Nationalsclub.com | Washington Nationals News, nationals Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div> The Nationals organization, from the front office to the bullpen, looks completely different than it did before pitchers and catchers reported on Feb. 14. Whether the results will be any different than they were in 2008 is still up for debate.</div>With controversial general manager Jim Bowden having resigned in the wake of a federal investigation into player acquisition practices in the Dominican Republic, the Nationals are vowing to escape the negative headlines they attracted too often last year. They've handed the keys to the baseball operations department (at least temporarily) to assistant general manager Mike Rizzo, and they moved their teams in the Dominican Republic out of the baseball academy run by fired special assistant Jose Rijo. Rizzo shored up the bullpen by signing left-hander Joe Beimel to a one-year, $2 million deal -- and giving minor league deals to low-risk relievers Kip Wells and Julian Tavarez. The moves addressed the Nationals' biggest weakness, and the team heads into the season vowing it's much deeper than the one that lost 102 games a year ago. An improvement on last year seems almost a given. There's plenty of ground between there and contention, however, and the Nationals still have plenty of weaknesses to address. The rotation is still mostly populated with unknowns. Opening Day starter John Lannan has just one major league season, and while Scott Olsen and Daniel Cabrera have more service time, neither one has shown he can be a front-line starter. The last two spots are likely to go to rookies Jordan Zimmermann and Shairon Martis. The starting lineup should be much improved with the addition of Adam Dunn and the return of Nick Johnson from a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist. But the Nationals are still counting on Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes, Anderson Hernandez and Jesus Flores to make big leaps -- and Ryan Zimmerman to grow into the star the team expects him to be. And then there's the bullpen. Beimel should help on the back end, but closer Joel Hanrahan has only been tested in a handful of meaningless games in August and September. The Nationals have few proven commodities among their relievers, and as with their lineup, they're entering the season betting on quite a few players making improvements. Things might be better for the Nationals, but they're still a long way from being settled. THE NATIONALS WILL CONTEND IF ...: A dozen or so things break their way. Among them: Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes continue to develop into legitimate outfielders, Ryan Zimmerman becomes a solid No. 3 hitter, Jordan Zimmermann and Shairon Martis jumps to the majors without a hitch, and the team's bullpen stays in one piece. PRIMED FOR A BIG SEASON: CF Lastings Milledge was named the Nationals' leadoff hitter in late March. He has looked more comfortable in the outfield this spring, and he figures to steal more bases from his new spot in the lineup. He hit .318 with seven homers and 27 RBIs the last two months of the 2008 season. ON THE DECLINE: RF Austin Kearns hit .217 in 86 games last season, and he could wind up losing the right field job to Elijah Dukes. Kearns will make $8 million this season, and the Nationals are shopping him to interested teams. But with his hefty deal and his lagging numbers, Kearns might spend the season as a reserve before leaving in free agency.<div class="spacer10"></div><div class="gray_dots"></div><div id="body_footer_link">Play FOX Fantasy Baseball today </div><div class="gray

The Nationals organization, from the front office to the bullpen, looks completely different than it did before pitchers and catchers reported on Feb. 14. Whether the results will be any different than they were in 2008 is still up for debate.

With controversial general manager Jim Bowden having resigned in the wake of a federal investigation into player acquisition practices in the Dominican Republic, the Nationals are vowing to escape the negative headlines they attracted too often last year. They've handed the keys to the baseball operations department (at least temporarily) to assistant general manager Mike Rizzo, and they moved their teams in the Dominican Republic out of the baseball academy run by fired special assistant Jose Rijo.

Rizzo shored up the bullpen by signing left-hander Joe Beimel to a one-year, $2 million deal -- and giving minor league deals to low-risk relievers Kip Wells and Julian Tavarez. The moves addressed the Nationals' biggest weakness, and the team heads into the season vowing it's much deeper than the one that lost 102 games a year ago.

An improvement on last year seems almost a given. There's plenty of ground between there and contention, however, and the Nationals still have plenty of weaknesses to address.

The rotation is still mostly populated with unknowns. Opening Day starter John Lannan has just one major league season, and while Scott Olsen and Daniel Cabrera have more service time, neither one has shown he can be a front-line starter. The last two spots are likely to go to rookies Jordan Zimmermann and Shairon Martis.

The starting lineup should be much improved with the addition of Adam Dunn and the return of Nick Johnson from a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist. But the Nationals are still counting on Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes, Anderson Hernandez and Jesus Flores to make big leaps -- and Ryan Zimmerman to grow into the star the team expects him to be.

And then there's the bullpen. Beimel should help on the back end, but closer Joel Hanrahan has only been tested in a handful of meaningless games in August and September. The Nationals have few proven commodities among their relievers, and as with their lineup, they're entering the season betting on quite a few players making improvements.

Things might be better for the Nationals, but they're still a long way from being settled.

THE NATIONALS WILL CONTEND IF ...: A dozen or so things break their way. Among them: Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes continue to develop into legitimate outfielders, Ryan Zimmerman becomes a solid No. 3 hitter, Jordan Zimmermann and Shairon Martis jumps to the majors without a hitch, and the team's bullpen stays in one piece.

PRIMED FOR A BIG SEASON: CF Lastings Milledge was named the Nationals' leadoff hitter in late March. He has looked more comfortable in the outfield this spring, and he figures to steal more bases from his new spot in the lineup. He hit .318 with seven homers and 27 RBIs the last two months of the 2008 season.

ON THE DECLINE: RF Austin Kearns hit .217 in 86 games last season, and he could wind up losing the right field job to Elijah Dukes. Kearns will make $8 million this season, and the Nationals are shopping him to interested teams. But with his hefty deal and his lagging numbers, Kearns might spend the season as a reserve before leaving in free agency.

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