Ask Rizzo at Nats Park on Saturday

Ask Rizzo at Nats Park on Saturday
The Nationals are offering a great opportunity for premium ticket holders to ask General Manager Mike Rizzo and the front office staff questions in a panel discussion for 30 minutes before Saturday home games. They are calling it the "Inside Pitch Live" Speaker Series. From the release: The Washington Nationals have launched "Inside Pitch Live," a new speaker series which will take place in the PNC Diamond Club before the start of all Saturday home games. Nationals General Manager Mike...

Clippard, Capps and Nieves clutch in comeback vs. Rox

Clippard, Capps and Nieves clutch in comeback vs. Rox
Tyler Clippard did it again for the Nats, now 3-0 with the win Wednesday night as the Nationals outscored the Rockies 6-1 after trailing 3-0 middle 3rd. Clippard threw two innings, allowing no runs, 1 hit, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. Tyler had 4 wins all of last year and notched that final victory on October 1st. It is just April 21st and already Tyler has 3 of the Nats 8 wins. His biggest out was getting Carlos Gonzalez on a strikeout with a man on in the top of the 8th. Gonzalez was...

Guzzie the Good on Rocky Night

Guzzie the Good on Rocky Night
The Rockies prevented the Nationals from going two games above .500 for the first time since 2005 thanks to a 10-4 defeat at Nationals Park Tuesday night. Scott Olsen lasted only two innings plus four batters and the Rockies scored 8 runs in the third to put the game out of reach early. Some Good, some Bad One of the bright spots was the play of 2B Cristian Guzman who had four consecutive hits after striking out in his first plate appearance. Guzman singled three times and then doubled in...

Wilkie says Booker great influence on Syracuse pitchers

Wilkie says Booker great influence on Syracuse pitchers
Syracuse Chiefs and former George Washington Colonials pitcher Josh Wilkie is off to a good start through 4 games and a 1.35 ERA as a reliever. He has pitched a robust 6 2/3 innings, allowing only 2 hits and 1 earned run. Righties are batting just .125 against Josh, who grabbed a few minutes with me as the Nats were checking out of their team hotel. Wilkie told me things are going well in the first few weeks: "I am trying to get a feel on the mound when pitching every other day as a...

Jeff Mandel gets in groove for Harrisburg

Jeff Mandel gets in groove for Harrisburg
Harrisburg Senators pitcher Jeff Mandel is looking to follow up an impressive performance in the Arizona Fall League with a step up to Double-A this season and the results are starting to show even this early in the season. Mandel bounced back from a tough first outing for a spectacular second start April 13th at Bowie. Jeff pitched 5 and 1/3rd innings, allowing 3 hits, no earned runs, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. He dropped his ERA from 8.31 to 3.72 in one start. Mandel says pitching coach...

Not this year

Not this year
How many times has a late inning error and a quick deficit deflated the Nats the last two seasons? That is what happens to 100-loss teams everyday and twice on Sunday. Not this year. After Milwaukee went ahead 3-2 in the 8th on a throwing error charged to Alberto Gonzalez (because Cristian Guzman short armed the throw at first base), the Nats attacked the Brewers bullpen for three runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to take the lead 5-3. What!!!??!!! And they did it with the...

Olsen debuts sinker vs. Phillies with success

Olsen debuts sinker vs. Phillies with success
Nationals pitcher Scott Olsen pitched fairly well against the Phils in his first game in the majors since July 10th of last year. Olsen threw 91 pitches with 57 for strikes, went 5 2/3rd innings, allowed 5 hits, 4 earned runs, 3 walks and struck out 5 Phillies. Olsen told me he debuted a new pitch, the sinker, in that game, and had success throwing it. He says he feels comfortable with the grip and is excited to add it to his repertoire. Syracuse Chiefs pitching coach Greg Booker helped...

Tomlin: "Strasburg will make a name for himself"

Tomlin: "Strasburg will make a name for himself"
Harrisburg Senators pitching coach Randy Tomlin took some time after batting practice Thursday to talk about Stephen Strasburg as he gets ready for his second start of the season. Strasburg was impressive last Sunday, going 5 innings, allowing 1 unearned run and striking out 8 Altoona Curve batters in a 6-4 win. We talked about Strasburg getting into a rhythm last week, is that again what you would like to see in his next outing? "Yes, we want him to get into a rhythm. Stephen was a little...

Maxwell called up to rejoin Nats; Bernadina returns to 'Cuse

Maxwell called up to rejoin Nats; Bernadina returns to 'Cuse
It has been a pretty big week for Justin Maxwell. The Nationals outfielder and his wife welcomed a baby girl into the world earlier this week, and now a team source confirms the Nats will call up Maxwell from Triple A Syracuse to rejoin the team in Philadelphia as early as Thursday. The University of Maryland product Maxwell has batted .252 with 6 homers and 14 RBI in stints with the Nats in 2007 and 2009, hitting a dramatic walk off come from behind grand slam against Francisco Rodriguez...

Brian Schneider remembers Nats days

Brian Schneider remembers Nats days
Phillies catcher Brian Schneider taking on his former team in the Nats this week. He has played for the Nats, Mets and now Phillies in the last three seasons and is settling in as the backup catcher to Carlos Ruiz. When Brian was in D.C., he mentored a lot of young players for the Nats and was a leader on the field as well as in the clubhouse. I remember several times he would be walking off the field during batting practice with his arm around the shoulders of a Nats teammate telling him...

Mets, N.L. East not sleeping on Nats any more

Mets, N.L. East not sleeping on Nats any more
I watched the play over and over. It was a play that won't count in the box score or the stat sheet but one that tells me things will be different this year for the Nationals. Josh Willingham versus Johan Santana with the bases juiced on Sunday in New York. Willingham launches a moon shot to center field that hits above the red line for a home run. During the live action, the umpires did not signal a home run so everyone kept on running. Adam Dunn came down the line with Willy Taveras...

Strasburg "threw the ball very well" in MiLB debut (with video)

Strasburg "threw the ball very well" in MiLB debut (with video)
Stephen Strasburg and the Nats could not have asked for a better test in his pro debut Sunday in Altoona, a 6-4 win at Blair County Ballpark before 7,887. Strasburg battled back in this game on the mound and at the plate. Down 4-0, Stephen didn't panic and kept his composure, pounded the strike zone thanks to Randy Tomlin's coaching and helped his own cause with a dramatic hit. Strasburg pitched 5 innings, allowed 4 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks and 8 strikeouts. He retired eight...

Strasburg line in Harrisburg debut

Strasburg line in Harrisburg debut
Stephen Strasburg 5 innings pitched 4 hits 4 runs 1 earned run 2 bb 8 K 82 pitches/55 strikes rbi double and run scored for Strasburg in 5th, 1-2 rbi run and double. left with Altoona up 4-3 after 5, but Harrisburg took lead in 6th, Strasburg leaves with lead. Erik Arnesen pitching btm 6th.

Strasburg Bottom of 5th

Strasburg Bottom of 5th
Harrisburg scores 3 runs T5 on Solano RBI single scoring Jesus Valdez who led off with single rbi double for STRASBURG helping own cause Altoona Btm 5th hernandez sturck out looking presley 5-3 durham 5-3 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 K 82 pitches, 52 strikes that might be it with 85-90 pitch count strasburg line 5 inn 4 hits 4 runs 1 ER 8 K 2 BB Harrisburg 000 03 -- 3 5 2 Altoona 100 30 -- 4 4 0 after 5 Altoona 4-3

Strasburg Bottom of 4th

Strasburg Bottom of 4th
Harrisburg only 1 hit vs. Rudy Owens who is making his Double AA debut for Altoona no runs in 4th 1-2-3 BTM of 4th Durham F-9 Watts 99mph fastball WALK both walks to Watts Harrison grounder to SS, SS hand to 2B drops the ball everyone safe error 2nd base Ford struck out looking K de los Santos rbi single CF run scores error CF on throw to plate another run scored 3-0 Owens base hit CF for the pitcher rbi 4-0 Negrych K looking 3 runs, 2 hits, 2 K, 1 BB, 2 errors total pitches:...

Strasburg Bottom of 3rd

Strasburg Bottom of 3rd
Harrisburg 1-2-3 top 3rd including Strasburg at bat 3-1 groundout Altoona Btm 3rd Negrych 3-2 F-7 Hernandez K Presley 100mph K total pitches 47 pitches, 31 K, BB 16 excellent control 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 K, 0 bb 5 total K retired 7 straight after 3 innings Altoona 1, Harrisburg 0.

Strasburg Bottom of 2nd

Strasburg Bottom of 2nd
Harrisburg top 2nd base hit by adam fox but did not score. 24 pitches for Strasburg in 1st so he has 61 to 66 pitches left in pitch count Altoona Bottom 2nd Shelby Ford 1B leftie 99mph fastball swing miss 4-3 groundout Jose de los Santos SS leftie 99mph fastball swing miss 0-1 foul pop behind 3rd 0-2 struck out swinging 85 mph breaking pitch K Rudy Owens P 99mph 100mph fastball swing miss K 32 pitches 0 runs 0 hits 2 K After 2nd, Altoona 1, Harrisburg 0.

Strasburg Bottom of 1st

Strasburg Bottom of 1st
Harrisburg did not score Top 1st 1-2-3 Altoona Bottom 1st Jim Negrych 2B leftie up high fastball 1-0 ball thrown out for sens to keep 1-1 foul tip 1-2 foul tip all fastballs breaking ball 2-2 POP SS 1 out 5 pitches Gorkys Hernandez CF rightie 0-1 pop foul 5-3 groundout 2 pitches Alex Presley LF leftie up high fastball outside 1-0 fastball outside 2-0 DOUBLE right field off wall 3 pitches Miles Durham RF rightie base hit center field rbi single Altoona 1-0 Kris...

Harrisburg at Altoona starting lineups

Harrisburg at Altoona starting lineups
Starting lineups for Stephen Strasburg's debut in Altoona, PA: Harrisburg Michael Martinez 2B Pedro Lopez SS Leonard Davis CF Chris Marrero QB Jesus Valdez RF Adam Fox 3B Bill Rhinehart LF Jhonatan Solano C Stephen Strasburg P Altoona Jim Negrych 2B Gorkys Hernandez CF Alex Presley LF Miles Durham RF Kris Watts C Josh Harrison 3B Shelby Ford 1B Jose de los Santos SS Rudy Owens P About 70 media on hand for Strasburg's debut. As he walked out to the left field bullpen area the line of...

Randy Knorr's plan for Strasburg today

Randy Knorr's plan for Strasburg today
I just spoke with Harrisburg manager Randy Knorr. Strasburg is on an 85-90 pitch count and Jhonatan Solano will catch Stephen today, as he did a lot during spring training. Randy, what are you looking for from Stephen today? "I just want him to go out there and just get the first one over with, relax, and just be himself. I am going to look to see if he goes after it. I hope he is not hesitant. I just want him to go out there and pitch like Stephen can." And Solano will catch for...