Patrick Reddington: Getting a push from Scherzer

Patrick Reddington: Getting a push from Scherzer
New Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer said this spring that his conversations with his former teammate in Detroit, Rick Porcello, went a long way in helping in his own and Porcello's development as major league starters. In an interview with Boston Globe writer Nick Cafardo in the leadup to his opening day start with the Nationals, Scherzer discussed the relationship, explaining that he and Porcello would study opponents from the bench when they weren't pitching, with Cafardo comparing the work...

Patrick Reddington: Murphy's return to New York a successful one

Patrick Reddington: Murphy's return to New York a successful one
Daniel Murphy arrived in New York for Washington's three-game set with the Mets a .400 hitter after 37 games with the second organization he's known as a professional. Murphy signed a 3-year/$37.5M free agent deal with the Nationals in January after seven seasons with the Mets, who drafted him in the 13th Round of the 2006 Draft. "A lot of great memories in here," he told reporters before his first game in Citi Field as a member of the opposition. "A lot of great memories in this stadium,...

Patrick Reddington: Can Strasburg become Nationals' "Big Train"?

Patrick Reddington: Can Strasburg become Nationals' "Big Train"?
Walter Johnson was born in Humboldt, Kan., in November 1887. In 1905, the future Washington Senator and his family lived in southern California, where, as Los Angeles Times writer Chris Dufresne noted in a 2008 article, the Fullerton Union High Indians pitcher first made a name for himself. "Johnson attended Fullerton Union High long enough to have, in 1905, struck out 27 batters in a 15-inning game against Santa Ana High," Dufresne wrote. Two years later, after he'd moved to Idaho and been...

Patrick Reddington: Will Danny Espinosa be back?

Patrick Reddington: Will Danny Espinosa be back?
Danny Espinosa was 6-for-64 with 33 strikeouts over his first 19 games after he was sent to Triple-A Syracuse by the Nationals. Espinosa, 26, was initially placed on the disabled list and, after a minor league rehab stint, was optioned to the Chiefs on June 19. As Nats general manage Mike Rizzo explained at that point, in an interview on 106.7 the Fan, the 2008 third-round pick was there to work on his swing from both sides of the plate. "Once we feel that he's ready and capable to perform...

Patrick Reddington: Rizzo on the Schrock-Rzepczynski deal

Patrick Reddington: Rizzo on the Schrock-Rzepczynski deal
After drafting Max Schrock out of the University of South Carolina in the 13th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft, the Washington Nationals signed the infielder to a $500,000 bonus, which MLB.com's Jim Callis noted was the highest bonus after the 10th round to that point. In a 46-game stint with the New York/Penn League's Auburn Doubledays in 2015, the 20-going-on-21-year-old put up a .308/.355/.448 slash line with 10 doubles, four triples and two home runs in 186 plate appearances. At...

Patrick Reddington: Like Stephen Strasburg, focus on each of right-hander's outings

Patrick Reddington: Like Stephen Strasburg, focus on each of right-hander's outings
Stephen Strasburg's agent Scott Boras told FOXSports.com's Jon Morosi this spring that the Washington Nationals and their 2009 No. 1 overall pick were not actively discussing a deal that could keep him in the nation's capital beyond 2016 and weren't likely to talk about one until the season was over. Strasburg and the Nationals avoided arbitration this winter, agreeing on a 1-year/$10.4M deal, but beyond that, there were no discussions about a long-term deal. "We amicably agreed to a...

Patrick Reddington: Wondering what Zimmermann's future holds

Patrick Reddington: Wondering what Zimmermann's future holds
While Ian Desmond's name was in the headline of FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal's article this week about the Nationals being in the market for a young shortstop who could potentially replace the 28-year-old infielder if he leaves as a free agent after the 2015 campaign, Jordan Zimmermann's name came up, as well. The Nats' 2007 second-round pick is due to become a free agent after next season. Both Desmond and Zimmermann were rumored to be discussing long-term deals last winter before each...

Patrick Reddington: The Nationals' once and future closer

Patrick Reddington: The Nationals' once and future closer
In 6 2/3 innings pitched this spring, 26-year-old former Nationals closer Drew Storen gave up nine hits, six walks and six earned runs (8.10 ERA) with opposing hitters posting a .310 batting average against him in Grapefruit League action. Storen endured a tough 2013 campaign in which he was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse for a stretch before returning to finish strong with 19 1/3 innings in the majors that saw him allow just three earned runs (1.40 ERA), while holding opponents to a combined...

Patrick Reddington: Harper walking toward a franchise record

Patrick Reddington: Harper walking toward a franchise record
The second of three free passes Bryce Harper took in the series opener of Washington's three-game set with the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night gave the Nationals' 22-year-old slugger 117 walks on the year, one more than the Nationals' previous single-season record holder, Adam Dunn, took in 2009. In the first of his two seasons in the nation's capital, Dunn, then 29, put up a .267/.398/.529 line on the year, with 29 doubles, 38 home runs, 116 walks and 177 strikeouts in 159...

Patrick Reddington: The takeaway from Williams on Harper's benching

Patrick Reddington: The takeaway from Williams on Harper's benching
Late in the 2012 campaign, former Nationals manager Davey Johnson, who was tasked with helping to oversee the first two years of Bryce Harper's development as a major leaguer, was asked if there was anything he would like to see the then-19-year-old change? He said, "No," initially. "I like him just the way he is, to answer your question," Johnson told the reporter who asked. The all-out, hard-nosed, free-wheeling, super-aggressive approach Harper, the No. 1 overall pick in 2010, brought...

Patrick Reddington: Wilson Ramos is still the future behind the plate

Patrick Reddington: Wilson Ramos is still the future behind the plate
The plan at the start of the season was for Kurt Suzuki and Wilson Ramos to split the catching duties while Ramos recovered from the devastating knee injury that brought an abrupt end to his 2012 campaign. Ramos was 25 games into his second full season with Washington after the Nationals acquired the highly regarded backstop from the Minnesota Twins in a deadline deal in July 2010 when he went down with the injury. Coming off a .267/.334/.445 season in his first full year in the majors in...

Patrick Reddington: Could Zack Greinke be free agent target for Nationals?

Patrick Reddington: Could Zack Greinke be free agent target for Nationals?
In discussing the Washington Nationals' approach to negotiations of contract extensions with pending free agents like Jordan Zimmermann (a free agent this winter unless he re-signs) and 2009 No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg (under team control through 2016), both of whom are on their "second elbows" after having Tommy John surgery, Washington Post writer Thomas Boswell suggested last winter that in Zimmermann's case, previous talks likely centered around a deal similar to what Ian...

Patrick Reddington: Is trading for late-inning option worth cost of prospects?

Patrick Reddington: Is trading for late-inning option worth cost of prospects?
There have been plenty of rumors involving the Washington Nationals as the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline approaches, and Nats GM Mike Rizzo has heard the chatter. One report after another says the Nationals are in the market for relief help. So are they looking for a set-up man? An eighth-inning option? "That seems to be the popular opinion," Rizzo joked in an MLB Network Radio interview this week, "that our bullpen needs more depth, although, going into last night's game, I think we...

Patrick Reddington: Enjoy LaRoche while you can

Patrick Reddington: Enjoy LaRoche while you can
Veteran Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche was dealing with a lower back issue that kept him out of the lineup for Tuesday afternoon's game. Tyler Moore started at first base in the series finale in Los Angeles on Wednesday, but as the game went on, LaRoche's bat was needed, so Nats skipper Matt Williams turned to the 34-year-old middle-of-the-order bat after Bryce Harper singled with one down in the ninth and the Nationals trailing 2-0. LaRoche went 0-for-9 with three strikeouts...

Patrick Reddington: Nats' show of faith in Matt Purke paying off

Patrick Reddington: Nats' show of faith in Matt Purke paying off
The Texas Rangers thought enough of Matt Purke coming out of Klein High School near Houston, Texas, that they took the 6-foot-3 prep school lefty with the 14th overall pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. Purke was 12-1 with 147 strikeouts (17.26 K/9) and a 0.37 ERA in 76 2/3 innings pitched as a junior and 4-2 with a 1.18 ERA and 91 strikeouts (17.30 K/9) in 47 1/3 innings of work in his senior year. There were rumors of a well-above slot $6 million deal for the pitcher, which was...

Patrick Reddington: Is Werth's injury Taylor's opportunity?

Patrick Reddington: Is Werth's injury Taylor's opportunity?
Jayson Werth has been credited, in the years since he signed a sort of out-of-nowhere, seven-year, $126 million contract with the Nationals, with changing the culture in the nation's capital. When he was asked earlier this season about his reputation as a leader in the Nats clubhouse and what it meant to him, however, Werth was clear that in his mind it didn't mean anything. "Absolutely nothing," he said. "I'm just another guy," Werth explained. "We've got a bunch of guys in there that...

Patrick Reddington: Clippard finishes off one impressive battle against Rockies slugger

Patrick Reddington: Clippard finishes off one impressive battle against Rockies slugger
A half-inning after Ian Desmond's solo home run off Colorado Rockies right-hander Matt Belisle put the Nationals up 4-3 in the series finale in the nation's capital on Wednesday night, Nats set-up man Tyler Clippard took the mound with the top of the Rockies order due up. The Nationals' 29-year-old reliever came out of the bullpen to face Charlie Blackmon, Drew Stubbs and Justin Morneau, but if any of the three reached base, Troy Tulowitzki was due to bat fourth. Blackmon lined out to left....

Patrick Reddington: Streaking in D.C.

Patrick Reddington: Streaking in D.C.
Denard Span struck out in his seventh-inning at-bat against Miami right-hander A.J. Ramos on Thursday night, leaving him 0-for-4 in the series finale with the Marlins. Span was three spots away from another at-bat when Wilson Ramos lined out to end the bottom of the eighth. Rafael Soriano pitched a scoreless top of the ninth for the Nationals to earn his 42nd save in the Nats' 82nd win of the year, so Span never got another at-bat and his 29-game hit streak came to an end. Over the course of...

Patrick Reddington: Dan Haren's tidy narrative

Patrick Reddington: Dan Haren's tidy narrative
Dan Haren told reporters this winter he was surprised by the concerns about his health when he hit the free agent market. After all, the 32-year-old right-hander had made just one trip to the disabled list in his 10-year major league career. The Los Angeles Angels put the pitcher on the DL in July 2012 with what was described then as a lower back issue. In Haren's third season in Los Angeles following a 2010 trade from Arizona, he started 6-8 with a 4.86 ERA, 24 walks (2.08 BB/9) and 86...

Patrick Reddington: The Nationals' next wave

Patrick Reddington: The Nationals' next wave
In explaining the Nationals' willingness in recent years to part with top pitching prospects like Tom Milone, Brad Peacock and A.J. Cole (who was eventually reacquired), Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters in early 2012 that there was enough pitching in the system for him to feel comfortable making the type of deal that brought then 26-year-old left-hander Gio Gonzalez back from the Oakland A's. "I like our depth," Rizzo said. "We've got another wave of prospects coming,...