nationals

Harper, Desmond wise to seek hitting advice from Williams

April 21, 2015, 5:03am

For 17 years, Nationals manager Matt Williams was one of the game's most intense players - but also one of its most dangerous hitters. Williams batted .268 for his career with 378 homers and 1,218 RBIs. But those numbers don't do justice to seasons like 1994, when he belted a league-high 43 homers for the Giants, or 1999 with the Diamondbacks, when he hit .303, pounded 35 homers and drove in an astounding 142 runs. Five times an All-Star, Williams banged out more than 30 homers six times and...

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Danny Espinosa thrills in third act

April 20, 2015, 5:33am

Nationals

Nationals manager Matt Williams has been scrambling since Day One of spring training after countless injuries left him experimenting with guys playing positions where they had little or no experience before. The Nats have faced the most amount of adversity at third base, where Anthony Rendon went down with a sprained left MCL after making a remarkable diving stop in just his third Grapefruit League game. With infielder Yunel Escobar also sidelined for much of the exhibition season, Williams...

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Span on his return: "Today was my opening day"

April 19, 2015, 2:03pm

Nationals

Span on his return: "Today was my opening day"

The Nationals welcomed back center fielder Denard Span, who led off and played center field Sunday for the first time this season. He had been out of the lineup since the beginning of the season while recovering from right core muscle surgery. Manager Matt Williams said it felt "normal" again with Span playing. Span went 1-for-5 with a single and run scored in the Nationals' three-run fifth. The Nats went on to beat the Phillies 4-1, clinching their first series win of the season. "No...

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Strasburg impresses Williams, teammates in Nats' win

April 19, 2015, 2:01pm

Nationals

Strasburg impresses Williams, teammates in Nats' win

Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg pitched a gem today. He was perfect through the first 4 2/3 innings before allowing a two-out single to Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz in the fifth. The three runs the Nats would get in the bottom of the inning would be all they would need, as they went on to win 4-1 and capture their first series of the season. Strasburg was dominant throughout the afternoon, allowing just the one run on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. "You know, that may be as...

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Matt of Matt's Bats: Rafael Martin's long and winding road

April 21, 2015, 5:23am

Nationals

Matt of Matt's Bats: Rafael Martin's long and winding road

We are barely into the third week of baseball, but there is already a heartwarming story about one of the players on the Nationals, Rafael Martin. Martin's story is like something out of a rock and roll ballad. Martin almost let go of his dream of becoming a professional baseball player, but held on tightly, kept working hard and now he's a pitcher for the Nationals. Rafael Martin Romero was born on May 16, 1984, in San Fernando, Calif. That makes him about 31. He attended Jurupa Valley High...

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Strasburg overpowers Phillies in Nats' 4-1 win

April 19, 2015, 10:39am

Nationals

Strasburg overpowers Phillies in Nats' 4-1 win

Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg is perfect through four innings. He's working quickly having only thrown only 32 pitches. He got Phillies second baseman Cody Asche swinging to end the first and center fielder Odubel Herrera whiffed to start the fourth. Third baseman Danny Espinosa, in only his second career start at the position, helped Strasburg with a spectacular sliding over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory on a pop fly from shortstop Freddy Galvis in the fourth. The Nats have only...

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Marty Niland: Welcome back, Mr. Span

April 20, 2015, 4:44am

Nationals

Two weeks into the 2015 season, the Nationals lineup as it was envisioned at the start of spring training is beginning to take shape. The most recent addition - and the most welcome so far - was the return of leadoff man and center fielder Denard Span on Sunday. With all due respect to Michael A. Taylor and Yunel Escobar, the man who should have been named the most valuable Nat of 2014 has been restored to his rightful place. Span missed almost all of spring training and the first 12 games of...

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Nats make tough call sending Taylor back to minors as Span returns

April 19, 2015, 7:11am

Nationals

Nats make tough call sending Taylor back to minors as Span returns

Center fielder Denard Span is back. The Nationals reinstated Span from the 15-day disabled list this morning and manager Matt Williams immediately placed the 31-year-old back in his familiar leadoff spot for today's game against the Phillies. Span, who was already coming off hernia surgery when he arrived at spring training, only played in the Nationals' first Grapefruit League game before exiting with an abdominal injury. He underwent another procedure on March 9 to repair his right core...

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Stephen Strasburg aims for first win with Denard Span behind him (with lineups)

April 19, 2015, 7:23am

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg aims for first win with Denard Span behind him (with lineups)

Center fielder Denard Span is back from the disabled list after recovering from right core muscle surgery and he'll bat in his normal leadoff position this afternoon for the Nationals. The 31-year-old will make his season debut after tying for the National League lead in hits last year with 184. Right-hander Stephen Strasburg returns to the mound still in search of his first win in his third try. He's allowed 11 runs on 19 hits in just 10 2/3 innings this season. For the Phillies: CF Odubel...

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Gwynn speaks on Hall of Fame father's use of smokeless tobacco on HBO's "Real Sports" on Tuesday

April 19, 2015, 8:39am

Nationals

Gwynn speaks on Hall of Fame father's use of smokeless tobacco on HBO's "Real Sports" on Tuesday

It's been less than a year since the death of Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn from salivary gland cancer, and Gwynn's passing has brought many calls for Major League Baseball to ban the use of smokeless tobacco. As baseball and its players association move toward another round of negotiations on a new labor agreement next year, expect smokeless tobacco to be one of the most debated issues. Smokeless tobacco - known as "chew" - is banned in the minor leagues, and MLB enacted a series of new rules...

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Just a little patience leads to violence at the plate for Bryce Harper

April 19, 2015, 5:16am

Nationals

Just a little patience leads to violence at the plate for Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper pulverized a baseball in the fifth inning yesterday. The 89 mph pitch from Phillies starter Aaron Harang stood no chance as Harper's violent lash sent it flying to an exclusive part of Nationals Park - way, way beyond the center field wall. The ESPN Home Run Tracker measured the distance at 452 feet, making it the longest home run of Harper's career. The blast tied for the fifth-longest home run at Nationals Park over the past five seasons. "I thought I got in a pretty good...

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Nationals reinstate Span from 15-day disabled list

April 19, 2015, 6:47am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals returned from rehab and reinstated center fielder Denard Span from the 15-day disabled list and optioned outfielder Michael A. Taylor to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Span, who underwent surgery to repair a right core muscle injury on March 9, returns to the Nationals' active roster after a three-game rehab stint with Double-A Harrisburg and Single-A Hagerstown where he went...

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Zimmermann felt better than Boston game, but this time struggled with control in loss

April 18, 2015, 1:12pm

Nationals

Zimmermann felt better than Boston game, but this time struggled with control in loss

Nationals manager Matt Williams said after starter Jordan Zimmermann's outing in Boston on April 13 that the gametime conditions were dry at Fenway Park and that's why his starter couldn't get a good grip on the baseball. In that loss, Zimmermann surrendered seven earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings. Boston won 9-4. Saturday was a better day for humidity in D.C. The stickiness was better for pitchers and their varying grips on the baseball. It allowed Zimmermann to feel the texture of the ball...

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Denard Span could return tomorrow, Yunel Escobar to have MRI

April 18, 2015, 9:05am

Nationals

Denard Span could return tomorrow, Yunel Escobar to have MRI

Nationals manager Matt Williams revealed before today's game that infielder Yunel Escobar will undergo an MRI this afternoon on his strained groin. The injury occurred while legging out a ground ball to first base in the fifth inning of last night's 7-2 victory over the Phillies. Escobar pulled up lame at the bag and appeared to grab his left side before immediately leaving the game. He was in the clubhouse at Nats Park this morning. "He said he felt OK," Williams said. "Every player is...

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Ian Desmond's errors continue hurting Nats in loss

April 18, 2015, 1:56pm

Nationals

Ian Desmond's errors continue hurting Nats in loss

By no means was shortstop Ian Desmond the reason the Nationals lost 5-3 to the Phillies today, but his horrendous third inning played a major part. Desmond couldn't make a play on simple grounder from Phillies starter Aaron Harang that should've been the inning's second out. Who knows if it mentally bothered Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann, but he promptly gave up a double and a single. And just like that, the game was tied. Unfortunately for the Nats, Desmond's blunders weren't finished....

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Williams on young outfielders Taylor and Harper, and day off for Werth

April 18, 2015, 8:46am

Nationals

Williams on young outfielders Taylor and Harper, and day off for Werth

Center fielder Denard Span has now played through two rehab games and is closer to returning from right core muscle surgery. Span went through a full workout at Nats Park on Saturday morning. Nationals manager Matt Williams said Span is closer to being activated. One big question the Nationals must answer when Span returns is what to do with the current starting center fielder, Michael A. Taylor. Should the Nats keep Taylor on the 25-man roster as a super-sub, or get him back to Triple-A...

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Phillies win 5-3 as Zimmermann takes second loss

April 18, 2015, 9:34am

Nationals

Phillies win 5-3 as Zimmermann takes second loss

Back in the leadoff spot, center fielder Michael A. Taylor roped a single to left field to get things going early for the Nationals this afternoon. Shortstop Ian Desmond followed with a walk and Taylor then advanced to third on a groundout from right fielder Bryce Harper. Taylor would score the game's first run unchallenged when first baseman Ryan Zimmerman bounced out. The Nats have now scored in the first inning of the last four games. Starter Jordan Zimmermann has kept the Phillies hitless...

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Max Scherzer, Wilson Ramos quickly developing chemistry

April 18, 2015, 5:26am

Nationals

Max Scherzer, Wilson Ramos quickly developing chemistry

There were many obvious reasons for ace Max Scherzer to sign with the Nationals this offseason. The club was already the World Series favorites, he would be joining the game's most imposing starting rotation and, oh yeah, $210 million. But an added luxury, was the benefit to work with a top-flight catcher that was battle-tested and full of experiences with some of the game's elite pitchers. Throwing to catcher Wilson Ramos through his first three starts, Scherzer has been lights out, allowing...

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Williams on Escobar's strained groin, plus Span update

April 17, 2015, 7:02pm

Nationals

Williams on Escobar's strained groin, plus Span update

Nationals third baseman Yunel Escobar strained his groin running out a ground ball in the fourth inning, according to manager Matt Williams. The Nats pulled Escobar from the Friday's game and moved Danny Espinosa to third base and Dan Uggla to second. Williams explained the move and how the team will evaluate Escobar before Saturday's 1:05 p.m. game against the Phillies. "He strained his groin a little bit, so we took him out to making sure he didn't do anything further," Williams said...

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Espinosa gets first career start at third base for injured Escobar (with lineups)

April 18, 2015, 7:21am

Nationals

Espinosa gets first career start at third base for injured Escobar (with lineups)

Yunel Escobar is out of today's lineup with a strained groin. Escobar's injury occurred while legging out a grounder to first base in the fifth inning last night. He pulled up lame just as he reached the bag and would leave the game immediately after. Escobar's departure paves the way for Danny Espinosa to make his first career major league start at third base. Espinosa took over for Escobar there last night and began playing the position during the final two weeks of spring training due to...