Pretty much as I relay in the preview/season outlook, although they seem to be placing a higher priority on catcher than I thought--maybe they've had a little setback with Flores? Still, with a payroll only around 40 million, I see no need to not spend some significant $ and overpay a little on pitching.
Their targets this winter? At least one veteran starting pitcher, at least one reliable veteran reliever, a catcher and perhaps a middle infielder.
The Nationals figure to fill at least one or two of those holes via trades, as opposed to free-agent signings, preferring to pay discount prices on other teams' surplus talent than to dive into a talent-poor free-agent pool where prices could rise due to lack of supply.
Among the possible targets are pitchers whose contracts their teams are looking to shed, such as Atlanta's Javier Vázquez (one year remaining at $11.5 million), or arbitration-eligible pitchers whose teams need payroll savings, such as Florida's Ricky Nolasco or Detroit's Edwin Jackson.
"That would be our top priority -- to help ourselves make a big step in terms of starting pitching," Riggleman said. "We had a very young staff [in 2009], and they made progress. But to make a move in the standings, we're going to have to pitch better than being statistically last in the league."
Riggleman ranked catcher as the Nationals' next-highest priority, with the team looking for a hybrid starter/backup to carry the primary load until injured incumbent Jesús Flores (shoulder surgery) is at full speed, then shifting into a backup role once Flores returns -- similar, in a way, to how the Baltimore Orioles used veteran Gregg Zaun in 2009 as they awaited the arrival of top prospect Matt Wieters.
"Flores is a guy we're probably going to be building around, but I don't know if Flores is going to be ready to go full-bore in February or March, so we're going to go slow with him," Riggleman said. "So I would say we're actively looking for someone who could catch a lot for us, not just be a [backup] catcher on the roster."
The Nationals consider middle infield a lesser priority, if only because they have a duo in place in rookie shortstop Ian Desmond, who was impressive during a brief call up in September but could benefit from another half-season in the minors, and veteran Cristian Guzmán, a career shortstop whom the team has instructed to prepare for spring training as a second baseman.
"The more we saw of Desmond, and then having Guzmán back on the field, it's not really an area where we are panicking," Riggleman said. "If we go with what we have there, we'd be fine with that."