nationals

Guthrie impresses in ballpark opener (Nats walk off Astros 4-3)

February 28, 2017, 10:08am

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 4, Astros 3 Recap: Michael A. Taylor threw out the potential go-ahead run from right field in the top of the ninth, with Jhonatan Solano blocking the plate and making a sweeping tag, then hit a two-out walk-off homer to left in the bottom of the inning for the win. ... The Nationals' first game at the brand-new Ballpark of the Palm Beaches began in style, with Jeremy Guthrie tossing two scoreless innings and Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper hitting...

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Sources: Nats sign veteran reliever Blanton for $4 million

February 28, 2017, 6:07am

Nationals

Sources: Nats sign veteran reliever Blanton for $4 million

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have signed veteran reliever Joe Blanton to a one-year, major-league deal, according to a club source, adding some much-needed right-handed depth to their bullpen. Blanton has arrived in West Palm Beach and could be in uniform as soon as Wednesday. His deal, according to a source familiar with the terms, guarantees him $4 million this season, with up to $1 million in incentives. Blanton's signing is pending a physical examination. The Nationals also will...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

February 28, 2017, 3:08am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The day has arrived. Not everyone was convinced it would happen, at least not in time. But it is happening, and it's happening on time. Today, the Nationals and Astros play a game inside their new spring training stadium after years of planning and 16 furious months of construction that went right down to the wire. "I'm very impressed, cause they've been working around the clock," manager Dusty Baker said. "Every day, I see something new. The other day I was coming...

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Roark on pitching in the WBC, Turner on homering vs. Cards

February 27, 2017, 12:07pm

Nationals

Roark on pitching in the WBC, Turner on homering vs. Cards

JUPITER, Fla. - When Tanner Roark was offered a chance this winter to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, the right-hander didn't have to think twice before saying yes. Never mind whatever concerns others may have about the injury risk of pitchers participating in the quadrennial international tournament. This was an opportunity to wear the uniform for Team USA and face elite competition, and Roark wasn't about to turn that down. "That's one hell of a thing, to represent where you're...

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Nats ready for ups and downs of Turner's first season at short

February 27, 2017, 7:17am

Nationals

Nats ready for ups and downs of Turner's first season at short

JUPITER, Fla. - Chris Speier was, by all accounts, a good shortstop during a career that spanned 19 seasons, the majority of those with the Giants and Expos. But ask the Nationals bench coach and infield instructor about his rookie season in 1971, and he immediately shudders. "Thirty-one errors?" he asked. Actually, Speier had 33. "It should've been about 50," he said. "I had (Willie) McCovey at first base." Speier learned what so many young shortstops learn: No matter how talented you...

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Roark tosses three scoreless in tune-up for WBC (Nats lose 5-4)

February 27, 2017, 9:32am

Nationals

Roark tosses three scoreless in tune-up for WBC (Nats lose 5-4)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Cardinals 5, Nationals 4 Recap: Tanner Roark cruised through three scoreless innings, striking out four and needing only 37 pitches to do it against a Cardinals lineup featuring mostly regulars. Trea Turner launched his first homer of the spring, a solo shot to left off right-hander Jack Flaherty. Chris Heisey, Jhonatan Solano and Derek Norris hit successive singles in the bottom of the second to produce a run. Brandon Snyder drove in two more later to extend the...

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A baseball tradition falls victim to spate of online information

February 27, 2017, 11:31am

Nationals

A baseball tradition falls victim to spate of online information

My earliest baseball memories involve rushing home from elementary school in first grade in 1966 to see the Orioles shock the Dodgers in the World Series. I remember seeing an airborne Brooks Robinson leap toward catcher Andy Etchebarren and pitcher Dave McNally celebrating a most improbable sweep on a tiny black-and-white television full of snow and static. A print of the iconic moment hangs on the stairway wall in my home. Yes, old memories are great memories. Some baseball memories are...

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Fedde impresses in first appearance vs. big leaguers

February 26, 2017, 6:10pm

Nationals

Fedde impresses in first appearance vs. big leaguers

FORT MYERS, Fla. - For most everyone in attendance at Hammond Stadium yesterday afternoon, it was merely the fifth and sixth innings of a Grapefruit League game between the Nationals and Twins. Minnesota led 5-1 in a fairly nondescript late February contest that does not count for anything. For Erick Fedde, well, let's allow the 24-year-old right-hander to speak for himself. "It's up there as one of my favorite baseball moments, for sure," he said. "I mean, it was cool. I know it was only...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in Jupiter

February 27, 2017, 5:20am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in Jupiter

JUPITER, Fla. - If you want to know what the real benefits of the Nationals' spring relocation are, here's a perfect example: I just drove from The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches to Roger Dean Stadium in 17 minutes. And, had I been gutsy enough to try to beat a yellow light, I might've done it in 15 minutes. That's a beautiful thing. You should notice a difference on the field, too, as a result of these short drives, with more veterans making road trips than they did while training in Viera....

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Nationals face Astros in inaugural game at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches

February 27, 2017, 7:19am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros will celebrate the grand opening of their brand-new Spring Training ballpark on Tuesday, February 28 at 1:05 p.m. TICKETS Fans can still purchase tickets for the inaugural Opening Day at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Tickets start at just $20 and are available at ballparkpalmbeaches.com or in-person at the newly-opened Ballpark of the Palm Beaches box office. Fans should also note that the special promotion of 20% off select games at the ballpark...

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Baker on Cole, Worley and a 5-2 loss to the Twins

February 26, 2017, 11:52am

Nationals

Baker on Cole, Worley and a 5-2 loss to the Twins

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Not that he ever wants to lose a ballgame, even those played in late February in front of 5,314 fans, but Dusty Baker couldn't have been too surprised by today's 5-2 loss to the Twins at Hammond Stadium, given the circumstances. "Overall, we didn't play that well," the Nationals manager said. "This was our first game after a long bus ride, so I have mostly young guys here. We'll be better tomorrow." Indeed, the Nationals brought only one regular member of their...

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Scherzer gets through first bullpen session with modified grip

February 26, 2017, 7:31am

Nationals

Scherzer gets through first bullpen session with modified grip

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Max Scherzer was able to throw his first bullpen session of the spring Saturday, using a modified grip on his fastball to avoid the pain in his right ring finger he experiences when trying to throw it the conventional way. Scherzer has been behind the rest of the Nationals pitching staff this spring while he recovers from a stress fracture in the knuckle on his ring finger sustained late last season. He has said he has been able to throw all of his off-speed pitches with no...

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Cole sharp early, then fades in spring debut (Nats fall 5-2)

February 26, 2017, 9:41am

Nationals

Cole sharp early, then fades in spring debut (Nats fall 5-2)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Twins 5, Nationals 2 Recap: A.J. Cole was strong in his first inning of the spring, but labored in the second and couldn't finish the frame after allowing three straight two-out hits (including a home run by Jason Castro) and a walk. Veteran Vance Worley, trying to make the club as a swingman in the bullpen, gave up another run in the third inning but bounced back with a scoreless fourth. Top prospect Erick Fedde was impressive in his two innings of relief, retiring...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Twins in Fort Myers

February 25, 2017, 4:08pm

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Twins in Fort Myers

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The biggest reason the Nationals moved their spring headquarters from Viera to West Palm Beach was to avoid all the excessively long road trips that were a byproduct from training in such a remote locale. But while they will reap the benefits of that switch over the course of the entire spring, with the majority of their road games requiring a drive of 15 minutes or fewer, there do remain a couple of doozies. Like today's trip to Fort Myers, a short 2 1/2 hours west of West...

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Planning a Nats vacation for the summer

February 23, 2017, 10:16am

Nationals

Planning vacations or weekend getaways to correspond with Nationals road trips are a time-honored summer institution. I caught up with diehard Nats fan at my favorite bagel place this week, and he mentioned his plan to head to the Windy City this summer to see the Nationals face off with the world champion Cubs from Aug. 4-6. It's a weekend series with the final game time on Sunday still to be announced, which sounds like it could be flexed into a "Sunday Night Baseball" national telecast on...

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Harper, pitching staff shine in Nationals' spring opener win

February 25, 2017, 12:20pm

Nationals

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Upon watching Bryce Harper hit a towering home run on his very first swing of the spring, Gio GonzÃ¡lez and others in the Nationals dugout had a thought. "We were hoping he'd just run home, get in his car and drive back to our place," GonzÃ¡lez said. "What a day." Indeed, what a day for Harper, who in his first opportunity to erase the memories of his disappointing 2016 put on a show during the Nationals' 8-6 victory over the Mets. Harper took a strike from Sean...

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Relive "Nationals Classics": Openers and a Strasmas memory

February 23, 2017, 12:26pm

Nationals

We're only two days away from the inaugural Nationals game at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The Nationals will host the Astros on MASN on Tuesday at 1 p.m., the first look at the new stadium for many in D.C., where springlike temperatures have only heightened the desire to see baseball again. But here at MASN, we have baseball all winter long, and this week's slate of "Nationals Classics" is perfect for satisfying your need for fastballs, strikeouts and, well, fastballs that become...

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Harper homers on first swing of spring (Nats win 8-6)

February 25, 2017, 9:06am

Nationals

Harper homers on first swing of spring (Nats win 8-6)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 8, Mets 6 Recap: The Nationals brought their bats up the road to Port St. Lucie, pouncing on the Mets pitching staff with an impressive display of power. Bryce Harper got things started with a two-run homer to deep right-center on his first swing of the spring. Neftali Soto, Andrew Stevenson and Matt Skole also homered later in the game. Gio GonzÃ¡lez was sharp through his one-inning start, then watched as a parade of relievers delivered effective work...

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Baker meets with Torre, talks plan for Wieters and Zimmerman

February 25, 2017, 7:19am

Nationals

Baker meets with Torre, talks plan for Wieters and Zimmerman

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Before emerging from the clubhouse for his first Grapefruit League game of the spring, Dusty Baker got a crash course in Major League Baseball's rule changes for 2017. Joe Torre, MLB's chief baseball officer, met with Baker and members of the Nationals coaching staff for more than an hour this morning. There aren't many formal rule changes, but there is a renewed emphasis on improving pace of play. And then there is the controversial new rule for issuing intentional...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in Port St. Lucie

February 25, 2017, 4:47am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in Port St. Lucie

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - No, it doesn't count for anything, there are a bunch of non-regulars in the lineup and the pitchers will be going one inning apiece. But disregard all that and just focus on the following three words: Ball. Game. Today. Yes, the Nationals play the first of what they hope will be more than 200 baseball games in 2017 this afternoon, and while the games that are played months from now will matter far more than today's Grapefruit League opener against the Mets, it's still...