The MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas, TX, are only a couple of weeks away, and there is already a buzz about what free agents will be signed and announced during these meetings, if any. Some observers believe that the big name that people will be looking to see what happens is obviously what will happen with Juan Soto. According to insiders and rumors, Soto will meet with at least four teams leading up to this year's MLB Winter Meetings.

Fansided.com has some insight: "Soto will reportedly meet with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Mets and Yankees over the next week or so. That leaves him plenty of time to make his priorities clear before the winter meetings."

🎵 Blue skies are going to clear up. Put on a happy face. Many people seem to be leaving X and moving to other social media networks. So, just to let you know, we are on Blue Sky Social; give us a follow today, and we promise you will not miss a thing. 🎵

What I am reading and doing this weekend. Because the Washington Commanders played last night, I will not have a game to watch. Instead, I will spend time with my family and catch up on reading. I would love to get your thoughts on some great fall baseball-related things to do!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS 🗓️

  • All-MLB Weekend (November 13 - 17, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • MLB Winter Meetings (December 9 - 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas)
  • MLB Spring Breakout (March 13 - 16, 2024; Florida & Arizona)
  • MLB World Tour: Tokyo Series (March 18-19; Tokyo, Japan)

Happy Friday. Thanks for reading the Morning Briefing. Drop us a line: Richard and the Nats Report Newsroom.

Good Morning, Washington Nationals Fans.

Here are the latest headlines and analysis around the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball for today, Friday, November 15, 2024.

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The 9-9-9 challenge. Have you heard about this crazy challenge? For those unfamiliar with it, here are the rules and objectives. The main objective is to have fans/participants try to eat nine hot dogs and drink nine beers in nine innings. The 9-9-9 challenge was first introduced by Matt Hurst, who attempted this feat during Game One of the 2011 World Series. To afford nine hots and nine beers during a baseball game would leave you with a hefty food and drink bill unless you can attempt to do this in the PNC Club at Nats Park or if you can try to accomplish this feat in your backyard or at home. Have you tried this crazy challenge?

Leading this Morning's Briefing: What's next for the Washington Nationals this offseason.

Honestly, I believe that this offseason is, in fact, a turning point for this team and its fans. As we enter another year of this "re-tool," fans around the district and beyond are losing patience with the status of this re-tool. Many fans around the team want ownership to increase spending and bring a big-name free agent into the mix. While I agree with fans, one important aspect left out here is whether free agents even want to come to Washington, D.C., to play. What does the team have to offer? Yes, the Nationals have started to develop a core of young players ranging from CJ Abrams, James Wood, and Dylan Crews are all fun to watch, but is that enough to lure a big-name free agent to come and want to play for a team that seems to be stuck in neutral? What is ownership and Rizzo's pitch to any potential big-name free agents?

While Soto has multiple suitors, the Nationals' pitch to retain him remains unclear.

Here is what we would say to Soto in hopes of bringing him back to D.C. it would go along something like this:

"Hi Juan, Welcome back to D.C. we've missed you a lot and now its time to come home. Did you enjoy your time in San Diego and New York?
Looks like you didn't win your second World Series ring with them. Oh, by the way, do you still have your World Series Ring that has that big curly W on it?
While you were gone we have totally revamped our farm system, and added some great young talent that we are committed to for a long time and just like when you came to the Nationals as a young player, you can be the next Mr. Washington National like your fellow World Series team mate Ryan Zimmerman.
Oh, you didn't answer the question if you still have your World Series Ring that has that big curly W on it? Come home and stay with us, we miss you."

No matter what the conversation is like or if it will happen, the Nationals must figure out their elevator pitch very soon. What would your elevator pitch be to Juan Soto? Hit us up on X, even Blue Sky or send us an email!

Flashback Friday. Two big moments happened this season: James Wood's and Dylan Crews' MLB debut. At the time, we asked our fans to share some of their photos from those days, so here are some pictures from Dylan Crews' MLB debut.

Interim housing. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Rays have a deal to play at Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the rival New York Yankees, due to the extensive damage to Tropicana Field last month, thanks to Hurricane Milton for the 2025 season. From the Tampa Bay Times, "The Rays apparently chose Steinbrenner Field over Clearwater’s BayCare Ballpark, spring home of the Philadelphia Phillies, in consultation with Major League Baseball... MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said last month he wanted the team stay in the Tampa Bay area and noted several workable options in spring training stadiums."

Broadcasting ALERT. Yesterday, Major League Baseball announced that it will take over the production and distribution of local games for the Cincinnati Reds during the 2025 season. The Reds will join the Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, and Minnesota Twins, similarly to how the league serviced the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, and San Diego Padres during the 2024 season. It is also great that the Reds will not be subjected to local blackouts that have plagued fans nationwide.

BIG PICTURE: According to MLB's press release, the Red's RSN reached an average of 1.1 million households during the 2024 season, and with the addition of MLB's direct-to-consumer streaming options, "Cincinnati’s games will reach approximately 13.5 million homes across seven states in their region."

Could we see a new trend in which Major League Baseball encourages teams to move away from regional sports networks and adopt a greater broadcasting strategy that prevents local blackouts, which many fans do not like? In addition, the NFL has successfully utilized new media outlets, so the model of using streaming platforms in addition to "local" broadcasts is in place. According to Major League Baseball, in 2024, baseball fans streamed 14.5 billion minutes of live baseball games and content on MLB.TV, a record for the service.

What the Washington Nationals Front Office is Reading (we think!)

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