nationals

When will Nationals extend Dusty Baker?

December 27, 2016, 8:30am

Dusty Baker has been the manager of the Nationals for roughly 14 months, so it's a little hard to fathom how he could already be a lame duck skipper. But he is. The two-year deal that he signed in November 2015 runs through 2017, meaning that Baker has now entered a period of limbo that's treated other Nationals managers rather poorly. Remember the end of the 2013 campaign, Davey Johnson's last at the helm? It was already prearranged that Johnson would manage through 2013 and then move into...

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Bryce Harper can stamp his D.C. legacy by staying with Nats

December 29, 2016, 2:12am

Nationals

Bryce Harper can stamp his D.C. legacy by staying with Nats

I get the questions a lot. And they center around Bryce Harper. Will he get half a billion dollars on his next deal? Will he stay in Washington and play for the Nationals after 2018? Those were questions posed to me and callers on Tuesday night's "Sportstalk" on NewsChannel 8, as a guest of ABC 7's Robert Burton for the half-hour show. Burton asked me the question on air. I told him I believe Harper would re-sign with the Nats in part because of the long standing relationship between...

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Notes on Wieters, Barrett and draft position

December 26, 2016, 9:45am

Nationals

Notes on Wieters, Barrett and draft position

Rumors are both a blessing and a curse to baseball's offseason. A blessing because a good rumor can stoke the fires of the hot stove, keeping baseball talk alive during the coldest and longest days of the winter. A curse because a rumor, when unchecked, can take on a life of its own. Don't believe me? Then look at the interest the Nationals reportedly have in free agent catcher Matt Wieters, who is ready to take his career beyond Baltimore, which drafted, developed and was home to the...

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Bulkier Cole hopes success late in season will be springboard

December 21, 2016, 5:56am

Nationals

Bulkier Cole hopes success late in season will be springboard

Like most young pitchers, all it took for right-hander A.J. Cole to feel a little more sure of himself at the major league level was a modicum of success. In the eight starts Cole made for the Nationals last season - all after Aug. 22 following the elbow injury that short-circuited Stephen Strasburg's season - the 24-year-old went at least five innings five times. Those were his first five starts of 2016, following an 8-8 record and 4.26 ERA in 22 starts at Triple-A Syracuse, and included his...

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Before looking ahead to 2017, looking back on an eventful 2016

December 22, 2016, 8:30pm

Nationals

Before looking ahead to 2017, looking back on an eventful 2016

First of all, a public service announcement: I'm heading out of town (actually, out of the country) for the next week. Byron Kerr and Pete Kerzel will have you covered, though, so be sure to keep checking the site for any Nationals news over the holidays. Since you won't be hearing from me again until 2017, this seems like an appropriate time to take a step back and view 2016 in its entirety. This was an eventful year, to say the least. (And we're only talking about baseball here, let alone...

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Relive "Nationals Classics": The best of the best of 2016

December 22, 2016, 7:23am

Nationals

Some people consider the week between Christmas and New Year's Day to be the best of the whole year. Some time off work surrounded by friends and family. Well, if that's the case, then for Nationals fans, it will be even better because we're bringing out the best of the best from the past year for 2016's last slate of "Nationals Classics." We're packing a whole lot of baseball in this year's final week. Grand slams? Check. Extra-inning walk-offs? Got 'em. Historic feats? Of...

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No. 6 Nats prospect: Koda Glover

December 22, 2016, 3:46am

Nationals

Right-hander Koda Glover made one of the more astonishing moves in one season when he jumped from high Single-A Potomac to the Nationals in a matter of four months last summer. Glover, 23, out of Oklahoma State, pitched for Potomac, Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse from April to August. During that span, Glover went 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 40 games, striking out 66 and walking only 14. He was promoted to D.C. in July and made two appearances, on July 20 and 21. He arrived back again...

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Nationals still being held out of Sunday night spotlight

December 21, 2016, 8:19pm

Nationals

If you missed it yesterday, ESPN announced its "Sunday Night Baseball" schedule for most of the first half of the 2017 season. It includes one game involving the Nationals: April 23 against the Mets at Citi Field. And that's the only game involving the Nationals so far on ESPN's slate. That could change, of course, because only 12 of the 26 scheduled Sunday night tilts have been announced at this point. But it does continue a surprising trend that has left the Nats very much on the outside...

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Why isn't Shawn Kelley in the mix to be the Nationals' closer?

December 20, 2016, 6:56pm

Nationals

Any and all talk of the as-yet-undetermined identity of the Nationals' 2017 closer has boiled down to two conclusions: Either the Nats need to acquire an experienced reliever who has a track record of success pitching the ninth inning, or they should give one of their young, in-house relievers (most notably Koda Glover) the opportunity to seize the job. Along the way, though, we seem to have glossed over one other potential resolution to this problem. It's another in-house candidate, but one...

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Who is the Nationals' sixth starting pitcher at this point?

December 19, 2016, 7:58pm

Nationals

We conduct a poll every spring, asking Nationals beat reporters to make a bunch of predictions for the upcoming season, and the results are always fun to track throughout the year. One of the most interesting predictions, I think, is guessing who the Nats' sixth different starting pitcher will be in a given season. Basically, it's trying to predict when one member of their opening rotation will go down and who will take his spot. And that could be an awfully tricky thing to predict for...

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After "disappointing" season, Taylor has new outlook on 2017

December 18, 2016, 12:51pm

Nationals

After "disappointing" season, Taylor has new outlook on 2017

After so much time spent wondering who the Nationals would acquire this winter to become their new center fielder in 2017, it's easy to forget the organization thought it knew the answer to that question a year ago. The Nationals had a promising, young center fielder with all kinds of skills. And had Michael A. Taylor put those skills together the way many hoped, this month's trade for Adam Eaton might never have been necessary. Alas, 2016 was not kind to Taylor, who despite ample...

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What Nats development do you wish could be granted?

December 17, 2016, 7:53pm

Nationals

What Nats development do you wish could be granted?

It's the time of year for wishful thinking, right? If ever you were hoping for something big, something you desperately want even if it seems unreasonable, now's the time to ask for it. You never know, a certain somebody from the North Pole might decide you've been nice enough to deserve it. So why not extend some of that wishful thinking to your favorite ballclub? Here's your opportunity. Pick one pie-in-the-sky holiday wish for the 2017 Nationals, something you know might be too much to...

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Looking at Matt Wieters' market and the top free agents at each position

December 19, 2016, 11:20am

Nationals Orioles

Looking at Matt Wieters' market and the top free agents at each position

Now that the Orioles have catcher Welington Castillo to bridge the gap to prospect Chance Sisco, the market for free agent catcher Matt Wieters shrinks again. Catchers have moved on the market this offseason. The Rays signed Wilson Ramos, the Twins picked up Jason Castro and the Astros, Castro's former team, traded for Yankees catcher Brian McCann. The Diamondbacks didn't offer Castillo a contract and signed Jeff Mathis. The Nationals picked up Derek Norris. So where does that leave...

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Another closer out of the picture after Ziegler signs with Miami

December 16, 2016, 7:52pm

Nationals

Another closer out of the picture after Ziegler signs with Miami

Another potential late-inning relief option for the Nationals is now off the board after Brad Ziegler reportedly signed a two-year contract Friday night with the Marlins. Ziegler, 37, will earn a guaranteed $16 million during the course of the deal, according to reports, plus incentives. It's unclear whether the Nationals ever made an offer to the veteran right-hander, but he was one of the few remaining free agent relievers with closing experience. Ziegler has 85 career saves, 52 of those...

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Relive "Nationals Classics": Trio of no-hitters cap off memorable holiday week

December 13, 2016, 12:22pm

Nationals

This week's games on "Nationals Classics" have a little of everything for the discerning Nationals fans. The perfect pre-Christmas gift, you might say. You want marathons? We've got games stretching long into the night before late-inning heroics. You like history? How about a 10th straight victory that tied a franchise record. Comebacks, walk-offs, sterling individual efforts? They're all represented in some of the best Nationals action to air on MASN. But since it's the holiday season -...

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Friday morning Q&A

December 15, 2016, 7:34pm

Nationals

We last held one of these Q&As during the week leading up to Thanksgiving, and considering how much has happened to the Nationals since then, this feels like a good time to hold another one. The Winter Meetings have come and gone, as has Nats Winterfest. Adam Eaton is the new center fielder. Derek Norris is the new catcher. Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez are now White Sox. Mark Melancon is a Giant, Aroldis Chapman is a Yankee and Kenley Jansen remains a Dodger. Which means the Nationals...

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Nats still seeking candidates to fill bench vacancies

December 14, 2016, 12:03pm

Nationals

Nats still seeking candidates to fill bench vacancies

For all the attention paid - and rightfully so - to the Nationals' ongoing search for a new closer, that's not the only significant roster hole they still need to fill. Saturday night's trade of Danny Espinosa created an opening on their bench, one that they probably prefer to address from outside the organization rather than from within. Had Espinosa remained with the club - and that seemed unlikely, given his dissatisfaction with a reserve role - the Nationals would have been in good shape...

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How do 2017 Nationals avoid another odd-year regression?

December 13, 2016, 7:34pm

Nationals

No matter what happens from this point forward, the Nationals will enter the 2017 season with lofty expectations, both internally and externally. A 95-win team from the previous year will be expected to win again, considered among the favorites to come out of the National League. Whether they can live up to those expectations remains to be seen, but if the last half-decade is a sign of things to come, they better be careful not to simply assume all will be well in 2017. Each of the previous two...

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Nationals sign Burriss, three pitchers to minor league deals

December 13, 2016, 8:14am

Nationals

The Nationals added some pitching depth to the organization Tuesday - and brought a local favorite back to the franchise, as well - during a series of minor league signings. Right-handers Jacob Turner and Michael Broadway, left-hander Tim Collins and infielder Emmanuel Burriss all agreed to minor league deals with invitations to big league spring training. None would appear at this point to be strong contenders to make the opening day roster, but all will be given an opportunity to make a case...

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Where do the Nationals turn now in search for a closer?

December 12, 2016, 11:43am

Nationals

First Mark Melancon signed with the Giants. Then Aroldis Chapman signed with the Yankees. Then the Cubs acquired Wade Davis from the Royals. And then yesterday, the Dodgers managed to retain free agent Kenley Jansen with a reported five-year, $80 million offer. All of which leaves the Nationals right back where they started at the beginning of the offseason, still needing a closer, now with far fewer options available to them. So where do they turn now? There do remain several second-tier free...