Byron Kerr

With rotation spot available, Cole adding weight and strength for long run

December 13, 2015, 8:07am

The major league debut for right-hander A.J. Cole did not go as well as he might have envisioned. That night at Turner Field certainly did not demonstrate the capabilities the laser-throwing prospect had shown at the minor league level. In his April 28 debut at Atlanta, Cole registered two innings and allowed nine runs, four them earned on nine hits, with one walk, one strikeout on 55 pitches. "The way I look at it is it's good to get up there and get the feel for it. I went down and had a...

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Nats prospect watch: Jose Marmolejos-Diaz

December 11, 2015, 10:58am

Nationals

Nats prospect watch: Jose Marmolejos-Diaz

More news on the Nationals' minor league Player of the Year, 22-year-old first baseman Jose Marmolejos-Diaz, and what he has been working on since the season concluded. Two months ago. I spoke to low Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson on what he saw from the top prospect. The lefty-hitting Marmolejos-Diaz raked .363 in 124 games with 39 doubles, five triples and 11 homers. The Dominican product rolled up 87 RBIs and earned 35 walks. Nationals minor league hitting coordinator Troy...

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Nats prospect watch: Mariano Rivera

December 08, 2015, 10:06am

Nationals

No draft prospect this past summer had bigger name recognition than did 22-year-old Mariano Rivera, the Iona College product whose namesake father was one of the top relievers in the history of the game. Rivera is not as big as his famous dad, at 5-foot-11 and 195 lbs. The elder Rivera is 6-foot-2 and 195 lbs., and earned 82 wins, posted 652 saves and recorded a 2.21 ERA in 19 big league seasons for the Yankees. He made 13 All-Star appearances and won was named the most valuable player in a...

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Nats prospect watch: Raudy Read

December 04, 2015, 10:14am

Nationals

Catcher Raudy Read continued his work from the 2015 season and has focused on his hitting during instructs last month, most recently at the Dominican Academy. Nationals hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich said they are looking for the 22-year-old Read to allow himself to hit the ball opposite field if that is where he is pitched. "Basically from July all the way to instructs and I just saw him down in the Dominican Republic (a few weeks ago) at the Academy," Gingrich said. "He's learning that...

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Would Gerardo Parra be a good fit to lead off for Nationals in 2016?

December 03, 2015, 4:15pm

Nationals

The Nationals' search for a leadoff hitter could once again turn toward the possibility of signing free agent Gerardo Parra, a left-handed hitter that president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo has had a good relationship with since his days with the Diamondbacks. MLB.com wrote about the Nationals' possible intent to acquire Parra way back in 2012. The Nationals currently have five outfielders on their 40-man roster, headlined by Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth. Michael A....

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Nationals finalize minor league staff for 2016

December 03, 2015, 10:21am

Nationals

The Nationals officially released their minor league coaching staffs and coordinators for 2016 this afternoon, with former bench coach Randy Knorr named senior adviser to general manager Mike Rizzo. Knorr had been the bench coach the past four seasons and is highly regarded in the organization, since he also managed in the system from 2005-2011. Remaining on staff was Brian Daubach, who moves to hitting coach at Triple-A Syracuse. He was the Double-A Harrisburg manager last season. Matt LeCroy,...

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Stammen on lost 2015 season: "We've got to be a better team"

December 01, 2015, 7:45pm

Nationals

Stammen on lost 2015 season: "We've got to be a better team"

Right-hander Craig Stammen has made excellent progress in his return from a torn flexor tendon that ended his 2015 campaign in mid-April. He credits the ability to stay with the Nationals training staff throughout the season as one reason for his on time recovery. "The rehab went great throughout the year," Stammen said. "The team was nice enough to let me stick (in) Washington, D.C., and be with the team when they were home and see physical therapist, (Dr.) Liz Wheeler, and then train with...

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Goodwin, Ballou and Bautista updates from winter ball are all positive

December 01, 2015, 7:09am

Nationals

Goodwin, Ballou and Bautista updates from winter ball are all positive

I am getting more positive updates from the winter leagues on some of the Nationals' outfield prospects. Center fielder Brian Goodwin is now ranked second in team batting for Margarita in the Venezuelan Winter League. His slash line is .356/.444/.535 with a .979 OPS and seven doubles, three homers, 16 RBIs, 16 walks and only 18 strikeouts in 101 at-bats over 27 games. He has been on a tear the last 10 games, hitting .543 (19-for-35) with four doubles, two homers and a 1.000 OPS. Nationals...

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Who will take Zimmermann's innings in the Nationals rotation?

November 29, 2015, 6:13pm

Nationals

Now that right-hander Jordan Zimmermann has moved on to the Detroit Tigers, the Nationals must figure out how they will replace the coveted starter. Zimmermann tossed 201 2/3 innings in 2015, compiling a 13-10 record with a 3.66 ERA. He matched Max Scherzer with 33 starts and was second on the team for innings pitched, 27 innings less than Scherzer. With right-hander Doug Fister also not returning, the Nationals must look to find a pair of starters. Right-hander Joe Ross would be the most...

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Nats prospect watch: Erick Fedde

November 27, 2015, 4:25am

Nationals

We are continuing our focus on news from the fall instructional league at the Nationals training facility in Viera, Fla. The first two capsules were on hitters Blake Perkins and Victor Robles. We will volley back and forth now between hitting and pitching and turn our attention to 2014 first round selection Erick Fedde. Fedde, at 6-foot-4 and 180 lbs., pitched a total of 64 innings between short-season Single-A Auburn and low Single-A Hagerstown. He moved to Hagerstown on Aug. 11. In his final...

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Nats prospect watch: Victor Robles

November 24, 2015, 4:54pm

Nationals

Outfielder Victor Robles continues to progress well after fall instructional league last month in Florida. I got an update on one of the more talked about Dominican prospects in the Nationals system this week. The 18-year-old Robles has displayed advanced batting skills at a young age. Nationals minor league hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich was impressed with Robles from the first time he saw the youngster swing. "The first time I saw him was two years ago at the (Nationals) Dominican...

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Bostick finishes Arizona campaign rolling, Salt River earns second spot in division

November 22, 2015, 7:25am

Nationals

Bostick finishes Arizona campaign rolling, Salt River earns second spot in division

The Salt River Rafters did well in Arizona Fall League play, finishing second to eventual champion Scottsdale. At 16-13, the Rafters were 1 1/2 games back of the Scorpions in the East Division. Second baseman Chris Bostick had the best surge to finish the fall season. He had nine hits in his final six games, including three doubles, a triple and a home run. It was a whirlwind 2015 season for Bostick. Last season, he was with high Single-A Myrtle Beach and then traded to the Nationals. He played...

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Nats prospect watch: Blake Perkins

November 19, 2015, 9:53am

Nationals

The Nationals' 2015 draft class hit the ground running this past summer and into fall instructs in Viera, Fla. I will profile some of these outstanding hitters in the system for the next few weeks. Outfielder Blake Perkins is one of the many prospects on the roster that showed very well last month, drawing the attention of the coaches. The just-turned 19-year-old (September 10) was a second round selection out of Verrado High School in Buckeye, Ariz., in June. He has shown that he is advanced...

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Bostick and Simms shine again for Salt River in Arizona Fall League play

November 18, 2015, 4:25am

Nationals

Bostick and Simms shine again for Salt River in Arizona Fall League play

Chris Bostick unleashed another outstanding game Tuesday as Salt River defeated Mesa 4-2 in Arizona Fall League play. The second baseman went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, three runs scored and two RBIs. It was Bostick's fourth double and fourth homer of the AFL season. Bostick hit out of the No. 2 hole and cranked a solo shot in the third inning off of Mesa starter Rob Zastryzny. Bostick raised his average to .275. Right-hander John Simms started and went three innings for the win,...

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Notes on Kieboom, Simms, Bacus, Goodwin, Severino and Bautista

November 16, 2015, 4:39am

Nationals

Notes on Kieboom, Simms, Bacus, Goodwin, Severino and Bautista

Catcher Spencer Kieboom had two homers this season for high Single-A Potomac. He now has two homers in Arizona Fall League play after cranking a three-run shot in the first inning Friday night. Salt River dropped Surprise 5-3. He also crushed three-run homer Oct. 27 in a 9-4 win over Scottsdale. Kieboom is hitting .257 and has a .395 on-base percentage in his last 10 games with two homers, seven RBIs and seven free passes. Right-hander Dakota Bacus has a 1.29 ERA in seven appearances with one...

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John Simms mixing pitches well, keeping ball down to find Arizona success

November 13, 2015, 4:19am

Nationals

John Simms mixing pitches well, keeping ball down to find Arizona success

Right-hander John Simms has impressed in his first month in the Arizona Fall League. Simms came into his first game after the starter and a reliever had completed four innings. Salt River trailed 4-3 when he arrived, but the game was tied 5-5 when he departed. He earned the win after pitching three innings and allowing just one run in a 9-7 Rafters comeback victory. After that initial appearance, Simms (3-0) has been tremendously consistent, starting four straight games, tossing 18 innings and...

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Purke on list of minor league free agents; De Los Santos update from Arizona

November 10, 2015, 3:01pm

Nationals

Purke on list of minor league free agents; De Los Santos update from Arizona

The list of minor league free agents from 2015 has been revealed by Baseball America, and the most notable names on the Nationals list include former 2011 third-round selection left-hander Matt Purke, as well as southpaw Richard Bleier. Purke was drafted with a lot of promise, but has been saddled with various injuries during his career. He returned to reach Double-A Harrisburg this year and finished the season allowing three runs in his final six appearances out of the bullpen. Bleier had a...

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Kieboom, Bautista, Simms and Bacus shining in winter play

November 09, 2015, 2:52am

Nationals

Kieboom, Bautista, Simms and Bacus shining in winter play

Right-hander Abel del los Santos took the loss in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game on Saturday night as the West beat the East 8-3. With the game tied at 2-2 in the fifth inning,, de los Santos allowed a couple of hits, a wild pitch, a passed ball and a sacrifice fly. He did finish the inning, allowing only the one run. The Salt River Rafters (12-8) are one game back of Scottsdale for first place in the East Division as the second half begins in AFL play. The Rafters have lost two in a...

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Baker on his style and how important listening to Nats players will be

November 06, 2015, 8:24pm

Nationals

Baker on his style and how important listening to Nats players will be

New Nationals manager Dusty Baker gave us a clue about his possible managing style at Thursday's news conference when he talked about being aggressive on the base paths. "We're going to run the bases," Baker said. "I think that's something that's probably last on the list on a lot of teams. Baserunning is probably the most overlooked part of baseball." It might be a welcome change from the Nationals' recent offensive style, where they waited for the three-run homer more times than they...

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Baker, Rizzo understand the benefits revamped training system could have for Nats

November 06, 2015, 10:14am

Nationals

Baker, Rizzo understand the benefits revamped training system could have for Nats

After the season was completed, the Nationals announced they had dismissed their athletic training staff including head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz, assistant trainer Steve Gober, and strength and conditioning coach John Philbin. New manager Dusty Baker was asked in his introductory news conference about the Nationals' issues with injuries to key players last season. He was very concerned about the situation. "That's a big point," Baker said. "I've always said if I can keep my frontline...