nationals

Scherzer won't throw off mound until he's pain-free

February 20, 2017, 4:28am

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Until Max Scherzer can throw pain-free, he won't be throwing off a mound. The Nationals right-hander is slowly progressing in his recovery from a hairline facture of the knuckle on the ring finger of his throwing hand. So far in camp, he's been limited to long tossing on flat ground and participating in pitchers fielding practice to maintain his agility. Yesterday, he took part in a fielding drill that required him to throw toward the plate. But instead of whizzing a...

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Strasburg vs. Harper showdown highlights first live BP session

February 20, 2017, 10:36am

Nationals

Strasburg vs. Harper showdown highlights first live BP session

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - There's not that much to it, and it hardly is a true representation of the pitcher-batter confrontations that will take place nightly not long from now. But at this early stage of the spring, the sight of live batting practice always perks everybody up. If nothing else, it's a reminder that the games themselves are fast approaching. The Nationals held their first round of live BP this morning, taking advantage of the cloverleaf of four practice fields they have outside...

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Glover leveraging first big league camp into a learning experience

February 19, 2017, 12:12pm

Nationals

Glover leveraging first big league camp into a learning experience

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Under normal circumstances, a rookie pitcher in his first major league spring training would be a fly on the wall. He'd say little, listen a lot and hope he lasted long enough in camp to glean something from the older veterans with something to offer him. But nothing about Nationals right-hander Koda Glover is ordinary. Not his imposing look on the mound. Not the way he fires bullets at a catcher's mitt. Not the fact that he jumped from high Single-A Potomac, through...

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As camps kick into high gear, questions remain to be answered

February 20, 2017, 5:01am

Nationals Orioles

As camps kick into high gear, questions remain to be answered

The Orioles have worries about ace pitcher Chris Tillman's shoulder and questions about rotation depth. Shortstop J.J. Hardy has back issues and, while Seth Smith will play right field, manager Buck Showalter has to figure out left field. The Nationals aren't sure if the stress fracture in the knuckle of ace pitcher Max Scherzer's right ring finger will allow him to pitch on opening day. And there's the never-ending question about who is going to pitch the ninth inning - Blake Treinen,...

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Baker's message before first full-squad workout: "It's going to be tougher"

February 19, 2017, 11:16am

Nationals

Baker's message before first full-squad workout: "It's going to be tougher"

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The first full-squad workout of spring training is old hat for Nationals manager Dusty Baker. Baker doesn't feel it's necessary to see every player each day. So if he missed Bryce Harper taking batting practice - or the barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat sent to him by the folks at "The Walking Dead" that the slugger toted to the practice field this morning - he will have plenty more days to watch Harper terrorize pitchers with more traditional lumber. Nor does Baker...

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Unfinished business motivates Werth in final year of deal

February 19, 2017, 10:40am

Nationals

Unfinished business motivates Werth in final year of deal

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Last May 11, Jayson Werth was batting .196 and wondering whether his thrice-broken left wrist was ever going to be strong enough to help him power through his swing. Six years into the seven-year, $126 million contract he signed in December 2010, Werth often looked overmatched, and some wondered whether he'd ever be a regular contributor again. "After like the first six weeks, I was somewhat happy that Dusty (Baker) stuck with me," Werth recalled Sunday after the...

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Kelley on Nats' search for a closer: "Everybody started somewhere"

February 18, 2017, 1:26pm

Nationals

Kelley on Nats' search for a closer: "Everybody started somewhere"

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Shawn Kelley understands the intense scrutiny Nationals manager Dusty Baker faces as he tries to come up with a plan for who will close games. But Kelley wishes the fans up in arms about the possibility of an inexperienced closer taking over the ninth inning would keep one thing in mind. "Everybody wants the big innings, but there's a lot of big innings in the game now," Kelley said. "Sometimes when you come in in the sixth or seventh when there's guys on after the...

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Eaton craves opportunity to ignite offense for Nationals

February 19, 2017, 5:10am

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - He's yet to take part in an official spring training workout, and his first Grapefruit League game is still six days away, but new Nationals center fielder Adam Eaton is already feeling comfortable enough in his new surroundings to dream about what might me. From his stall at the end of veterans' row in the Nationals clubhouse, he peers to the right and sees some big sticks - first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, second baseman Daniel Murphy, right fielder Bryce Harper and...

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No lack of ideas for fixing Zimmerman's offensive woes

February 18, 2017, 11:32am

Nationals

No lack of ideas for fixing Zimmerman's offensive woes

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Everyone seems to agree that Ryan Zimmerman has some work to do to rebound from the worst offensive year of his 12-year major league career. Teams need power from first base, and Zimmerman's .218/.272/.2370 slash line, 15 homers and 46 RBIs left something to be desired. Problem is, there are different thoughts as to what Zimmerman should do. Dusty Baker thinks the 32-year-old needs to be more aggressive instead of employing a selective approach. Last season, Baker...

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Baker on Harper: "I'm not worried about Bryce"

February 18, 2017, 9:20am

Nationals

Baker on Harper: "I'm not worried about Bryce"

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - One of the reasons the Nationals selected Dusty Baker as their manager two offseasons ago was the veteran skipper's pedigree of successfully dealing with high-profile, young sluggers. For Baker, working with Bryce Harper on a daily basis is no different than his past relationships with Barry Bonds in San Francisco or Ken Griffey Jr. in Cincinnati. Maybe that's why Baker has a significant insight into whether Harper will rebound from a marked downturn last season after...

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Relive "National Classics": Wild endings leading into spring training games

February 15, 2017, 7:04am

Nationals

Relive "National Classics": Wild endings leading into spring training games

The full Nationals squad has reported to The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches and full workouts are underway. All is right in Natstown. Before you know it, we'll have real, live-action baseball games for you fans. To be specific, that comes to you next Tuesday, Feb. 28, when MASN will broadcast the first of seven Nats spring training games this season as the tennants of the new training facility in West Palm Beach go head-to-head. That also means this is the last full week of "Nationals...

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Goodwin trying to build on breakout campaign, cement roster spot

February 17, 2017, 4:25pm

Nationals

Goodwin trying to build on breakout campaign, cement roster spot

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Brian Goodwin's status in the Nationals organization has changed since this time last year, when he was still viewed a somewhat raw prospect yet to realize his potential. That's what a seven-week cup of coffee at the end of the season does for a player's standing, especially when the player holds his own offensively, displays good defensive tendencies and turns on the jets when he reaches base. The 26-year-old Goodwin, a former first-round pick (34th overall) in the...

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Highlights of 2017 Nationals promotional schedule

February 18, 2017, 10:15am

Nationals

A review of the 2017 Nationals promotional schedule includes some quality bobblehead giveaways again, "Star Wars" Day, a '90s night, a first Easter egg hunt and a Mother's Day brunch. The giveaways are always the best for the Nationals fan interested in team apparel and collectibles. The bobblehead giveaways are: April 14 - Daniel Murphy bobblehead (first 25,000 fans) May 12 - Trea Turner bobblehead June 9 - Tanner Roark bobblehead Apparel giveaways: June 14 - Patriotic tank top July 26 -...

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Eager Harper committed to living in the moment

February 18, 2017, 6:00am

Nationals

Eager Harper committed to living in the moment

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - As a season's worth of whispers about what was wrong with Bryce Harper - whether he had an injured shoulder, a kink in his neck, whether his swing was irreparably broken - leaked into the offseason, the Nationals slugger couldn't care less. Instead of paying any attention to his critics or their omnipresent theories, Harper had a busy offseason of deadlifting 505 lbs. during weight training sessions, sporting new swag from Las Vegas' new National Hockey League team,...

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Joe Nathan's new goal: "Give them confidence to give you the ball"

February 17, 2017, 12:11pm

Nationals

Joe Nathan's new goal: "Give them confidence to give you the ball"

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Baseball's circle of life has brought Joe Nathan - whose 377 career saves are the second-most among active major leaguers - to a curious corner of the Nationals clubhouse at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The number on his locker stall nameplate and uniform jersey - 74 - matches the year he was born, and he's grouped with other guys wearing the digits of football offensive linemen who are bold enough to dream of a chance to make a ballclub even though the odds may...

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Latecomer Lind happy for shot at Nationals bench role

February 17, 2017, 10:01am

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - When the call finally came after a long offseason of waiting and wondering, Adam Lind was only too happy to join Nationals spring training with an opportunity to carve out a new niche as a productive bench player. "To sign this late with this quality of a team, you couldn't ask for anything else," Lind said Friday. "I'm real excited to watch these guys play every day. I've had the opportunity to watch some really good hitters and I'll have that opportunity again...

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Turner on returning to short, Murphy on his new double play partner

February 17, 2017, 9:30am

Nationals

Turner on returning to short, Murphy on his new double play partner

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals will have a new double play combination this season, with Trea Turner moving from center field to shortstop to team with second baseman Daniel Murphy. Murphy is as eager to play alongside Turner, who returns to his natural position. "Trea and I will do some work together," Murphy said Friday as position players reported to Nationals camp at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. "We worked together already. We worked together last spring training early. And...

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Harper and Zimmerman report, plus notes on Kieboom's kitchen

February 17, 2017, 5:02am

Nationals

Harper and Zimmerman report, plus notes on Kieboom's kitchen

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Position players are required to report to Nationals camp at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches today, and a few newcomers have been trickling into the clubhouse this morning. The room became a beehive of activity, with players searching out and moving into their locker stalls, shaking hands and hugging teammates. Ryan Zimmerman, fresh off a family trip to Disney World, arrived today and spent the better part of an hour unpacking boxes and chatting with reporters. A little...

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Norris on learning a new staff and pitch framing metrics

February 16, 2017, 11:56am

Nationals

Norris on learning a new staff and pitch framing metrics

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - With a new staff to learn about and only a few weeks to forge those relationships, you'd expect catcher Derek Norris to be working the Nationals clubhouse like a lobbyist works a D.C. fundraiser, making sure he spends a few minutes with every pitcher in camp to get a read on who they are, how they approach the game and how he can mesh his talents with theirs. But Norris, reacquired by the Nationals in December to be the starting catcher, isn't daunted by the 34...

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Strasburg on first workout, offseason training regimen and slider

February 16, 2017, 10:09am

Nationals

Strasburg on first workout, offseason training regimen and slider

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The 10 minutes that Stephen Strasburg reared back and fired a baseball at catcher Derek Norris on Thursday morning will quickly be forgotten. There's just too much baseball left between now and October to focus too heavily on however many pitches the right-hander could cram into 600 seconds. But for a pitcher whose 2016 season ended prematurely in early September because of a torn pronator tendon in his pitching arm, cutting loose under warm but cloudy Florida skies had...