Ray recently sat down with 20-year veteran catcher Ivan Rodriguez and discussed a variety of topics from his tenure in the big leagues to his day-to-day work ethic and approach to the game.
Pudge also offered his take on rookie catcher Wilson Ramos, and the veteran believes he will be a good catcher as long as he prepares himself properly to play an entire season.
Finally, Rodriguez talked with Ray about what lies ahead for him in life after baseball.
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Don Sutton, a Hall of Fame pitcher and former Nats color analyst, had a chance to catch up with Ray Knight during Washington's trip to Atlanta.
Ray asked Don about the importance of signing Livan Hernandez to a contract for the 2011 season.
Don was also impressed with John Lannan and believes he has a chance to be a very good pitcher one day.
For all of Don's thoughts on the Nats' pitching staff, watch the video below.
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Rookie middle infielder Danny Espinosa has been successful with the Nats as a September call up. Ray asked Danny about playing hard.
As a switch-hitter, Danny has been able to hit, but pitchers have started to adjust. Ray talked with Danny about being able to readjust at the plate.
Ray mentions his thoughts about Danny compared with the rest of the Nats' 2010 rookie class.
To see the whole interview, watch the video below.
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The Nationals re-signed Livan Hernandez this offseason to help mentor the young staff, including Stephen Strasburg. But Hernandez has been more than a mentor.
Hernandez has been one of the Nats' most consistent pitchers during the 2010 season. Coming into Monday night's game, Hernandez had a 3.06 ERA in 164.2 innings.
Watch the video below to see how Hernandez throws a few of his pitches and how Ray would approach trying to hit the right-hander.
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Justin Maxwell has played all three outfield positions, mostly center field and right field, during the 2010 season, while being shuttled back and forth between Washington and Triple-A Syracuse.
Ray asked Justin to explain how he gets positioned for different hitters throughout the game. Also, Justin talks about defending doubles late in the game.
Watch the video below to see what else Justin and Ray talked about.
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On Friday, the Nats promoted shortstop prospect Danny Espinosa to Triple-A Syracuse from Double-A Harrisburg.
Ray Knight and Byron Kerr discuss the talents of Espinosa and the possibility of a September call up for the shortstop. Ray believes that eventually Espinosa could challenge Ian Desmond for the shortstop job in 2011.
Watch the video below to hear what else Byron and Ray had to say about the young shortstop.
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Derek Norris is a top prospect in the Washington Nationals' farm system, currently playing his games at Single-A Potomac.
Byron and Ray ask Derek about his offense and why he uses a wider batting stance.
In the video interview below Derek also touched on working with the young pitchers in the Nats farm system and some of the rehabbing pitchers.
Ryan Zimmerman has been very successful against Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Manny Parra. Coming in to Saturday night, Zimmerman was a career .636 hitter against Parra.
Ray gives an example on why Zimmerman is so successful and explains what Parra needs to do to begin to get Zimmerman out.
Ray shows why Zimmerman is able to hit Parra so successfully in a short tutorial explaining the arm extension of a hitter.
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Ray Knight recently took a closer look at how J.D. Martin throws his curveball to hitters. In Ray's opinion, Martin's curveball is second best on the Nationals to rookie Stephen Strasburg's.
In the segment below Ray and Johnny discuss Martin's control and the effectiveness of his curveball.
Watch the video for a demonstration and explanation from Ray as to why Martin has such a great curve.
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For years, New York Mets' starter Johan Santana has been a dominant pitcher in the Major Leagues. Santana has 127 wins against just 65 losses.. This season, Santana is 5-5 with a 3.41 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 35 walks.
As Santana has gotten older, he has lost velocity on his fastball, but has begun throwing his changeup more. Ray Knight shows how Santana grips both the fastball and changeup and why they are so successful against Major League hitters.
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With Ian Desmond struggling at the plate recently, Ray Knight breaks down what he's been seeing from Desmond in the batter's box.
Watch the video below for Ray's explanation of some of the reasons batters can struggle at the plate, as well as Knight's demonstration of how Desmond can get back on track in the batter's box.
Michael Morse has been a bench player for the Nationals, getting mostly pinch hit opportunities and an occasional start, but it doesn't appear as though Morse is having any trouble staying loose during games.
Ray talks with Morse to find out how he manages to stay sharp and asks the infielder to break down his approach at the plate.
We know that Stephen Strasburg has what it takes to be a Major League ace, but where do the rest of the Nats' starters fall into the mix?
Ray breaks down what makes the Nats' two top prospects so tough.
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The 2010 edition of the Nationals bullpen is by far the best collection of arms that I have seen in my three-plus years covering the club.
With Clippard, Bruney, Bergmann, Walker, and Capps, you have five power arms. These guys can really "bring it."
Matt Capps has been clocked at 95; Bergmann threw 95 last year, but has topped out at "only" 94 so far this year; Walker is at 93-94, and can hit 95 when it humps up; Bruney has been consistently at 93-94; and Clippard hit 93 in New York with his fastball.
A pitcher doesn't have to be as fine with his pitches at those velocities. Capps, Bruney and Bergmann also feature excellent sliders, while Clippard, who has been the most impressive, throws a curveball that is as good as anyone in the National league - and the changeup that he features looks like it hesitates just as it gets to the plate! His K's are coming mainly on high fastballs. He is a "throwback" with his right over the top arm action. He throws straight downhill with a four-seam fastball that takes off when it is up in the strike zone.
Throwing strikes has been a sore spot in this organization for a long time. Believe me, Riggs and his staff emphasize that point all the time.
Yet it continues to be the pitching staff's number one problem. The bullpen has been no exception. Bruney (4 walks in 2.2 innings) Capps (5 walks in 4 innings and Batista (6 walks in 5.1 innings) have had a little problem with the strike zone. These men have all been closers at some point in their careers, so they know the importance of throwing strikes. It is encouraging that Clippard has only walked 2 in 6.1 innings, while Bergy and Tyler Walker haven't allowed a free pass.
Coming out of the pen on the left side are two solid arms that have excellent breaking balls and herky jerky motions that should give left-handed hitters fits. Jesse English has been used so far by Riggleman as a matchup guy. I like his sweeping breaking ball that sometimes seems to start behind the hitter. He has struggled with his control a little also, walking 3 hitters in 2.1 innings. This is his first appearance in the big leagues, so let's give him a little room to grow.
I have always liked Sean Burnett's arm. I saw him in Pittsburgh when he was a starter and he was nasty. He hurt his arm and has made it all the way back after surgery. He doesn't throw as hard as he once did, but the man knows how to pitch. His cross-firing delivery cannot be real comfortable to the left-handed hitters in the league.
All we have to do is get the Big Boys hitting (Dunn, Zimm, etc.) and I believe that the Boys in the Pen will hold them.
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