Dan Kolko

Taking a look ahead

July 12, 2012, 6:13am

Remember that stretch earlier this season where the Nationals played 32 straight games against teams from either the National League East or American League East? That was a massively important span of games in the Nats' first half. It was a portion of the schedule which was either going to validate the Nationals as legitimate contenders or show them as a team still a year away from being able to compete with the big boys. The Nats came through that 32-game stretch with an 18-14 record....

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We're talkin' trade

July 10, 2012, 10:34pm

Nationals

With the All-Star Game behind us - and boy, I'll miss it oh, so dearly - we can now start looking ahead to the second half of the season and some of the hot topics which await us. One of those hot topics is the trade deadline and how the Nationals might attack negotiations with other clubs given their legitimate playoff aspirations. There's been talk for a while now about the Nationals having interest in a center fielder with speed who can stabilize the leadoff spot. That's a hole that...

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Nats factor into National League victory in All-Star Game (updated)

July 10, 2012, 6:49pm

Nationals

Nats factor into National League victory in All-Star Game (updated)

Could we have Game 1 of the World Series in the nation's capital? The National League All-Star team is helping do its part to at least make that a possibility. The NL squad is dominating the American League All-Stars tonight, and has an 8-0 lead. Three San Francisco Giants have played a major factor in the lopsided score. Pablo Sandoval ripped a bases-clearing triple in the first inning, Melky Cabrera crushed a two-run homer in the fourth and starter Matt Cain pitched two scoreless...

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Finding roster room for Storen, Tracy

July 10, 2012, 11:29am

Nationals

There was a time not too long ago when the Nationals were being given 100/1 odds to win the World Series. At the All-Star break this year, the Nats' odds of being the last team standing are 11/1, according to Bovada. The Nationals are behind only the Yankees (9/2) and Rangers (5/1) when it comes to overall odds to win the World Series. Bovada has the Nats' odds of winning the National League pennant at 9/2 and has them the clear favorites to come away with the NL East, putting them at 4/5...

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Who's your first-half Nationals MVP?

July 09, 2012, 11:20pm

Nationals

Was I the only one less than wowed by last night's Home Run Derby? Sure, Prince Fielder put on a show, and it was fun watching Mark Trumbo demolish a few baseballs, especially since I hadn't gotten much of a chance to catch the Angels outfielder doing his thing out west in the first half of the season. But Robinson Cano and Matt Kemp - the two derby team captains - combined to hit just one home run, and my sleeper pick to win the competition, Andrew McCutchen, was eliminated in the first...

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Looking back on an eventful and successful first half

July 09, 2012, 4:55am

Nationals

Looking back on an eventful and successful first half

The break has arrived. Sleep in past the alarm. Play some golf. Hit up the beach and improve that tan. OK, maybe not you. You might end up losing your job if you decide to just not show up these next four days. The Nationals, however, get to enjoy a well-deserved break after playing 83 games over the last three months. They enter this relaxation period on a bit of a sour note after yesterday's loss to the Rockies, but had no reason to hang their heads leaving the home clubhouse last night....

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Bullpen puts up a rare stinker, but Nats find a positive in loss

July 08, 2012, 2:33pm

Nationals

Bullpen puts up a rare stinker, but Nats find a positive in loss

The Nationals are certainly frustrated with how today's game finished and the fact that they cost Jordan Zimmermann another win. But two guys in the Nats clubhouse feel that today's loss might actually benefit the team in the long-run. "I look at it as good timing," Tyler Clippard said. "You know, I think you don't ever want to get too comfortable or too confident out there, so this is a little, maybe, check for ourselves. We can kind of regroup and move forward with a new beginning in...

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Johnson discusses a tough 4-3 loss

July 08, 2012, 1:46pm

Nationals

The worst part of today's 4-3 loss to the Rockies from Davey Johnson's perspective was that it wasted a fantastic outing from starter Jordan Zimmermann, who allowed just one run over seven innings. Zimmermann lowered his ERA to 2.61 on the season, the ninth-lowest total in the majors among pitchers with at least 15 starts. Despite that low ERA and the fact that Zimmerman has gone at least six innings in all 17 outings, the righty goes into the All-Star break with just five wins. His shot at...

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Desmond just keeps doin' it (Nats close first half with 4-3 loss)

July 08, 2012, 11:05am

Nationals

Desmond just keeps doin' it (Nats close first half with 4-3 loss)

The numbers keep getting more impressive by the day. Ian Desmond is 2-for-2 today, and his two-run home run to the red seats in left-center in the fourth inning has given the Nationals a 2-1 lead over the Rockies. The All-Star shortstop now has 17 home runs and 51 RBIs on the season. A day before the All-Star break. Oh, and he added his 10th stolen base of the season this afternoon, as well. Desmond leads all shortstops in homers, RBIs, doubles and slugging percentage. He's tied for...

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Nats preparing for a welcome break (plus Tracy, Storen updates)

July 08, 2012, 9:39am

Nationals

Nats preparing for a welcome break (plus Tracy, Storen updates)

Davey Johnson isn't a big fan of team meetings. He doesn't feel he needs to stand up in front of his squad like a football coach and deliver a pep talk. But Johnson did walk around the Nationals clubhouse early this afternoon, talking to each player, giving out handshakes and wishing everyone well over the All-Star break. "I just talked to all the players individually, congratulated them on their first half," Johnson said. "Want them to relax. No horse riding, no jet skiing, no crashes...

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Johnson outlines probable post-All-Star break rotation

July 08, 2012, 8:48am

Nationals

Johnson outlines probable post-All-Star break rotation

While he'll have to see how things play out in the All-Star Game, Davey Johnson has set what he's calling his probable rotation after the All-Star break. That rotation has Jordan Zimmermann working the first game after the break, which will come Friday in Miami. Zimmermann will be followed by Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler. Johnson said there's "a little better probability than 50 percent" of that rotation coming to fruition. He'll wait to see how much...

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Rockies-Nationals lineups for first-half finale

July 08, 2012, 7:09am

Nationals

The Nationals close out the first half today with a 1:35 p.m. game against the Colorado Rockies and right-hander Jeremy Guthrie. Here are the lineups for today's game: For the Rockies: CF - Dexter Fowler 2B - Marco Scutaro LF - Carlos Gonzalez RF - Tyler Colvin 1B - Todd Helton 3B - Jordan Pacheco SS - Jonathan Herrera C - Wil Nieves P - Jeremy Guthrie For the Nationals: LF - Steve Lombardozzi CF - Bryce Harper 3B - Ryan Zimmerman RF - Michael Morse 1B - Adam LaRoche SS - Ian Desmond 2B -...

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Oh yeah, there was a game today

July 07, 2012, 5:27pm

Nationals

We know Bryce Harper was named to the All-Star Game. We know Ian Desmond has opted out of the All-Star Game. Now, let's discuss the actual game which was played at Nationals Park today. Gio Gonzalez went six innings, allowing just one run on three hits in the Nationals' 4-1 win over the Rockies. "Gio pitched an outstanding game," manager Davey Johnson said. "He was going to fight me again after throwing 100 pitches in a tie ballgame, he didn't want to leave the game tied. I said,...

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Desmond discusses decision to sit out All-Star Game

July 07, 2012, 5:07pm

Nationals

Desmond discusses decision to sit out All-Star Game

After learning that he'd been selected to the All-Star Game for the first time in his career, Ian Desmond took a few days to decide how to proceed. He was honored to be chosen for the National League team by NL manager Tony La Russa, but given that he's been battling a sore left oblique recently, Desmond also wanted to use the All-Star break to get some rest. He talked things over with Nationals manager Davey Johnson, spoke to general manager Mike Rizzo, and then called La Russa to inform...

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Harper to replace Stanton at All-Star Game (updated with quotes)

July 07, 2012, 3:42pm

Nationals

Harper to replace Stanton at All-Star Game (updated with quotes)

Bryce Harper will be on the National League All-Star roster after all. Harper will replace Miami Marlins All-Star Giancarlo Stanton, who was forced to drop out following a knee injury that will require surgery. NL manager Tony La Russa hand-picked Harper following Stanton's injury. Harper is the fourth Nationals player named to the All-Star team, along with teammates Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg and Ian Desmond. However, Desmond was forced to pull out of the game Saturday with a sore left...

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Nats get a couple gifts in the sixth (also get a 4-1 win)

July 07, 2012, 2:25pm

Nationals

Nats get a couple gifts in the sixth (also get a 4-1 win)

The Rockies are not an incredibly talented or fundamentally sound baseball team. That's why they entered today 19 games under .500. The Nationals didn't see that Rockies team yesterday. They saw a squad which got a very strong performance from its starter and put up five runs in a game started by the Nats' ace. Today, at least for an inning, the Rockies played like they're the second-worst team in baseball. They threw the ball around in the bottom of the sixth, essentially giving the...

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Desmond will sit out All-Star Game to rest oblique (plus game update)

July 07, 2012, 1:38pm

Nationals

Desmond will sit out All-Star Game to rest oblique (plus game update)

For a few weeks now, Ian Desmond has been battling a sore left oblique. It hasn't been enough to cause him to miss any game action, but it has bugged him. And so, instead of risking further aggravating the oblique by coming off the bench during the All-Star Game, Desmond has decided to skip the Midsummer Classic. He'll instead get some time to rest over the break. This decision was made after conferring with Nationals team doctors, management and the manager of the National League All-Star...

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Updates on Tracy, Nady, Storen, Wang

July 07, 2012, 11:02am

Nationals

Today is Photo Day at Nationals Park, which allows a group of fans to line the warning track all the way around the field and shake hands and pose for pictures with Nats players. What a perfect day for both players and fans to be standing outside for a lengthy period of time. Temperatures of 103 degrees with a heat index of close to 110 degrees? Just lovely. Bryce Harper and Ryan Mattheus came prepared to help the fans keep cool, as they brought a bag of freeze pops and tossed them out to...

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Nats lineup on a scalding Saturday (updated with Rockies lineup)

July 07, 2012, 8:59am

Nationals

Nats lineup on a scalding Saturday (updated with Rockies lineup)

Yeah, it's a little bit warm in the nation's capital today. I don't envy Gio Gonzalez or Jeff Francis, the two starters who will be trying to fight through this heat at Nationals Park. It's bad enough trying to unstick myself from my chair in the press box, much less get a grip on a curveball. Here's the Nationals lineup today against Francis, who held the Nats in check in Denver last week: 2B Danny Espinosa CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman RF Michael Morse 1B Adam LaRoche SS Ian...

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Three straight losses will stick with Strasburg over the break

July 07, 2012, 6:54am

Nationals

Three straight losses will stick with Strasburg over the break

Those pesky Rockies. They have the second-worst winning percentage in baseball and have a winning record against just three teams this season. Those three teams: the 32-52 Astros, the 39-44 Brewers and the 48-33 Nationals, who own the best record in the National League. Colorado has now won three of the five games it's played with the Nats this season. Surprisingly, two of those three wins have come against Stephen Strasburg, who has registered losses in three straight starts. Strasburg...