From a perception standpoint, it hasn't been a most favorable winter for the Nationals. A dugout brawl between eventual National League MVP Bryce Harper and hothead Jonathan Papelbon in the final days of the season set the stage for piling on. But general manager Mike Rizzo strapped up and went for it, attempting to make a statement that the Nationals were still the big, bad boys to contend with in the NL East. The problem was that nobody bought it. First, they reportedly swung and missed...

NASHVILLE - The news of the third day of the winter meetings involves second basemen, one that's going home and another that's leaving home. Ben Zobrist signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, partly because he wanted to be close to home and family in Eureka, Ill. Neil Walker has no choice but to leave his family roots in Pittsburgh after the Pirates traded him to the New York Mets. Zobrist has played in the south with Tampa Bay and on the West Coast with Oakland. He...

NASHVILLE - Day 2 of the Winter Meetings is winding down and the Nationals have yet to make any noise in Music City. Early morning reports that the Nats had landed free agent right-hander Shawn Kelley were apparently premature. In his daily media session, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed the team has not completed a deal with Kelley, but said the team remains interested in the reliever. "I would call it that we're in communication with him," Rizzo said. Kelley, who will turn 32...

NASHVILLE - Day 1 of the Winter Meetings has come and gone after starting in a funny way. Once I was settled into the media room this morning, I received a text from my colleague Olivia Witherite saying she was lost in the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. 8:20 a.m. on the official Day 1 of #WinterMeetings and @Oliviawitherite is officially already lost in the Gaylord. Gonna be a fun week! -- Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) December 7, 2015 Well, it was a funny morning for me at...

NASHVILLE - Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo isn't averse to trading for a shortstop, but if tomorrow was April 4, he's sure there's someone on the current roster who would be trotting out to the space between third and second bases in the bottom of the first inning on the final opening day at Atlanta's Turner Field. "I have a comfort level that if today were opening day, we have a shortstop on the roster. ... There are several of them," Rizzo said this afternoon in his suite at the...

NASHVILLE - The Nationals have reportedly made it to the final four in the sweepstakes for versatile free agent Ben Zobrist. The Mets, Giants and Dodgers are the other three teams contending for Zobrist, who won the World Series with the Royals this season after coming over from the Athletics in a trade deadline move. Multiple reports have the 34-year-old Zobrist seeking a four-year deal worth $60 million. He makes his home outside Nashville and is expected to meet with Nationals officials at...

It wouldn't be the hot stove season if there weren't rumors swirling about. And with the Winter Meeting looming next week in Nashville, the Nationals continue to be strongly linked to one of the more popular free agents out there, utility man extraordinaire Ben Zobrist. See, that's what some fuel on the ol' hot stove fire feels like. Multiple reports over the past few days have indicated that the Nationals, Mets and Giants were among the 20 or so teams that were hot and heavy in pursuit of...

I was chatting up a couple of Royals fans Wednesday who shared their roster concerns while also averting their eyes from the television that showed their team losing Game 5 of the American League Championship Series. The current roster is fine. More than fine, actually, but it's never too early to fret over free agency. I found it interesting that these guys deemed Ben Zobrist a higher priority than Alex Gordon, the four-time Gold Glove left fielder who's played in the last three All-Star...

The second base option most frequently linked to the Nationals this offseason is heading elsewhere, as Ben Zobrist got shipped from the Rays to the Athletics yesterday in a deal that also sent shortstop Yunel Escobar to Oakland. How often do you see a team trade away both of its starting middle infielders in one deal? I can't remember such a case, at least off the top of my head. The Rays saved themselves a good bit of money with this deal, and also got a good bit younger. They were thought to...

There is usually minimal action in between Christmas and New Year's when it comes to the baseball hot stove. Most, if not all, teams close their offices during this time, allowing their employees to be with their families and take some rare vacation time. That doesn't really apply to general managers and their top lieutenants, however, and agents don't typically take much of a break this time of year, either. So while this is a quiet period in the MLB offseason, it isn't void of any...