Josh Land

Diving into the minds of Doug Fister, Max Scherzer and company

July 06, 2015, 6:21am

Many athletes live on adrenaline, thrive off of the energy of the crowd and appreciate the pressure of the moment. And then there is Nationals starting pitcher Doug Fister, whose whole game lives in the 60 feet, six inches from the mound to the plate. After dominating the Braves over seven scoreless innings in a 7-0 shutout win 12 days ago, Fister revealed he was so focused in his start that he wasn't aware his offense had delivered six early runs for him. "I do not know the exact score and...

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Andrew Stetka: Important trading deadline looming for Orioles

July 06, 2015, 5:15am

Orioles

As the Orioles hike their way through July, the end of the month looms as one of the more crucial periods in the franchise's recent history. The July 31 non-waiver trade deadline could provide a good sense of where the team is going the rest of the season, and perhaps over the next few seasons. The Orioles have eight pending free agents on the roster. Many have questioned the team's ability to re-sign certain players like Matt Wieters, Chris Davis and Wei-Yin Chen. Those are what I would...

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Jordan Zimmermann takes command as Nats sweep Giants

July 05, 2015, 8:36pm

Nationals

Jordan Zimmermann takes command as Nats sweep Giants

It might not have been revenge for the Nationals, but this weekend's sweep of the Giants at least helped to heal up any remaining wounds from last October's stinging postseason loss. Jordan Zimmermann frustrated San Francisco so much that Giants manager Bruce Bochy and starter Ryan Vogelsong didn't stick around for the 3-1 outcome. Home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi tossed Bochy and Vogelsong in the bottom of the fifth after both argued a questionable strike zone. Meanwhile, Zimmermann proceeded...

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Jordan Zimmermann, Wilson Ramos lead Nats to 3-1 win

July 05, 2015, 5:12pm

Nationals

Jordan Zimmermann, Wilson Ramos lead Nats to 3-1 win

Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong started the second inning by issuing back-to-back walks to Wilson Ramos and Danny Espinosa. Two batters later, Michael A. Taylor made Vogelsong pay with a line drive single to left, scoring Ramos for the game's first run. Fresh off his All-Star selection, Bryce Harper is 1-for-1 with a walk and a stolen base. Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann has yielded two hits with three strikeouts through three scoreless innings. Update: After recording the first two outs of...

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Bryce Harper shatters NL All-Star voting record

July 05, 2015, 4:03pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper shatters NL All-Star voting record

Bryce Harper leads the National League team into the All-Star game on July 14 in Cincinnati. The 22-year-old received an NL-record 13,864,950 votes, nearly four million votes more than the Giants' Buster Posey, the next highest vote-getter. This will be Harper's second start and third overall All-Star appearance in his first four seasons. After a solid first month of the season, Harper exploded in May. He was recognized as the NL's Player of the Month after hitting .360 with 13 homers and 28...

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Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper named NL All-Star Game starter

July 05, 2015, 3:39pm

Nationals

Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper was announced Sunday night as a starter in the 2015 Major League All-Star Game. Harper earned his selection to the National League team by garnering 13,964,950 fan votes, the most votes of any player ever to appear on the National League ballot and third-most votes for any player in MLB this season. Harper, 22, entered Sunday night's game against the San Francisco Giants hitting .344 with a .470 on-base percentage and a Major League-best .719...

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Nationals Nationals News Release

Williams on Strasburg's injury, how it could affect Scherzer for All-Star Game

July 05, 2015, 2:39pm

Nationals

Williams on Strasburg's injury, how it could affect Scherzer for All-Star Game

Nationals manager Matt Williams addressed the media before tonight's game for the first time since the team announced that right-hander Stephen Strasburg was headed to the 15-day disabled list. "He had an MRI today that shows he's got a strain in his (left) oblique," Williams said. "It's something we've got to do for his health and well-being and make sure that we get him well as quickly as possible." Williams indicated that there was no chance for Strasburg to be able to make his next...

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Marty Niland: Bam-Bam, Big Train and the lore of legends

July 05, 2015, 1:56pm

Nationals

Marty Niland: Bam-Bam, Big Train and the lore of legends

As if Bryce Harper had not already endeared himself to Washington baseball fans, his legend grew even further when he stepped into the batter's box at Nationals Park on the Fourth of July, wielding a star-spangled bat emblazoned with the D.C. skyline, and launched a two-run homer to spark a 3-for-4 day. Add that to Harper's other legendary shots: A reported 502-foot blast at Tropicana Field in 2009, when he was a kid from Las Vegas nicknamed Bam-Bam, playing in a high school showcase; his...

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Jordan Zimmermann aims for sweep in primetime (with lineups)

July 05, 2015, 12:30pm

Nationals

Jordan Zimmermann aims for sweep in primetime (with lineups)

A red-hot Jordan Zimmermann takes the mound as the Nationals attempt to sweep the world champion Giants tonight. Zimmermann held the Braves scoreless over 15 2/3 innings in his past two starts, claiming a win and a no-decision. Zimmermann's command has been superb, walking just one while striking out 17 in his previous three outings. Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong brings a 6-6 record with a 4.19 ERA to the hill for San Francisco tonight. Vogelsong has been much better recently than his season...

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Oblique strain sends Stephen Strasburg to DL

July 05, 2015, 11:01am

Nationals

Oblique strain sends Stephen Strasburg to DL

The Nationals have placed right-hander Stephen Strasburg on the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain, an injury that forced him out of yesterday's start after 3 2/3 scoreless innings of one-hit ball. To take Strasburg's place on the 25-man roster, the Nats recalled right-hander Taylor Jordan from Triple-A Syracuse. Jordan is 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in two games (one start) for the Nationals this season and 2-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 11 starts for Syracuse. This is Strasburg's second...

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Total team effort leaves Nats in first at halfway mark

July 05, 2015, 7:04am

Nationals

Total team effort leaves Nats in first at halfway mark

The Nationals reached the halfway point of this year at 45-36 with a season-high 4 1/2- game lead in the National League East after yesterday's 9-3 win over the Giants. How does that compare to the Nats' previous years with division titles? In 2012, the Nats held an identical 4 1/2-game lead with a 48-33 record at this point, while last season, they found themselves tied atop the division and five games over .500 at 43-38. Not one other team in the NL East is currently floating above .500....

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Stephen Strasburg's season interrupted by injury again

July 04, 2015, 12:43pm

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg's season interrupted by injury again

If ever there was a day for Stephen Strasburg to re-establish himself as one of the game's premier pitchers, it was today. Strasburg took the mound and faced World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner in front of his critics on the Fourth of July. Michael A. Taylor and Bryce Harper slugged first-inning homers to the give Strasburg and the Nationals an early 3-0 lead against the Giants ace. But in the fourth, an injury once again interrupted one of Strasburg's starts. Matt Duffy grounded out to start...

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Bryce Harper uses patriotic bat on Fourth of July

July 04, 2015, 12:30pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper uses patriotic bat on Fourth of July

The Fourth of July celebrations have become a tradition at Nationals Park. We've become accustomed to taking in the holiday with a United States-shaped flag in the outfield and the Nationals' special uniforms. But Bryce Harper took it one step further this year. Harper used a patriotic bat, featuring stars and strips with the D.C. skyline. In his first at-bat with the lumber, Harper smashed a two-run home run to extend the Nationals' lead to 3-0. He went on to go 3-for-4 with two RBIs,...

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Stephen Strasburg leaves with injury in Nats' 9-3 win

July 04, 2015, 9:06am

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg leaves with injury in Nats' 9-3 win

For the third time this year, Stephen Strasburg has left a start early due to injury. Strasburg appeared to be favoring his left side after throwing a first-pitch fastball to Giants first baseman Brandon Belt with two outs in the fourth inning. Nationals manager Matt Williams, pitching coach Steve McCatty and head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz quickly came out of the dugout to check on Strasburg. After a brief huddle, the decision was made to end Strasburg's afternoon with the Nationals leading...

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Taylor, Harper provide early fireworks (Nats lead 4-0)

July 04, 2015, 7:59am

Nationals

Taylor, Harper provide early fireworks (Nats lead 4-0)

The recently slumping Nationals offense figured to be in for a long day with Giants ace Madison Bumgarner on the mound. But Michael A. Taylor woke up the bats and the crowd early, smacking Bumgarner's first offering of the game over the left field wall to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. It was the second time Taylor has led off a game with a homer this season and the fifth time for the Nationals. Denard Span has done it twice, and Yunel Escobar once. Escobar immediately jumped all over...

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Strasburg, Bumgarner in Fourth of July showdown (game under way)

July 04, 2015, 5:30am

Nationals

Strasburg, Bumgarner in Fourth of July showdown (game under way)

Stephen Strasburg's second chapter of this season continues this morning in a showdown with reigning World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner. The first 10 starts of 2015 were mostly disastrous for Strasburg, who ended up on 15-day disabled list on May 30 with a 6.55 ERA accompanying his trapezius strain. But a clearly more confident Strasburg has emerged from his DL stint to claim victories for the Nationals in his last two outings. Six days ago, Strasburg stifled the Phillies, allowing just two...

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From journeyman to hero, Robinson receives first career curtain call

July 03, 2015, 6:48pm

Nationals

From journeyman to hero, Robinson receives first career curtain call

In 2007, Jake Peavy was the National League Cy Young Award winner. That same year, the Kansas City Royals drafted Clint Robinson in the 25th round. Since then, Peavy has won two World Series titles, including most recently last season with the San Francisco Giants. Meanwhile, Robinson was becoming a minor league lifer, having played 921 games on the farm in the Royals, Blue Jays and Dodgers organizations. In the seventh inning tonight, with the Nationals battling offensive demons from last...

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Orioles, MASN host BCPS Leadership in Media Production students

July 03, 2015, 3:34pm

Orioles

From MASN production meetings to Buck Showalter's pregame press conference to batting practice to play-by-play in the broadcast booth, there is so much that goes on before each and every Orioles game. MASN and the Orioles invited Baltimore City Public School students from the Leadership in Media Production program to see the entire process from start to finish. The BCPS summer program enhances the school's curriculum and allows the students to focus on broadcasting and journalism. A group of...

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Gonzalez, Robinson lead Nats to 2-1 victory over Giants

July 03, 2015, 3:29pm

Nationals

Gonzalez, Robinson lead Nats to 2-1 victory over Giants

Denard Span singled to lead off tonight's game, but was quickly erased on Danny Espinosa's grounder. Yunel Escobar then sliced a ball down the right field line that bounced fair and skipped into the seats for a ground-rule double. Giants manager Bruce Bochy opted to have starter Jake Peavy intentionally walk Bryce Harper to get to Clint Robinson, who flew out to right to end the Nationals best scoring opportunity. Harper gave the Nats their only other baserunner of the game when he drew...

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Williams has moved past last year's loss to Giants

July 03, 2015, 2:01pm

Nationals

Williams has moved past last year's loss to Giants

The Nationals season ended in San Francisco last October as the Giants eliminated them in four games in the National League Division Series. The underdog Giants went on to win their third World Series title in five years while the Nationals were left with the disappointment of another premature exit in a postseason filled with championship expectations. "I don't know if we've thought about it," Nationals manager Matt Williams said today. "Once you get back to the next season, it's about...