nationals

Nats positional preview: Catcher

February 05, 2015, 10:20am

With just about two weeks remaining until pitchers and catchers report, we begin our daily position-by-position breakdown of the Nationals. We lead off with catcher. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo has assembled one of best starting pitching rotations in the past few decades. The staff possesses a unique array of pitches and personalities. Manager Matt Williams and pitching coach Steve McCatty will mostly rely on Wilson Ramos to handle each of them behind the plate throughout the...

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Manfred knows Washington politics well

February 04, 2015, 3:10pm

Nationals

New Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred was in the nation's capital on Wednesday to visit with kids during a tour of the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. While posing for a picture, one of the youngsters asked Manfred which major league team was his favorite. Manfred, not wanting to name a team for obvious political reasons, opted for what he thought was a safer answer. "The first game I ever went to was a Yankees game," said Manfred. The kids, mostly from D.C.'s Wards 7 and 8,...

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Still reminiscing the commissioner's visit, progress continues at the Nats youth baseball academy

February 05, 2015, 1:36pm

Nationals

Still reminiscing the commissioner's visit, progress continues at the Nats youth baseball academy

The day after a visit from the commissioner of Major League Baseball, the work and progress goes on for the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in southeast D.C. Executive director Tal Alter has been here since the academy was just an idea, and has watched the facility grow from its first shovel in the dirt to a living, breathing entity that is making an impact on the lives of dozens of school-age children in the surrounding neighborhoods. "We are a start-up, that's for sure," Alter said. "We...

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I can't hear you, Philadelphia?

February 03, 2015, 9:53pm

Nationals

How far have the Phillies fallen? So far that a Pennsylvania radio station has decided to drop them from its airwaves to start broadcasting Nationals games. That's right. Sports Radio 96.5 FM in Harrisburg, Pa., is kicking the Phillie Phanatic to the curb and making way for Teddy and the boys. Ron Giovanniello, regional vice president of Cumulus Media Pennsylvania, confirmed the move to The Patriot-News. "Our agreement was up and we made the decision last week to part ways with the Phillies...

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A competitive Janssen expects success in Washington

February 02, 2015, 7:01pm

Nationals

A competitive Janssen expects success in Washington

A few weeks ago, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo left some questioning his decision to trade reliever Tyler Clippard to Oakland for infielder Yunel Escobar. It seemed as though Rizzo was prepared to go with his young arms in the bullpen, especially after trading Ross Detwiler to Texas and allowing Rafael Soriano to leave as a free agent. But last Wednesday, Rizzo responded to the doubters by signing veteran late-inning reliever Casey Janssen. The deal, which guarantees Janssen $5 million...

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Commissioner says Nationals Youth Baseball Academy is baseball "at its best"

February 04, 2015, 12:36pm

Nationals

New Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred got an extensive tour of the Nationals Youth baseball Academy in southeast Washington on Wednesday and came away from the visit very impressed with its progress. "I'm always happy to be in Washington. Obviously, Washington is always a special market for us, the nation's capital," he said. "I appreciate the Nationals hosting me today. The visit here is really important to me. One of the things I hope to accomplish during my time as...

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Palm Beach County joins West Palm Beach in approving land swap for new spring training facility (with teams' statement)

February 03, 2015, 6:45am

Nationals

Palm Beach County joins West Palm Beach in approving land swap for new spring training facility (with teams' statement)

Palm Beach County commissioners voted 6-1 this morning to OK a land swap with the City of West Palm Beach and the conceptual plan for a new spring training complex in West Palm Beach that would be shared by the Astros and Nationals. The move means the teams will move a step closer to building a new spring training facility on 160 acres at the southeast corner of Haverhill Road and 45th Street on the site of a former landfill. In exchange for the city-owned parcel, West Palm Beach will receive...

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Washington Nationals announce 2015 spring training broadcast schedule

February 03, 2015, 9:46am

Nationals

Washington Nationals broadcast partners Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) and 106.7 The Fan will broadcast a total of 14 Nationals Spring Training matchups throughout the weeks leading up to the start of the 2015 regular season. The Nationals 2015 Grapefruit League schedule features seven games televised by MASN and a combined 10 games airing on 106.7 The Fan and partner station CBS Sports Radio 1580 AM. 106.7 The Fan will also offer regular reports from Florida throughout Nationals Spring...

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Enjoy two "Nationals Classics" on MASN HD this week

February 03, 2015, 6:59am

Nationals

With football officially behind us until August, our eyes are now focused solely on baseball. That's right, Nationals pitchers and catcher officially report to Viera, Fla., in 16 days. While we patiently await the report date, catch two "Nationals Classics" this week on MASN HD. Tuesday, Feb. 3, 7 p.m.: On the last day of the 2014 regular season, Jordan Zimmermann pitched the first no-hitter in Nationals history. Zimmermann issued just one walk and outfielder Steven Souza Jr. kept...

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A super week for Harper and Williams

February 02, 2015, 7:07am

Nationals

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper had a tremendous Super Bowl week. Harper rubbed elbows with some big names in the sports and entertainment world over the weekend and chronicled many of the moments on his Instagram account. Bryan Harper, a Nationals farmhand, accompanied his brother throughout his desert odyssey. Bryce Harper's week in Arizona began at Nationals manager Matt Williams' house for the Big Game, Big Give fundraiser on Saturday night. Williams, who played six years for the...

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Defense is trending

February 01, 2015, 11:52pm

Nationals

It was a spectacular defensive play by New England rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler that secured the Lombardi Trophy for the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. On the other side, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is dealing with second-guessing from the media and others for not giving punishing running back Marshawn Lynch the ball at the 1-yard line as the game clock was winding down. So the NFL season ends with coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady winning the Patriots' fourth...

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Nationals agree to terms with right-hander Casey Janssen

February 02, 2015, 9:21am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Casey Janssen on a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2016 on Monday. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Janssen, 33, joins the Nationals after 10 years in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, including five consecutive Major League seasons with an ERA of 3.95 or lower. "We are happy to add Casey Janssen to our stable of relief arms," Rizzo said. "We're excited...

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A February call-up (or please allow me to introduce myself)

January 31, 2015, 11:41am

Nationals

A February call-up (or please allow me to introduce myself)

Hello, Nats fans! I'm thrilled to be with you throughout the upcoming Nationals season. In the words of Mick Jagger or Eminem, depending on your era or musical preference, please allow me to introduce myself. I'm part of what many would call a rare breed. I'm actually a native Washingtonian. I was born and raised in Wheaton, Md. Unfortunately, I grew up like most of you - without a baseball team in D.C. This probably helped my academic career, otherwise I probably would have broken the...

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Werth sentenced to five days in jail for reckless driving (updated with Nats statement)

January 29, 2015, 7:45am

Nationals

Werth sentenced to five days in jail for reckless driving (updated with Nats statement)

Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth pleaded guilty to reckless driving charges today in Fairfax County Circuit Court and has been sentenced to serve five days in jail. In addition, his driver's license will be suspended for 30 days. Werth, 35, was sentenced to 10 days in jail (with 170 days suspended) on Dec. 5, and lost his driver's license as a result of the verdict. Werth appealed the verdict, leading to today's adjudication. He was cited on July 6 by a Virginia state trooper for driving...

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Could Stammen find his role changing slightly?

January 28, 2015, 5:47am

Nationals

Could Stammen find his role changing slightly?

We've talked about how Tyler Clippard and Rafael Soriano's departures create a hole at the back end of the Nationals bullpen, and how roles might have to be adjusted this upcoming season. There are certainly guys who could be used in higher leverage situations, should they prove they are capable of handling the load. We've mentioned Casey Janssen, Matt Thornton, Aaron Barrett, Blake Treinen and others as possibilities, with Janssen looking like the most likely eighth-inning option. Should...

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MASN announces Nationals spring training broadcast schedule (with website news)

January 28, 2015, 7:32pm

Nationals

Three weeks from tomorrow, Nationals pitchers and catchers will report to Viera, Fla., to kick off spring training. Just over than two weeks after that, the first Nats spring training broadcast will air on MASN HD. MASN has announced its spring training broadcast schedule, which will feature seven games during the Nats' 2015 Grapefruit League campaign. The first broadcast will be Saturday, March 7 at 1 p.m., when the Nats host the Cardinals at Space Coast Stadium in Viera. Two days later, on...

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Nats sign reliever Casey Janssen to one-year deal (updated)

January 28, 2015, 6:03am

Nationals

Nats sign reliever Casey Janssen to one-year deal (updated)

The Nationals might have just found their replacement for Tyler Clippard in the eighth inning. The Nats have signed former Blue Jays closer Casey Janssen to a one-year, $5 million deal with a mutual option for 2016, a source confirmed. FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal was first to report the signing. Janssen, 33, became the Blue Jays' full-time closer in 2012, and posted 81 saves in 91 opportunities over the last three seasons. The right-hander had a very strong three-year run with Toronto...

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Nats, Astros hope Florida legislature can clear hurdle for new spring training complex

January 27, 2015, 11:54am

Nationals

Nats, Astros hope Florida legislature can clear hurdle for new spring training complex

If the Astros and Nationals are going to get their long-awaited shared spring training complex in West Palm Beach, they're going to have to overcome a late-in-the-process hurdle. The Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale reported Monday that drinking water protections on the parcel of land where the teams want to have a $135 million facility constructed could stand in the way of the project's completion. In order for the shared spring training home to move forward, the Florida legislature needs to...

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MASN announces seven-game 2015 spring training broadcast schedule for Washington Nationals

January 29, 2015, 4:21am

Nationals

MASN, the television home of the defending National League East champion Washington Nationals, will broadcast seven Nationals spring training games during the 2015 Grapefruit League campaign. All of the games will appear on MASN HD, beginning with the Nationals' March 7 home game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Viera, Fla. The network's Grapefruit League coverage also includes six more games, five of them from Space Coast Stadium, the Nationals' spring training home: March 9 against the...

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What can realistically be expected of Giolito?

January 27, 2015, 5:18am

Nationals

What can realistically be expected of Giolito?

Lucas Giolito's stock was high when the Nationals selected the Harvard-Westlake High School product with the 16th overall pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. Giolito's stock has only risen since then, even with the 6-foot-6 right-hander needing Tommy John surgery just a couple of weeks after he was signed. The 20-year-old is the top pitching prospect in baseball, according to the prospect gurus at MLB.com. He sports a fastball that has reached triple digits in the past, a power...