Smoltz, a guarantee Hall of Fame inductee after his retirement, finished the 2009 season with the St. Louis Cardinals after a bumpy mid-summer debut with the Boston Red Sox. Rosenthal says the Cards remain his top choice.

Rosenthal writes that Smoltz would prefer to sign with a National League contender,  something the Nats can not realistically pretend to be. But the veteran pitcher could be persuaded to join the DC club to act as a mentor to the team's young pitching staff if he does not have better options.

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Swanni is a Washington-area journalist and long-time observer of Washington baseball.
You can contact Swanni at swann@tvpredictions.com