nationals

Time for Nationals' starting rotation to deliver

August 18, 2015, 4:56am

Offseason dreams of a parade down Constitution Avenue began with the assembly of the Nationals' impressive starting rotation. While dominating at times, the Nats' starters haven't come close to living up to their historic billing. Veteran right-hander Doug Fister, arguably the team's best pitcher last year, spent more than a month on the disabled list, never got his season on track and was eventually bounced to the bullpen after posting a 4.60 ERA in 15 starts. Rookie Joe Ross, who replaced...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson max scherzer nationals nationals pastime stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Opposite dugout: Lots of offense, terrible pitching await in Coors Field

August 15, 2015, 1:17pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Lots of offense, terrible pitching await in Coors Field

Manager: Walt Weiss (3rd season) Record: 48-68 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: 2B DJ LeMehieu (.319 with 18 SB), C Nick Hundley (.303 with 9 HR, 40 RBIs), 38 Nolan Arenado (.278 with 29 HR, 86 RBIs), RF Carlos Gonzalez (27 HR, 67 RBIs), LHP Jorge De La Rosa (7-5, 4.75 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-1 Pitching probables: Aug. 18: RHP Jordan Zimmermann vs. RHP David Hale, 8:40 p.m., MASN2 Aug. 19: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. LHP Jorge De La Rosa, 8:40 p.m., MASN2 Aug. 20: RHP Max Scherzer vs....

Comments

Tags:

nationals nationals buzz opposite dugout pete kerzel rockies frontstory_nationals3

Mets have concerns of their own as they try to hold on to division lead

August 17, 2015, 6:30am

Nationals

Mets have concerns of their own as they try to hold on to division lead

The Nationals are struggling to end a six-game losing streak, and while they are 10-20 since the All-Star break, all is not lost. Not when you consider that the Mets, who have a 4 1/2 game lead in the National League East, have their own questions, likely more serious than those in Washington. The Mets got a reprieve. They were swept at home over the weekend by Pittsburgh, but given the Giants' sweep of the Nationals in San Francisco, they didn't lose any ground. The Mets have 44 games left...

Comments

Tags:

frontstory_nationals4 mel antonen mets nationals

Nats shut out for third time in last six games

August 16, 2015, 1:21pm

Nationals

Nats shut out for third time in last six games

Joe Ross mowed down the Giants lineup the first time through, striking out six of the first nine batters he faced over three perfect innings. But, in the fourth, the rookie right-hander ran into trouble. Gregor Blanco led off with a single, advanced to second on Matt Duffy's deep fly out to center and then scored on Brandon Belt's double off the left field wall. After Buster Posey grounded out, Hunter Pence crushed a hanging slider to deep left for a two-out, two-run homer. Brandon Crawford...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson jayson werth joe ross nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Reeling Nats swept in Madison Bumgarner's dominating performance

August 16, 2015, 3:34pm

Nationals

Reeling Nats swept in Madison Bumgarner's dominating performance

The Nationals were shut out for the third time on their disastrous road trip, this time at the hands of Madison Bumgarner, who surrendered just two hits in the Giants' 5-0 win. The four-game sweep in San Francisco extends the Nats' losing streak to six games, matching their worst run from April 22-April 27. If you're looking for a silver lining, the Pirates also swept the Mets this weekend, leaving the Washington Nationals 4 1/2 games behind the in the race for first place in the National...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson joe ross matt williams nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

The consistently inconsistent Nationals offense

August 17, 2015, 4:53am

Nationals

No question Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner was lights out yesterday, just as Dodgers aces Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw were in their blanking of the Nationals earlier in the week. But how monotonous has that cop out become for the Nats scuffling offense? The season has reached the point where simply "tipping your cap" to the guy on the mound is unacceptable. "We gotta grind ... we gotta grind at-bats," Nationals manager Matt Williams told reporters after yesterday's 5-0 shutout loss....

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson jayson werth matt williams michael a. taylor nationals nationals pastime ryan zimmerman featured_sidebar frontfeatured_nationals

Marty Niland: Just like 2013, Nats falling short, but they're not out of it

August 17, 2015, 5:05am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Just like 2013, Nats falling short, but they're not out of it

Nationals fans across the internet seem to be in full panic mode after a four-game sweep at the hands of the San Francisco Giants. The team fell below .500 for the first time since May, and failed to gain ground on the National League East-leading New York Mets, who were swept at home by Pittsburgh. Among fans who are already calling for manager Matt Williams to be fired, there's a heated Twitter conversation about which ex-National, if any, should be named to replace him. A Facebook...

Comments

Tags:

guest blogger guestblogger marty niland nationals nationals buzz

Bryce Harper in lineup for finale in San Francisco

August 16, 2015, 10:17am

Nationals

Bryce Harper in lineup for finale in San Francisco

Bryce Harper, the National League's home run leader, will start in right field this afternoon as the Nationals attempt to prevent a four-game sweep in San Francisco. Harper fouled a ball off his left foot in the seventh inning last night, dropping the young slugger to his knees. He continued the at-bat, lining out to center before heading for the clubhouse. Harper told reporters after the 12-6 loss that X-rays on the left foot were negative. The Nats need Harper's bat in the lineup, facing...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper joe ross nationals nationals pastime frontstory_nationals1

Nationals game blog: Nats look to Joe Ross to end skid

August 16, 2015, 10:33am

Nationals

The Nationals send rookie Joe Ross to the mound in hopes of ending a five-game losing streak. Ross is coming off his worst outing since making his major league debut on June 6. The 22-year-old surrendered five runs on six hits with four walks in the Nats' 5-0 loss to the Dodgers last Tuesday. It was the first time Ross allowed more than three runs in any of his eight starts in the big leagues. Ross a native of nearby Berkeley, Calif., attended Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, 18 miles...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson joe ross nationals

Nationals heading the wrong way at the wrong time

August 16, 2015, 5:50am

Nationals

Do you remember the scene in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" when the couple is yelling frantically at John Candy and Steve Martin, "You're going the wrong way" as two 18-wheelers are approaching the duo's car? That's exactly what's happening to the Nationals as they appear lost in their 10-game, 11-day journey out west. There's no method to the madness, either. When the offense shows up, the pitching doesn't; when the starters twirl gems, the bats are left in the dugout. Nobody on...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson gio gonzalez madison bumgarner nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Giolito earns first Double-A win; Turner and Robles updates

August 16, 2015, 6:39am

Nationals

Giolito earns first Double-A win; Turner and Robles updates

Right-hander Lucas Giolito produced his best outing of the year Friday in Double-A Harrisburg's 2-0 win over Bowie. It was Giolito's first win in Double-A. Giolito (1-1) fired 99 pitches, 63 for strikes over seven strong innings, allowing only one hit, one walk and tying a career high with 11 strikeouts. Giolito also struck out 11 on May 14 for high Single-A Potomac. He struck out 10 batters July 6 for the P-Nats. Bowie's Chance Sisco had the only hit on a grounder to center fielder Brian...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr lucas giolito nationals trea turner victor robles frontstory_nationals2 nationals farm report

Losing streak reaches five as Giants double up Nats 12-6

August 15, 2015, 10:01pm

Nationals

Losing streak reaches five as Giants double up Nats 12-6

It's hard to win ballgames when your starting pitchers can't make it past the third inning. Friday night, Max Scherzer was knocked out after five early runs, and on Saturday, the Giants sent Gio Gonzalez to the showers, plating six in the third as the Nationals dropped their fifth straight game, 12-6. The Nationals presented Gonzalez with an early two-run lead on Yunel Escobar's RBI double in the first and Ian Desmond's colossal solo homer in the second. But Gonzalez gave it away quickly in...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson drew storen featured_sidebar felipe rivero gio gonzalez nationals tanner roark frontstory_nationals1

Needing a win, Nationals turn to Gio Gonzalez (with lineups)

August 15, 2015, 3:05pm

Nationals

Gio Gonzalez heads to the mound to take his turn at stopping the Nationals' losing streak, now at four games. The left-hander is 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA in his last eight starts. Gonzalez is coming off his best outing of the season, holding the Dodgers scoreless over eight innings in the Nationals' 8-3 win last Monday. After failing to finish six innings in his previous three starts, Gonzalez turned in his longest start of the season five days ago. "The eight innings means a lot," Gonzalez told...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson clint robinson gio gonzalez nationals nationals pastime

Gio Gonzalez knocked out in third, Nats lose 12-6

August 15, 2015, 6:26pm

Nationals

Gio Gonzalez knocked out in third, Nats lose 12-6

The Nationals jumped on the scoreboard in the opening frame. After Michael A. Taylor and Anthony Rendon lined out sharply, Giants starter Jake Peavy walked Byrce Harper. Yunel Escobar then dove a ball to the gap in right-center field. Hunter Pence appeared to take a bad route to the ball and it flew over his head. Harper raced all the way around to the plate on the two-out double to give the Nats a quick 1-0 lead. Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez retired the Giants in order in the bottom of...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson gio gonzalez nationals nationals pastime yunel escobar frontstory_nationals1

Stevenson excelling at Hagerstown after big season for LSU

August 14, 2015, 4:55pm

Nationals

Stevenson excelling at Hagerstown after big season for LSU

Outfielder Andrew Stevenson has already been promoted from short-season Single-A Auburn to low Single-A Hagerstown. The 2015 second-round selection from Louisiana State played in the College World Series and gained valuable experience by playing for a top-flight collegiate program in the Southeastern Conference. The SEC had four teams earn trips to the College World Series in Omaha to start this summer (LSU, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Florida). Stevenson was already a highly rated centerfield...

Comments

Tags:

andrew stevenson auburn doubledays byron kerr hagerstown suns jose valverde nationals frontstory_nationals2

Add Max Scherzer to the list of Nationals' concerns

August 15, 2015, 6:27am

Nationals

In a season filled with inconsistencies, Max Scherzer was one of the Nationals' constants. But in the dog days of summer, even the once-dominant right-hander is floundering. The Giants attacked Scherzer for six runs on seven hits in just three innings Friday night as the Nationals fell 8-5 for their fourth straight loss. "The last couple times out, it hasn't been his best," Nationals manager Matt Williams told reporters. "I just felt like he wasn't throwing it where he wanted to and left...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson matt williams max scherzer nationals nationals pastime frontstory_nationals3

Nationals game blog: Bryce Harper looks for power surge

August 15, 2015, 5:25pm

Nationals

The reeling Nationals haven't won since Gio Gonzalez last took the mound. Gonzalez twirled eight scoreless innings in the Nats' 8-3 win over the Dodgers on Monday night. The left-hander is 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA and 43 strikeouts over his last eight starts. According to Elias, the only other Washington pitcher to have at least five wins, no losses, an ERA under 1.50 and 40 strikeouts over an eight-game span was Senators Hall of Famer Walter Johnson. Bryce Harper, 22, smacked his National...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson clint robinson gio gonzalez nationals nationals pastime yunel escobar frontstory_nationals1

Espinosa and Harper homer, but Giants win 8-5

August 14, 2015, 6:36pm

Nationals

Espinosa and Harper homer, but Giants win 8-5

So far, so good for Nationals manager Matt Williams' lineup changes. The reconfigured batting order provided right-hander Max Scherzer a 1-0 lead before he even took the mound tonight at AT&T Park. The Nationals are hoping to break a three-game losing streak and even the series in San Francisco. Leadoff man Michael A. Taylor drew a walk from Matt Cain and stole second. Yunel Escobar's sacrifice bunt moved Taylor to third and Bryce Harper's sacrifice fly to deep right field got him in,...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper max scherzer michael taylor nationals nationals pastime pete kerzel frontstory_nationals3

Matt Williams hints at possible changes to scuffling lineup

August 14, 2015, 6:33am

Nationals

Matt Williams hints at possible changes to scuffling lineup

The Nationals came out of the All-Star break by beating the Dodgers to climb a season-high 10 games over .500 on July 17 with a three-game hold on first place in the National League East. Since then, the Nats have gone 9-17 to drop 4 1/2 games behind the Mets in the race for the division. With 48 games remaining, including six against the Mets, it's not time for panic. But with the continuing struggles of the offense, it's not far off. After failing to score against Dodgers aces Zack...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon bryce harper chris johnson jayson werth nationals nationals pastime ryan zimmerman featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nationals game blog: Offense looks to break through

August 14, 2015, 11:05am

Nationals

The Nationals have plated just one run over a current three-game losing streak. They will face struggling Giants right-hander Matt Cain, who has allowed four or more runs in five of his seven starts this season. Cain is 5-5 with a 3.34 in 14 career regular season starts against the Nats. Ian Desmond is 4-for-13 (.308) with two homers, three RBIs and two walks over his last four games. The 29-year-old owns a .357 (5-for-14) lifetime average off Cain with a home run. Jayson Werth is 5-for-10...