Mark Zuckerman

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Braves in West Palm Beach

March 21, 2017, 5:48am

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals used to face the Braves a bunch in spring training, back when they trained only an hour from Atlanta's complex at Walt Disney World. Now that they're 2 1/2 hours away, they face their longtime division rivals only once: today at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Gio GonzÃ¡lez is on the mound, looking to continue his dominant spring and remain as efficient as he was last time out (49 pitches in five innings). The left-hander could be the first member of...

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Nathan making his case, but do the Nats have room for him?

March 20, 2017, 6:17pm

Nationals

Nathan making his case, but do the Nats have room for him?

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Joe Nathan hasn't been in this particular position - less than two weeks to go until opening day, trying desperately to make a big league roster, utterly unsure if it's going to happen - in quite some time. The 42-year-old reliever had for well more than a decade used spring training simply to prepare himself for the regular season, knowing he was locked in as his team's closer. And the only times that wasn't the case was because he was recovering from one of his two...

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Little clarity in competition for long relief job

March 20, 2017, 1:52pm

Nationals

Little clarity in competition for long relief job

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Dusty Baker prefers to have a true long man in his bullpen. The Nationals manager has said so multiple times this spring. "You need that guy," Baker said this morning. "Unless you just have a five-man rotation that's unbelievable, but those are hard to find. We've got a good one, but a lot of teams are going to need that guy." The Nationals have no shortage of long relief candidates in camp this spring, from veterans like Vance Worley, Jeremy Guthrie, Matt Albers...

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Baker, Maddux speak to USA coaching staff (Nats lose 9-3)

March 20, 2017, 9:38am

Nationals

Baker, Maddux speak to USA coaching staff (Nats lose 9-3)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Yankees 9, Nationals 3 Recap: The largest crowd of the spring to date (7,675, a sellout) saw some early offensive fireworks from both teams. The Yankees scored four runs in the top of the second off Vance Worley, taking advantage of two walks and then RBI hits by Rob Refsnyder, Ronald Torreyes and Brett Gardner. Worley rebounded from that and was able to go 3 1/3 innings on 61 pitches in his first start of the spring. The Nationals scored three runs in the bottom of...

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Nationals trim roster with four cuts

March 20, 2017, 8:24am

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals made another round of cuts today, reassigning left-hander Braulio Lara, catcher Spencer Kieboom, and infielders Neftali Soto and Grant Green to minor league camp. None of those moves will come as a shock to anyone, but the cuts do move the Nationals closer to making the tougher decisions that are looming in the near future. Their spring roster is now down to 43. Lara made seven appearances, giving up five runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He'll likely...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Yankees in West Palm Beach on MASN

March 20, 2017, 5:43am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Yankees in West Palm Beach on MASN

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's a big day here at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Not only are the Yankees in town, with a sellout crowd expected, but you'll be able to watch it live on MASN as well. Bob Carpenter, F.P. Santangelo and Dan Kolko have made the trip to Florida and will have today's game on the air, with some special guests along the way. On top of all that, the ballpark is hosting another game at 6:05 p.m., with the Astros entertaining the Cardinals. People around here are...

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Some encouraging (and discouraging) spring developments

March 19, 2017, 7:53pm

Nationals

Some encouraging (and discouraging) spring developments

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We are now exactly two weeks from opening day. Time flies when you're having fun, right? The home stretch of spring training has arrived for the Nationals, who are now lining up their rotation for the regular season, setting up bullpen roles and deciding the composition of their bench. There is still plenty left to play out before the team heads north next Thursday night, but there also has been plenty of time here to draw a few conclusions, some positive and some...

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Zimmerman heats up, Strasburg finishes strong, Kelley returns

March 19, 2017, 1:38pm

Nationals

Zimmerman heats up, Strasburg finishes strong, Kelley returns

JUPITER, Fla. - Ryan Zimmerman is, by nature, as even-keeled as they get. He refuses to get too excited or too depressed about anything he does on a baseball field, certainly anything does on a baseball field in March. The veteran first baseman was able to at least smile after his performance today in the Nationals' 10-4 Grapefruit League victory over the Marlins, in which he went 3-for-3 with a homer, a double and a walk. "It's always better to get hits and do good things than get out," he...

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Taylor will be gone several days for family issue (Nats win 10-4)

March 19, 2017, 10:31am

Nationals

Taylor will be gone several days for family issue (Nats win 10-4)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 10, Marlins 4 Recap: The Nationals broke out their bats early and often at Roger Dean Stadium, with Ryan Zimmerman leading the charge. Zimmerman went 3-for-3 with a homer, a double and a walk, leaving the veteran first baseman in a 7-for-10 hot streak after an 0-for-17 slump to open the spring. Clint Robinson also provided a big blast, clearing the bases with a three-run double in the top of the first, his first extra-base hit of the spring. Stephen...

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Roark to start WBC semifinal; Baker still worried about Murphy

March 19, 2017, 8:32am

Nationals

Roark to start WBC semifinal; Baker still worried about Murphy

JUPITER, Fla. - Tanner Roark and Daniel Murphy won't be rejoining the Nationals until Thursday at the earliest, but at least Roark is slated to get some much-needed work at the World Baseball Classic. Roark reportedly will start for Team USA in Tuesday night's semifinal game against Japan, with the Rays' Chris Archer (who had returned to spring training) saying this morning he has been told he won't be needed at Dodger Stadium for the assignment. If Roark gets the ball, it will be only his...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter

March 19, 2017, 6:20am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter

JUPITER, Fla. - We're back at Roger Dean Stadium yet again this afternoon, the Nationals facing the Marlins again (though this time in a split-squad group). It'll be Stephen Strasburg on the mound, making his fourth start of the spring, cleared to go up to five innings if he can keep his pitch count manageable. After getting roughed up by the Cardinals a couple of starts ago, he bounced back with a better showing against the Tigers on Monday. A few regulars made the short trip up from West...

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Tough bullpen decisions looming for Nationals

March 18, 2017, 7:45pm

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We're just about getting to that point when the Nationals have to start making some tough roster decisions. And none they face over the final two weeks of spring training may be tougher than how to divvy up the last few spots in their bullpen. Forget the competition for closer. That's an issue itself, but the more complicated competition is for the sixth and seventh jobs in what no matter what looks like a deep relief corps. Barring some unforeseen development, five...

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Previously flawless defense falters in loss to Astros

March 18, 2017, 2:10pm

Nationals

Previously flawless defense falters in loss to Astros

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have played exceptional defense all spring, entering the day with a major league-low 11 errors through 20 exhibition games. So Dusty Baker isn't about to start worrying just because things got sloppy during today's 5-4 loss to the Astros. "Our defense has been good all spring," the Nationals manager said. "We work on it every day tirelessly. I mean, you're going to have those (days like today)." What exactly happened today? Well, officially there...

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Werth scratched with sore knee (Nats lose 5-4)

March 18, 2017, 9:02am

Nationals

Werth scratched with sore knee (Nats lose 5-4)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Astros 5, Nats 4 Recap: Defense was not on display early in this game. The two teams combined to commit five errors in the first 4 1/2 innings, including three by the Astros on one batted ball. Yes, three errors on one batted ball, which turned Trea Turner's third-inning single to right into a Little League homer. Joe Ross wasn't helped out by the shaky glove work behind him, and two of the four runs he allowed were unearned thanks to gaffes by Turner (who...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

March 18, 2017, 7:17am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We haven't quite reached the home stretch of spring training, but we're getting closer. Starters are beginning to play more regularly and play more innings on a given day. Pitchers are being stretched out, cleared to go five innings and 75 pitches if they can get there. Beginning tomorrow, the Nationals won't even be using a designated hitter anymore, finally letting their pitchers hit. That's a shame for Joe Ross, though, because he probably enjoys hitting more than...

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With new arm angle and new attitude, Lannan attempts comeback

March 17, 2017, 6:55pm

Nationals

With new arm angle and new attitude, Lannan attempts comeback

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - His face looks a bit older, his body a bit thinner, his stilted Long Island accent same as it ever was. Once he put the red curly W cap on his head, it was like John Lannan had never left. Even though he did. Four years and four different organizations since he last wore a Nationals uniform, Lannan is back with the franchise that made him part of its original 2005 draft class, the franchise that called him up to make his major league debut only two years later, the...

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In spite of difficult day, Fedde hopes experience pays off later

March 17, 2017, 1:26pm

Nationals

In spite of difficult day, Fedde hopes experience pays off later

JUPITER, Fla. - When Erick Fedde makes his major league debut - a development that could occur sometime this summer - he might well harken back to this afternoon at Roger Dean Stadium and the lessons he learned during an otherwise dreadful performance against the Marlins. Fedde, in his own words, "let the game speed up" on him. Put another way, he let the game control him instead of vice versa. The end result - five runs allowed in only 1 2/3 innings - was unsightly, but the Nationals' top...

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Fedde roughed up by Marlins (game ends in a 5-5 tie)

March 17, 2017, 10:54am

Nationals

Fedde roughed up by Marlins (game ends in a 5-5 tie)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Marlins 5, Nats 5 Recap: Erick Fedde, getting perhaps his last chance to start in a Grapefruit League game this spring, lasted only 1 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old prospect was battered around for five runs on four hits, three walks and a hit batter while throwing 51 pitches during a disappointing performance. A Nationals lineup made up mostly of backups was shut out for four innings before finally springing to life. Wilmer Difo drove in a run with a fifth-inning...

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Baker concerned about Murphy's lack of action in WBC

March 17, 2017, 8:50am

Nationals

Baker concerned about Murphy's lack of action in WBC

JUPITER, Fla. - Managers always have concerns when one of their players leaves camp for several weeks to play in the World Baseball Classic. Those concerns only grow when one of their players leaves camp for several weeks and then barely plays in the WBC. Such is the case right now with Daniel Murphy, who in the 12 days since he left the Nationals to go play for Team USA has taken a total of 11 game at-bats, none in the last week. Murphy, who finished second in National League MVP voting last...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter

March 17, 2017, 6:14am

Nationals

JUPITER, Fla. - Hello from Roger Dean Stadium, where the Nationals seem to play every couple of days. Today they're facing the Marlins, and sending their top pitching prospect to the mound. Erick Fedde isn't going to make the opening day rotation, but because Tanner Roark is pitching in the World Baseball Classic and Max Scherzer has yet to pitch in Grapefruit League games - that will change the next turn around the rotation, by the way - the Nationals have been able to get a good look at...