Some guy named Strasburg is #1

Baseball America’s weekly minor league transactions have the Nats both releasing and signing Josh Johnson.

Once again, not the pitching Johnson.

They released the catching Johnson they signed a few weeks back and signed a corner infielder Johnson. This Johnson had spent his career in the Royals organization, topping out at Double-A.

Also among the list of transactions was a series of releases, helping me to clear up a few of my outstanding placements of unassigned players.

• Released: RHP Ryan Speier, C Scott Thomas, 2B Greg Veloz, 3B Angel Gonzalez, 3B Yeurys Tejeda, SS Dani Arias, OF Carl Loadenthal, OF Pedro Powell, OF Jay Sferra, OF Sean Smith

Speier, Gonzalez, Loadenthal, Powell, and Smith were off-season minor league free agent signings.

I did not even know they had signed Thomas

Veloz was acquired from the Mets in exchange for Anderson Hernandez last year. Veloz played briefly in Potomac & Harrisburg in 2009.

Sferra was a 31st round draft pick last year as a senior out of UNLV. He played for the Monsters in 2009.

And, Tejeda & Arias were two 2006 international free agent signings. Tejeda split time between the GCL and Vermont while Arias spent the whole season in Vermont.

I have also learned that pitcher Will Atwood and catcher Travis Reagan have both retired.

The Nationals are quickly reaching the point where they are going to have to make some final decisions on the composition of the 25-man roster. With today’s option of RHP JD Martin to Triple-A, the #5 spot in the rotation is down to RHP Garrett Mock or LHP Scott Olsen. Referring back to my analysis of option status, Mock has one option remaining while Olsen has one (maybe two).

However, a lesser known rule came to light yesterday when the Mariners placed Ryan Garko on waivers, even though he still had an option remaining. Keith Law earlier today:

Three years after a player’s first day on a major league roster, he can no longer be optioned without clearing revocable “optional waivers.”

Since Olsen mad his major league debut on June 25, 2005, it would appear the Nationals would have to place Olsen on revocable optional waivers to send him to Triple-A. Whereas Mock made his debut on June 8, 2008 and therefore would not require the same move. It’s a minor point but one worth watching. If the Nats opt for Mock over Olsen, Olsen will need to pass through revocable waivers (meaning he can be pulled back if another team claims him).

Just one more nuance of MLB’s overabundance of rules

First, the Nationals optioned OF Justin Maxwell to Triple-A Syracuse. Maxwell struggled this spring and will be better served by getting regular ABs in the minor leagues. That means the Nationals RF job is down to Willie Harris, Roger Bernadina, Mike Morse, & Willy Taveras (ideally in that order).

And in bigger news, Mark Zuckerman is reporting that Ian Desmond has won the starting SS spot for 2010. It’s a welcome decision that not only rewards Desmond’s strong spring performance but also puts the better long term option in the line-up for the future. I hope the Nationals will provide Desmond every opportunity to work through any struggles he has and not pull the plug too quickly. Cristian Guzman will remain on the roster in a utility role and it will be interesting to see how he responds to the demotion.

No, not this one.

Baseball America reported that the Nationals signed this Josh Johnson, a catcher who seems likely to open the season in Triple-A Syracuse while Jamie Burke recovers from knee surgery.

The 27-year old Johnson spent the 2009 season in Independent baseball after splitting eight minor league seasons between Minnesota, Tampa & Houston.