June 2012 - Washington Nationals Wiretap

Adam LaRoche said Friday night that he is talks with multiple clubs, but his preference is to return to the Nationals.

He hinted at frustration that he hasn't been able to reach a deal with Washington.

"We're talking to a few other teams," LaRoche said. "Got to keep things open in case Washington doesn't work out. I'm still hopeful that it will, but as you know it takes two sides cooperating to make that happen. I'm doing everything I can."

LaRoche added he has avoided injecting himself directly in negotiations, instead choosing to "let the guys who get paid to do that do their job."

The Nationals still don't have an agreement in place with Adam LaRoche as 2013 approaches.

No deal is in sight, according to a source, even though it was reported last Saturday that progress had been made.

LaRoche wants a three-year contract, but Washington hasn't budged from their two-year offer. The club made a qualifying offer worth $13.3 million last November, but LaRoche turned it down. He has reportedly been pursued by the Red Sox as they struggle to finalize a deal with Mike Napoli.

Boston isn't likely to give LaRoche a three-year deal either.

The Nationals are looking for a left-handed reliever and J.P. Howell remains atop their wish list.

The danger is that there is little on the market behind Howell.

The Nationals liked using Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper atop their batting order in 2012, but the acquisition of prototypical leadoff hitter Denard Span may change their plans.

Werth hit .309/.388/.450 with 13 doubles, a triple, 20 walks and 24 Ks in 38 games and 170 plate appearances as a leadoff hitter in 2012.

During his introductory press conference, Span touched on being a leadoff hitter.

"I thrive on being one of the best leadoff hitters in the game, or trying to be," he said. "And I love setting the tone. I love getting up to start the game and taking pitches and trying to give my teammates the best look they can [get] and [trying] to set the tone and get on base."

The Orioles would like to add power and defense at first base, but they are considered about the draft pick compensation that is required to sign Adam LaRoche.

Washington extended a qualifying offer to LaRoche, so any team that signs him would have to part with a draft selection.

LaRoche, 33, hit .271/.343/.510 with a career-high 33 homers in 2012 after missing the majority of 2011 with a torn labrum.

The Nationals have no regrets regarding their decision to shut down Stephen Strasburg early this past season with the playoffs looming.

"I was one of the five guys who were basically the reason everybody started [counting pitches and innings]. It was after what happened to us that everybody started to change," Washington pitching coach Steve McCatty said.

"Stephen and I had a lot of talks about this, and I just gave him my perspective. He was not happy. I knew that. But I said, 'Hey, I've gone through this with an injury and I played with it and it probably cost me my career when I should have done the right thing and taken the time off. But I didn't.' So if I'm a little more guarded when something happens to these guys and I have to say something and talk to them and get mad when I explain something to them or be stubborn on my stance towards it, I'll do it.

"It was for his best interest. It was for the Nationals' best interest. It just got blown out of proportion so much because of the national coverage and who he is. We had everyone hootin' and hollerin' at us and telling us what we should do. But, no doubt in my mind, it was the right thing."

The Nationals had the best regular-season record in baseball, but lost to the Cardinals in the NLDS.

"Those are the unknowns. It's hard to respond to [those who say] with Strasburg we would have won the World Series," Mike Rizzo said. "Whenever you take a great player off your roster, it doesn't give you as good a chance to perform as if you would have had him. We would have been a better team with Strasburg in the rotation. I agree with that. But we made a decision for the betterment of the franchise and the ballclub and the player. And we stuck to it. There's not much more I can say than that other than that. I think Stephen's going to be better for it."

There has been "a little bit of progress" made between Adam LaRoche and the Nationals in the last week, according to a source.

LaRoche has been asking for a three-year contract, but it's not known if Washington is willing to give him the three-year deal or a two-year deal with an option.

The Nationals are interested in re-signing Adam LaRoche, but they may soon push for a resolution on his future.

Mike Rizzo will likely tell LaRoche the Nationals would like him to accept their two-year offer, but if not, then they would like to move on with their offseason.

The Cubs are moving closer to completion on a four-year, $52M deal with Edwin Jackson, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Thursday.

Jackson, 29, was 10-11 with a 4.03 ERA in 31 starts (189 2/3 innings) with the Nationals in 2012.

The Orioles have "legitimate interest" in adding Adam LaRoche to their roster.

LaRoche could also draw interest from a number of other teams, including the Red Sox and Rangers, as the market for his services takes shape.