Gio Gonzalez works word "meow" into hilarious interview 11 times

Gio Gonzalez works word "meow" into hilarious interview 11 times
"2015 looks great right meow." This quote was the insightful information that Gio Gonzalez offered Dan Kolko during today's Nationals broadcast on MASN HD. Before going on-air, it appeared as if Gonzalez was dared by Max Scherzer to integrate the word "meow" into his interview. And he succeeded. The lefty managed to work "meow" into his interview 11 times, and after it was all said and done, he was pumped. The result is an absolutely hilarious video. Check it out below, and then see...

Fearless Difo sparks Nats, Zimmermann pitches into third (Nats roll 9-2)

Fearless Difo sparks Nats, Zimmermann pitches into third (Nats roll 9-2)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 9, Tigers 2 Recap: Jordan Zimmermann gave up a run on two hits with four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Thirty-three of his 47 pitches were strikes. Highly ranked prospect Wilmer Difo was 2-for-3 with a triple, double and two RBIs. Ryan Zimmerman added two doubles and two RBIs. Drew Vettleson and Matt Skoke hit late home runs.Need to know: Anthony Rendon was a late scratch for today's game with a bruised left knee. Nationals manager Matt Williams said it...

Nationals early camp prospect capsule: Jefry Rodriguez, Luis Reyes

Nationals early camp prospect capsule: Jefry Rodriguez, Luis Reyes
Here are some more previews of a couple of the Dominican pitchers that are on the early camp roster. Short-season Single-A Auburn manager Gary Cathcart, the Nationals' coordinator of instruction, had both of these prospects on his team last season. RHP Jefry Rodriguez 6-foot-5, 185 lbs. Age: 21 Birthplace: Haina, Dominican Republic Bats: Right Throws: Right 2014 club: Auburn, Hagerstown Rodriguez, a converted shortstop, has continued to improve the past two seasons. He put up some very good...

Might be right place, right time for Tony Gwynn Jr.

Might be right place, right time for Tony Gwynn Jr.
VIERA, Fla. - Less than 10 days ago, Tony Gwynn Jr. was sitting in his home in San Diego without a job. The eight-year veteran was coming off his worst season in the majors on and off the field. "If I'm being honest, around Feb. 1 is when you start to get like, 'What is going on? There's nothing happening,' " Gwynn said. "But ultimately, my faith was that I would be somewhere. I didn't know where I would be, what the opportunity would be, but I knew I would be somewhere. But we're...

Zimmermann, Price in marquee pitching matchup (with lineups)

Zimmermann, Price in marquee pitching matchup (with lineups)
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals will get a chance to measure their lineup against one of the game's best when the Tigers send former American League Cy Young Award winner David Price to the mound. The 1 p.m. game will be aired on MASN HD. Price, a four-time All-Star, led the majors in strikeouts last season with 271. The 6-foot-6 left-hander will be a good matchup for Bryce Harper, who last faced Price early in his rookie season and went 0-for-2 with a walk. Dan Uggla will start at designated...

MASN announces 2015 Nationals broadcast schedule

MASN announces 2015 Nationals broadcast schedule
MASN, the television home of the defending National League East champion Washington Nationals, today announced its Major League Baseball schedule for the 2015 season. Once again, all Nationals games broadcast by MASN will be available in crystal-clear high definition, including the season opener against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on Monday, April 6. Other highlights of MASN's 2014 Nationals schedule include interleague series against the Baltimore Orioles (July 10-12 and Sept. 21-23),...

Matt Williams lets Max Scherzer battle

Matt Williams lets Max Scherzer battle
JUPITER, Fla. - Nationals manager Matt Williams sent pitching coach Steve McCatty to the mound in the third inning to check on Max Scherzer. The Nats ace was running near the 55-pitch total that Williams had in mind for his new right-hander who was only making his second start of the exhibition season. "He got in a little trouble there in the last inning, but he wanted to work through that, too," Williams said. "Just a touch high in his pitch count probably, but he was feeling good so he'll...

Max Scherzer careful to not show too much (Marlins win 2-1)

Max Scherzer careful to not show too much (Marlins win 2-1)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Marlins 2, Nationals 1 Recap: Max Scherzer gave up one run on six hits with three strikeouts in three innings against the Marlins. He threw 47 pitches, 33 for strikes, in his second outing of the exhibition season. Taylor Jordan pitched two scoreless innings in his second appearance of the spring. Jerry Blevins, Heath Bell and Rafael Martin each tossed a scoreless inning. However, Marlins second baseman Derek Dietrich hit a walk-off homer against Bruce Billings in...

Mega-million-dollar matchup today

Mega-million-dollar matchup today
JUPITER, Fla. - Alert Fort Knox. Over a half a billion dollars will square off in the bottom of the first inning today when Marlins star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton faces Nationals ace Max Scherzer. The Nationals, of course, signed Scherzer to a stunning seven-year, $210 million contract in January. Two months before, the Marlins broke the bank by inking the 25-year-old Stanton to a record 13-year, $325 million deal. Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is here at Roger Dean Stadium...

The plan is for Scherzer to go three innings (with lineups)

The plan is for Scherzer to go three innings (with lineups)
JUPITER, Fla. - Right-hander Max Scherzer gets his second start of the exhibition season today against the Miami Marlins. He's expected to pitch three innings or around 55 pitches, according to Nationals manager Matt Williams. Jose Lobaton will get his first chance of the spring to work with Scherzer behind the plate. Danny Espinosa starts at shortstop today and should get more opportunities to familiarize himself with batting from the right side against right-handed pitching with former...

Rizzo: "It's Michael Taylor time right now"

Rizzo: "It's Michael Taylor time right now"
VIERA, Fla. - Dealing with injuries is nothing new for Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo. He was left scrambling throughout last season as the middle of his club's lineup formed a line to the disabled list. Bryce Harper, Wilson Ramos and Ryan Zimmerman all missed more than 50 games in 2014. Now, barely a week into the Grapefruit League season, Rizzo faces the predicament of replacing Denard Span, the team's offensive catalyst and best defensive outfielder. "He's a huge part of our...

Williams pleased as Gonzalez completes one round through the rotation

Williams pleased as Gonzalez completes one round through the rotation
VIERA, Fla. - It was a brief but successful first exhibition outing for Gio Gonzalez. The left-hander threw just 19 pitches, 15 for strikes, in two scoreless frames against the Braves. Gonzalez gave up just one hit, a double, and also recorded a strikeout. "It felt great," Gonzalez said. "My arm felt fantastic, strong. Shoulder felt great. I wasn't thinking about pitch count or anything like that. It was just go out there and try to attack the strike zone." Gonzalez is coming off a...

Williams says Span will be out four to six weeks after core surgery

Williams says Span will be out four to six weeks after core surgery
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals are experiencing their first bout with adversity this spring after center fielder Denard Span underwent surgery this morning to repair a right core muscle injury. Manager Matt Williams expects Span to be sidelined for four to six weeks before he can resume any baseball activity. Span first felt the injury coming into spring training, according to Williams. "He thought that it would work itself out," Williams said. "But once he ramped it up in the first game and...

Gio Gonzalez makes quick work of Braves in first outing (Nats lose 2-1)

Gio Gonzalez makes quick work of Braves in first outing (Nats lose 2-1)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Braves 2, Nationals 0 Recap: Gio Gonzalez looked good in his first outing of the exhibition season. He gave up one hit, a double to Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt, but was otherwise stellar in two innings of scoreless work that also included a strikeout. Overall, Gonzalez threw just 19 pitches with 11 for strikes. Tony Gwynn Jr. was 2-for-2 on the day with a double while starting in center field. The Nats had seven hits on the day and scored their only run on a...

Today's Braves-Nationals lineups

Today's Braves-Nationals lineups
VIERA, Fla. - While we wait for Nationals manager Matt Williams to address Denard Span's surgery today to repair a right core injury, here are today's lineups for the Braves and Nationals. You can watch today's game at 1 p.m. on MASN HD. Tony Gwynn Jr. gets the start in center field, Dan Uggla is the designated hitter against his former team and Bryce Harper is hitting cleanup. For the Braves CF Eric Young Jr.2B Jose Peraza3B Alberto CallaspoLF Jonny GomesC Christian Bethancourt1B Kelly...

Denard Span undergoes surgery to repair core injury (updated)

Denard Span undergoes surgery to repair core injury (updated)
VIERA, Fla. - Nationals center fielder Denard Span underwent surgery this morning to repair a right core muscle injury. Manager Matt Williams will provide an update on Span's recovery timetable later this morning in his pregame meeting with the media. There's no word yet on how the injury occurred. Span is coming off hernia surgery in December. He showed up in Viera a few days early and hasn't been limited early in spring training. "I feel pretty good," Span said while celebrating his...

Gonzalez gets his turn today

Gonzalez gets his turn today
VIERA, Fla. - Gio Gonzalez gets his first chance of the Grapefruit League season when he starts today against the Atlanta Braves at Space Coast Stadium in a 1 p.m. game that will be aired live on MASN HD. He's the last of the big five in the star-studded Nationals rotation, but maybe the least celebrated heading into this season. Yet, of the other four Nats starters, Max Scherzer is the only one other than Gonzalez to reach 20 wins in a season. Scherzer finished with 21 wins in 2013 en route...

Williams sees "tremendous" progress with Taylor

Williams sees "tremendous" progress with Taylor
TAMPA, Fla. - The Nationals are now 3-1 in the Grapefruit League after falling 3-2 to the Yankees on Sunday afternoon. It was the first tune-up start for Doug Fister, who needed just 19 pitches to complete two scoreless frames that included one hit and one walk. "I felt like it was my first outing of the spring," Fister said. "There's definitely some things I need to work on and I've got to get better at already. Not a bad outing to look at overall. Still fighting myself trying to stay...

Matt Williams on Danny Espinosa and Nats bench

Matt Williams on Danny Espinosa and Nats bench
TAMPA, Fla. - Doug Fister takes the ball today for his first tune-up of the exhibition season. Manager Matt Williams continues his plan of all starters throwing two innings or around 45 pitches. So far, Stephen Strasburg is the only member of the Nationals rotation to even reach 40 pitches. "At this time, we're making sure that they're getting through their games and they're healthy first and foremost, and when the season starts, then we'll turn them loose and let them go out there and do...

Sizzling bats for Moore and Taylor, Fister solid (Nats lose 3-2)

Sizzling bats for Moore and Taylor, Fister solid (Nats lose 3-2)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Yankees 3, Nationals 2 Recap: Michael A. Taylor led off today's game with his first home run of the exhibition season. The highly regarded outfield prospect also singled and is now 3-for-5 in two exhibition games. Tyler Moore added two more doubles in today's game. Through three games, Moore is 6-for-8 with four doubles, a home run, a triple and six RBIs. Doug Fister put in two solid scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk. Need to know: Ian Desmond was the...