We’re still here, just waiting out the rest of spring training. As is my offseason custom to keep the site from going stale, here are some stories to read.
Games start up on Thursday in the minors and I’m anticipating rosters to be released on the 7th. With a shorter window to work with in the mornings, I may not be able to write them up with much or any commentary, so my apologies in advance.
John Sickels has released his rankings of the MLB farm systems, with the Nationals coming in at No. 16, up from No. 22 last year. That’s what’s more important: not the ranking, but the acknowledgement that the system has improved.
Washington also came in at No. 16 on BA’s 2014 International Spending By Team. Be sure to read the caveats for they are significant, particularly as they relate to Cuban FAs.
Lastly, I’d like to give some play to a blog by San Francisco minor-leaguer Matt Paré called “Homeless Minor Leaguer,” recently featured on NBC Sports’ HardballTalk. I’m hyperlinking there because I think it’s the best place to start.
I’m always fascinated by these kinds of first-person accounts, even if many of them don’t live up to the standard set by Dirk Hayhurst. Sadly, the Nationals once had such a player but basically ordered him to stop.
That’s all for now. Next up (most likely) another transaction update.