Every time Shawn Hill makes a step toward a clean bill of health, there's a sense that he'll progress further than his rickety right arm will let him. 

The ramifications of Esmailyn Gonzalez becoming Carlos Daniel Alvarez Lugo - or rather, Carlos Daniel Alvarez Lugo ceasing to be Esmailyn Gonzalez - have been whipsawing through theWashingtonNationals' organization all spring, like a tempest upturning eve 

Forget about mental pressure, the Yanks have another type of A-Rod breakdown to sweat. 

Zach Miner made his bid for a spot in Detroit's rotation, pitching three innings Thursday in the Tigers' 10-2 victory over the Washington Nationals. 

After a slow offseason, the Nationals made a big splash just before spring training, signing 1B/OF Adam Dunn. 

--The fallout from the Esmailyn Gonzalez/Carlos Alvarez scandal claimed its biggest victim on March 1, when GM Jim Bowden resigned. 

It's too early to read much into the Nationals' decision to hand left-hander John Lannan the ball in their first spring training game on Feb. 

Shawn Hill was scratched from his scheduled start against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday because of right forearm tightness. 

Welcome to Under the Bleachers, where the best MLB writers from Bleacher Report give their unique take on the latest action. 

The role Mike Rizzo is inheriting carries no change of title, no promise of permanence, nothing more than a chance to be the guy who picks up the phone when another team calls theWashingtonNationals with a trade proposal. 

Manager Manny Acta began the day by declaring the competition between Jordan Zimmermann and Collin Balester for theWashingtonNationals' final rotation spot wide open. 

After a slow offseason, the Nationals made a big splash just before spring training, signing 1B/OF Adam Dunn. 

It's too early to read much into the Nationals' decision to hand left-hander John Lannan the ball in their first spring training game on Feb. 

--The fallout from the Esmailyn Gonzalez/Carlos Alvarez scandal claimed its biggest victim on March 1, when GM Jim Bowden resigned. 

Recent cases of fraud and potential corruption involving the signing of Baseball players in Latin America have cast new attention to the possibility of a worldwide draft in major league Baseball.