Ben Reiter pens a post at Sports Illustrated on the rise of the Nationals. There are two quotes I found particularly good. The first is from GM Mike Rizzo on pitching:

Still, notes Rizzo, his collection of power arms is one sign of a franchise on the upswing. “We used to have sinker, pitch-to-contact guys,” he says. “That’s who you get when you’re not elite.”

The second is from Stephen Strasburg on Bryce Harper:

Strasburg agrees that Harper is on the cusp, and will fit in seamlessly. “Harp’s a good guy, and in a lot of ways, we’re a lot alike,” he says, in his rapid monotone. “He’s the type of player that wants to go out there and not just beat people, but kick the crap out of them. So do I, absolutely.”

It’s a very good read. It seems Washington is playing Moneyball with real money.