Dan Kolko

Barring a change, Rodriguez will grab final spot in Nats bullpen

March 28, 2013, 8:23am

VIERA, Fla. - Yesterday, we learned that both Henry Rodriguez and J.C. Romero would make the trip to D.C. with the Nationals following this afternoon's Grapefruit League finale, leaving the two relievers in the mix for the final spot in the Nats' bullpen. Today, manager Davey Johnson said that unless Rodriguez suffers some kind of injury when he appears in tomorrow's exhibition game against the Yankees at Nats Park, the flame-throwing right-hander would get that final bullpen spot, with...

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Relievers' lofty spring ERAs not a concern in Nats camp

March 28, 2013, 4:46am

Nationals

Relievers' lofty spring ERAs not a concern in Nats camp

VIERA, Fla. - It's here. The final day of spring training is here. Boy, these seven weeks really have flown by. I'm kidding. They really haven't. It's time to get out of here and get some meaningful games under way. I've jammed all my clothes into a couple bags, left some condiments in the fridge in my hotel room and am about to head out the door and make the drive over to Space Coast Stadium for the final time this spring. If you're on the east coast of Florida and need some barbeque...

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His spring complete, Detwiler will play the waiting game

March 27, 2013, 2:23pm

Nationals

His spring complete, Detwiler will play the waiting game

VIERA, Fla. - Add Ross Detwiler to the lengthy list of Nationals players who can't wait for the regular season to start. "Beautiful Viera, where the wind always blows out," Detwiler joked as reporters approached him in the Nationals' clubhouse after today's outing. Detwiler's final tune-up before the regular season was a pretty solid one. He went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, both on solo home runs. He surrendered eight hits, a walk and a hit batter while striking out two in a...

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Zimmerman, Ramos discuss their power display

March 27, 2013, 2:00pm

Nationals

Zimmerman, Ramos discuss their power display

VIERA, Fla. - Eight home runs were hit at Space Coast Stadium today. Five of those eight came off the collective bats of Ryan Zimmerman and Wilson Ramos. Zimmerman crushed three home runs in a three-at-bat span this afternoon, giving him four longballs on the spring and boosting his Grapefruit League average to .308. Each year, Zimmerman says he needs 50 at-bats in spring to feel like he's ready for the season. Strangely enough, his first homer of the day came with Zimmerman having 49...

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No decision yet on final bullpen spot (Abad, Maldonado cut)

March 27, 2013, 12:52pm

Nationals

No decision yet on final bullpen spot (Abad, Maldonado cut)

VIERA, Fla. - Following this afternoon's 11-2 split-squad win over the Braves, the Nationals made two cuts, sending left-hander Fernando Abad and catcher Carlos Maldonado over to minor league camp. Abad, who came into camp competing for a spot in the bullpen, impressed this spring. He went 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in eight appearances spanning seven innings. Maldonado was 3-for-13 (.231) with a double in 15 games played. The cuts leave the Nats with 28 players remaining in big league...

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Ramos making a late case for the opening day catching job (Nats win 11-2)

March 27, 2013, 10:43am

Nationals

Ramos making a late case for the opening day catching job (Nats win 11-2)

VIERA, Fla. - Wilson Ramos is having himself a ballgame. And with opening day now just five days away, you have to wonder whether it will influence manager Davey Johnson's decision on who will be his opening day catcher. Ramos has crushed two home runs today - one to right field in the third inning and one way out to left field in the fourth - both on the first pitch of the at-bat. The first home run was of the solo variety, the second was a three-run shot. Coming into today, Ramos was...

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Strasburg gets in his final work of spring, final cuts coming soon

March 27, 2013, 9:18am

Nationals

Strasburg gets in his final work of spring, final cuts coming soon

VIERA, Fla. - Instead of making the trip all the way to Jupiter to throw just a few meaningless innings the day before the Nationals leave Florida, Stephen Strasburg got in his final spring frames over on the minor league side today. Facing a lineup made up of members of the Nats' Triple-A team, Strasburg's outing was largely uneventful. He allowed back-to-back softly hit singles in one inning, one off the bat of Will Rhymes, drawing a frustrated swipe of the glove from Strasburg. Strasburg...

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Harper out of Nats lineup, not concerned about sore thumb (with lineups)

March 27, 2013, 8:41am

Nationals

Harper out of Nats lineup, not concerned about sore thumb (with lineups)

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals lineup today doesn't have Bryce Harper's name in it, and tomorrow's might not, as well. Harper is dealing with some inflammation in his left thumb after getting jammed by a pitch yesterday. While Harper says the thumb feels better today than it did after he left yesterday's game against the Marlins, he will get a day off today and the plan was for him to not take batting practice in an effort to avoid further soreness. "Feels fine," Harper said. "I thought...

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Zimmerman discusses his throwing, Nats craving meaningful games

March 27, 2013, 4:17am

Nationals

Zimmerman discusses his throwing, Nats craving meaningful games

VIERA, Fla. - Watch Ryan Zimmerman warm up his arm in between innings of spring games with throws across the diamond, and it's clear that his adjusted throwing motion is still a bit of a work in progress. Some throws skip into the dirt, short-hopping first baseman Adam LaRoche. Some throws are wide, pulling LaRoche off the bag. Two straight warm-up tosses before the bottom of the first inning yesterday yanked LaRoche to the home plate side of first. This has been noticed by some scouts, who...

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Despite the numbers, Haren says he's ready, confident

March 26, 2013, 1:14pm

Nationals

Despite the numbers, Haren says he's ready, confident

JUPITER, Fla. - It's been somewhat of an ongoing theme this spring: Dan Haren pitches pretty well, but has one bad inning or makes a few bad pitches and his stat line suffers, making it look as if he's getting bashed all around the park. Today, Haren worked six innings, allowing seven hits and five earned runs. He allowed four home runs - two off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton - and will finish the Grapefruit League season with a 6.39 ERA, having allowed 14 earned runs in his last 16 1/3...

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Sore thumb could lead to a couple of days off for Harper

March 26, 2013, 12:46pm

Nationals

Sore thumb could lead to a couple of days off for Harper

JUPITER, Fla. - You sure wouldn't know it by looking at his recent numbers, but Bryce Harper is still dealing with a sore left thumb, and it might force him out of the Nationals lineup for a few days. Harper initially injured his thumb Friday against the Tigers when he got jammed by a Drew Smyly pitch. After getting a day off Saturday, Harper has played in three straight games, going 8-for-8 with a walk in that span. Today, however, Harper got jammed again in his second at-bat (an RBI single...

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Harper's spring streak continues (Nats lose)

March 26, 2013, 10:34am

Nationals

Harper's spring streak continues (Nats lose)

JUPITER, Fla. - Bryce Harper's day is done after 4 1/2 innings of work, and while it's just spring, Marlins pitchers probably couldn't be happier that the Nationals left fielder is out of the game. Harper is on an absolute tear right now, as evidenced by the fact that he's reached base in 10 straight plate appearances. Nine of those 10 trips to the plate have resulted in hits, seven of which came after Harper injured his left thumb on a jam-shot single. For the spring, Harper is now...

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If Young leaves, Duke will step into sixth starter's role (with lineups)

March 26, 2013, 8:59am

Nationals

If Young leaves, Duke will step into sixth starter's role (with lineups)

JUPITER, Fla. - As I mentioned earlier, Sports Illustrated has picked the Nationals to win the World Series. Your thoughts, Davey Johnson? "I don't care. It's nice," Johnson said. "Better than being picked to come in last." The Nationals have known for a little while now that Chris Young would almost certainly be opting out of his minor league contract and seeing whether he could find a spot in a big league rotation somewhere. Now that Young has done just that, and he's been granted...

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Nats grant Chris Young his unconditional release

March 26, 2013, 7:38am

Nationals

Nats grant Chris Young his unconditional release

JUPITER, Fla. - It's not much of a surprise, but Chris Young is now a free agent. The Nationals have granted Young his unconditional release, this after the veteran right-hander chose to opt out of his minor league deal following his start last night in Kissimmee. The Nats had 24 hours to place Young on their 25-man roster after the 33-year-old opted out, but they chose not to do so. As a result, Young is now free to sign with whatever team he chooses. Young had said that he hoped to work...

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What's left to accomplish in Florida?

March 26, 2013, 4:12am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - If you don't happen to follow me on Twitter - and if you don't, what the heck are you waiting for? - polled on their predictions for the 2013 MLB season, five have the Nationals reaching the World Series and four picked the Nationals to win it all. All seven, for what it's worth, have the Nats winning the National League East. Two writers see Bryce Harper winning NL MVP honors, and two more see Stephen Strasburg winning the NL Cy Young. The bandwagon is starting to get...

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Johnson talks Young, Rodriguez's shaky inning, Romero's debut

March 25, 2013, 6:12pm

Nationals

Johnson talks Young, Rodriguez's shaky inning, Romero's debut

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Because he had a handful of relievers needing to get in their work, Davey Johnson limited Chris Young to just four innings in tonight's 6-4 loss to the Astros. He liked what he saw in those four innings, though. And really, the Nationals have liked what they've seen from Young all spring. The veteran right-hander allowed just one uneared run on two hits with a walk, a hit batter and two strikeouts. He hasn't allowed an earned run since the first inning of his start three...

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Young opts out of deal with Nats, says he wants to return (Nats lose)

March 25, 2013, 5:07pm

Nationals

Young opts out of deal with Nats, says he wants to return (Nats lose)

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Shortly after allowing just one unearned run over four strong innings tonight against the Astros, Chris Young said that he has opted out of his minor league deal with the Nationals. The Nats now have 24 hours to place Young on the 25-man roster - which is incredibly unlikely - or the veteran right-hander will become a free agent. Young, 33, again said that he has thoroughly enjoyed his time with the Nationals and added that his agent has had talks with the team about...

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Young strong again, LaRoche heating up, Rodriguez being Rodriguez

March 25, 2013, 3:55pm

Nationals

Young strong again, LaRoche heating up, Rodriguez being Rodriguez

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Dating to March 14, Chris Young has now worked 12 straight innings without allowing an earned run. Some big league team out there has a hole in its rotation, and that team might be wise to take a shot on this 6-foot-10 right-hander. Young held the Astros to two hits and an unearned run through four innings tonight, and if not for two misplayed popups, he would have retired 10 of the last 11 he faced. As it is, he's still pitched pretty darn well, especially after allowing...

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Elbow soreness behind him, Rodriguez will pitch tonight (plus rotation notes)

March 25, 2013, 1:35pm

Nationals

Elbow soreness behind him, Rodriguez will pitch tonight (plus rotation notes)

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Yesterday morning, Davey Johnson reported that Henry Rodriguez was dealing with some soreness in his right elbow, which the Nationals right-hander had operated on last August to clean up a bone spur. Johnson and general manager Mike Rizzo both said they weren't worried about Rodriguez's health, but any time you're talking about elbow soreness for a pitcher, especially one just seven months removed from surgery on said elbow, you wonder if any further issues could...

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Nats-Astros lineups and a few notes

March 25, 2013, 11:44am

Nationals

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Kyle Lohse finally has a team. I guess his days of throwing simulated games against community college squads are over. Lohse agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal with the Brewers, according to reports. He'll now have a solid week to get to know his teammates before opening day. Former Nats starter John Lannan got smacked around a bit today. The Phillies lefty gave up 12 runs on 14 hits over four innings today in a game against the Blue Jays. I guess he was just working...