While listening to the Nationals/Marlins spring training game today on Gameday Audio, I caught some discussion about Frank Robinson's comments from earlier this morning about who will land the backup catcher position.

The Nationals signed first baseman Nick Johnson to a three-year, $16.5 million extension on this morning.

Roger Clemens gets the start for Team USA, in what could be his final professional performance. Yes, we've all heard his retirement threats before–the real thrill of this game is that a South Africa win will send Canada on to the next round (while a loss will advance the Americans).

Results from Nationals shortstop Christian Guzman's MRI on his throwing shoulder are in: he has inflammation in the joint.

Adam Stern said it best: "We're not just a hockey country."

The Hardball Times takes a look at the second base quandary in Washington.

Canada narrowly averted what would have been a difficult loss to the surprisingly effective South African team in its opening game of the inaugural World Baseball Classic on Tuesday.

Check out this wild sounding trade rumor: the Nationals send Alfonso Soriano, Bill Bray and Jason Bergmann to the Mets for Xavier Nady, John Maine, and Jeff Keppinger.

Ouch! The Nationals have just announced that Jose Guillen will likely be out for 3 months after damage to a tendon in his left wrist was discovered. The team will seek a second opinion.

Last weekend, representatives of the Nationals met with pitcher Pedro Astacio's agents about a 1 year deal, but word on the street after the meetings was that the two sides were far apart on dollar figures. It seems to have fallen under the radar, but the deal was agreed to on Monday and Astacio passed his physical on Wednesday, officially making him a member of the Nats for 2006.