Happy New Year!

Did you miss me? I sure missed you. Apologies for going so long without a post but it has been quite a month around the ol' FanboyLooser house, with some things going on both good and bad. Plus, being a college football editor, things have been rather hectic in recent days.

So it is time to get all caught up and, I hope, back into a routine of regular posting.

First, for all my Caps fans friends, and everyone else actually, you must watch this short clip now particularly if you watched the 24/7 series (excellent stuff there). WARNING - do not watch at work, do not watch with children present and do not watch if you have sensitive ears. I'll also add that anyone who was shocked by the many F words uttered by Bruce Boudreau needs to get out more. They curse an awful lot in sports.

Now, onto the show and let's see if I remember everything.

*Has Adam LaRoche actually signed yet? Did he pass a physical? I'm very glad they got LaRoche instead of Lee here, though I can't really articulate why. I know Lee was injured last year but I just think he's on the way down. Is LaRoche an all-star or as exciting as Adam Dunn with a bat in his hand? No. But he's pretty consistent and, along with Jayson Werth, is a solid addition. Those two in and Dunn/Willingham out won't really be an offensive dropoff (maybe a few home runs) and they're MUCH better defensively. Of course, my wife and I would represent a defensive upgrade so that's not saying much.

The LaRoche/ADD stories have received a revival in recent days. Who can forget Nick Johnson beating him to first base, the beginning of the end for LaRoche in Atlanta. But I can't think of another time it has really affected him on the field and what player hasn't suffered from brain lock? What is Nyjer's excuse? LaRoche is a solid player and a very solid guy and he's a good addition.

*Speaking of Nyjer, I'd really rather see them try Ankiel or someone (my wife again) in center every day for a while. I'm convinced we saw the real Nyjer last year and not in 2009.

*Thank you, thank you to the person responsible for making sure Carl Pavano didn't become a Nat. Too old, too much money and is he really better than a healthy Jason Marquis? Go with the flow for next year and wait for Jee-SUS to return.

*Thank you, thank you to Zach Greinke for saying no. If that price reported many times over for him is true, that was way too much to give up. That said, I hope the Nats light him up like a pinball machine at least twice this year. Just because.

*Don't trade Jordan Zimmermann for anyone.

*I'm on record as saying I don't like proven for potential deals very much. I would have thought Josh Willingham would have brought more back, but what do I know? I'm sure there's one out there and I'm not thinking clearly, but have any of these hot prospects acquired over the years done anything -- for the Nats? Was anyone surprised that Aaron Thompson, who had a fairly significant history of not doing well in the minors, didn't do well and is now no longer in the organization? The Nats keep buying lottery tickets and I haven't seen much of a return.

*Who is F.P. Santangelo and is he going to make my ears hurt listening to him on my television?

*The results of my Jayson Werth poll were interesting. LOTS of votes and I didn't even have to beg. We had 115 people who thought it was good, nine who thought it was a bad signing and 51 who said wait and see what else they do. I was one of those 51 and my new poll will ask what everyone thinks now that it appears the Nats are about done. Though I suspect, just in my head and without any knowledge, there's something else brewing. Rizzo promised a starter and I think he's bound and determined to get one, no matter the cost.

*Still not sure if I'm satisfied to the point that I'll make a return to the stadium. As noted, I like the Werth and LaRoche additions. I would have preferred Dunn and Werth and I still feel like we as a fanbase were jerked around on Dunn. I don't think the team had any intention of making a serious offer and keeping Dunn. He didn't fit the athletic/defensive mold Rizzo seems to want. And that's fine. Sure, I know you can't come out and say in July, "We don't want the big lug around anymore," but you can tap dance around it. My anger wasn't so much that Dunn wasn't signed, it was more a feeling that we were misled. And I don't like that one bit.

That said, I still love watching live baseball more than just about anything else so I expect my stance of toughness will crack and melt and I'll be there to catch Jayson Werth's first home run ball.

But it hasn't yet.