Teahen hopes minor deal keeps him in the majors
--INF/OF Mark Teahen agreed to a minor-league contract last week. Teahen comes to the Nationals after batting .200 last season with the White Sox and Blue Jays. He would give the Nationals, at the very least, another left-handed bat on the bench, if he makes the team.
--CF Rick Ankiel signed a minor-league deal with the team last week. He's got a strong arm and is a good defensive player. He hit only .239 last season, but Ankiel gave the Nationals some strong defensive work in the outfield last year.
--LHP John Lannan told the Washington Post he's not paying much attention to trade rumors. The Nationals, if everything worked out, could have up to eight starting pitchers, but Lannan said he's just getting ready for spring training. "For now, I'm going to be in D.C.; that's all I'm focused on," he told The Post.
--RF
--RHP Henry Rodriguez could help a deep Nationals' bullpen be even better if he continues to pitch well. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out 70 in 65 2/3 innings last year and was very effective at times. This could be a break-out year for him.
BY THE NUMBERS
43 -- The number of saves that RHP Drew Storen posted in 2011, his first season as the team's closer.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We've heard it enough, we've seen it enough, and I don't like it any more than anyone else. We're trying to build a team here, and nothing irks me personally or the people here more than to see another team's fans, particularly Philly fans, in our ballpark, holding up signs. That's not the way it should be." -- Nationals COO Andy Feffer, to the Washington Post when the team recently announced its "Take Back The Park" promotion. Until early March, the Nationals will sell single-game tickets for the May 4-6 series with the Phillies only to people whose credit card is from an address in Maryland, Virginia or D.C. Other single-game tickets go after that. Translation: they want to keep the Phillies fans out.
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