"Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo has known what he wants since summer, when he repeatedly tried to fill a massive hole in his lineup via trade. It did not happen then. But there is another, better chance coming soon as baseball's chaotic offseason begins in earnest this week.

So far, there have been a few minor deals signed. Relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon inked the one high-profile contract when he agreed to a four-year, $50 million contract with Philadelphia. Even Rizzo made a quick move after the World Series by re-signing right-hander Chien-Ming Wang to a one-year, $4 million deal, thereby maintaining the starting rotation depth Washington built by the end of its season. But that project is far from finished, and there are other obvious needs the front office must address before the Nats head to spring training in mid-February.

"We're certainly not satisfied ever, because you can never have enough quality starting pitching," Rizzo said. "It hasn't changed our long-term offseason outlook that we'd like to improve our starting rotation and the other things that we've always talked about that we need to do: center field, on-base percentage guy, improve the bench and do everything we can to keep a strong bullpen."

That's a definitive, if lengthy, list. Rizzo began the process at the general managers' meetings in Milwaukee earlier this month. That event is where clubs hold preliminary negotiations with representatives for top free agents and discuss potential trades with rival teams in person. But the heavy lifting is still to come.

On Dec. 5, executives, general managers and lower-level front office personnel from all 30 big league teams will convene in Dallas for the frenzy that is baseball's Winter Meetings. Millions of dollars will be awarded to top players over those four days. And even if the elite free agents -- St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder and New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes -- don't sign during that window, the talks that occur that week will narrow the interested parties and set the stage for their expected megadeals."