nationals

West Palm Beach agrees to negotiate land swap for new Nats spring training site

January 05, 2015, 11:51am

The Nationals' long search for a new, permanent spring training home moved a step closer to a positive resolution on Monday. The city of West Palm Beach, Fla., has agreed to begin negotiations on a swap 160 acres of land at 45th Street and Haverhill Road to Palm Beach County for 1.8 acres of county-owned land in West Palm Beach. That transaction, if completed, could lead to the construction of a two-team spring training facility that would be shared by the Nationals and Houston Astros. "If an...

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A big year upcoming for Solis

January 06, 2015, 5:02am

Nationals

The ability and potential that Sammy Solis possesses are clear. A 6-foot-5, 250-lb. left-hander who was a second-round pick out of the University of San Diego in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, Solis has been highly ranked on various lists of the top prospects in the Nationals organization since being drafted. The question now is whether Solis, 26, can stay healthy long enough to showcase the talent that has led scouts to believe he could one day be a middle to top-of-the-rotation big league...

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Hearing from the newest members of baseball's Hall of Fame

January 06, 2015, 3:50pm

Nationals Orioles

Hearing from the newest members of baseball's Hall of Fame

For the first time since 1955, the Baseball Writers' Association of America has elected four players to the Hall of Fame. Pitchers Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz, as well as Craig Biggio, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 26 in Cooperstown, N.Y. The BBWAA has not voted in four players in one vote since electing Joe DiMaggio, Gabby Hartnett, Ted Lyons and Dazzy Vance six decades ago. The three pitchers were elected on their first try, Biggio on his third. The...

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Catch two "Nationals Classics" this week on MASN HD

January 06, 2015, 5:34am

Nationals

Happy new year from the MASNsports.com staff! As the snow continues to fall this morning, remember we are just 44 days away from the date Nationals pitchers and catchers report to spring training. While you're trying to stay warm from today's snow, check out which "Nationals Classics" MASN HD is airing this week. Here's what's on deck: Tuesday, Jan. 6, 11:30 p.m.: The Nationals kicked off the 2013 season with a bang from young stars Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg. Harper hit two home...

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Blevins looking to build off strong finish to 2014

January 05, 2015, 4:45am

Nationals

Blevins looking to build off strong finish to 2014

The overall numbers posted by Jerry Blevins during the 2014 season probably aren't to the 31-year-old left-hander's liking. After back-to-back seasons of posting an ERA at or below 3.15 and a WHIP under 1.075, Blevins saw his numbers inflated in 2014, as he pitched to a 4.87 ERA and 1.238 WHIP in 64 games spanning 57 1/3 innings. He did have some impressive peripheral numbers, however, seeing his home runs per nine innings get cut in half from where it stood the prior two seasons, and seeing...

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Treinen's role uncertain in 2015

January 04, 2015, 5:15am

Nationals

Blake Treinen was quite valuable in 2014 as the Nationals' sixth starter, the guy they called upon when one of their starting five landed on the disabled list or when they needed a spot start in a doubleheader. In his first taste of the big leagues, Treinen impressed, posting a 3.00 ERA in his seven starts. He had trouble his third time through the order, but was still effective with his mid- to upper-90s sinker and mix of a changeup and breaking ball. But when the Nationals needed Treinen's...

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Some of this, some of that

January 02, 2015, 5:06am

Nationals

Yesterday afternoon was a bit strange for me. Not only did I actually get a chance to sit in the seats at Nationals Park and watch a sporting event, but there was a hockey rink smack-dab in the middle of the field. Play ba ... wait, no. We'll have to wait a few more months for that. Yesterday's Winter Classic was a very enjoyable experience, largely because it was just such a cool thing to be a part of. The sight lines from my lower-level seat weren't great, and I'll admit that I had...

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What's an acceptable result in 2015?

December 31, 2014, 2:33pm

Nationals

Well, hello, 2015. Nice to see you. Hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve, and that you're not feeling too beat up this morning after any late-night celebrating that might have gone on. I'll plead the Fifth on that one, personally. Remember a couple of days ago when I said that I wouldn't be attending the Winter Classic and would instead be enjoying the event from the warmth and comfort of my living room? Well, consider me a liar. I was offered a ticket to today's...

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Caps, Blackhawks turn Nationals Park into winter wonderland

January 01, 2015, 11:27am

Nationals

Standing against the wall of an elevator descending to field level at Nationals Park, Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner blends in a little too well with the rest of the red-clad Capitals fans streaming into the ballyard for the National Hockey League's Bridgestone Winter Classic. Nationals curly W sweater? Check. Winter Classic jacket to brave the chilly temps and biting breeze? You bet. Caps toque? Of course, even the little snowball on top seems both festive and appropriate. Sunglasses?...

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A closer look at Zobrist

December 31, 2014, 5:24am

Nationals

There is usually minimal action in between Christmas and New Year's when it comes to the baseball hot stove. Most, if not all, teams close their offices during this time, allowing their employees to be with their families and take some rare vacation time. That doesn't really apply to general managers and their top lieutenants, however, and agents don't typically take much of a break this time of year, either. So while this is a quiet period in the MLB offseason, it isn't void of any...

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Looking three months into the future (Cabrera agrees to deal with Rays, per report)

December 29, 2014, 9:36pm

Nationals

Looking three months into the future (Cabrera agrees to deal with Rays, per report)

A little over three months from now (three months and a week, to be exact), the Nationals will open their 2015 regular season at home against the Mets. It'll be a 4:05 p.m. contest on a Monday afternoon. Bolt work a couple of hours early and bundle up. There is still a good bit to be decided before then when it comes to the construction of the Nats roster. Who will play second base? Who will take up the last couple of spots in the bullpen? How will the five bench spots be handled? Will any of...

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Ramos looking for a DL-free 2015 campaign

December 29, 2014, 4:48am

Nationals

Ramos looking for a DL-free 2015 campaign

I'm not going to lie - the pictures of Nationals Park with a hockey rink smack dab in the middle of the field both look very bizarre and also have me very excited for the NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Day. I won't be attending the game between the Capitals and Blackhawks, largely because I plan on enjoying the afternoon from the warmth and comfort of my couch instead of sitting through a game in which temperatures will be in the upper 30s. But it will be cool to see the NHL's premiere...

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Examining who should and who will make the 2015 Hall of Fame class

December 31, 2014, 3:40am

Nationals Orioles

Examining who should and who will make the 2015 Hall of Fame class

The new class of Hall of Famers will be announced Tuesday, and this time, the 500-plus voters from the Baseball Writers' Association of America had a new wrinkle to debate. There are three dozen names or so on the ballot, but the voting rules from the Hall of Fame say that a voter can select no more than 10. The problem is that many voters think there are more than 10 qualified players. So, that means voters will come up with a unique strategy. Mike Berardino, who covers the Minnesota Twins...

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What can be expected of McLouth in 2015?

December 28, 2014, 4:57am

Nationals

What can be expected of McLouth in 2015?

Last year right around this time, the Nationals were penciling in the newly signed Nate McLouth as their fourth outfielder, confident that he would be able to play all three outfield positions at a high level and give Jayson Werth, Denard Span and Bryce Harper somewhat regular days off in order to keep those three fresh. The Nats inked McLouth to a two-year, $10.75 million contract last December - a hefty sum for a reserve, but a deal that the club felt would pay off thanks to McLouth's...

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A bit more on the Uggla signing

December 27, 2014, 5:28am

Nationals

I wasn't necessarily surprised at the fan reaction on Twitter and in the comments section of this blog yesterday after the Nationals signed Dan Uggla to a minor league deal. Nats fans have seen quite a bit of Uggla over the last handful of years while he was with the Braves. And most of it hasn't been great. They saw him go from a Silver Slugger 2010 campaign with the Marlins in which he hit .287 with an .877 OPS and 33 homers, to a 2011 season with the Braves in which he still slugged 36...

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Nats sign Dan Uggla to minor league deal (updated with more signings)

December 26, 2014, 6:47am

Nationals

Nats sign Dan Uggla to minor league deal (updated with more signings)

The Nationals have signed second baseman Dan Uggla to a minor league deal, the team announced, reuniting the veteran infielder with Mike Rizzo, who as the Diamondbacks' scouting director drafted Uggla in 2001. Uggla's minor league deal includes an invitation to big league spring training, where he will likely compete for the Nats' starting second base job. Uggla has big power potential, and displayed it from 2007-2011, when he hit more than 30 home runs five years in a row. Since then,...

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Recapping what I missed

December 25, 2014, 9:37pm

Nationals

Well, hello again, everyone. I'm back after a nice two-week trip out of the country, and while I missed out on much of the holiday season while I was away, I hope all of you enjoyed some quality time with your families and got some good food in ya. If you celebrate Christmas, I hope yesterday was merry and joyous. If you don't, I hope you enjoyed your Chinese food and a movie. What did I miss on the Nationals front while I was away? Well, not a ton, although the Nats did make one...

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Who will stay and who will go?

December 24, 2014, 8:16am

Nationals

In a previous life, I was a store Santa. For six years, beginning in college and lasting into my first newspaper job, I donned the red suit and white beard (and used professional makeup to whiten my eyebrows, mustache and facial hair), first for Montgomery Ward and later as a jolly ol' elf for hire at office functions, private parties and even delivered poinsettias for a florist friend. To this day, the Santa gig remains one of my all-time favorite jobs, especially when I could surprise...

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Why those minor league deals are important

December 23, 2014, 4:31am

Nationals

Why those minor league deals are important

There's been some spirited debate in NatsTown over the past couple of days sparked by the announcement that the Nationals had signed Heath Bell to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league spring training. People are wondering why the Nats would need to invest time, money and innings on a guy on the downside of his career, a pitcher obviously past his prime. Or, in the case of yesterday's news that third baseman Ian Stewart had signed a minor league deal, an infielder who has...

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Is Cole ready to contribute? (updated with promotion, signing notes)

December 22, 2014, 9:08am

Nationals

Is Cole ready to contribute? (updated with promotion, signing notes)

If now-departed outfielder Steven Souza Jr. was the most popular name brought up by other teams at the Winter Meetings in San Diego earlier this month, right-handed pitching prospect A.J. Cole might have been a close second. One scout told me in the lobby of the Manchester Grand Hyatt that his team had been trying to pry Cole away from the Nationals since general manager Mike Rizzo reacquired him from the A's in a three-team trade in January 2013. "No dice," the scout told me. "They ain't...