Pete Kerzel

Now that he trusts fastball, Bourque must focus on commanding it

March 04, 2019, 8:25am

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - James Bourque's epiphany came in fall instructional league when the Nationals devised a plan to force him to learn to trust his fastball. "They took the breaking ball away from me," he said. "They said they wanted to see just fastball/changeup." When minor league pitching coordinator Paul Menhart delivered the news, Bourque wasn't sure what to make of it. "The pitching coordinator called it my 'Linus blanket' and took that away from me," Bourque said. "For me,...

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Martinez on rotation depth, Doolittle, Miller (Nats lose 9-8)

March 04, 2019, 6:44am

Nationals

Martinez on rotation depth, Doolittle, Miller (Nats lose 9-8)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Everyone knows the Nationals have a powerful starting rotation - so long as the top five starting pitchers remain healthy. But what about the rotation depth? Manager Davey Martinez likes what he sees so far, and thinks there are enough pitchers to form a decent starting five at Triple-A Fresno plus back up the rotation in D.C. "I like where we're at right now," Martinez said Monday morning before departing for the Grapefruit League game in Jupiter against the Marlins....

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins at Jupiter

March 04, 2019, 5:09am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins at Jupiter

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Jeremy Hellickson faces the Marlins this afternoon, his second start of the spring. In his first Grapefruit League outing on Feb. 27 against the Astros, Hellickson went two scoreless innings, allowing a hit, a walk and striking out three. Ryan Zimmerman is back at first base today, and under manager Davey Martinez's plan of playing him every other game, the veteran will get the benefit of tomorrow off and Wednesday's scheduled off-day. A spring training oddity: Both...

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On the Nationals' interest in signing Craig Kimbrel

March 03, 2019, 3:05pm

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Though the Nationals are interested in signing Craig Kimbrel, they must overcome a significant hurdle before inking a deal with the free agent closer. Sources have confirmed that the Nationals front office would like to add Kimbrel to serve as their ninth-inning arm, but such a move would require ownership approval because a contract would eclipse the luxury tax threshold. So far, ownership is unwilling to exceed the luxury tax for a third consecutive season, the sources...

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Martinez appreciates the way SÃ¡nchez battles through adversity

March 03, 2019, 11:57am

Nationals

Martinez appreciates the way SÃ¡nchez battles through adversity

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The fly ball off the bat of the Astros' Michael Brantley sailed into short left-center field, no man's land in the middle of three Nationals trying to make a play. But it dropped between left fielder Juan Soto, shortstop Trea Turner and center fielder Victor Robles for a one-out, first-inning single instead of a hustling out recorded. After Carlos Correa's single put runners at the corners, Yuli Gurriel lofted a ball down the right field line, with the Nationals'...

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Unclear future not weighing down focused Stevenson

March 03, 2019, 8:11am

Nationals

Unclear future not weighing down focused Stevenson

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - His future with the Nationals is about as clear as a mud bog in his hometown of Lafayette, La. - and that's perfectly OK with Andrew Stevenson. Bring up the subject of playing time and the talented outfielders who are ahead of him in the organizational pecking order, and the soft-spoken Stevenson doesn't really mince words. "It's tough to say," he said. "We've got a lot of good outfielders, so we'll just kind of see how it plays out and try to earn a spot. See...

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Martinez on rotation, plus other notes (Nats win 4-2)

March 03, 2019, 6:53am

Nationals

Martinez on rotation, plus other notes (Nats win 4-2)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's only spring, but AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez will be trying to keep up a most impressive streak by the Nationals rotation in today's game against the Astros. The Nats' presumed five starters - right-handers Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, SÃ¡nchez and Jeremy Hellickson, and left-hander Patrick Corbin - have allowed just one earned run in 16 innings covering seven starts. Nats starters have yielded nine hits and two runs, walked three and fanned 16, posting a...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros at West Palm Beach

March 03, 2019, 5:06am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros at West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Right-hander AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez makes his second start of the spring schedule when the Nationals entertain the Astros this afternoon at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. In his first outing, Feb. 26 against the Cardinals, SÃ¡nchez threw two hitless innings, walking one and striking out one. Anthony Rendon gets today off, with Howie Kendrick taking over at third base. Kendrick has made 15 starts and 18 appearances at the hot corner during his major league career,...

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Zimmerman, Martinez and Corbin speak after 10-6 victory

March 02, 2019, 11:30am

Nationals

Zimmerman, Martinez and Corbin speak after 10-6 victory

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It didn't take long for the ball to find first baseman Ryan Zimmerman after he took the field for his thrice-delayed debut in Grapefruit League play. In the first inning he was on the back end of a 5-4-3 double play and then snagged a throw from shortstop Carter Kieboom to end the inning. In the second, Patrick Corbin got three groundball outs, all ending in Zimmerman's mitt. On the final play of the frame, Zimmerman ranged to his right to snag a sharp Alex Kirilloff...

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Grace ready to build on breakthrough campaign

March 02, 2019, 7:48am

Nationals

Grace ready to build on breakthrough campaign

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A breakthrough season in 2018 has pretty much cemented left-hander Matt Grace's place in the Nationals bullpen. Now the durable lefty is doing everything he can to keep his spot. "Just keep looking for what's next in that next level," Grace said. "Talk to guys like Max (Scherzer) and stuff like that. It's a never-ending pursuit of how you figure this stuff out. It's just keep going, keep competing, keep trying to refine what you got." Grace, 30, made a...

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Martinez on plan for Zimmerman, plus other notes (Nats win 10-6)

March 02, 2019, 5:34am

Nationals

Martinez on plan for Zimmerman, plus other notes (Nats win 10-6)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Now that he's finally in the lineup, has Nationals manager Davey Martinez devised a plan for how much first baseman Ryan Zimmerman will play for the rest of camp? He has, and though he'll discuss it with Zimmerman later today, Martinez doesn't sound like he'll be deviating from what he's planned for the veteran. So far, he's not talking in specifics. "No, like I said, as long as he's good, I want him to participate and play games," Martinez said. Zimmerman was...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Twins in West Palm Beach (updated)

March 02, 2019, 3:10am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Twins in West Palm Beach (updated)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Ryan Zimmerman is in the Nationals lineup today against the Twins, the first time this spring he's played in a Grapefruit League game. He's hitting fourth and playing first base. Zimmerman was supposed to make his debut Wednesday, but was scratched when he came down with a bug that's been making its way through the clubhouse. It took him a couple of days to recover, and he went through drills in camp yesterday to prove that he was fit. It'll be interesting to see how...

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Eaton's path to playing time is finally wide open

March 01, 2019, 2:56pm

Nationals

Eaton's path to playing time is finally wide open

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - There were times last season when Adam Eaton would slice a ball into the gap and briefly forget that trying to stretch a double into a triple might not be the best of ideas, given his surgically repaired ankle. When speed has been your calling card, learning to rein it in can be a challenge. After rehabbing from a grisly knee injury in his first year with the Nationals, an awkward slide into home plate landed Eaton back on the disabled list early last season. When he...

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Strasburg pleased with mechanical focus in first spring outing

March 01, 2019, 11:43am

Nationals

Strasburg pleased with mechanical focus in first spring outing

JUPITER, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg has been through enough spring trainings to understand that maximum effort doesn't always yield the most desired results. He's seen plenty of pitchers use their first game action of the spring to amp themselves up to the point that their mechanics suffer even if the radar gun readings rise. So in his first outing against Grapefruit League competition on Friday, the veteran right-hander kept it simple and focused on repeating his mechanics. He spent the...

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Notes on Zimmerman, Strasburg and McKeon (Nats win 5-4)

March 01, 2019, 7:47am

Nationals

Notes on Zimmerman, Strasburg and McKeon (Nats win 5-4)

JUPITER, Fla. - Ryan Zimmerman seems to have weathered the worst of the illness making its way through the Nationals clubhouse, and the first baseman is staying back in camp in West Palm Beach today to go through drills. Manager Davey Martinez said that if Zimmerman gets through today's action without any issues, he should play Saturday when the Nats host the Twins in Grapefruit League action. "He's going to go through a workout today and we'll see where he's at," Martinez said. "I told...

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Clubhouse reaction to Harper signing with Phillies

March 01, 2019, 6:58am

Nationals

Clubhouse reaction to Harper signing with Phillies

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have had some time to digest the 13-year, $330 million deal that free agent Bryce Harper landed with the Phillies, and they're both happy for their former teammate and eager for the competition that the megadeal creates in what has become a much tougher National League East. "Man, it's awesome," third baseman Anthony Rendon said Friday morning at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. "So happy for him. I think it's great you have a team out there...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter

March 01, 2019, 2:40am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg will make his first Grapefruit League start this afternoon when the Nationals travel up Interstate 95 to nearby Jupiter to face the Marlins. Strasburg is the final member of the Nats' presumed starting rotation to take a spring turn. The lineup for today's game again does not contain first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who was supposed to play in his first spring exhibition on Wednesday against the Astros at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. That was...

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Orioles announce 2019 promotions schedule; individual tickets go on sale on Friday, March 1

February 27, 2019, 4:36am

Orioles

The Orioles today released their 2019 promotional schedule highlighted by an extensive slate of unique items and events, as well as returning favorites, to appeal to Birdland's diverse fanbase. The Orioles also announced that individual game tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 1, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Birdland Members will receive a special pre-sale opportunity on Thursday, February 28 at 10:00 a.m. May the 'fourth' be with you on Saturday, May 4, as the Orioles...

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Orioles' economic impact on Sarasota tops $360 since 2015

February 20, 2019, 8:26am

Orioles

The Orioles have generated more than $360 million in cumulative economic impact in Sarasota since 2015, the first year Sarasota County Government analyzed comprehensive data on the team's impact. The county's analysis measures the total tourism impact created by the Orioles, combined with the club's business operations and spending in Sarasota County. At $92 million for the most recent reporting period, the Orioles' annual impact is nearly three times the figure projected when the Orioles...

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Powell bringing iconic Boog's BBQ to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota

February 19, 2019, 5:27am

Orioles

Powell bringing iconic Boog's BBQ to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota

For years, I've spent the offseason staring at the canopy that houses Boog's BBQ at Camden Yards during the regular season and wondered how good it would be to chow down on a pit beef sandwich (medium well, with barbecue sauce and horseradish, of course) to ward off the winter chill. But the emptiness beneath the canopy on Eutaw Street usually tells me that there will be no wintertime feast (though I've often though about the gold mine that would be created by opening Boog's BBQ one day a...