WASHINGTON - Forgive Washington Nationals owner Mark Lerner if he got swept up in the scene.
Jerian Grant Jersey .Speaking after a news conference Wednesday to announce the addition — via a $210 million, seven-year contract — of 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, Lerner was thinking big thoughts. After all, the clubs starting rotation, at least for the moment, also includes Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez.If they all stay healthy, began Lerner, whose father, Ted, is the teams principal owner, I guess its a possibility we may give up the fewest runs in National League history during a 162-game schedule, which is amazing.Let the speculation begin, then.Who will start on opening day, an honour thats gone to Strasburg the past three years? How good could this staff be?As it is, in 2014, Washingtons starters led the majors with a 3.04 ERA.How far can those pitchers take the Nationals, who won the NL East in 2012 and again last season before bowing out in Washingtons opening playoff series each time?And, perhaps most intriguingly, will general manager Mike Rizzo keep that group intact? Or will he wind up trading someone, perhaps Zimmermann or Fister, who can both become free agents after next season?Until those last two questions are answered, Rizzo certainly shares Lerners enthusiasm for the current collection of arms.Well stack our rotation up with anybodys in our division, our league and maybe in baseball, Rizzo said, and compete against them.Of course, things dont always shape up on the field the way they do during the off-season.The terrific Atlanta Braves group that included three Hall of Famers in Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz wound up with only one World Series championship. Thats one more than the Philadelphia Phillies won after assembling Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt.Still, if thats the discussion connected to the Nationals now, it represents a sea change from where this franchise stood a half-dozen years ago.It was noteworthy to hear the word winning over and over Wednesday at Nationals Park, where the scoreboard displayed a Welcome to D.C. greeting for Scherzer and his wife, and the diamond was covered by the afternoons dusting of snow.This is a club that lost 100 games in both 2008 and 2009 and found it difficult to attract top talent in free agency, but the perception has changed.Theres no doubt about it, Rizzo said. Weve got a lot of good baseball people around here. Weve got a lot of good professionals. The selling portion of it from five years ago to today is night and day. We certainly have no problem with players wanting to be Washington Nationals.Asked what reasons led him to sign with Washington, Scherzer replied, One: winning. I think this team is capable of winning and winning a lot. When you look at the near term and long term, this is an organization you want to be a part of.The size of the contract probably didnt hurt, either.The 30-year-old Scherzer, who became a free agent after spending the past five seasons with the Detroit Tigers, received the most guaranteed dollars for a right-handed pitcher in big league history.I dont play this game for money, said Scherzer, who was 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA in 2014, a year after going 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA, but yet at the same time, when you have an offer like that, it just makes you go, Wow.The deal includes a record $50 million signing bonus, of which $5 million is due this year and $15 million each in 2019, 2020 and 2021.The total payments of the contract are spread over 14 years, reducing the present-day value and making it palatable for the Nationals.If that didnt happen, there wouldnt have been a deal, Mark Lerner said. We had to make it work for us financially. It was really my father and Mike coming up with a creative deal.Because of the deferred money, the deal had a present-day value of $191.4 million, by Major League Baseballs calculation. It counts as $28.69 million annually for purposes of the luxury tax, which uses a different methodology.Lerner joked about Scherzer: I want to ask him for a loan.
Kris Dunn Jersey . Off-Season Game Plan looks at the Capitals possible summer plans, with the understanding that its tough to plot a direction without a general manager or head coach around which to set those expectations.
Dwyane Wade Jersey . The Flames are in the midst of a six-game slide (0-5-1), their longest losing streak since an 0-6-3 skid from Jan. 11-28, 2010. They havent won since Nov. 3 in Chicago and most recently went winless on a three-game homestand.
http://www.authenticbullsauthority.com/ . Josh Bailey had a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders earned a 2-1 win over Ottawa Wednesday, leaving the Senators five points out of a playoff spot with just five games to play and four teams ahead of them.TORONTO — Here are five things to watch as Canada faces Russia in the gold-medal game of the world junior championship:No pressure: Canada hasnt won world junior gold since 2009, when the tournament was in Ottawa. Players have said theyre excited, not tense, and this is a loose, veteran group. But with over 18,000 fans in red and white hoping to see the drought end, the drama of the moment could be overwhelming.Hot goalie: Russias Igor Shestyorkin stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced against Sweden in the semifinals. Backup Ilya Sorokin stopped 52 of 53 to beat Canada in exhibition action Dec. 19, so this group understands its possible. Single elimination plus Shestyorkin on a roll is a dangerous recipe for Canada.Remember Buffalo: Canadas 2011 team blew a three-goal, second-intermission lead to RRussia in the gold-medal game to lose 5-3.
Michael Jordan Jersey. Russias Ivan Barbashev said the entire country remembers that game, and this group will try to follow in those footsteps. Canada might not want to think any lead is safe.Road to gold: Canada faced only one serious challenge this entire tournament, New Years Eve against the United States, and hasnt trailed at any point. Russia, on the other hand, had to beat the U.S. and Sweden, something players hope will be an advantage.McDavid magic: Connor McDavid had three assists against Slovakia and appears to be getting better by the game. McDavid said hes fine after colliding with Curtis Lazar on Sunday night, and if he really is and continues this trend, the final will be an international showcase for him.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter
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