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Nats: Winter meetings over; Pudge introduction today

Nats’ acquisitions: ‘good starting point’The Post
Nats’ buzz at meetings is change of strategyThe Wash. Times
The Washington Nationals acquired free agent Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, traded their #1 rule 5 draft pick to the New York Yankees for Brian Bruney.

The spin on the meetings was that the Nats were busy and checked off a number of thngs on their list. There are some suggestions that the Nats achieved some more respectability, but in the end I think baseball people thinking “why did they pay $6 million over two years for Pudge?” more than anything.

Rule 5 SelectionsNationals Farm Authority
Here are the Nats Rule 5 picks, all from the AAA portion of the draft.

RHP Arismendy Mota – Chicago White Sox
LHP Michael Wlodarczyk – Tampa Bay Rays
CF Nicholas Moresi – Houston Astros

Here are there loses:

RHP Zech Zinicola – Toronto Blue Jays

AAA portion
RHP Ruben De La Rosa – Toronto Blue Jays
RHP Terrence Engles – Seattle Mariners

AA portion
RHP Johan Figureo – New York Mets

They also released Zack Segovia to make roster room.

THOMAS BOSWELLNats act like they belongThe Post
Guess which D.C. columnist is oversold on the Nats winter meetings effort? Tom Boswell! He’s oversold on Pudge and well, mostly everything the Nats have done this offseason. Is it better? Yes, but the damage done by Jim Bowden won’t go away in just one offseason.

Pudge expected to be introduced by Natsnationals.com
Press conference for the Rodriguez signing at 1 p.m. from Nationals Park. I wonder if Comcast SportsNet will carry it.

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