Johnson will return in 2012 [updated]

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Davey Johnson has lofty expectations for the Nationals next season.

Updated at 1:40 p.m.

Davey Johnson knew for sure he wanted to return to manage the Nationals during the final weeks of September, as his club surged toward its best record in six years. And now that he knows he'll officially be back next spring, the veteran skipper isn't afraid to let the public know what he believes this team can accomplish in 2012.

"Winning the pennant. Winning the division. Winning the National League," Johnson said Monday morning after the club formally announced his 2012 option has been picked up. "I couldn't have said that last spring. I didn't think the talent was ready. But after being there and seeing the progress that some of the young players made, I think we definitely can contend. And I would be sorely disappointed if we didn't do just that."

Strong words from Johnson, who will be the majors' oldest manager next season at 69, but not out of character for someone who has always expected big things from his teams.

The owner of a .588 career winning percentage (and one World Series ring) over parts of 15 seasons with the Mets, Reds, Orioles, Dodgers and Nationals, Johnson has rarely managed a team that didn't enter a
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Which free agents should the Nats re-sign?

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Livan Hernandez is free to sign with another team beginning Thursday.

Baseball wastes no time transitioning from the postseason to the offseason. Nearly 150 players filed for free agency yesterday, a mere formality that allows those players to begin negotiating with all clubs on Thursday.

Unlike the NFL, the NBA and NHL, there typically isn't a mad rush of signings the moment free agency begins. Truth be told, the market really won't start heating up until the days leading into the Dec. 5-8 winter meetings in Dallas.

So there's time for teams to contemplate which, if any, of their departing free agents they might want to attempt to re-sign. And there's time for those players to gauge how much interest there is from other clubs before deciding whether to return to their 2011 homes.

The Nationals do face some interesting decisions among their eight players who became free agents yesterday: right-handers Chien-Ming

A fitting end to an improbable season

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The Cardinals won their 11th (and most surprising) World Series title last night.

There have been improbable World Series champions over the years. The 1960 Pirates, who were outscored by the Yankees 55-27 yet somehow won the whole thing on Bill Mazeroski's Game 7 blast. The 1969 Miracle Mets, who took down a supposedly superior Orioles squad. The 1988 Dodgers, who weren't supposed to be able to compete with the A's until a gimpy Kirk Gibson made history.

The 2011 Cardinals, though, may have topped them all on the improbability scale. It's not only the fact they made up 10 1/2 games in the NL wild-card standings over the season's five weeks. Go back to spring training when they learned co-ace Adam Wainwright needed Tommy John surgery and would miss the season. Everyone wrote them off right then and there.

Then flash-forward to the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday night, with St. Louis one strike away from being eliminated by the Rangers in a World Series that might have wound up being known best for Tony La Russa's Game 5 bullpen phone screw-up than anything else.

Who's going to remember the bullpen phone saga now, or for the rest of eternity, after the Cardinals stormed back to win Game 6 in epic fashion and then finished off Texas last night in Game 7? St. Louis

World Series Game 7: Rangers at Cardinals

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Busch Stadium hosts the final game of the 2011 season tonight.

And so, it has all come down to this. A baseball season that has featured so many twists and turns and dramatic moments will be decided in the 36th Game 7 in World Series history. A good number of those previous Game 7's are some of the most famous in baseball lore. The Senators' 12-inning win in 1924 for their lone championship. Bill Mazeroski's ninth-inning homer in 1960. Jack Morris throwing 10 scoreless innings for the Twins in 1991. Luis Gonzalez's game-winning blooper off Mariano Rivera in 2001.

Some important facts to keep in mind: The home team is 19-16 overall but has won the last eight Game 7's. The last road team to win one of these? The 1979 Pirates in Baltimore. Also, pitching usually reigns supreme. In the last five Game 7's, the winning team has scored no more than four runs.

And some key things to know about tonight's game: Chris Carpenter will start on three days' rest for St. Louis. Matt Harrison will start for Texas on five days' rest. Both starters will be on short leashes, but you wouldn't think Derek Holland is available for the Rangers after pitching out of the bullpen last night. Matt Holliday is off the Cardinals' roster with a wrist injury, so Allen Craig is in the lineup in left field. Also, struggling Rafael Furcal has been dropped to seventh, with Ryan Theriot leading off for Tony La Russa. Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli are both banged up but playing for the Rangers.

Who's going to win? Common sense says you can't pick against the home team, and certainly the Cardinals have all the momentum (not to mention their ace on the mound). That said, there's something about this Rangers team that leads me to believe they aren't sunk quite yet. My head says St. Louis; my gut says Texas.

No matter what, this promises to be something special. It's the first World Series Game 7 since 2002, and it's coming at the end of one of the greatest postseasons we've ever seen. If you're a baseball fan, savor every moment of this. I sure know I will...

107th WORLD SERIES - GAME 7
TEXAS RANGERS at ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Busch Stadium
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), XM 89
Weather: Clear, 51 degrees, Wind 5 mph out to CF

STARTING LINEUPS
RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
CF Josh Hamilton
1B Michael Young

An iconic night, one more to go

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David Freese provided a World Series moment for the ages last night.

This, this right here, is what makes baseball the greatest game ever invented.

No other sport could produce what we witnessed last night in St. Louis. The anticipation. The tension. The elation. The anguish. The back-and-forth swings of emotion that left us all glued to our TV until well past midnight.

The sense of history that allowed us to understand the significance of this Game 6 in comparison to the handful of other great ones we've seen before (1975, 1986, 1991). And an awareness of the personal touch that allowed us to fully appreciate Joe Buck's call of David Freese's 11th-inning home run, an homage to his father's identical call of Kirby Puckett's comparable game winner in Minnesota 20 years ago.

Seriously, if you couldn't relish all that at 12:38 a.m. as Mark Lowe's pitch connected off Freese's bat and sailed into the night ... well, I'm

Video: Harper's AFL walk-off

And you thought David Freese hit the only walk-off home run in America on Thursday.

Au contraire. Perhaps you've heard of this young lad named Bryce Harper. He's a top prospect in the Nationals' farm system. And yesterday afternoon, he clubbed a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Scottsdale Scorpions to an 8-7 victory over the Mesa Solar Sox in Arizona Fall League action.

That was Harper's second home run in as many days, his second four-RBI game in a row and a continuation of his recent red-hot streak at the plate. After opening the AFL season 3-for-27, he's now got 10 hits in his last 23 at-bats (three of them homers, two of them doubles).

If you click on the above video, you'll see yesterday's walk-off from Harper. The video quality isn't exactly professional-grade, but there's a good reason for that. It was shot by my father. No, really.

World Series Game 6: Rangers at Cardinals

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Ron Washington and Tony La Russa go head-to-head again tonight.

We've had nearly 72 hours to analyze the great bullpen phone fiasco of 2011 and whether it has destroyed Tony La Russa's reputation forever. (My personal opinion: No, it hasn't.) Now, though, it's finally time for baseball again. And if Game 6 resembles the previous five in this fantastic World Series, I have a hunch there will be a new storyline by night's end.

The question is: Which storyline will emerge? Will the Cardinals stave off elimination, live to see another day and force the first World Series Game 7 since 2002? Honestly, they have to like their situation, back home at Busch Stadium with Jaime Garcia on the mound and the DH out of the lineup.

On the other hand, the Rangers have an opportunity to seize this moment and capture the first championship in the history of a franchise that began play in 1961 as the expansion Washington Senators.

What will be the storyline at night's end? We're about to find out...

107th WORLD SERIES - GAME 6
TEXAS RANGERS at ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Busch Stadium
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), XM 89
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 51 degrees, Wind 4 mph in from CF

STARTING LINEUPS
RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
LF Josh Hamilton
1B Michael Young

The Darvish dilemma

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Yu Darvish, pitching for Japan in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

In their perpetual quest to acquire more pitching, the Nationals are likely to give some serious consideration to Yu Darvish, the latest Japanese sensation who may announce in the next few weeks he's coming to the United States.

General manager Mike Rizzo acknowledged yesterday during a conference call with beat reporters that members of the Nationals' international scouting organization saw Darvish pitch multiple times this year. Rizzo himself has scouted Darvish in person, though not in the last two seasons.

The process for acquiring top Japanese players is a complicated one. The player must first be posted by his current team, in this case the Nippon-Ham Fighters. Any major-league club interested in signing Darvish will submit a blind bid to Nippon-Ham, just for the right to negotiate with him. Once the top bidder is determined, it's up to that team and Darvish to work out a contract.

Suffice it to say, it's going to cost a pretty penny to land the right-hander. Darvish is just as hyped (if not more so) than Daisuke Matsuzaka, who in 2007 went to Boston after the Red Sox paid out a $51 million posting fee to the Seibu Lions and then a six-year, $52

Rizzo on LaRoche, Wang, Rendon

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Adam LaRoche, who had shoulder surgery in June, resumed throwing last week.

Mike Rizzo held a conference call with beat reporters a short while ago, and though the Nationals general manager reiterated several points raised in his televised interview with me last week, there were a few new nuggets that came out of this session...

-- Adam LaRoche, who had surgery in June to repair a left shoulder tear, began a throwing program last week. Rizzo continues to speak about the LaRoche (who is under contract for $8 million in 2012) as his starting first baseman, despite the presence of Michael Morse and Chris Marrero on the roster and big names like Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder about to hit the free-agent market. "His rehab is going great," Rizzo said of LaRoche. "He started throwing just last week. He will be on a throwing program and building up to prepare for spring training. He should be full-go for spring training. That's the word I got, not only from Adam, but from our medical staff."

-- Though the Nationals continue to talk with Chien-Ming Wang about a contract extension, the two sides aren't on the verge of striking a deal. "I wouldn't describe it as imminent or close," Rizzo said. "But

MLB Network to show Taiwan series

MLB Network will televise all five games of the upcoming Taiwan All-Star Series that will see a team of major leaguers (including several members of the Nationals) travel to Asia to face an squad of players from Taiwan.

Michael Morse, Ross Detwiler and Collin Balester are all slated to make the trip to Taiwan and play for the MLB club. Chien-Ming Wang, who hopes to re-sign with the Nationals in the coming weeks, is scheduled to pitch for his native country against the big leaguers.

In addition to Morse, Detwiler and Balester, the MLB roster includes the Yankees' Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, the Giants' Pablo Sandoval and the Diamondbacks' Ryan Roberts. San Francisco's Bruce Bochy will manage the team.

Here's the full schedule for the series. All games will be shown on tape delay...

Nov. 1 -- MLB vs. Taiwan at New Taipai City, 9 p.m.
Nov. 3 -- MLB vs. Taiwan at Taichung, 9 p.m.

Tuesday morning thoughts

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C.J. Wilson was erratic but effective last night for the Rangers.

A few scattershot thoughts on this morning after another fantastic game in what has turned into an epic World Series...

-- Is C.J. Wilson really worth the money he's going to get this winter? Look, I would never say teams should base their decisions strictly on a couple of postseason appearances, but something tells me the Wilson we saw during Game 5 last night is the same guy you'll see a lot during the regular season. The five walks and elevated pitch count weren't an anomaly. Wilson led the AL with 93 walks last season and posted a 3.0 walks-per-nine-innings rate this year that would have been higher than anyone in the Nationals' rotation besides John Lannan (3.7). I'm not saying Wilson isn't a good pitcher, or that he wouldn't be better than every Nats starter not named Stephen Strasburg or Jordan Zimmermann. But I'm not sure that alone is worth four years and $60 million, or whatever the left-hander is going to wind up getting on the open market. It can be a dangerous thing going after the best available free agent starter when it's a down year for those kind of pitchers.

-- Looks like Bryce Harper is starting to heat up in Arizona, just as you figured he would. Since beginning his fall league season 1-for-19,

World Series Game 5: Cardinals at Rangers

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The Rangers came roaring back last night to even up the series.

Two important things happened last night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington: 1) Derek Holland turned in one of the best World Series pitching performances in a really long time, and 2) Texas' victory ensured this series will go back to St. Louis for at least a Game 6.

Which means tonight's game can't decide the Fall Classic. Though it can certainly go a long way toward deciding who ultimately wins this thing. I would contend the pressure is still on the Rangers to win tonight; the last thing they want is to go to Busch Stadium down 3-2.

But that means Texas is going to have to beat Chris Carpenter, who tossed a gem in Game 1 and will be again pitching on full rest. Which also means C.J. Wilson is going to have to be at his very best, building off his strong outing in the series opener and forgetting about those disastrous starts from earlier in the postseason.

In the 41 previous World Series that were tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 went on to win it all 27 times. Obviously, being up 3-2 is a nice advantage, though it's not an insurmountable deficit...

107th WORLD SERIES - GAME 5
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS at TEXAS RANGERS
Where: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), XM 89
Weather: Clear, 79 degrees, Wind 6 mph LF to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
CARDINALS
SS Rafael Furcal
RF Allen Craig
1B Albert Pujols
LF Matt Holliday

Does baseball really need more postseason?

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Rangers Ballpark hosted the World Series over the weekend.

If you haven't been watching baseball over the last three weeks, what's wrong with you? You've been missing out on one of the most compelling postseasons this sport has experienced in quite a while.

After some fantastic showdowns in both the Division Series and League Championship Series, I was worried the World Series would be a letdown. Turns out I had nothing to fear, because this Fall Classic has been ... well, a real classic so far.

Thanks to Derek Holland's brilliant pitching performance last night, the Rangers knotted the series back up at two games a piece, ensuring this will go at least six games and setting up the distinct possibility of the first seven-game World Series since the Angels and Giants did it in 2002.

Seriously, if you've ignored this series (for whatever reason) it's time to join the fun. You'll be glad you did.

That said, I will admit that following baseball this month has been an exhausting experience. There have been a whole lot of games and a whole lot of late nights, and I can certainly understand how anyone

World Series Game 4: Cardinals at Rangers

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Albert Pujols had a performance for the ages last night in Game 3.

When you're one of only three players in baseball to do something, and when the other two guys are named Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson, it's safe to say you've done something special. Actually, there's an argument to be made that Albert Pujols last night produced the greatest offensive performance in World Series history, not only homering three times to match The Babe and Mr. October but amassing a series-record 14 total bases.

So the question now is: What can the Rangers possibly do to contain this guy? And will it even matter? Certainly, Texas faces a daunting challenge tonight, now trailing the series 2-1 and staring at a virtual must-win scenario in Game 4. Yes, they'd still be mathematically alive if they lose tonight. But it's tough to see them winning three straight, the final two on the road.

So the pressure's on Derek Holland, the Rangers' Game 4 starter, to put forth some quality innings tonight. After burning up their bullpen last night, the Rangers simply can't afford another brief outing from their starter...

107th WORLD SERIES - GAME 4
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS at TEXAS RANGERS
Where: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), XM 89
Weather: Clear, 75 degrees, Wind 6 mph LF to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
CARDINALS
SS Rafael Furcal
RF Allen Craig
1B Albert Pujols
LF Matt Holliday

World Series Game 3: Cardinals at Rangers

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Ian Kinsler's stolen base helped set up the Rangers' winning rally in Game 2.

After a day off for travel and ripping Albert Pujols for bailing on the media following Game 2, the World Series reconvenes tonight in the Great Republic of Texas, where the stars tonight will be big and bright. After a couple of very well-played, compelling, tense ballgames, this is shaping up to be quite a Fall Classic.

The Rangers have stolen home-field advantage via their ninth-inning rally Thursday night in St. Louis. Back in their ballpark for the next three games, they'll have another potent bat in the lineup with the DH back in play. Michael Young will take over that position for tonight, with Mike Napoli sliding over to first base and Yorvit Torrealba catching.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, are having Lance Berkman serve as DH, which opens up a lineup spot for Allen Craig, who has already proven himself quite adept at pinch-hitting in the first two games of this series.

Right-hander Kyle Lohse (0-2, 7.45 ERA this postseason) gets the start for St. Louis. He'll go up against lefty Matt Harrison (1-0, 4.42 ERA this postseason)...

107th WORLD SERIES - GAME 3
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS at TEXAS RANGERS
Where: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), XM 89
Weather: Partly cloudy, 81 degrees, Wind 11 mph in from RF

STARTING LINEUPS
CARDINALS
SS Rafael Furcal
RF Allen Craig
1B Albert Pujols
LF Matt Holliday

The importance of the sac fly

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Ian Desmond led the Nats in sacrifice flies ... with five.

A wonderfully quirky and genuinely nice man who for decades served as an official scorer at both Yankees and Mets games, Bill Shannon, hated the sacrifice fly. When he was scoring a game and someone would drive in a run via a flyball, Shannon would grab his microphone and reluctantly say the words "sacrifice fly" with disgust.

His rationale: Shannon didn't believe batters were intentionally sacrificing their at-bats in order to drive in the run. They simply happened to hit a flyball with a man on third and less than two outs, even if they were trying to record a clean hit.

I was thinking about Shannon, who tragically was killed in a house fire last year, while watching the gripping ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series last night. The Rangers, trailing 1-0 and on the verge of falling two games behind the Cardinals in the series, managed to scrape together both the tying and winning runs via two singles, a stolen base, some adept baserunning and -- most importantly -- two sacrifice flies via their Nos. 3 and 4 hitters: Josh Hamilton and Michael Young.

Were those two sluggers intentionally trying to sacrifice themselves to get those runners home? You better believe it.

"I don't care how we scored them," Young told reporters following the

Video: The full Rizzo interview

General manager Mike Rizzo was kind enough to sit down this week for a lengthy interview at Nationals Park and answer questions on all sorts of topics facing the organization as the offseason begins.

You may already have read my article off the interview, in which I focused on Rizzo's take on the Nationals' situation at first base entering 2012. The rest of the article includes snippets of other subjects we discussed, from Davey Johnson's status to a possible contract extension for Ryan Zimmerman to Bryce Harper's tweets in support of the Yankees earlier this month.

Here, though, is the entire interview on camera, superbly produced and edited by the good folks at Comcast SportsNet and CSNwashington.com. Hope you enjoy it...

World Series Game 2: Rangers at Cardinals

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Hitting coach Mark McGwire congratulates Jason Motte following last night's win.

I hope I wasn't the only one who really enjoyed watching Game 1 of the World Series last night, happy to see a couple of aces actually pitch well and a tight, one-run game come down to a couple of key moments that tested both managers' ability to utilize both their benches and their bullpens. If that was an indication of things to come, this could be a really compelling series.

We'll have to see if the trend continues tonight in Game 2, though, with the spotlight now on Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia and Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis. Obviously, Texas faces some pressure to win this game and avoid falling into a 2-0 hole heading back home over the weekend.

The pressure also is on Ron Washington to not let Tony La Russa dictate the matchups the way he did during some crucial moments last night. It'll be real interesting to see if Washington does anything different in this one, especially when it comes to pitching around No. 8 hitter Nick Punto and enticing La Russa to send up a pinch-hitter from his deep and talented bench.

The forecast still calls for chilly temperatures in St. Louis, though there's no rain in sight and the wind has died down some, so it should make for a more comfortable environment for everyone at Busch Stadium...

107th WORLD SERIES - GAME 2
TEXAS RANGERS at ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Busch Stadium
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 89
Weather: Partly cloudy, 49 degrees, Wind 12 mph LF to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
LF Josh Hamilton
1B Michael Young

Rizzo "comfortable" with Nats at 1B

Despite speculation from national media outlets that the Nationals will be among the clubs making serious overtures to free agent first basemen Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder this winter, general manager Mike Rizzo insists he's "comfortable" with his team's current crop of first basemen.

The Nationals already have veteran Adam LaRoche (who missed most of this season with a left shoulder tear) signed for 2012 at $8 million. They also have Michael Morse coming off a breakthrough season in which he led the team with 31 homers, 95 RBI and a .303 average, with the majority of his playing time coming at first base while LaRoche was on the disabled list.

That hasn't stopped national media outlets from spreading rumors about the Nationals' possible interest in one of the two premier free agents about to hit the open market, particularly Fielder (whose agent, Scott Boras, already represents a number of Washington players including Jayson Werth, Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper).

During an interview with CSN Washington, though, Rizzo gave a strong endorsement to the first basemen already on his roster.

"We'd never put down any type of definitive statements at this time of the offseason, but suffice it to say, we feel comfortable with the first base situation as it is," Rizzo said. "That's not to say something
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Should Nats trade from surplus?

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Ross Detwiler is one of several young arms the Nationals have in their arsenal.

We've talked a lot already this offseason about what positions the Nationals need to improve to get themselves closer to contention in 2012. This morning, let's turn the tables a bit and talk about what positions they might actually find themselves overstocked.

Mike Rizzo has often explained the two byproducts of building up a deep farm system: 1) To supply your big-league roster with talented, young players, and 2) To give yourself some trade chips to go out and acquire something else you need.

Perhaps for the first time since they arrived in town, the Nationals find themselves in a situation where they could move some young players from a position of depth in order to address another position of need.

This especially appears to be true in the pitching department. In addition to their two young studs -- Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann -- the Nats also have a potential surplus of starters age 27 or younger: John Lannan, Ross Detwiler, Brad Peacock and Tommy

World Series Game 1: Rangers at Cardinals

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It's been cold and rainy in St. Louis all day.

If it's late October and it's the Midwest, weather is probably going to be a factor. Sure enough, the World Series opens tonight in St. Louis in dreary conditions: Temperatures in the 40s, rain in the forecast and a strong wind blowing across the field from left to right.

It doesn't appear the conditions are bad enough to necessitate a delay, but it'll be interesting to see how the two teams handle the situation, especially a Rangers club that is used to playing in a much warmer climate.

Both clubs were able to set up their rotations to have their No. 1 starters on the mound, so it's Chris Carpenter vs. C.J. Wilson. This would be a nice time for either ace to actually toss a quality start, something no member of either rotation did during the LCS.

Because the game is being played in an NL park, there will be no DH tonight or tomorrow. That shouldn't be a big deal for the Rangers, who will have Michael Young at first base (he's adept at all four infield positions, and Mitch Moreland hasn't been particularly effective himself during the postseason)...

107th WORLD SERIES - GAME 1
TEXAS RANGERS at ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Busch Stadium
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 89
Weather: Showers, 47 degrees, Wind 23 mph LF to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
CF Josh Hamilton
1B Michael Young

The 107th World Series

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Busch Stadium hosts Game 1 of the Fall Classic tonight.

This World Series matchup -- Texas vs. St. Louis -- is being billed as a huge surprise, but maybe it's not as big a shocker as we want to believe.

After all, the Rangers were the defending American League champs. And though they lost Cliff Lee over the winter, we knew they had a really talented roster and the potential to repeat. And though the Cardinals lost co-ace Adam Wainwright to Tommy John surgery back in spring training, we knew this team still had the game's greatest player in Albert Pujols, another big-time slugger in Matt Holliday, another ace in Chris Carpenter and one of the best managers this sport has ever known in Tony La Russa.

The point here isn't that we should have picked someone other than the Phillies or Yankees, but rather that the two teams that did reach the Fall Classic actually deserve to be here. Whichever club emerges triumphant over the next week, it won't be a fluke.

Which club will that be? Let's break down the series and make a prediction. Also, make sure to submit your pick in the poll to the right of the screen. Based on the submissions so far, looks like this is going to be a close one...

2011 WORLD SERIES
TEXAS RANGERS VS. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

SCHEDULE
Game 1 -- Tonight, 8:05 p.m., Texas (Wilson) at St. Louis (Carpenter)
Game 2 -- Tomorrow, 8:05 p.m., Texas (Lewis) at St. Louis (Garcia)
Game 3 -- Saturday, 8:05 p.m., St. Louis (Lohse) at Texas (Holland)

Rule 5 pick Ramirez returned to Mets

The Nationals announced today they've returned Rule 5 draftee Elvin Ramirez to the Mets, sending the right-hander back to New York after he missed the entire season with a shoulder injury.

Ramirez, a hard-throwing reliever whose fastball reached triple digits when healthy, was plucked away from the Mets last December. The Nationals hoped he would become a key member of their bullpen, but after reporting late to spring training due to visa troubles he reported shoulder soreness.

Ramirez opened the season on the disabled list and had season-ending shoulder surgery in May. Per Rule 5 regulations, the Nationals were required to keep him in the organization while on the DL.

Though he's now considered healthy, the Nats would have to keep Ramirez on the 25-man roster for at least 90 days in 2012. Instead,

Beltway Baseball Live - 10/18/11

NatsTown has been fairly quiet since the season ended three weeks ago, but that doesn't mean there aren't issues to discuss. Chase Hughes tackled a bunch of topics this afternoon during our first offseason installment of Beltway Baseball Live.

We talked about the postseason and previewied the World Series between the Cardinals and Rangers. As always, we took your questions. I even raised the possibility of the Nationals making a run at Albert Pujols this winter (if that doesn't pique your interest, I don't know what will).

If you missed the show live at 2 p.m., never fear. Here's the entire episode for your enjoyment...

Winter ball update

US Presswire file photo

Bryce Harper is 3-for-27 in seven games with the Scottsdale Scorpions.

As the postseason reaches its final leg -- the 107th World Series begins Wednesday in St. Louis with an unlikely Rangers-Cardinals matchup -- baseball's various offseason leagues are just starting to heat up.

In Arizona and across the Caribbean, more than a dozen members of the Nationals organization are getting in some extra work. Some of them are downright dominating the competition (hello, Jesus Flores!) and some of them are ... well, they're still trying to rediscover their swing (coughBryceHarpercough).

Several of you have been asking for some news on these guys, so here is the first of what will become regular updates on the Nats playing fall/winter ball. (Note: You can track everyone's progress on a daily basis via this site.) ...

Bryce Harper remains the biggest name out there; baseball's top-rated prospect just celebrated his 19th birthday yesterday with a day off from the Arizona Fall League (which doesn't schedule games on Sundays). Harper's second foray into the AFL has gotten off to a

NLCS Game 6: Cardinals at Brewers

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The Cardinals have a chance to clinch the NL pennant tonight.

One half of the Fall Classic has been set: The Texas Rangers are back for the second straight season after pounding the Detroit Tigers into submission last night. Tonight, the St. Louis Cardinals try to do the same to the Milwaukee Brewers, though they'll face a tougher challenge than their AL counterparts.

The Brewers, as we've been saying for weeks, had baseball's best home record this season. And their success has continued through the postseason; they're currently 4-1 at Miller Park this month. Of course, they now have to win two in a row. And tonight, they'll need to win with Shaun Marcum (who has looked horrible during the postseason) on the mound.

I would imagine Ron Roenicke will have a quick hook with his starter, understanding his team has no more margin for error. We already know Tony La Russa won't be afraid to pull his starter, Edwin Jackson, early. The Cardinals have yet to see their bullpen record fewer than 12 outs in any game of this series...

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 6
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS at MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Where: Miller Park
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 89
Weather: Roof closed

STARTING LINEUPS
CARDINALS
SS Rafael Furcal
CF Jon Jay
1B Albert Pujols
RF Lance Berkman

ALCS Game 6: Tigers at Rangers

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Derek Holland tries to pitch the Rangers to their second straight AL pennant.

The Tigers managed to stave off elimination Thursday thanks to a 133-pitch effort from Justin Verlander, two clutch homers from an injured Delmon Young and a five-out save from lefty specialist Phil Coke. Can they do it again tonight in another elimination game, this time in Texas?

One bright spot for Detroit manager Jim Leyland: His entire bullpen is fresh, so that means Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde are available. But he'll still need a strong performance from right-hander Max Scherzer, not to mention some more clutch hits from his banged-up lineup.

The Rangers, meanwhile, have to still feel good about their chances, needing to win only one of two in their home ballpark. They'd love to wrap this up tonight, though, with lefty Derek Holland on the mound, and get three full days off before the start of the World Series...

AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 6
DETROIT TIGERS at TEXAS RANGERS
Where: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 89
Weather: Clear, 83 degrees, Wind 5 mph in from CF

STARTING LINEUPS
TIGERS
CF Austin Jackson
RF Ryan Raburn
1B Miguel Cabrera
DH Victor Martinez

NLCS Game 5: Brewers at Cardinals

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Prince Fielder and the Brewers hope to take a 3-2 series lead tonight.

With a little resiliency (and a surprisingly effective pitching performance by Randy Wolf) the Brewers tied up the National League Championship Series last night, ensuring both teams will go back to Milwaukee this weekend for at least a Game 6.

First up, though, is a pivotal Game 5 tonight at Busch Stadium. If the Cardinals bounce back to win, the pressure will be on the Brewers to win twice at home. If Milwaukee wins again tonight, all of a sudden it's St. Louis with its back against the wall, needing to pull off two more victories on the road against the team with baseball's best home record.

Should make for a compelling ballgame tonight. It's a rematch of Game 1, when neither Zack Greinke nor Jaime Garcia was particularly effective but the Brewers pounded out more runs to win...

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 5
MILWAUKEE BREWERS at ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Busch Stadium
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 89
Weather: Clear, 61 degrees, Wind 11 mph LF to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
BREWERS
RF Corey Hart
3B Jerry Hairston
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder

Nats will host Red Sox in exhibition

The new-look Red Sox Nation will be invading D.C. in advance of Opening Day 2012.

The Nationals announced today they will host Boston in an exhibition game April 3 at Nationals Park, two days before their season opener against the Cubs in Chicago. Gametime or ticket information hasn't been announced yet.

This will be the second time the Red Sox have come to town for a pre-Opening Day exhibition; the two teams also met in 2010.

This latest matchup will feature some added intrigue, given Boston's recent September collapse and departures of both manager Terry Francona and general manager Theo Epstein.

The Nationals also are due to face the Red Sox in interleague play, June 8-10 at Fenway Park.

Though the Nationals' spring training scheduled hasn't been released

Where the Nats ranked in 2011

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The Nationals didn't cross the plate nearly enough times this season.

This season saw the Nationals win 80 games, a mark that left everyone happy and was reason to proclaim 2011 a success for this franchise. But how did they get to those 80 wins? How did they lose 81? And how did they compare to baseball's 29 other clubs?

One way to determine this is to figure out where the Nats ranked in a number of statistical categories: At the plate, on the mound, in the field and on the bases.

Here, then, is how the Nationals stacked up to the rest of the sport in the following areas...

HITTING
Runs scored: 624 (3.88/game), 24th in MLB
Home runs: 154 (.96/game), tied-15th in MLB
Stolen bases: 106 (.66/game), 16th in MLB

NLCS Game 4: Brewers at Cardinals

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The Brewers probably fear Albert Pujols more than the squirrel.

Man, what a postseason it's been so far. That game in Detroit that just ended was a true classic, with Justin Verlander throwing so many pitches, the only man on the planet unimpressed was Livan Hernandez. Now, for the nightcap in St. Louis, where the Cardinals are looking to take a commanding 3-1 lead over the Brewers in the NLCS.

This isn't exactly an awe-inspiring pitching matchup: Kyle Lohse vs. Randy Wolf. Lohse was battered around by the Phillies in the NLDS; Wolf really took one on the chin from the Diamondbacks in the last round. Sounds to me like a game that's going to be decided by the respective bullpens.

Couple of lineup changes for each club. Tony La Russa has bumped David Freese up to the cleanup spot behind Albert Pujols, dropping the slumping Matt Holliday. Ron Roenicke, meanwhile, has Nyjer Morgan back in his lineup but in the leadoff spot for the first time. Mark Kotsay starts, as well, but in right field with Corey Hart benched...

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 4
MILWAUKEE BREWERS at ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Busch Stadium
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 185
Weather: Clear, 65 degrees, Wind 14 mph LF to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
BREWERS
CF Nyjer Morgan
RF Mark Kotsay
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder

ALCS Game 5: Rangers at Tigers

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Justin Verlander starts today with the Tigers' season hanging in the balance.

The Texas Rangers have three shots to wrap up their second consecutive American League pennant, and if they pull that off, what an accomplishment for a franchise that had never previously made any noise in the postseason. The only AL team to win back-to-back pennants in the last 17 years? The Yankees, who won four straight from 1998-2001. That's select company right there.

Of course, standing in the Rangers' way today is a guy by the name of Justin Verlander, who is really going to need to come up big to keep the Tigers' season alive. Not only does Verlander need to pitch with effectiveness, he needs to pitch with efficiency because Jim Leyland has said neither Jose Valverde nor Joaquin Benoit are available after appearing the last three days out of the bullpen. Yikes.

C.J. Wilson, meanwhile, gets the ball for Texas, and the lefty ace hasn't exactly sparkled this postseason. Wilson has failed to reach the sixth inning in either of his two starts this month. Now would be an opportune time for the pending free agent to make a big-time statement, don't you think?...

AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 5
TEXAS RANGERS at DETROIT TIGERS
Where: Comerica Park
Gametime: 4:19 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 178
Weather: Rain, 68 degrees, Wind 9 mph in from LF

STARTING LINEUPS
RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
CF Josh Hamilton
DH Michael Young

For new GMs, rebuilding takes time

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Mike Rizzo has made plenty of roster alterations since taking over as GM in 2009.

Underneath all the hoopla surrounding Theo Epstein's move from the front office at Fenway Park to the front office at Wrigley Field lies one important caveat: No general manager can step into a new situation and completely overhaul a club's roster overnight.

As talented and respected as Epstein is, and as successful as he was in Boston, anyone who believes he can turn the Cubs into winners overnight doesn't appreciate just how monumental a task that is.

It would be one thing if Epstein was taking over a Chicago roster loaded with talent and a farm system overflowing with prospects. But he's not. The Cubs have one young position player to build around: Starlin Castro. They've got a couple of decent young pitchers in Matt Garza and Randy Wells. And they've got tons of dead money owed to under-performing veterans who are stuck on the roster for years to come. (Can you believe Alfonso Soriano still has three years and $54 million remaining on his contract?)

Overhauling a franchise, plain and simple, takes time. Just ask Mike Rizzo, who has been GM of the Nationals for three full seasons now

NLCS Game 3: Brewers at Cardinals

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Albert Pujols was a man among boys in Game 2.

This has become a postseason known for some pretty darn dramatic baseball. Unfortunately, it's also become a postseason known for some pretty annoying rain delays. First pitch for Game 4 of the ALCS in Detroit today was delayed more than two hours, and (guess what?) there's precipitation in St. Louis as well! For now, they're expecting Game 3 of the NLCS to begin on time at 8:05 p.m., but everyone will be keeping one eye on the radar.

This is the premier pitching matchup of the series, with aces Chris Carpenter and Yovani Gallardo dueling one another in a game that should set the course for the rest of the LCS. Game 3's of tied series are always big, but this one in particular seems critical for both clubs.

Only one lineup change for this one, as Ron Roenicke has benched Nyjer (.150 postseason average) Morgan. Tony Plush was benched, however, not for regular platoon mate Carlos Gomez but instead for veteran Mark Kotsay. Interesting...

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 3
MILWAUKEE BREWERS at ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Busch Stadium
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), XM 185
Weather: Chance of storms, 65 degrees, Wind 4 mph out to CF

STARTING LINEUPS
BREWERS
RF Corey Hart
CF Mark Kotsay
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder

ALCS Game 4: Rangers at Tigers

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Jose Valverde closed out the Tigers' Game 3 victory.

What a performance last night by the Detroit Tigers, who facing a must-win situation and all kinds of injuries seized control of Game 3 of the ALCS and beat the Texas Rangers, 5-2. Can they do it again?

Injuries once again are the story for the Tigers. Incredibly, both Victor Martinez and Delmon Young are in the lineup today. Martinez strained a ribcage muscle on a home-run swing last night; Young, of course, has been dealing with a strained oblique muscle since Game 5 of the ALDS.

The Rangers are dealing with their own injured slugger. Adrian Beltre, who fouled a couple of balls off his left leg last night, is back in the lineup...

AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 4
TEXAS RANGERS at DETROIT TIGERS
Where: Comerica Park
Gametime: 4:19 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 178
Weather: Rain, 65 degrees, Wind 9 mph in from LF

STARTING LINEUPS
RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
CF Josh Hamilton
1B Michael Young

Video: Zim on the Nats' future

Ryan Zimmerman made an appearance in the CSN studios yesterday and took some time to talk on-air with Ivan Carter. The Nationals' "Face of the Franchise" since he was drafted in 2005 had some interesting things to say about where this organization used to be and where it resides now in the NL East.

Zimmerman admitted this was the first year in which he felt like the Nats had a chance to win every night they took the field and said he thinks the club needs to make only one or two key additions entering next season.

One of those additions needs to be a center fielder, Zimmerman said, because he doesn't believe Jayson Werth wants to be subjected to the physical grind of that position over a full season.

Watch the video and tell us what you think...

ALCS Game 3: Rangers at Tigers

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Nelson Cruz was again the hero for Texas in Game 2.

Though the Rangers have stormed out to a 2-0 advantage in the ALCS, this has actually been a very competitive series. The Tigers certainly had a chance to win Game 2 last night in Arlington, only to squander some late opportunities before serving up Nelson Cruz's walk-off grand slam.

So Detroit has to still feel like it has a chance to emerge victorious, except for two problems: 1) Injuries and 2) Jim Leyland's refusal to pitch Justin Verlander on short rest.

Magglio Ordonez has already been shelved with a fractured ankle. Now Delmon Young has been scratched again, his strained oblique not healed enough to allow him to play. Seemed like a pipe dream for him to play through the pain. As for Verlander, he could theoretically come back on short rest to start Game 4 (and then possibly Game 7). But Leyland emphatically shot down that possibility today, saying Verlander will stay on schedule and pitch Game 5.

Given that, it's tough to see the Tigers coming all the way back to win this series. But, of course, they play these games for a reason, and I'm not about to stop watching now...

AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 3
TEXAS RANGERS at DETROIT TIGERS
Where: Comerica Park
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), XM 89
Weather: Partly cloudy, 66 degrees, Wind 6 mph in from LF

STARTING LINEUPS
RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
CF Josh Hamilton
1B Michael Young

Riggleman to Mets? Nats to Taiwan?

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Jim Riggleman will interview for the Mets' vacant bench coach job today.

Though Jim Riggleman knew he might never get a chance to manage again when he abruptly resigned from the Nationals in June over a contract dispute, he also knew he still had plenty of friends in the game who might be willing to offer him work.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy wound up helping Riggleman secure a special assignment scouting position over the summer. And now the 58-year-old is getting an opportunity to interview for a spot on a big-league coaching staff.

Riggleman will interview today with the Mets for their vacant bench coach job, sources familiar with the process confirmed, raising the possibility he could wind up on the staff of one of the Nats' division rivals.

Riggleman is just one of several candidates up for the job -- former A's manager Bob Geren also is slated to interview today -- but he appears to be a strong contender and has a longstanding relationship with

NLCS Game 2: Cardinals at Brewers

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Prince Fielder's Game 1 homer catapulted the Brewers to victory.

Game 1 of the NLCS was a slug fest practically from the moment Zack Greinke threw his first pitch of the afternoon. Ultimately, the Brewers pounded the Cardinals into submission, walking away with a 9-6 victory.

Can Milwaukee do it again in Game 2? Even if Ron Roenicke's lineup produces again, the rookie manager would certainly like to get a quality start out of Shaun Marcum after watching Greinke walk a tightrope yesterday.

Tony La Russa counters with Edwin Jackson, one of the best trade deadline acquisitions anywhere in the majors. The right-hander, though, struggled in his two starts at Miller Park this season, allowing 11 runs, 20 hits and four homers in only 14 innings...

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 2
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS at MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Where: Miller Park
Gametime: 8:05 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 185
Weather: Partly cloudy, 63 degrees, Wind 7 mph in from CF

STARTING LINEUPS
CARDINALS
SS Rafael Furcal
CF Jon Jay
1B Albert Pujols
LF Matt Holliday

ALCS Game 2: Tigers at Rangers

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Nelson Cruz's homer helped lead the Rangers to victory in Game 1.

Hey, what do you know, they're actually going to play baseball today in Texas! This after postponing last night's scheduled Game 2 of the ALCS because of the threat of heavy rain all evening. Except, it never really rained. Go figure.

The forecast looks good today, though, so nothing to worry about as the Tigers attempt to knot the series up after dropping Game 1 Saturday night. Detroit will have a familiar (and surprising) name back in its lineup for this one: Delmon Young, who was supposed to be out for the series (and probably the postseason) with an oblique strain yet has been re-activated to take the roster spot that opened when Magglio Ordonez fractured his ankle. It's a bold and potentially dangerous move for the Tigers, but desperate times call for desperate measures. It'll be fascinating to watch Young swing. Tough to believe he won't be in incredible pain and be risking further injury.

Detroit will have right-hander Max Scherzer (who was brilliant in his lone ALDS start against the Yankees, then returned to pitch in relief for Game 5) on the mound. Texas counters with left-hander Derek Holland, who likewise pitched both out of the rotation and the bullpen during the ALDS against the Rays...

AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 2
DETROIT TIGERS at TEXAS RANGERS
Where: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Gametime: 4:19 p.m.
TV: Fox
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 178
Weather: Partly cloudy, 74 degrees, Wind 6 mph LF to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
TIGERS
CF Austin Jackon
2B Ramon Santiago
LF Delmon Young
1B Miguel Cabrera

What would make the Nats a playoff team?

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Stephen Strasburg could be a playoff ace, but the Nats would need more pitching.

While watching some absolutely thrilling postseason baseball over the last 10 days, I can't help but wonder how far away the Nationals are from competing alongside these October contenders.

Clearly, the Nats as currently constructed aren't on par with the Tigers, Rangers, Brewers or Cardinals. And they're not on the same level as the four clubs who got knocked out during the division series: the Yankees, Rays, Phillies and Diamondbacks.

But none of those teams is flawless. Each is lacking something that would make its path to a World Series title a little bit easier, whether it's pitching depth, more potent bats, crisper defensive play or more reliable bullpen arms.

So it's not like the Nationals need to achieve perfection to place themselves on the same pedestal as the clubs currently battling for a championship. They do, however, need to add something to the