Byron Kerr

Salt River Rafters open season tonight in Arizona Fall League

October 13, 2015, 7:26am

The Salt River Rafters open Arizona Fall League play tonight against Scottsdale at 9:35 p.m. Eastern time at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. High Single-A Potomac's Tripp Keister is the manager of the team. Keister said that Oscar Hernandez, a Diamondbacks prospect, will do the bulk of the catching, and that Nationals farmhand Spencer Kieboom will do some catching and get to DH to build at-bats. Kieboom is coming off a concussion this recently completed season, so Keister said he will get...

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Knorr, LeCroy and Henley stay with Nationals in new roles, Daubach promoted

October 12, 2015, 8:53am

Nationals

The Nationals announced Monday that three of the coaches that did not have their contracts renewed with the major league club will stay in the organization in different roles. Former bench coach Randy Knorr assumes the position of senior assistant to the general manager, player development. Knorr brings a wealth of knowledge and minor league managerial and coaching experience with the Nationals to the position, which will be critical to maintaining cohesion within the system. Knorr managed the...

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Nationals would be wise to continue relationship with Ripken, just not as manager

October 11, 2015, 5:47pm

Nationals

Major League Baseball came down swiftly on Dodgers infielder Chase Utley following his slide into second base Saturday night that broke Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada's leg in the National League Division Series between New York and Los Angeles. Utley was suspended for Games 3 and 4 of the series. Utley will appeal the suspension, and because the series shifts to New York, where MLB is headquartered, expect a speedy resolution to the appeal. "After thoroughly reviewing the play from all...

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Searching for Adam LaRoche

October 10, 2015, 7:19am

Nationals

The Nationals will have a new look next season in many respects. They will have a new manager for the first time since 2013. They will also be without Ian Desmond and Jordan Zimmermann, two of the longest-tenured starters in their clubhouse. Not only will the players that step onto the field next season be guided by a new skipper, there also will need to be players in the clubhouse that lead by example. Those players may also need to be the sounding board for the younger players, who may need...

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Trea Turner will not play in Arizona Fall League, gets a rest after whirlwind season

October 09, 2015, 8:16am

Nationals

Trea Turner will not play in Arizona Fall League, gets a rest after whirlwind season

Nationals shortstop Trea Turner will not be participating in the Arizona Fall League, a club source confirmed. The organization has decided that Turner will get some rest after playing in 116 minor league games and 27 major league games this season. He is not injured. Turner was originally scheduled to be on the Salt River Rafters taxi squad, which meant he could participate only in games on Wednesday and Saturday. But Turner played for two organizations and four teams this season, and still...

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Bostick replaces Difo in Arizona Fall League

October 08, 2015, 9:44am

Nationals

Bostick replaces Difo in Arizona Fall League

Double-A Harrisburg Senators second baseman Chris Bostick will replace injured infielder Wilmer Difo in the Arizona Fall League for the Nationals. Difo is out with a fractured left hand sustained against the Mets in the final weekend of the season and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Bostick hit .375 (15-for-40) in his last 10 games of the season. The 22-year-old hit a combined .258 in 137 games for two teams, with 22 doubles, eight triples, 31 stolen bases, 12 homers and 58 RBIs....

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Update on instructional league in Florida, prospect spotlight on Osvaldo Abreu

October 07, 2015, 8:55am

Nationals

Update on instructional league in Florida, prospect spotlight on Osvaldo Abreu

There is one week remaining in fall instructional league play in Viera, Fla., for the Nationals. They continue to work out and have also played a schedule against other major league instructional league teams. Rain hampered the start of the camp last week, but low Single-A Hagerstown Suns manager Patrick Anderson, who is coaching at the facility in Viera, said they are moving along well now. "We were able to get back on the field," Anderson said. "We're doing a lot of individual stuff,...

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Manager search: Triple-A Syracuse's Billy Gardner Jr. brings wealth of experience to post

October 06, 2015, 8:30am

Nationals

Manager search: Triple-A Syracuse's Billy Gardner Jr. brings wealth of experience to post

The Nationals open their search for their next manager looking for a skipper who has a good amount of experience in the job and communicates well with his players and staff. Triple-A Syracuse's Billy Gardner Jr. just finished his 21st consecutive season as a manager in the minor leagues. Very few can match his resume as far as pure baseball experience goes - and at almost every level. In 2007, his Montgomery club won the Double-A Southern League title. In 2012, he was named Southern League...

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Mike Rizzo said some of coaching staff could return in 2016, Randy Knorr not ruled out as candidate

October 05, 2015, 10:15am

Nationals

Mike Rizzo said some of coaching staff could return in 2016, Randy Knorr not ruled out as candidate

The announcement by the Nationals that Matt Williams was dismissed as manager for 2016 also included the statement that the entire coaching staff would not be retained: "Additionally, Bench Coach Randy Knorr, Pitching Coach Steve McCatty, Hitting Coach Rick Schu, Third Base Coach Bobby Henley, First Base Coach Tony Tarasco, Bullpen Coach Matt LeCroy, and Defensive Coordinator/Advance Coach Mark Weidemaier have also been informed their contracts will not be renewed." But some may still find a...

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New voice and new leader for Nationals must meld clubhouse personalities to succeed

October 05, 2015, 7:59am

Nationals

The 2015 season came crumbling down for the Nationals despite having an extremely talented roster returning from a divisional title season. Injuries, bullpen issues, leadership and communication from the manager were many of the reasons why this promising season got untracked. On Monday morning, Matt Williams was dismissed as manager of the Nationals, one season removed from 96 wins and a National League Manager of the Year award. The Nationals stumbled to only 83 wins in 2015, playing well...

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Wilson Ramos "very happy" to call all three Nationals no-hitters

October 04, 2015, 8:41am

Nationals

Wilson Ramos is in the record books, becoming only the 14th catcher in Major League Baseball history to catch three or more no-hitters. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first ever to catch three in a 162-game span. Right-hander Max Scherzer tossed his second no-hitter since June 20 on Saturday night in New York, striking out a career-high 17 in a 2-0 Nationals win over the Mets. Ramos also called Jordan Zimmermann's no-hitter at the end of 2014. Ramos has also called all three...

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Rivero and Robinson display potential in what could be expanded roles in 2016

October 03, 2015, 4:08pm

Nationals

Rivero and Robinson display potential in what could be expanded roles in 2016

The Nationals dropped the Mets 3-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday in New York. Clint Robinson and Felipe Rivero played important roles in the win. They also should play significant roles for the Nationals in 2016. Robinson launched a solo homer three-quarters up the second level of right field at Citi Field to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead leading off the top of the seventh. It was his second homer in as many games, giving him 10 homers on the season. He hit 141 homers in his...

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Time to give Pedro Severino a start in the big leagues

October 02, 2015, 6:30am

Nationals

Time to give Pedro Severino a start in the big leagues

There are only three games left in the regular season and we have not seen that much of the rookies that have been the September call-ups. Trea Turner has gotten into games. He has even made a handful of starts. He came up a little bit earlier. Since August 21, Turner has played in 25 games. He has played shortstop and second base and has a great shot at making the team next season. When catcher Pedro Severino was called up September 1, there was optimism that the most tenured backstop in the...

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Rendon's deft third base fielding a reminder of what could have been

October 01, 2015, 12:07pm

Nationals

Rendon's deft third base fielding a reminder of what could have been

Seeing Anthony Rendon work at third base on Monday afternoon against the Reds, then Tuesday and Wednesday night in Atlanta, reminds us of what could have been if he was healthy from the beginning of the season. Rendon ended last season in the 2014 National League Division Series with a pretty good four games at the plate, hitting .368 (7-for-19) with one RBI, one walk and one stolen base. His on-base percentage in the series was .400 and he committed no errors. Only Bryce Harper and Rendon...

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Matt den Dekker's recent hot streak good sign for 2016

September 30, 2015, 8:52am

Nationals

Matt den Dekker's recent hot streak good sign for 2016

It is never easy to jump from the minor leagues straight into the major league fray and exceed. It usually takes a few at-bats, even a few games to get into a groove. But for Matt den Dekker, he smashed that preconception upon his return to the active roster in late August. In two of his first three games back, he notched base hits on a single and a double. Despite an 0-for-4 Tuesday, he has eight hits in his last four games. During that three-game stretch, den Dekker went 8-for-13 with three...

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Scherzer's composure can help future Nationals pitchers find success

September 29, 2015, 1:06pm

Nationals

Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer came within five outs of his second no-hitter this season in Monday's 5-1 win over the Reds. "I thought he was going to do it again," said manager Matt Williams. "Some great plays early. T-Mo (Tyler Moore) made a great play, Uggs (Dan Uggla) made a great play at second base. Pitch count was in order. He was pushing it, but I thought he was going to do it again. He pitched really well." Scherzer has wanted to end this season strong, similar to what...

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Rizzo on Papelbon's suspension, Harper's role in altercation, Williams' future with Nats

September 28, 2015, 3:21pm

Nationals

Rizzo on Papelbon's suspension, Harper's role in altercation, Williams' future with Nats

Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo met with the media after the Nationals' 5-1 win over the Reds on Monday. It was the first time he had spoken publicly since the team suspended closer Jonathan Papelbon for four games without pay following Papelbon's physical altercation with Bryce Harper in the dugout during Sunday's game. Rizzo explained the reasoning for Papelbon's suspension: "We hold our players at a high standard. I always brag about the fact...

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Scherzer's no-hit bid broken up in eighth (Nats win 5-1)

September 28, 2015, 12:13pm

Nationals

Scherzer's no-hit bid broken up in eighth (Nats win 5-1)

Right-hander Max Scherzer off to a good start against the Reds. Through four innings he has not allowed a hit. Scherzer has struck out five, with at least one strikeout in every inning but the third. He has walked two batters. Tyler Moore made a diving catch on a liner off the bat of Reds left fielder Skip Schumaker in the third. Reds left-hander Brandon Finnegan did well to keep the Nationals off the board until the fourth. Moore singled with one out. Matt den Dekker then lined a double over...

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Williams on letting Papelbon pitch the ninth: "I didn't get all the facts at that time"

September 28, 2015, 11:32am

Nationals

Williams on letting Papelbon pitch the ninth: "I didn't get all the facts at that time"

Nationals manager Matt Williams took responsibility for allowing right-hander Jonathan Papelbon to continue to pitch after a physical dugout altercation in the eighth inning of Sunday's 12-5 loss to the Phillies. Williams said Papelbon would not have pitched in the ninth inning if he had known the extent of the altercation, where Papelbon appeared to put his hand around the neck of teammate Bryce Harper, when it happened on the left side of the dugout near the steps to the field. During games,...

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Nats game blog: Scherzer looks to go above .500 with win vs. Reds

September 28, 2015, 10:38am

Nationals

Nats game blog: Scherzer looks to go above .500 with win vs. Reds

The Nationals take on the Reds in a game that is on the schedule, but the focus is squarely on the altercation that took place late in Sunday's game against the Phillies. It appeared right-handed pitcher Jonathan Papelbon lunged and put his hand around Bryce Harper's neck in the dugout following a verbal disagreement. Papelbon was suspended for four games without pay by the team and, coupled with dropping his appeal of Major League Baseball's three-game suspension for throwing at Orioles...