Mark Zuckerman

Spring training storylines: Improving defense

February 13, 2021, 5:39pm

Would you believe we've reached the final countdown to spring training? That's right, pitchers and catchers are holding their first official workout in West Palm Beach, Fla., in four days. So it's time to count down the Nationals' top storylines of the spring. We continue today with perhaps the club's greatest need for improvement: defense ... Why did the Nationals struggle so much in 2020? It's easy to point the finger at a starting rotation that didn't come close to living up to its...

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Spring training storylines: Who's the fifth starter?

February 12, 2021, 6:39pm

Nationals

Spring training storylines: Who's the fifth starter?

Would you believe we've reached the final countdown to spring training? That's right, pitchers and catchers are holding their first official workout in West Palm Beach, Fla., in five days. So it's time to count down the Nationals' top storylines of the spring. We begin today with a familiar battle for the No. 5 starter's job ... So much about this spring will be different for the Nationals, from the new faces in uniform to the new protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But...

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Spring training tweaked to eliminate long trips

February 12, 2021, 9:28am

Nationals

Spring training tweaked to eliminate long trips

The Nationals unveiled a revised spring training schedule today, and though it doesn't feature many changes, it is missing something notable from every previous spring: long road trips. In an attempt to reduce travel and the number of opponents faced to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Nationals will only face the four clubs that train within a 45-minute drive of West Palm Beach, Fla. They'll continue to face the Astros at their shared complex, plus the Marlins and Cardinals in...

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Better, worse or the same in 2021: Pitchers

February 11, 2021, 5:10pm

Nationals

Better, worse or the same in 2021: Pitchers

With spring training less than a week away and the roster mostly set, it's a good time to look at the 2021 Nationals in comparison to the 2020 Nationals. Have they gotten better? Have they gotten worse? Have they essentially stayed the same? We looked at position players yesterday, and in most cases the conclusion was that the Nats should be better at most positions. What about the pitching staff? Glad you asked. Let's break it down by role ... NO. 1 STARTER: Probably better Max Scherzer...

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Better, worse or the same in 2021: Position players

February 10, 2021, 6:09pm

Nationals

Better, worse or the same in 2021: Position players

The Nationals, as a team, were not very good last season. It was only 60 games, so you have to be careful about drawing broad conclusions, but nobody would try to claim 2020 was a success for the defending World Series champs. Thus, the objective entering 2021 is rather simple: Be better. Hopefully better enough to return to the postseason and then make a run at another title. But are they better? And if so, how much better? Though there's still the chance of more transactions before pitchers...

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Protocols to begin 2021 season are similar to 2020 precautions

February 09, 2021, 8:04pm

Nationals

Protocols to begin 2021 season are similar to 2020 precautions

Major League Baseball formally announced its health and safety protocols Tuesday. And if you haven't heard yet, the 2021 season is going to look a lot like the 2020 season. At least at the outset. With the pandemic still consuming the nation and vaccinations still not available to most Americans yet, baseball had little choice but to reinstate many of the procedures that were necessary last season. This time, though, they're going to have to hold up through a full spring training, 162-game...

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The state of the NL East heading into spring training

February 05, 2021, 7:12pm

Nationals

The state of the NL East heading into spring training

We've been surmising all winter that the National League East is going to be a beast in 2021. And now that winter is turning into spring (at least, in Florida and Arizona) we're starting to get a true sense of what each of the division's five clubs will actually look like this season. That was especially true Friday when the Nationals' two likeliest challengers were directly involved in the two biggest free agent signings of the day: Marcell Ozuna, who went back to the Braves for four years...

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Friday morning Nats Q&A

February 04, 2021, 6:16pm

Nationals

Hi, folks. It's been a while since we've done one of these. That's in part because there's finally been a nice run of news to report and analysis to write the last couple of weeks. It took long enough, but at last stuff is happening. And now we're a mere 12 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to West Palm Beach, Fla. Are the Nationals done building their 2021 roster? Is the lineup deep enough? Is the bullpen stocked with enough reliable arms? Is the bench still missing...

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Avila eager to work with Nats pitchers again, seek first ring

February 03, 2021, 5:41pm

Nationals

Avila eager to work with Nats pitchers again, seek first ring

The thought of reuniting with Max Scherzer six years since they were last batterymates in Detroit certainly was appealing to Alex Avila. As was the opportunity to catch Patrick Corbin and Jon Lester again after previous opportunities in Arizona and Chicago, plus the chance to work with Stephen Strasburg for the first time in his career. All of that made the Nationals attractive to Avila as he prepared for free agency last fall. But none of that familiarity with the pitching staff was as...

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Source: Parra returning to Nats on minor league deal

February 03, 2021, 12:32pm

Nationals

Source: Parra returning to Nats on minor league deal

Though a bunch of members of their World Series roster have now departed, the Nationals are bringing back one beloved player from that championship group few could've envisioned returning: Gerardo Parra. Yes, the Nats have signed Parra to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, a source familiar with the deal confirmed. The popular outfielder will report to big league camp in West Palm Beach, Fla., and have a chance to make the opening day roster, which would earn him $1...

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Class off the field, Doolittle was critical to Nats' on-field success

February 02, 2021, 7:50pm

Nationals

Class off the field, Doolittle was critical to Nats' on-field success

Because his final year-plus was beset by injuries and inconsistent performances on the mound, we might tend to forget just how great Sean Doolittle was for the majority of his Nationals career. Make no mistake: Doolittle not only was the anchor of the Nats bullpen, but one of the most dominant relievers in baseball for a prolonged stretch. The left-hander made his Nationals debut July 18, 2017. From that moment through May 15, 2019 - just before the first of his multiple meltdowns against the...

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Report: Doolittle signing one-year deal with Reds

February 02, 2021, 10:10am

Nationals

Report: Doolittle signing one-year deal with Reds

The chances of Sean Doolittle's return to D.C. already looked slim after the Nationals signed All-Star left-hander Brad Hand last week. Today, that chance became nonexistent after Doolittle reportedly agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Reds. That agreement, first reported by The Athletic, gives Doolittle an opportunity to re-establish his career in Cincinnati after a rough 2020 season in Washington that was derailed by injuries and diminished velocity. Unable to throw his...

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What will spring training look like?

February 01, 2021, 6:39pm

Nationals

As expected, the Major League Baseball Players Association on Monday night shot down MLB's proposal to push back the start of spring training one month, reduce the regular season to 154 games and complete an expanded postseason in early November, all while receiving full-season pay and reinstituting the universal designated hitter for 2021. "The MLBPA Executive Board and Player leadership reviewed and discussed the owners' proposal throughout the weekend and today," the union said in a...

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Will players go for MLB's delayed, 154-game proposal?

January 31, 2021, 6:19pm

Nationals

Will players go for MLB's delayed, 154-game proposal?

It's February, and February means the start of spring training. Nationals pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to West Palm Beach in 16 days, and if that isn't reason to smile on this snowy morning, what is? Unless pitchers and catchers don't actually report on Feb. 17 as scheduled, which appears to be the preference of Major League Baseball. MLB, according to multiple reports Sunday, has sent a proposal to the MLB Players Association requesting a one-month delay of spring training,...

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Why the Nats keep finding themselves in need of catchers

January 30, 2021, 10:04am

Nationals

Why the Nats keep finding themselves in need of catchers

The Nationals' acquisition Thursday evening of Alex Avila was no surprise. Which is to say, we'd known for months they were going to need to acquire a catcher from outside the organization to replace Kurt Suzuki and share the job with Yan Gomes. Whether it was Avila or one of the other available free agents, the Nats had to get themselves another catcher this winter, one way or the other. Why? Because they didn't feel like they had a viable in-house candidate for that job. And truth be told,...

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Daniel Murphy, hitter extraordinaire, announces retirement

January 29, 2021, 11:49am

Nationals

Daniel Murphy, hitter extraordinaire, announces retirement

Daniel Murphy, owner of the highest batting average and second-highest OPS in Nationals history, announced his retirement Friday, bringing an end to a 12-year career that peaked just as he was about to come to Washington and thus made him a significant part of club lore. "This is a beautiful game, and I really just feel humbled and blessed that it let me jump on the ride for a little bit," Murphy told SNY in announcing his decision to retire. "It's beautiful. It can teach you about so many...

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Is the Nationals' 2021 roster now in place?

January 28, 2021, 7:38pm

Nationals

They got the first baseman they needed. They got the corner outfielder they wanted. They got the No. 4 starter they desired. They got the left-handed reliever they coveted. They brought back the face of the franchise for another season. And now they got the No. 2 catcher they were lacking. The Nationals went into the offseason with a clear checklist, and though it took a while for the wheels to get into full motion, they've now checked off every box on the list, capped by Thursday evening's...

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Nationals tab veteran Avila for No. 2 catching job

January 28, 2021, 1:51pm

Nationals

The Nationals appear to have found their backup catcher, one who has a prior relationship with three-fifths of their rotation. Alex Avila, the 12-year veteran of five organizations (most extensively the Tigers), has agreed to a one-year deal with the Nats, a source familiar with the contract confirmed. Avila, who turns 34 on Friday, still needs to pass a physical before the transaction is official. In their search for a catcher to replace Kurt Suzuki, the Nationals had no shortage of options...

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On Lester's durability, pickoff issues and need for good defense

January 27, 2021, 6:53pm

Nationals

On Lester's durability, pickoff issues and need for good defense

Some more thoughts on and from Jon Lester, the newest member of the Nationals rotation, who was formally introduced Wednesday during a Zoom session with reporters ... * The best thing Lester has going for him is durability. He made at least 31 starts every season from 2008-19, and he made all 12 of his scheduled starts last season. Lester has been on the injured list only three times in the last 13 years, and none of them was a prolonged stint. He missed 19 days with a back strain in 2011, he...

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Lester comes to D.C. with one goal in mind: "I want to win"

January 27, 2021, 1:25pm

Nationals

Lester comes to D.C. with one goal in mind: "I want to win"

He's won three championships for two iconic franchises, started Game 1 of the World Series, appeared in Game 7 of the Fall Classic and pitched in a bunch of postseason clinchers. He beat cancer. He's made nearly $200 million in career earnings. He'll never have to buy anyone another drink in Boston or Chicago (though he actually did buy a whole lot of people drinks in Chicago after the 2020 season). Jon Lester, suffice it to say, doesn't need to prove anything to anybody at this point in...