The Nationals added a little more to Storen’s whirlwind year when, on Jul. 30, they traded his good friend and their saves leader, Matt Capps, to the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline.

Capps was leading the Nats with 26 saves at the time of the trade and was the winning pitcher for the National league in the All-Star game.

Storen has said on numerous occasions that Capps had a big part in his success last season, taking him under his wing after the two met at the Nationals Fan fest last February.

Eight days following the Capps trade, Storen knew his time was coming to collect his first major league save.

He figured it would probably come in L.A on the road and he was right.

“I kept sitting out there (in the bullpen) knowing that the call was coming,” Storen said. “When the call came I was so pumped up and excited that I don’t even remember who I got out, I think I got Belliard to end it.”

It was Bellliard he got out to end it.

Belliard pinch it for Brad Ausmus and grounded out to Adam Dunn to end the game.

Storen would go onto to record four more saves last season with a 3.58 ERA in 54 appearances. He would boast a record of 4-4 with 52 strikeouts in just 55.1 innings pitched.

“I had closed at Stanford and was pretty good but this was like nothing I had ever prepared for, I was so happy when I got that first one (save)”. Storen said. “I was nervous and excited all at once, it was all like a big blur.”

He ended the year 4-4 with a 3.58 ERA.

When I asked him if Nats Manager Jim Riggleman had sat with him to discuss expectations he said: “Not really, I know what I have to do and I don’t really feel like that I have actually won the job yet. There are some guys here that are capable and I just have to go out there and do what I know how to do”.

The scouting report on Storen is that he defiantly has a closers mentality.

He does not get rattled and is intensely competitive; giving him the perfect closer’s makeup.

He has a devastating slider and a mid 90s fastball. 

Storen developed a changeup during the fall two seasons ago where he worked as a starter to further enhance all three pitches, as he throws a lot of strikes and attacks the hitter.

When asked about the veteran leadership the Nats acquired in the off-season by signing free agents like Jason Werth and Adam Laroche, he simply replied: “I’m excited, the leadership these guys bring is important to me, as a young guy I just love the experience a guy like (Jason) Werth comes with.

“I am constantly trying to learn and these guys are great teachers.”

On the great fortune of throwing to a future hall of fame catcher in Ivan Rodriguez,

“It’s like I cheat because I have a guy like that back there, he knows the hitters so well, you know he’s going to know how to throw a guy, and how to approach a guy,” Storen said. “I don’t really have to do a lot of thinking out there.”

The closers job is not guaranteed and Storen knows this, manager Jim Riggleman said numerous times this off-season that the closer role was up for grabs.

Several other good arms have a shot to emerge.

Sean Burnett and Tyler Clippard provide Riggleman with a great lefty-right option in the seventh and eighth innings. Both were very good last almost unhittable at times.

Todd Coffey is the workhorse in the pen but he will also get a chance to pitch late this spring.

Storen’s biggest competition may be Henry Rodriguez.

In just his second year as a full-time reliever, Rodriguez went 1-0 with a 4.55 ERA in 29 appearances with the Athletics. He had 33 strikeouts in a little less than 28 innings of work.

If all goes well here in Viera, Riggleman may elect to have the competition continue up north by using a bullpen by committee approach.

Closer or bullpen by committee is not uncommon to start a season.

This approach is smart with young arms, especially when the weather has yet to turn warm. When you are thinking long term for a 162 game schedule, it just makes sense.

Storen is fine with whatever Riggleman decides as he stated on several occasions to me that he knows what he has to do and he is ready to do it.

“I look forward to the battles this spring. I welcome them”, Storen said.

“If Storen is the closer by March 31st, we would certainly welcome that, but we are not going to force that to happen,” Riggleman told Nationals.com. “If he is pitching in the eighth, or if he gets an out in the seventh and then we need Burnett and Clippard to pitch the ninth, that’s fine. Winning the game is more important than who gets the save.”

The best thing about baseball and especially baseball in- February -in Florida is tomorrow is another day.

Check back to see whom I can grab for tomorrow’s walk and talk.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com