"The Nationals have signed veteran outfielder Rick Ankiel to an incentive-laden one-year contract worth a guaranteed $1.5 million, pending a physical exam -- a somewhat curious move given the fact Ankiel hits from the same side (left) as holdovers Roger Bernadina and Nyjer Morgan, who were expected to be the Nationals' primary starters in left field and center field.

Though he hit 25 homers for St. Louis as recently as 2008, Ankiel, who will turn 32 in July, is essentially a platoon outfielder these days, given his extreme lefty-righty splits. (Last year, while splitting the season between Kansas City and Atlanta, he had an OPS of just .452 in limited exposure to lefties in 2010, compared with .801 against right-handers.)"