Dan Kolko

Both Desmond and Morse return to Nats lineup (with Marlins lineup)

August 28, 2012, 11:32am

The Nationals will get a jolt to their lineup as they look to snap a four-game losing streak tonight. Both Ian Desmond and Michael Morse will return after missing almost the entirety of the Nats' recent three-game series with the Phillies due to injuries. Desmond (strained right hamstring) technically appeared in Sunday's game when he was announced as a pinch-hitter, but that was just a ploy by manager Davey Johnson to get the Phillies to bring in a right-handed reliever. Desmond was then...

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Nats must play better ball, plain and simple

August 28, 2012, 6:39am

Nationals

Nats must play better ball, plain and simple

The Nationals gained more of a buffer on the Braves without even stepping on a field yesterday, as the Padres shut out Atlanta 3-0 to make Washington's lead in the National League East a full five games and six in the loss column. Don't look now, but the Braves have dropped seven of their last 10 contests. I wonder if they're starting to get as antsy down in Atlanta as some are getting here in the DMV. The Nationals arrived in Miami yesterday after having their travel adjusted due to...

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Lannan heating up, Phils looming down the stretch

August 27, 2012, 9:14am

Nationals

Lannan heating up, Phils looming down the stretch

John Lannan is starting to heat up at the right time. The expected replacement for Stephen Strasburg in the Nationals rotation (once Strasburg is shut down) was named the International League Player of the Week for August 20-26. Lannan, who has spent nearly this entire season with Triple-A Syracuse, threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout Saturday in a 1-0 win over Gwinnett. The left-hander threw just 87 pitches, walked one and struck out two. Over his last four starts for Syracuse, Lannan...

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Addressing a few key topics after a weekend to forget

August 26, 2012, 9:49pm

Nationals

Addressing a few key topics after a weekend to forget

If it's not too painful, let's take a little time to nibble on some leftovers from this weekend's three-game sweep in Philadelphia. Settle in. Grab some coffee. There are a few topics to discuss. Topic No. 1: Mike Rizzo and Davey Johnson met after yesterday's game and Johnson was heard getting a bit heated during the discussion in his office, shouting, "You come down and manage the team!" Yes, this happened. Is this a big deal? Is it a sign of the team morale deteriorating or an...

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Werth, LaRoche own up to baserunning gaffe

August 26, 2012, 2:50pm

Nationals

Werth, LaRoche own up to baserunning gaffe

PHILADELPHIA - Both Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche took full responsibility for their share of the baserunning error in the seventh inning of today's 4-1 loss to the Phillies, an error which turned a promising Nationals rally into just a one-run inning. The veterans both thought LaRoche's fly ball to right had left the yard and let up on the gas, Werth casually jogging into third base and LaRoche making a turn around second and heading for third. The logjam that resulted allowed the Phillies...

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Johnson sees no need for team meeting after 4-1 loss

August 26, 2012, 2:17pm

Nationals

Johnson sees no need for team meeting after 4-1 loss

PHILADELPHIA - Davey Johnson didn't hold a team meeting following today's 4-1 loss to the Phillies, the Nationals' fourth straight defeat. With his team still holding the best record in baseball, Johnson didn't feel it was necessary. He did, however, have a closed-door discussion with general manager Mike Rizzo following the game which got heated at one point. Some shouting could be heard from Johnson's office, although that's not necessarily anything out of the ordinary. Emotions can...

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Baserunning blunder costs Nats (swept away in Philadelphia)

August 26, 2012, 11:57am

Nationals

Baserunning blunder costs Nats (swept away in Philadelphia)

PHILADELPHIA - Adam LaRoche thought his fly ball was out. Jayson Werth did, too. Heck, much of the stadium probably thought that LaRoche's deep fly to right had bounced off a seat or something before caroming back into the playing field. Turns out, it hadn't. The ball had bounced off the very top of a metal railing atop the scoreboard, a railing which is in play. LaRoche calmly circled the bases, as did Werth, who had only made it to third base on the play after starting the at-bat on...

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First team to score wins? (Phillies lead 4-0)

August 26, 2012, 11:02am

Nationals

First team to score wins? (Phillies lead 4-0)

PHILADELPHIA - The way Jordan Zimmermann and Cliff Lee have been dealing today, the first team to finally get on the board might just take this series finale. We're scoreless through 4 1/2 innings today, and neither team has really threatened much thus far. Tyler Moore's one-out double in the top of the fifth has provided the lone runner in scoring position for either team. The two starters have allowed a combined five hits thus far this afternoon, only one of which has been surrendered by...

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Espinosa leading off as Nats face Lee (plus brief Morse, Desmond updates)

August 26, 2012, 7:55am

Nationals

Espinosa leading off as Nats face Lee (plus brief Morse, Desmond updates)

PHILADELPHIA - Cliff Lee has one more win than Orioles first baseman Chris Davis this season. He has two more wins than you and I. Baseball is such a strange game. Lee leads the majors in strikeout-to-walk ratio and his 3.78 ERA is far from awful. But his record this season is just 2-7, an incredibly bizarre mark this late in the season for a pitcher as talented as he is. The lefty will oppose Jordan Zimmermann this afternoon in what should be a pretty nice battle for the final game of this...

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Nats far from concerned over three-game mini-skid

August 26, 2012, 6:07am

Nationals

Nats far from concerned over three-game mini-skid

PHILADELPHIA - Look out, everyone. The Nationals have lost three games in a row. The best team in baseball is starting to fall apart. "Three! Ugh. We're ready to quit," Ryan Zimmerman said last night, tongue firmly planted in cheek. "Everything's going to go into shambles." In all seriousness, from the reaction of many fans on Twitter last night, you'd think the Nationals' season was crumbling to the ground. They've dropped three straight games, yes, but still hold the best...

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Johnson talks after Nats' 4-2 loss

August 25, 2012, 7:14pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - For the second time in as many nights, the Nationals fell behind the Phillies early, battled back in the middle innings, allowed a big insurance run in the eighth and dropped a game to their division rivals. This one was a 4-2 loss which saw Gio Gonzalez allow three runs over six innings. The key tally was a sixth-inning solo home run off the bat of John Mayberry which turned a 2-2 game into a one-run Phillies lead. "Felt like a replay of last night," manager Davey Johnson...

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Another shaky start, another knock by Lombardozzi (another loss to Phils)

August 25, 2012, 4:50pm

Nationals

Another shaky start, another knock by Lombardozzi (another loss to Phils)

PHILADELPHIA - For the second straight night, a Nationals starter got hit around pretty good in the first inning but rebounded to keep his team in the ballgame. For seemingly the 10th time this month, Steve Lombardozzi delivered a big hit in the fifth, tying this game at 2-2. The Nats fell in an early hole when Gio Gonzalez allowed four of the first five Phillies hitters to reach in the first inning, plating two runs for the home team. Gonzalez recovered, however, minimizing the damage and...

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Johnson talks injuries, Harper, Dodgers trade

August 25, 2012, 3:06pm

Nationals

Johnson talks injuries, Harper, Dodgers trade

PHILADELPHIA - Davey Johnson said last night that he planned to give Ian Desmond the weekend off to let him deal with his strained right hamstring before hopefully having him back against the Marlins on Tuesday. The same likely goes for Michael Morse, who is dealing with some tenderness in his right hand after getting hit by a pitch last night. If Morse doesn't play tomorrow, he'd have a chance to capitalize on three straight days off, including Monday's off-day. "I don't see any chance...

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Morse, Desmond missing from Nationals lineup

August 25, 2012, 12:06pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - There's no Michael Morse or Ian Desmond in the Nationals lineup against the Phillies tonight. Here's the batting order that will face Roy Halladay at 7:05 p.m.: 2B Steve Lombardozzi CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche RF Jayson Werth LF Roger Bernadina SS Danny Espinosa C Kurt Suzuki P Gio Gonzalez Morse, who was removed from last night's game after being struck by a pitch in the first inning, reports that the swelling has gone down but that the hand feels...

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To Johnson, winning the division is the only option

August 25, 2012, 7:28am

Nationals

To Johnson, winning the division is the only option

PHILADELPHIA - When Major League Baseball made the decision to add another wild card in each league this year, most fans and baseball analysts came out in support of the idea. The decision would create more excitement over the final weeks of the season, people said, keeping more teams in the playoff picture deep into September and creating the possibility for added dramatic finishes. Davey Johnson wasn't so keen on the idea of a second wild card, however. In the mind of the Nationals...

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Johnson on Espinosa's stolen base attempt, plus notes

August 24, 2012, 8:04pm

Nationals

Johnson on Espinosa's stolen base attempt, plus notes

PHILADELPHIA - The injuries to Michael Morse and Ian Desmond left the Nationals a little shorthanded against the Phillies tonight. But they weren't about to blame their 4-2 loss on their missing cleanup hitter and All-Star shortstop. "It changes the game a little bit," manager Davey Johnson said. "But we had the right guys up at the right time, just didn't get it done." "At the end of the day, we're comfortable with anybody we put on the field regardless of what happens," Edwin...

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Morse has a bad bruise, Desmond has a hamstring strain

August 24, 2012, 7:37pm

Nationals

Morse has a bad bruise, Desmond has a hamstring strain

PHILADELPHIA - The bad news is the Nationals' run of injuries continues. The good news is that neither Michael Morse nor Ian Desmond should be out of the Nationals' lineup all that long. X-rays on Morse's hand came back negative after the Nationals' outfielder got hit on the right hand by a Kyle Kendrick pitch in the first inning of tonight's game. The injury looked bad at the time, as Morse dropped to his knees in pain as he got attended to by a trainer, but manager Davey Johnson said...

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Nats can't touch Kendrick (Nats lose 4-2)

August 24, 2012, 5:27pm

Nationals

Nats can't touch Kendrick (Nats lose 4-2)

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals just can't seem to solve Kyle Kendrick this season. Against teams who don't wear a Curly W on their helmets, Kendrick has been average at best, making 15 starts and pitching to a 4.52 ERA. In starts against the Nationals, Kendrick has put up a 1.50 ERA over 18 innings. The Phillies right-hander has now made three starts against the Nats this season. Tonight, he's thrown six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits in the process. Overall, Kendrick has been...

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Morse leaves game after hit-by-pitch, Giolito having Tommy John (updated)

August 24, 2012, 3:29pm

Nationals

Morse leaves game after hit-by-pitch, Giolito having Tommy John (updated)

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals' offense has been clicking on all cylinders lately, largely thanks to the fact that they finally had all their players healthy. That's suddenly not the case anymore. Ian Desmond was scratched from tonight's game (albeit for precautionary reasons) because of a right knee injury, and less than 10 minutes after first pitch, Michael Morse had to leave after being hit in the right hand with a pitch. Morse took an 84 mph Kyle Kendrick changeup squarely on his hand...

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Nats extend Tracy's contract through 2013 (with quotes); Desmond scratched

August 24, 2012, 2:43pm

Nationals

Nats extend Tracy's contract through 2013 (with quotes); Desmond scratched

PHILADELPHIA - Rewarding one of their most productive bench bats this season, the Nationals have extended the contract of veteran infielder Chad Tracy through the 2013 season. Tracy signed a minor league deal with the Nats this winter after playing the 2011 season in Japan. The 32-year-old battled for a roster spot in camp and admitted that if he hadn't made the Nationals' 25-man roster, he might have opted for retirement. But Tracy earned a roster spot as a left-handed bat off Johnson's...