Jim Riggleman will be the manager from the get go in 2010 and that has the Nationals’ excited. Riggleman led the Nationals to a 33-42 (44%) record after taking over Manny Acta in the middle of the 2009 season. With the Nationals overall talent better in 2010, expectations will be that the team finishes around .500. Riggleman has now compiled a 555-694 (44.4%) in his 10 years as a major league manager.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE MANAGER IN 2010: C-

The Nationals have claimed 37-year old righty swinging catcher Chris Coste off waivers from the Mets. Coste played in 88 games for the Astros & Phillies last season in which he was 46 of 205 (.224 avg, .618 OPS) with 15 runs scored, 2 homers and 18 RBIs. He has now played in 299 games in his four years in the majors and he is 219 of 806 (.272 avg, .744 OPS) with 83 runs scored, 23 homers and 108 RBIs. Coste is a solid bench player who can handle multiple positions in the field and he is a good pinch hitter.

The Nationals have brought in a lot of new blood for the bullpen in 2010 and that is a good thing. 26-year old righty Matt Capps will be taking over as the closer this season for the Nationals. He pitched in 57 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last season in which he was 4-8 with 27 saves, a 5.80 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. The Nationals hope that they are getting the Capps from 2005-2008 when he pitched in 214 games (0 starts) and was 15-11 with 40 saves, a 3.06 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP.

28-year old righty Brian Bruney will be the top set up man for the Nationals in 2010. Bruney pitched in 44 games (0 starts) for the Nationals last season in which he was 5-0 with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He whiffed 36 batters in only 39 innings pitched so he has good stuff but he also walked 23 batters last season which is way to many. If Bruney tightens up his control a bit he could be a huge asset for the Nationals in 2010.

25-year old righty Tyler Clippard really had a breakout year for the Nationals last season and they hope he can repeat it in 2010. Clippard pitched in 41 games (0 starts) for the Nationals last season and he was 4-2 with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He only gave up 36 hits while whiffing 67 batters in 60 1/3 innings showing just how nasty he was. His only weakness was his control as he walked 32 batters last year. If his control improves in 2010…..look out!

33-year old righty Mike MacDougal recently signed a minor league deal. He will likely get to work late in games for the Nationals as he was their closer last year. MacDougal pitched in 52 games (0 starts) for the Nationals last season and he was 1-1 with 20 saves, a 3.60 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. MacDougal only gave up 45 hits in 50 innings last season but he walked 31 batters which is way too many.

27-year old Sean Burnett will be the Nationals’ top lefty in 2010. Burnett pitched in 33 games (0 starts) for the Nationals last season and he was 1-1 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He pitched in 71 games (0 starts) overall last season for the Nationals & Pirates in which he was 2-3 with 1 save, a 3.12 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP.

33-year old righty Tyler Walker has been awful this spring but he still might make it to the bullpen for the Nationals in 2010. Walker pitched in 32 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. I feel that the Nationals should overlook his performance this spring and give him a job in the pen.

28-year old righty Jason Bergmann will likely be the long man for the Nationals in 2010. Bergmann pitched in 56 games (0 starts) for the Nationals last season and he was 2-4 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. In five years with the Nationals, Bergmann has pitched in 151 games (50 starts) in which he is 12-23 with a 4.97 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.

30-year old righty Ryan Speier just needs an extended chance to show how good he is. He pitched in 5 games (0 starts) for the Rockies in which he was 0-0 with a 4.76 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. He has now pitched in 90 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 7-3 with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP.

30-year old lefty Doug Slaten will likely be the second lefty out of the pen for the Nationals in 2010. Slaten pitched in 11 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last season in which he was 0-0 with a 7.11 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP. He has now pitched in 126 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 3-5 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. I think he will do a good job for the Nationals in 2010 if given an extended chance.

34-year old righty Joel Peralta also could win a job in the pen in 2010. Peralta pitched in 27 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last season in which he was 0-3 with a 6.20 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. He has now pitched in 221 games (0 starts) in his major league career in which he was 4-11 with 2 saves, a 4.61 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2010: C

The Nationals have re-signed 33-year old righty reliever Mike MacDougal after his release from the Marlins. MacDougal pitched in 52 games (0 starts) for the Nationals last season in which he was 1-1 with 20 saves, a 3.60 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. He has now pitched in 314 games (3 starts) in his nine year career and he is 14-21 with 70 saves, a 4.09 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. This was a good move for the Nationals as MacDougal pitched pretty good for them last season.

Only 31-year old righty Jason Marquis and 25-year old lefty John Lannan are guaranteed spots in the starting rotation. But that is a good thing as the Nationals will likely have big time reinforcements coming during the season likely in the second half when 21-year old righty Stephen Strasberg and 29-year old Chien-Ming Wang join the rotation. Marquis is a true innings eater which is something the Nationals’ will truly take advantage of in 2010. Marquis started 33 games for the Rockies last season in which he was 15-13 with a 4.04 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He has won at least 11 games six years in a row compiling a 80-68 record in that time frame.

John Lannan is also a pitcher that can handle a heavy workload and he keeps improving as a pitcher every year. Lannan started 33 games for the Nationals last season in which he was 9-13 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. He depends on his defense a lot as he only whiffed 89 batters in 206 1/3 innings. Look for double digit wins and 200+ innings out of Lannan in 2010.

26-year old Scott Olsen was surprisingly re-signed by the Nationals over the winter so I would think he would have a great shot of making the opening day starting rotation for the Nationals in 2010. Olsen started 11 games for the Nationals last season and he was 2-4 with a 6.03 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP. He has now pitched in 113 games (112 starts) in his five years in the majors and he is 33-41 with a 4.77 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. If Olsen wins a job in the rotation and keeps healthy & focused he should also win in double figures in 2010.

35-year old righty Livan Hernandez is back trying to make the Nationals this spring. Hernandez started 8 games for the Nationals last season in which he was 2-4 with a 5.36 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He pitched in 31 games (all starts) overall last season with the Nationals & Mets in which he was 9-12 with a 5.44 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. The Nationals have to be hoping that one of there younger pitchers will bump Hernandez out of a job as he is a glorified batting practice pitcher at this point in his career.

26-year old righty Craig Stammen pitched pretty decent in his first taste of the majors last year. He started 19 games for the Nationals in which he was 4-7 with a 5.11 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He only walked 24 batters in 105 2/3 innings as a rookie last year. He also started 7 games in AAA-ball last season in which he was 4-2 with a 1.80 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.

27-year old righty J.D. Martin also got his first taste of the majors in 2009 with the Nationals. He started 15 games for the Nationals last season and he was 5-4 with a 4.44 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Martin also pitched in 16 games (15 starts) in AAA-ball last year in which he was 8-3 with a 2.66 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. He was once one of the Indians’ most highly thought of prospects so maybe he will be a late bloomer.

26-year old righty Garrett Mock pitched in 28 games (15 starts) for the Nationals last season and he was 3-10 with a 5.62 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. He gave up 114 hits in 91 1/3 innings last season for the Nationals and he walked 44 batters which shows that he really has little room for error. Fixing his control would be a good first step in him improving as a pitcher.

39-year old righty Miguel Batista is also throwing his hat into the competition for a starting job. He pitched in 56 games (0 starts) for the Mariners last season and he was 7-4 with 1 save, a 4.04 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. Batista has 237 career starts in the majors so the Nationals will give him a chance to win a job. He could also wind up in the Nationals’ bullpen in 2010.

22-year old righty Shairon Martis started 15 games as a rookie for the Nationals last season and he was 5-3 with a 5.25 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. He also started 13 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 4-4 with a 4.96 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. He will likely start the season in AAA unless he has a huge spring.

23-year old righty Collin Balester started 7 games last season for the Nationals and he was 1-4 with a 6.82 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. He also started 20 games in AAA-ball last season in which he was 7-10 with a 4.44 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. Like Martis, he will need a huge spring training not to start the year in AAA.

24-year old lefty Ross Detwiler pitched in 15 games (14 starts) for the Nationals last season and he was 1-6 with a 5.00 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. It was his first taste of the majors. Detwiler also started 16 games in AA+AAA-ball last season in which he was 4-5 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Detwiler could probably use a little more time in AAA to start the 2010 season.

21-year old righty Stephen Strasberg will likely start the year in the minors but finish it with the Nationals. He was their first round pick in last year’s baseball draft. Last year for San Diego State, Strasberg was 13-1 with a 1.32 WHIP. He only walked 19 batters while whiffing 195 in only 109 innings pitched. Catching him this spring Ivan Rodriguez claimed that he has “Nolan Ryan” type stuff. That’s not putting any pressure on the kid to produce from day #1.

29-year old righty Chien-Ming Wang battled shoulder problems all of last season before going under the knife. He pitched in 12 games (9 starts) for the Yankees last season and he was 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP. He has now pitched in 109 games (104 starts) in his five years in the majors and he is 55-26 with 1 save, a 4.16 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. In 2006+2007, Wang produced a stunning 38-13 record for the Yankees. If Wang is right he will help the Nationals big time in the second half of the 2010 season.

26-year old lefty Matt Chico started 15 games in A+AA-ball last season as he was rehabbing from major surgery he had during 2008. He was 2-4 with a 3.96 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP in the minors last season as he is working himself back into shape. He last pitched for the Nationals in 2008. Chico has pitched in 42 games (39 starts) for the Nationals in his career and he is 7-15 with a 4.98 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP.

The Nationals are giving 28-year old lefty Chuck James a chance to revive his career. He has not pitched in the majors since 2008 with the Braves due to injury. James has pitched in 64 games (55 starts) in his major league career and he is 24-19 with a 4.48 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. This was a nice low risk gamble for the Nationals as James has a nice upside if healthy.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE ROTATION IN 2010: C-