VIDEO: Nats await red-hot Braves

You can never make too much of an early April series between any two teams, but for the first matchup of the year between the Nationals and Braves, baseball fans sure are excited. Both teams made the playoffs with 90+ wins last season and both look improved on paper after changes to their roster. They also happen to hold the two best records in the National League entering tonight.

The players have to act like it doesn't mean much at all, just take this quote from Ryan Zimmerman:

"We get excited for every series. I think we have to play the same way as we do against the Marlins, as we do against the Phillies, as we do against the Mets. As soon as you take other teams for granted or only get up when you play the Braves, or the Dodgers or teams like that, that's when you get in trouble. This team does such a good job of treating every team the same."

Can anyone challenge the Nats?

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2013 N.L. East Preview

It was quite the interesting offseason for teams in the N.L. East as major free agent splashes were made by some teams while another club traded nearly everyone they had. With all the movement that went on within the division this offseason, let's look at each of the Nationals' division foes to see what they have going as the season gets ready to start.

Atlanta Braves

2012 record: 94-68

2012 finish: Wild Card, 2^nd in N.L. East

Key additions: Justin Upton, B.J. Upton, Jordan Walden, Chris Johnson

Key departures: Chipper Jones, Michael Bourn, Martin Prado, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, David Ross

After losing in the one-game wild card playoff last season, the Braves overloaded much of their roster to get faster and younger. In come both of the Upton brothers to join All-Star Jason Heyward in what could be the best outfield in the majors. Both Uptons bring questions of consistency, but each are of the most talented at their position in the game. If they both have seasons that get even close to their potential, Atlanta’s lineup could be scary. They are balanced up and down with speed and power.

Atlanta’s bullpen will once again be among their strengths, not much has changed besides adding Jordan Walden. But their rotation holds a few wild cards. Kris Medlen will be counted on heavily to reproduce his 2012 season (10-1, 1.57 ERA) and Mike Minor will have to stay consistent. They also have Julio Teheran expected to be the fifth starter, he is super talented but has yet to find success at the major league level.

Philadelphia Phillies

2012 record: 81-81

2012 finish: Missed playoffs, 3rd in N.L. East

Key additions: Michael Young, Ben Revere, Mike Adams, John Lannan, Delmon Young

Key departures: Vance Worley, Placido Polanco, Juan Pierre, Brian Schneider

Nats-Braves rivalry getting serious

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Frank Wren signed B.J. Upton in November and today traded for Justin Upton.

The Nationals spent years chasing down the Phillies in the NL East and took legitimate pride in dethroning the five-time division champs last season. Philadelphia, though, is anything but the Nats' most significant concern heading into 2013 and beyond.

The road to the NL East title now bypasses the City of Brotherly Love altogether. It starts on South Capitol Street and runs due south through Atlanta.

Yes, the Braves are far and away the Nationals' toughest competition this season, a team that already posed a strong challenge last year and has now made some of baseball's boldest moves this winter to improve an already impressive roster.

The boldest move of them all came today with the completion of a seven-player trade that brings Justin Upton and third baseman Chris Johnson to Atlanta and sends Martin Prado and prospects to Arizona. Combined with November's signing of B.J. Upton to a

Who got the best center fielder?

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Denard Span and Ben Revere each were traded from Minnesota to NL East clubs.

There were no shortage of teams seeking center fielders when this offseason began, and there were no shortage of players available to those teams, whether via free agency or trades.

All of this resulted in a mad rush to scoop up those center fielders, especially in the the NL East, with the division's top three clubs all making significant acquisitions over the last two weeks.

It began with the Braves signing B.J. Upton to a five-year, $75.25 million contract. It continued with the Nationals snagging Denard Span from the Twins in exchange for pitching prospect Alex Meyer. And it concluded Thursday with the Phillies prying another center fielder away from Minnesota, getting Ben Revere for pitchers Vance Worley and Trevor May.

In the meantime, Shane Victorino got a three-year, $39 million contract from the Red Sox. Angel Pagan got $40 million over four years to stay with the Giants. And through it all, Michael Bourn

VIDEO: On first base and the rotation

With the Winter Meetings fast approaching, I stopped by the studio at Comcast SportsNet yesterday to discuss the biggest issues facing the Nationals: Adam LaRoche and the search for a No. 5 starter.

Hot Stove ready to ignite at last

US Presswire file photo

Mike Rizzo has plenty of options as he seeks to bolster his roster.

Technically speaking, the baseball offseason began the moment the San Francisco Giants wrapped up a four-game whitewashing of the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. That was 29 days ago.

In reality, the offseason has barely registered a blip on anyone's radar screen to this point. Yes, free agency kicked off five days after the Fall Classic ended. But do you know how many of the sport's 175 free agents have signed contracts so far? Twenty-one. That's all.

Baseball, as everyone knows, likes to take its time. This is the rare sport, of course, that doesn't feature a clock. So it's only appropriate that it always takes a while for the offseason to kick into high gear.

That time, though, has finally come. Thanksgiving has come and gone, the annual Winter Meetings begin one week from today and

Election Day Nats poll

Associated Press photo

More than 100 million Americans are expected to vote today.

All across the United States today -- in big cities and small towns, in schools and in churches, in battleground states and in states where the outcome has long been known -- Americans will perform the simplest, yet most important act of democracy: They'll vote.

It's not officially a national holiday, but it might as well be one. Because on this day, more than 100 million citizens will stand in line at polling places and decide who will lead this country for the next four years.

I sincerely hope that every one of you who is registered to vote will do so, no matter which candidate you prefer. I also hope (to a lesser extent) you'll complete our own little Nats Insider Election Day Ballot.

We've come up with the most important questions facing the

The Nats' possible free agent targets

US Presswire photo

Could the Nationals splurge for right-hander Zack Greinke?

While most of the sporting public spent the weekend watching football and perfecting the art of changing channels the moment yet another incessant campaign ad overtook their TV screens, baseball's free agency period officially opened for business.

You most likely didn't hear a whole lot about it, because as anyone who follows baseball knows, no free agents actually sign the moment free agency begins. This isn't the NFL, and Ted Lerner didn't have his private jet gassed up and ready to hit the skies at 12:01 a.m. Saturday in pursuit of the Nationals' top target.

No, baseball operates at a slower, more calculated pace than other sports on the field, and the same holds true off the field over the winter. Players want to test the market and see just how many teams are willing to pay how much for their services. And general managers want to wait and see just how things play out around them and not overpay in a fruitless effort to pounce on a guy before he has a chance to talk to anyone else.

Truth be told, the Hot Stove League won't really kick into high gear for several more weeks, not until the Winter Meetings (Dec. 3-6 in Nashville) draws closer. But any good GM has already put together his wish list and knows what he's looking for well before the holiday shopping season arrives, and Mike Rizzo is no different. The