The Washington Nationals ended their baseball season months ago, but there was unscheduled excitement this week at their stadium.

D.C. police said they made a an arrest late Wednesday night inside Nationals Park, in an incident that began when an officer spotted a car that was reported stolen the day before Christmas.

Police caught sight of the vehicle on the Southeast Freeway, at locations in Anacostia, and then headed north on South Capitol Street. Finally, the driver got out of the car and ran toward the ballpark, police said.

The Nationals played their last home game Sept. 25. The new season does not begin until April. In the silent chill of a late December night, the stadium’s thousands of grandstand seats were empty.

However, police said, the suspect “jumped the fence” and entered the huge structure.

Officers from the 1st District ringed the building and a dog team was summoned, police said. The suspect was found “hiding in a public restroom.”

Police said they made an arrest on a charge of unauthorized use of an automobile.

Last year was supposed to be a season of waiting for the Nationals — waiting for Stephen Strasburg to recover and waiting for Bryce Harper to mature. But that’s not exactly what happened. The Nationals played constantly compelling baseball, and by the end of the season observers were wondering — hey, are the Nats actually half-decent?

Yesterday we presented five of the Nationals’ top stories in 2011. Below are the remaining five. Feel free to provide your own list in the comments. Thanks for reading all year long.

5. Davey Johnson named manager

Johnson sputtered at the start once he took over for Jim Riggleman, but ultimately he won over the clubhouse and won his share of games. General Manager Mike Rizzo adores Johnson, and players did to. It was a no-brainer, then, that he’ll start 2012 as the manager of the most talented Nationals team since baseball returned.

(John McDonnell)

Best-case in 2012: In charge from spring training, Johnson can mold his bench and bullpen exactly as he sees fit. He continues to help hitters out of slumps. His wisdom, built over years and not drained a bit by his 11-year layoff from the majors, helps him push every correct button.

Worst case in 2012: Johnson was sharp for his full 2011 tenure. But over the course of a full season, it turns out that 11 years away from the game has an effect. A perfect relationship begins to sour.

4. Bryce Harper’s first professional season

He was dominant at Hagerstown, got hurt in Harrisburg and was excellent at the Arizona Fall League. More so, he gave a glimpse of what to expect once he gets to Washington. Harper blew a kiss to the pitcher after he hit a home run; showed up at the Futures Game in a rented Astin Martin; earned an ejection by screaming in an umpire’s face; joyously tossed his helmet in the air after he hit a walkoff home run; tweeted his support of the Yankees during the playoffs; and named his puppy, a Christmas gift, Swag. And the show is just getting started.

Best-case in 2012: Harper gets about a month of seasoning in Class AAA, thereby delaying his free agency one extra season. By mid-May, Harper has so thoroughly obliterated pitching in the International League that it would be a charade to keep him there any longer. They promote him May 14, the start of a seven-game homestand against the Padres, Pirates and Orioles. His stats, at 19 and the youngest player in the majors, he strikes out a lot but becomes an adequate middle-of-the-order bat, hitting .265/.331/.510 over the final two months of the season.

Worst case in 2012: The unexpected happens – Harper, for the first time, does not find a way to be the best player on the field. The advanced approach he finds at Class AAA stifles him, and his adjustment takes months, not weeks. He finally snaps out of a long slump, but not until August. The Nationals make him a September call-up, and he struggles for a month in the majors. He’s still 20 and still looks like a future star, but there is more doubt and the Nationals’ plans for him are delayed.

(Jed Jacobsohn – GETTY IMAGES)

3. Nationals trade for Gio Gonzalez

Last week, the Nationals made one of the biggest transactions in their brief history by trading four prospects for Gio Gonzalez. Losing the combination of Derek Norris, A.J. Cole, Brad Peacock and Tommy Milone may someday haunt the Nationals. But Gonzalez gives the Nats one of the most desirable rotations in baseball – Strasburg, Zimmermann and Gonzalez are all 26 or younger and all under control for at least four years.

Best-case in 2012: The addition of Gonzalez makes the Nationals a real, live contender for the first time since baseball returned. Gonzalez, like many pitchers his age, fixes any lingering control problems and, now in the National League, his ERA actually drops to 3.03 over 215 innings. The Nationals ride an electric trio of young arms to playoff contention, and the future looks even brighter.

Worst case in 2012: Taken out of Oakland’s cavernous ballpark, Gonzalez loses confidence and, worse, his already high walk rate – 4.1 per nine innings over the past two years – shoots up. He still pitches 180 innings, but Gonzalez wins just 10 games as Peacock settles in as a solid No. 3 starter in Oakland and Cole dominates Class AA in the second half.

2. Jim Riggleman quits

It had little impact on the Nationals in the long term, since Riggleman likely would not have been the Nationals’ 2012 manager no matter how 2011 turned out. But Riggleman’s stunning resignation still ranks this high on sheer shock value. It was the craziest story of the Nationals’ season, maybe of the entire baseball year, and it led to Johnson’s return to the dugout.

Best-case in 2012: Riggleman, now managing the Reds’ Class AA team, finds happiness in Pensacola and, by 2012, is back in the majors as a bench coach.

Worst case in 2012: Riggleman deeply misses his old job and finds nothing but regret in the minors. Teams remain scared off by his departure from the Nationals, and a good baseball man spends the rest of his career in the minors.

1. Stephen Strasburg returns

The best night of the Nationals season came in a loss. It didn’t matter much what happened Sept. 6 after Strasburg left the mound following five two-hit, no-walk, four-strikeout shutout innings against the Dodgers. Strasburg had returned with a new style, dialing back his fastball in exchange for enhanced command. He seemed to already have perfected it on the final day of the season, when he struck out 10 Marlins in six innings.

Best-case in 2012: Strasburg dominates like it’s 2010 all over again. The extensive shoulder strengthening Strasburg’s rehab allowed will protect him from any significant injury to his shoulder, which would be even more devastating than Tommy John surgery. The Nationals space out Strasburg’s starts as they realize they have a shot to make the postseason, and he still has enough innings left in his arm to start the first playoff game in Nationals history.

Worst case in 2012: Strasburg struggles as he adjusts to throwing his fastball a tick or two slower, and without that extreme velocity his other pitches suffer. He is merely quite good as opposed to great, and he tires sooner than expected and throws about 140 innings instead of 160.

There is, of course, a worse case than that. But it feels too cruel to even mention it.

Honorable mention: Nyjer Morgan traded to Milwaukee; Ryan Zimmerman misses two months; Tyler Clippard makes the all-star team; Drew Storen saves 43 games; Ivan Rodriguez steps aside; Livan Hernandez throws his likely last game with the Nats; Chien-Ming Wang returns, re-signs; Adam LaRoche signs, has season-ending shoulder surgery.

Read More: Mark DeRosa (3B – WAS), Chris Marrero (1B – WAS), Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals bolstered their roster Wednesday when they announced the signing of veteran utility player Mark DeRosa to a one-year contract. The 14-year-veteran “is expected to be a backup first baseman and make occasional starts in the outfield and at second and third base,” according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com. Ladson notes the injury to first baseman Chris Marrero, who will miss the start of the 2012 season, made DeRosa’s signing more urgent.

DeRosa spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Atlanta Braves before bouncing around the league; he’s played for five teams in the last seven seasons, and each of the lat two with the San Francisco Giants. In 201 plate appearances over 73 games with the Giants, DeRosa hit .235 with one homer and 22 runs batted in. In the field, he committed four errors in 63 chances for a 93.7 fielding percentage.

For more on the Nationals, please visit Federal Baseball, SB Nation’s Nationals blog.

WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals have signed free-agent utility player Mark DeRosa to a one-year contact.

The 36-year-old Rosa has a .272 average with six clubs over 14 major league seasons. He was limited over the last two seasons after twice needing surgery on his left wrist.

He hit .279 in 86 at-bats this year with the San Francisco Giants.

The signing on Wednesday gives the Nationals some versatility on the bench. DeRosa has started games at six different positions during his career, including 75-plus starts at third base, second base, right field and shortstop.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Published: Dec. 24, 2011 at 2:51 PM

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 (UPI) — The Washington Nationals say they have added another young power arm to their rotation with a trade for Oakland Athletics all-star hurler Gio Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, a left-hander who made his first All-Star Game appearance this past season, joins Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann atop the Nationals’ rotation with the Friday deal.

The Nationals also got minor league right-hander Robert Gilliam while the rebuilding A’s received three pitchers — right-handers Brad Peacock and A.J. Cole and left-hander Tom Milone — as well as catcher Derek Norris from the Nats, the Oakland Tribune reported.

Gonzalez, 26, finished 16-12 with a 3.12 ERA for the A’s last season. He fanned 197 batters in 201 innings but also surrendered the most walks in the league with 91.

The move sparked speculation the Nationals will go all-out to woo free agent first baseman Prince Fielder with a lucrative deal in a bid to challenge Philadelphia, Atlanta and Florida in the National League East, The Washington Post said.

The Washington Nationals made a great trade that should boost their starting rotation for years to come.

In the trade the Nationals gave away four prospects (Brad Peacock, Derek Norris, Tommy Milone, A.J. Cole) for Gio Gonzalez of the Oakland Athletics. Gonzalez is only 26 years of age, and has shaped up to be a workhorse over recent years, pitching over 200 innings the past two years for the Athletics. He is known to have control problems from time to time, but made the All-Star team last year with a record of 16-12 and an ERA of 3.12. Three of the prospects the Nationals traded were pitchers (Peacock, Milone, Cole), while Norris is a power hitting catcher.

As someone who has followed the Nationals closely since they move to Washington D.C., I think it was a great trade, and there are three reasons why. The first is youth. The Washington Nationals are able to get a proven pitcher who is only 26 years old. Not only that , but Gonzalez is a lefty as well, which makes him a perfect fit in regards to the starting rotation (Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann are both right-handers). Now the Nationals have a solid core of three young pitchers that are locked down for awhile, which will help them compete in both the short and long term. Granted, Gonzalez does not have the veteran leadership of say a Mark Buehrle would if the Nationals were to have signed him, but I think the youth factor plays a greater role knowing that he can further improve and help the ballclub out.

The second reason why I believe picking up Gonzalez was a great move is that he is an “innings eater.” The Nationals had a decent year when it came to their bullpen in 2011, but can we expect the same in 2012? Will Tyler Clippard or Sean Burnett regress in any way? I am not so sure that the team’s bullpen will hold up as well as it did in 2011, and having someone in the rotation who can give a solid 7 or 8 innings on a consistent basis will help it out immensely.

Lastly, the Gonzalez trade is further proof to fans that the Washington Nationals are serious about winning right now. In other words, the Jayson Werth signing that shocked many last year (including myself) was no fluke. The Nationals are willing to do whatever it takes to improve their ballclub, and it is certainly refreshing to see given the uncertainty during the team’s first couple of years in Washington D.C.

Ryan Kekoufski is a lifelong Atlanta Braves fan who enjoys writing about everything Major League Baseball. He covers sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and currently resides in Virginia.

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Read More: Gio Gonzalez (P – WAS), Derek Norris (C – OAK), Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals announced Friday that their reported trade with the Oakland Athletics is official.

In a press release, the team confirmed it has acquired left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez and minor-league pitcher Robert Gilliam in exchange for four prospects, catcher Derek Norris, and pitchers A.J. Cole, Brad Peacock and Tommy Milone.

“We could not be more pleased to add lefthander Gio Gonzalez to our club,” general manager Mike Rizzo said in the press release. “Gio is a front-line starter with glowing credentials, the vast majority of which were achieved before his 26th birthday. Gio’s presence bolsters the top portion of our rotation with yet another power arm to compete in the rugged National League East.”

Gilliam, excluded by most reports of the deal, is a 24-year old righty selected by the A’s in the 8th round of the 2009 amateur draft. He was 12-7 with a 5.04 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 28 starts for High-A Stockton this past season. He’ll join Gonzalez, the centerpiece of the deal, in joining the Nationals organization.

Gonzalez, 26, was 16-12 with a 3.12 ERA and 197 strikeouts for Oakland in 2011.

For more on all things Nationals baseball please check out Federal Baseball, SB Nation’s Washington Nationals blog.

ESPN.com first reported the swap Thursday.

A person with knowledge of the deal said Oakland will receive four players, including three top prospects: right-handers A.J. Cole and Brad Peacock, lefty Tom Milone and catcher Derek Norris. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday night because the trade hadn’t been finalized, also said the Nationals would receive minor league right-hander Rob Gilliam from the A’s.

Gonzalez has been the subject of trade talk all offseason. Earlier this month, the A’s traded fellow top-tier starter Trevor Cahill to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 26-year-old Gonzalez, drafted 38th overall by the Chicago White Sox in 2004, confirmed the trade to The Associated Press on Thursday. He went 16-12 last season — a career high for wins after he earned 15 victories in 2010 — with a 3.12 ERA in 32 starts and was selected to his first All-Star game. The left-hander has reached 200 innings the past two seasons.

“I love Oakland and appreciate them because they gave me a chance,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez would give the Nationals the reliable starter they’ve been seeking for two years to go along with young arms Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann. General manager Mike Rizzo made it a top priority last offseason to land another talented pitcher, and came through this time.

“I think we’re an outfield bat away and a starting pitcher away from really being a contender in the division,” he said late in the 2011 season.

Gonzalez was a big reason Oakland led the AL in ERA (3.56) and shutouts (17) in 2010 while holding opponents to a .245 batting average.

The Nationals went 80-81 this year to improve to third in the NL East after three straight last-place finishes in the five-team division.

A’s general manager Billy Beane is in rebuilding mode, stockpiling talent in the farm system with the hopes of the franchise getting the go ahead to build a new ballpark some 40 miles south in San Jose despite the San Francisco Giants owning the territorial rights to technology-rich Santa Clara County. Beane and owner Lew Wolff have said they expect to hear soon from Commissioner Bud Selig — and Beane said the unsettled stadium situation would affect him being able to sign free agents this winter.

The A’s (74-88) haven’t posted a winning record or earned a playoff berth since being swept in the 2006 AL championship series by Detroit.

Beane also sent reliever Craig Breslow to the defending NL West champion Diamondbacks this month. That came after reliever Brad Ziegler was traded to Arizona in July. The A’s appear to still be open to trading All-Star closer Andrew Bailey.

Peacock made his major league debut in September, pitching in three games with two starts — winning them both — to go 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA.

Milone also was a September call-up who made his debut in the big leagues. He went 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA in five starts. Milone was promoted after striking out 155 batters with just 16 walks this year at Triple-A Syracuse.

Norris has good power for a catcher. He hit 20 home runs for Double-A Harrisburg.

The 19-year-old Cole went 4-7 with a 4.04 ERA last season at Class-A Hagerstown.

Gilliam, the A’s eighth-round pick in 2009, went 12-7 with a 5.04 ERA and 156 strikeouts for Class-A Vancouver this year.

____

AP Sports Writer Joseph White in Washington contributed to this report.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

In exchange for Gonzalez, a 26-year-old who has won 15-plus games and thrown 200-plus innings in each of the past two seasons, the Nationals are giving up three pitching prospects — right-handers Brad Peacock and A.J. Cole, and lefty Tommy Milone — plus catching prospect Derek Norris. Peacock, Cole and Norris ranked third, fourth and ninth, respectively, in Baseball America’s recent list of the Nationals’ top prospects.

The package was less than the one the Nationals were willing to send to the Royals for Greinke a year ago: That deal would have cost the Nationals at least one from a group that included Zimmermann, closer Drew Storen or second baseman Danny Espinosa, plus additional prospects.

At the same time, Gonzalez, a first-time all-star in 2011, is not without flaws. A power arm who ranked fourth in the American League in 2011 with 8.78 strikeouts per nine innings, he also led the league in walks, with 91, a year after finishing second with 90. It also appears he benefited from pitching in Oakland’s cavernous Coliseum the past four seasons, recording a career ERA of 3.56 at home versus 4.32 on the road.

The trade was the fourth of Gonzalez’s career since the Chicago White Sox drafted him as a sandwich-round pick (38th overall) in 2004.

Still, the Nationals, whose offseason to this point had been marked by high-profile misses and low-profile hits, suddenly have taken a major step in their quest to contend for a playoff spot as soon as 2012. With Strasburg, Zimmermann and Gonzalez atop their rotation, the Nationals have three young, controllable power arms that could form the nucleus of a formidable pitching staff for the next four-plus years. (Gonzalez doesn’t become arbitration-eligible until 2013 and is under team control until 2015.)

“Whatever team is willing to .?.?. put me in their rotation,” Gonzalez said Wednesday in an appearance on MLB Network Radio, regarding a possible trade, “I’d be more than happy to shine like a star there.”

The Nationals reportedly also are receiving a throw-in, pitching prospect Rob Gilliam, in the trade. A 24-year-old right-hander, Gilliam went 12-7 with a 5.04 ERA for high-Class A Stockton (Calif.) in 2011.

The trade, which cost the Nationals dearly in prospects but relatively little in dollars, is certain to renew speculation that the Nationals will make a run at free agent first baseman Prince Fielder, whose price tag could hit $25 million per year for seven or more years, in an all-out effort to contend next season with Philadelphia, Atlanta and Florida in the suddenly ultra-competitive NL East division.

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo made his requirements in the team’s search for a starting pitcher this offseason perfectly clear. He wanted a left-hander, someone who could throw 200-plus innings and who had a proven track record.

The Nationals got their man Thursday when they agreed in principle on a five-player trade with the Oakland Athletics, acquiring talented lefty Gio Gonzalez but giving up a prospect haul, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.

Right-handed pitchers Brad Peacock and A.J. Cole were sent to the A’s, along with left-hander Tommy Milone and catcher Derek Norris. According to a CBSSports.com report, the Nationals also will get minor league pitcher Robert Gilliam in the trade. The deal, which was first reported by ESPN.com’s Keith Law, is pending physicals and an exchange of medical information.

Of the four, only Peacock and Milone have major league service time but all are well-regarded inside the Nationals’ organization and out. Milone and Peacock made strong impressions during September call-ups and were expected to contend for spots in the rotation this spring.

But the Nationals knew the price for Gonzalez would be high, and ultimately it was one they felt they had to pay to reach one of their biggest offseason goals. Gonzalez, 26, not only fits precisely what Washington sought, having thrown 200-plus innings in each of the past two seasons with a 3.17 ERA, but will remain under team control for the next four seasons. He is eligible for arbitration this offseason for the first time as a Super-Two.

“It’s 99 percent done,” Gonzalez told the Associated Press on Thursday. “It’s pending a physical, and I’m just waiting to hear from my agent.”

Behind Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann, and flanked by Chien-Ming Wang, John Lannan and Ross Detwiler, the addition of Gonzalez makes the rotation one of the most competitive in the National League — as well as one of the youngest with an average age of just older than 26. Wang, at 31, is the elder statesman. Strasburg, Zimmermann, Gonzalez, Lannan and Detwiler will remain under control together for the next four years.

In part, that’s why Gonzalez cost the Nationals their third, fourth and ninth best prospects in Peacock, Cole and Norris, according to Baseball America. Milone, a crafty lefty, is deemed by BA to have the best changeup in the organization. Peacock, who has a power arm, burst onto the scene in 2011, garnering accolades each step of the way from Double-A up to the major leagues. According to a source, the Nationals tried to avoid giving up both Peacock and Milone but ultimately couldn’t hold out.

Gonzalez is a Miami native but has been through the trade process. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the first round of the 2004 draft but was sent to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2005 as the player to be named in the Aaron Rowand-Jim Thome swap. Philadelphia then shipped him back to Chicago one year later with Gavin Floyd for Freddy Garcia, and the White Sox delivered him to Oakland in 2008 as part of the trade for Nick Swisher. He made his major league debut for the A’s on Aug. 6, 2008.

With that in mind, Gonzalez said to MLBNetworkRadio earlier this week that the trade rumors were getting a little exhausting, noting that “it drains you.”

“I want to play for a team that’s going to put 100 percent of their heart into me and give me a chance to play for their organization,” Gonzalez said earlier this week on MLBNetwork Radio. “Whatever team is willing to have me and put me in their rotation, I’d be more than happy to shine like a star there.”

That’s exactly what the Nationals are hoping now that they’ve tabbed him to fill one of their self-described biggest needs. For much of the offseason, the man to do that was Mark Buehrle, the former Chicago White Sox ace who seemed to fit the Nationals’ needs perfectly. But Buehrle opted for one more year and roughly $19 million more than the Nationals were offering in free agency when he chose the Miami Marlins during the winter meetings, so Rizzo and his staff went back to the drawing board.

When they emerged, they had found their replacement was not only younger and cheaper but a player who was among the American League’s best in 2011. The AL pitchers who allowed fewer hits per nine innings than Gonzalez (7.8) read like a pitching murderer’s row: Justin Verlander, Josh Beckett, Jered Weaver, James Shields, Ricky Romero, Michael Pineda, Jeremy Hellickson, C.J. Wilson, David Price and Jon Lester.

By the end of 2011, Gonzalez was in the top 10 in ERA and strikeouts. If his numbers transferred over to the NL he’d have remained there or improved his standing, including the seventh-best hits per nine innings mark in the NL. The only drawback appears to be his penchant for walks — he served up 91 in 2011, the most in the AL, eight more than the second-worst offender: A.J. Burnett.?

© Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

Bay Area News Group staff and wire report

The A’s continued their rebuilding Thursday, trading All-Star pitcher Gio Gonzalez to the Washington Nationals for four highly regarded minor-leaguers, ESPN.com reported Thursday afternoon.

Gonzalez, 26, was reportedly dealt for pitching prospects A.J. Cole, Brad Peacock and Tom Milone and catcher Derek Norris. Cole and Peacock, both right-handers, are considered the top prospects Oakland is receiving.

“It’s 99 percent done,” Gonzalez said in a phone interview with the Associated Press. “It’s pending a physical and I’m just waiting to hear from my agent.”

CBS Sports.com reported Oakland is also sending 24-year-old minor league pitcher Robert Gilliam to Washington in the deal.

Gonzalez went 16-12 with a 3.12 ERA in 2011 and is arbitration eligible for the first time — he’s expected to command a salary in the range of $4 million for 2012. Gonzalez joins Trevor Cahill as young A’s starters dealt this offseason in exchange for minor-leaguers as part of general manager Billy Beane’s rebuilding.

Gonzalez would give the Nationals the reliable starter they’ve been seeking for two years to go along with young arms Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann.

Cole, who was Washington’s third-ranked prospect in Minor League Ball.com’s ratings, was a fourth-round pick in 2010. The right-hander went 4-7 with a 4.04

ERA for Single-A Hagerstown, walking 24 and striking out 108 in 89 innings. The 6-foot-4, 180-pounder turns 20 on Jan. 5.

Cole’s ceiling is that of a top of the rotation pitcher, according to some minor league talent evaluators.

Peacock, rated Washington’s No. 4 prospect, is the most major-league ready of the four players the A’s acquired. He made his big-league debut in 2011, going 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in 12 innings for Washington. Evaluators see Peacock as a future No. 2 or No. 3 starter, yet Baseball America said he possesses “one of the most exciting power arms in the high minors.”

Peacock had a strong 2011 season in the minor leagues. He went 15-3 with a 2.39 ERA in 146 innings while in Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse, walking 47 and striking out 177.

Peacock, a 6-foot-1, 175-pounder, turns 24 on Feb. 2.

Norris, the Nationals’ sixth-rated prospect, is a catcher who has drawn comparisons to Mike Napoli of the Rangers. Norris hit just .210 in Double-A in 2011, but slugged 20 home runs and had an on-base percentage of .367 and a .446 slugging percentage (.813 OPS).

Norris will turn 24 on Feb. 14.

Milone, described as a “soft-tossing left-hander,” went 12-6 with a 3.22 ERA in 27 starts for Triple-A Syracuse in 2011 and pitched briefly in the majors. Milone, a 6-foot-1, 205-pounder who was the Nationals’ 10th-round pick in 2008, walked just 16 batters and struck out 155 in 148 innings last season.

Milone started five games for the Nationals late in the 2011 season, going 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA in 26 innings. He walked four and struck out 15 during his brief MLB stay.

Gilliam pitched for the A’s Single-A team in Stockton this past season, going 12-7 with a 5.04 ERA.

With the departures of Gonzalez and Cahill, the A’s likely 2012 rotation candidates are right-handers Brandon McCarthy, Guillermo Moscoso and Tyson Ross and left-handers Dallas Braden, Brett Anderson and Josh Outman.

Braden and Anderson are both coming off injuries that derailed their 2011 seasons. Braden may be available by Opening Day, but Anderson is rehabbing from elbow ligament replacement surgery and may not be ready until midseason.

Newcomers Peacock, Milone and Jarrod Parker, who was acquired from Arizona in the Cahill deal, are also expected to compete in spring training for starting roles.

There are reports that the Gonzalez deal could be followed closely by a trade that involves A’s All-Star closer Andrew Bailey, with Boston rumored to be his most likely destination.

The Washington Nationals continued their efforts to restock their bench, closing in on a deal with utility man Mark DeRosa late Wednesday night, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.

DeRosa, who has missed much of the previous two seasons with a wrist injury, can play infield and outfield and will serve as a right-handed bat off the bench.

The utility player has been a target of the Nationals all offseason, their courtship starting early in November when manager Davey Johnson called DeRosa to recruit him. Johnson, who managed DeRosa in the World Baseball Classic in 2009, speaks highly of the 36-year-old.

“I looked at his last two years and they weren’t too stellar,” Johnson said at the winter meetings in early December. “I know he had injured his left wrist but I had him in the World Baseball Classic, and he’s a really quality guy. I really like him.

“If he’s healthy, he fits the role about as good as you can get.”

DeRosa has played just 73 total games since the end of the 2009 season, hitting .149 with San Francisco in 2010 and .279 this past season with the Giants. He struggled throughout with a left wrist issue that required surgery in and around his ECU tendon.

Prior to injury, though, DeRosa was a legitimate threat. From 2006-2009, DeRosa averaged a .281 batting average, .356 on-base percentage and .448 slugging percentage. In 2008 and 2009, DeRosa hit 21 and 23 home runs, respectively. If healthy, DeRosa gives the Nationals the power bat off the bench they were searching for often in 2011.

His addition will help cushion the blow of the Nationals losing first baseman Chris Marrero to a torn hamstring while playing in the Dominican Winter League. It also allows Johnson the leeway to potentially platoon left-hander Adam LaRoche at first base.

Over the course of his 14-season career, DeRosa has played every position, except for center field, catcher and pitcher.

© Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

WASHINGTON- The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with right-handed pitchers Jeff Fulchino and Waldis Joaquin, catcher Carlos Maldonado, infielders Andres Blanco, Jarrett Hoffpauir and Chad Tracy, and outfielders Brett Carroll, Jason Michaels and Xavier Paul on minor-league contracts with invitations to Spring Training.

Additionally, the Nationals extended Spring Training invites to right-handed pitcher Rafael Martin, catcher Sandy Leon and outfielder Corey Brown. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

Fulchino, 32, is 9-10 with 21 holds and a 4.84 ERA in 163 relief appearances during five big-league seasons with Miami (2006), Kansas City (2007), Houston (2009-11) and San Diego (2011).

Joaquin pitched each of the last three seasons with San Francisco, posting a 1-0 record with one hold and a 5.40 ERA in 19 relief appearances. In six minor-league seasons, the 24-year-old has gone 13-13 with a 3.50 ERA and 8.0 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (262 K/293.1 IP) over 167 games/26 starts. A 16-year veteran catcher, Maldonado returns for his third season in the Nationals organization. The 32-year-old has appeared in 25 big-league games during three seasons with Pittsburgh (2006-07) and Washington (2010).

Blanco, 27, batted a combined .260 with 26 runs scored, 13 doubles, a triple, two home runs and 16 RBI over the last two seasons with the back-to-back AL pennant winning Texas Rangers. The switch-hitting infielder has played parts of six seasons in the Major Leagues with Kansas City (2004-06), Chicago-NL (2009) and Texas (2010-11).

Hoffpauir batted .281 with five home runs and 34 RBI in 91 games last season with Tucson of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. The 28-year-old has appeared in 21 big-league games with St. Louis (2009) and Toronto (2010).

Tracy joins the Nationals after playing the 2011 season with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan’s Central League. A power threat from the left side of the plate, the 31-year-old has belted 79 home runs during his seven big-league seasons with Arizona (2004-09), Chicago-NL (2010) and Miami (2010).

Tracy batted a combined .294 with 47 homers and 152 RBI for the Diamondbacks from 2005-06, reaching the 20-home run and 70-RBI plateaus in consecutive seasons. Carroll, 29, has logged big-league time in each of the last five seasons with Miami (2007-10) and Milwaukee (2011). Last season, he batted .270 with 16 home runs, 63 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 117 contests with the Triple-A clubs in Nashville and Pawtucket.

Michaels, 35, has batted .263 with 59 home runs and 299 RBI during his 11 Major League campaigns with Philadelphia (2001-05), Cleveland (2006-08), Pittsburgh (2008) and Houston (2009-11). Paul batted .255 with 30 runs scored, six doubles, five triples, two home runs, 20 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 128 games last season with Los Angeles-NL and Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old has played parts of three big-league seasons with the Dodgers (2009-11) and Pirates (11).

WASHINGTON – Former major league catcher Matt LeCroy has been promoted by the Washington Nationals to manager at Double-A Harrisburg from Single-A Potomac.

In announcing their minor league staffs Monday, the Nationals also said Tony Beasley will move from Harrisburg to Triple-A Syracuse.

Brian Rupp comes from the Kansas City Royals’ system to replace LeCroy at Potomac, while Tripp Keister will manage the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals after coaching in college.

At Potomac, Rupp will work with former major leaguers Chris Michalak as pitching coach, and Marlon Anderson as hitting coach.

Read More: Tom Gorzelanny (P – WAS), Jesus Flores (C – WAS), Tyler Clippard (P – WAS), Doug Slaten (P – WAS), John Lannan (P – WAS), Michael Morse (1B – WAS), Jordan Zimmermann (P – WAS), Washington Nationals

As the midnight deadline for tendering offers approaches on Monday night, it appears that the Washington Nationals will tender contract offers to six of the seven players who were unsigned. These are players who are unsigned but still arbitration-eligible and on the roster, with the Nationals having the ability to retain control. It was reported earlier in the night that lefty reliever Doug Slaten would be a non-tender. According to reports, he will be the only one, as the Nats plan to tender offers to Michael Morse, John Lannan, Jordan Zimmermann, Tyler Clippard, Jesus Flores, and Tom Gorzelanny.

Via Mark Zuckerman:

Nats official says all others will be tendered: Clippard, Flores, Gorzelanny, Lannan, Morse, Zimmermann.

All six players have until next month negotiate their salaries for the upcoming season, or else enter the formal arbitration process. As Zuckerman reports, the only real toss-up decision was Gorzelanny, whose tender likely means the Nats will keep the lefty in the bullpen to serve as a long reliever.

For more news, analysis, and discussion on the Washington Nationals, visit SB Nation’s Nats’ blog, Federal Baseball.

Washington Nationals 2102 spring training schedule:

All dates and times are tentative.
Feb. 19: Pitchers and catchers report
Feb. 23: Position players report
Feb. 25: First full-squad workout
March 3: at Astros, Kissimmee, 1:05 p.m.
March 4: vs. Astros, Viera, TBA
March 5: at Mets, Port St. Lucie, 6:10 p.m.
March 6: at Braves, Disney, 1:05 p.m.
March 7: vs. Cardinals, Viera, TBA
March 8: vs. Astros, Viera, TBA
March 9: at Marlins, Jupiter, 7:05 p.m.
March 10: (split squads) vs. Mets, Viera, TBA; (ss) at Tigers, Lakeland, 1:05 p.m.
March 11:at Cardinals, Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 12: vs. Cardinals (ss), Viera, TBA
March 13: vs. Tigers, Viera, TBA
March 14: at Braves, Disney, 6:05 p.m.
March 15: vs. Yankees, Viera, TBA
March 16: at Yankees, Tampa, 1:05 p.m.
March 17: vs. Marlins (ss), Viera, TBA
March 18: vs. Tigers, Viera, TBA
March 19: Off
March 20: at Mets, Port St. Lucie, 6:10 p.m.
March 21: vs. Braves, Viera, TBA
March 22: at Cardinals, Jupiter, TBA
March 23: at Astros, Kissimmee, 1:05 p.m.
March 24: at Orioles, Sarasota, 1:05 p.m.
March 25: vs. Mets, Viera, TBA
March 26: vs. Astros, Viera, TBA
March 27: at Marlins, Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 28: at Mets in Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m.
March 29: (ss) vs. Braves, Viera, TBA; (ss) at Tigers, Lakeland, 6:05 p.m.
March 30: vs. Marlins, Viera, TBA
March 31: vs. Cardinals, Viera, TBA
April 1: at Cardinals, Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
April 2: at Red Sox, Fort Myers, 1:35 p.m.
April 3: vs. Red Sox at Nationals Park, TBA

Rizzo had the sense Buehrle could decide quickly, and he had high hopes he would land the pitcher the Nationals made their top target this offseason. The confidence traced back to that meeting in November, when Rizzo flew to Buehrle’s home in St. Louis and laid out why Buehrle should come play in Washington.

“There was a connection there,” Rizzo said. “I went in there and really gave him a presentation of what we’re all about, what we’re trying to do now, what we’re trying to do in the future, what part does he play in it. It was a well-rounded presentation to show all the facets.”

Rizzo told Buehrle he would serve both as a top-of-the-rotation starter and a mentor to the Nationals’ young pitching staff, headlined by Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann. He emphasized how Washington appeals to a young family like Buehrle’s, and he included details such as how the Nationals handle security for players’ wives. Rizzo said he argued why the Nationals are ready to win, an important factor for the pitcher.

“At the beginning, there was a lot of interest,” Rizzo said. “When we left, there was a great interest in the Washington Nationals.”

Rizzo has been making pitches to free agents for three offseasons now as the Nationals’ general manager, and they have become easier. He inherited a 103-loss team that had finished with the worst record in the majors two years running. He now runs a team packed with potential that finished third in the National League East and finished one win shy of .500.

“We’re beyond the point where we apologize for not being very good and we’re rebuilding,” Rizzo said. “I think we’re a solid team. We have a chance to compete, and we get that point across. We do it by what our reputation is amongst the players. They talk a lot. We have a good reputation out there as a good place to be.

“It’s an easier presentation to put together, I know that. It’s, ‘Here’s how we’re going to win, and here’s how you’re going to help us get there.’ We can base that on facts and names and not just concepts and philosophies.”

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman can remember the days when a top free agent choosing the Nationals seemed even more preposterous than at the start of Rizzo’s tenure, back when Major League Baseball owned a team that played in rundown RFK Stadium. Zimmerman — who endorsed Buehrle as “a guy who throws 200 innings every year” — said the Nationals’ young talent finally reaching the majors caused the shift.

“It’s a lot different with the guys we have coming up,” Zimmerman said. “People can see where we’re going now.”

While Buehrle is the Nationals’ clear-cut top choice, Rizzo called C.J. Wilson “an extremely talented, young left-handed pitcher” who “will immediately improve a ball club.” Rizzo said he has spoken with Wilson, but the Nationals are not believed to be seriously pursuing him.

Buehrle precisely fits the profile of the kind of starting pitcher the Nationals want to add, a veteran with a consistent, durable track record. Buehrle, 32, has a 161-119 career record with a 3.83 earned run average and has thrown at least 200 innings in all 11 of his major league seasons. Despite his experience, he’s only one year older than Wilson, regarded as the best free agent starter available.

If the Nationals miss out on Buehrle, they would move to sign free agent right-hander Roy Oswalt, 34. Rizzo said yesterday he would also consider searching for a starting pitcher via trade. The Nationals have ample depth in their rotation, but adding Buehrle and pairing him with Strasburg and Zimmermann would give the Nationals one of the most formidable rotations in the league.

As Buehrle’s representatives continued to make the rounds at the winter meetings, his decision could come sooner than later.

“From my meeting with him, I don’t think he wants this to be a long, drawn-out process,” Rizzo said. “I think he wants to get comfortable with a team, be treated fairly and get on with the offseason and his preparation for spring training.”

Buehrle wants a no-trade clause in his contract. Rizzo is loathe to give them out, but he said he would be open to offering one for the “right fit.” For the Nationals, Buehrle would be that right fit. And, in a change from past winters, the Nationals might actually be the right fit for a top free agent.

Posted at 12:10 PM ET, 12/06/2011

By Washington Post editors

I

(John McDonnell – THE WASHINGTON POST)
t’s nearly time to close the book on 2011, a year that was nothing if not eventful for D.C.’s pro sports teams. Starting today, we’re asking you to rank the year’s biggest moment for each of the teams — the Nationals as well as the Capitals, Redskins, Wizards and D.C. United.

In the box below, you have the choice of picking which of two moments from 2011 was bigger. Vote, and another comparison will come up. Repeat as long as you feel like it.

Also, if you think we missed a big moment, you can add your own (They will be looked at by a moderator before appearing as an option in the box.).