Stephen Strasburg

The question isn't whether anyone wants Stephen Strasburg. Everyone wants a 26-year-old budding ace who just led the National League in strikeouts.

The question is whether anyone will pay what it takes to get him.

Make no mistake: it'll take a lot. 

Without hyperbole or hesitation, one can reasonably say the Washington Nationals, on paper, have constructed one of the best starting rotations in baseball history. 

The Washington Nationals, already one of the deepest pitching teams in baseball, made a splash late Sunday night when they inked right-hander Max Scherzer to a massive seven-year free-agent deal.

You're a fan without a nation. 

The 2014 MLB Playoff field is set, and while you mourn your beloved New York Yankees from your home probably nowhere near New York, you need a surrogate team. Well, the Washington Nationals bandwagon is accepting applications, and no other franchise makes a better case for your temporary affection. 

1. Farewell to The Captain…The Other Captain

And now, the end is near, Frank Sinatra is cued up and the Captain will face his final curtain.   

No, not Derek Jeter.   

Well, him, too, which is why when that final curtain falls this Sunday in Chicago, Paul Konerko will be over there in the shadows while all eyes are on Jeter's finale in Boston.

Things were looking up for Stephen Strasburg headed into his start on Friday night against the Atlanta Braves. At least that’s how it seemed.

Major League Baseball mourned an all-time great player and person on June 16 when San Diego Padres icon Tony Gwynn died. More than a week has gone by and Gwynn's death is still impacting others around baseball, particularly those who use smokeless or chewing tobacco.

Pitch counts are now an acknowledged part of baseball. For all the sabermetric advances in the game, the one that's made the most inroads into the consciousness of baseball fans and the actions of baseball teams is the simple pitch count.

The problem is, it's not helping.

The Washington Nationals are surging and will enter September in contention for a playoff spot. Entering the final day of August, the Nationals are 16-10 in the month, which has given them a reason to play meaningful baseball in September.

The pieces of the puzzle have been coming together for Washington. Perhaps they were not able to handle the early season hype that surrounded the team, but, as for now, they have a chance for redemption.

The title of "ace" of a team's pitching staff is often bestowed upon a pitcher as if it were a nickname. It is prematurely applied to any and all types of pitcher, like a "Player of The Week" award. 

But ace is not a label to be categorized with lesser distinctions, such as: