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Breaking down one voter's NL Most Valuable Player ballot

November 14, 2014, 11:51am

The night before the final day of the regular season, I went to bed with Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw on top of my National League Most Valuable Player ballot. My feeling was that he had historic dominance and the Dodgers would not have won the National League West without him. That's true. Then, the next morning, I thought the same could be said for Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen, given he was an everyday player as opposed to a pitcher who made 27 starts and missed the first month of the...

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Nationals agree to terms with infielder/outfielder Kevin Frandsen

November 14, 2014, 6:57am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms on a Major League contract with infielder/outfielder Kevin Frandsen, avoiding arbitration and securing the utility man for a second season in D.C. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Frandsen, 32, hit .259 with a team-leading 11 pinch hits for the Nationals in 2014 - ranking him 10th in the National League in that category. An exceptionally versatile player, Frandsen appeared in 105 games for the...

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Rendon comes in fifth in NL MVP voting

November 13, 2014, 2:24pm

Nationals

Anthony Rendon's stellar 2014 campaign got noticed across the baseball landscape. The Nationals third baseman finished fifth in the National League Most Valuable Player voting tonight, this in just his first full big league season. This is the highest a Nationals player has ever landed on the NL MVP ballot. Rendon got a total of 155 points in the balloting, and received one third-place vote. He was listed on 29 of the 30 ballots. The 24-year-old finished behind Clayton Kershaw (who won...

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Nats well-represented on Cy Young ballot

November 13, 2014, 5:17am

Nationals

Nats well-represented on Cy Young ballot

We all knew Clayton Kershaw was going to win the National League Cy Young Award last night. He did. We all figured it was going to be a unanimous vote, after Kershaw went a ridiculous 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA in 198 1/3 innings this season. It was. Kershaw became just the 14th pitcher to win the NL Cy Young by a unanimous vote, joining Sandy Koufax (three times), Greg Maddux (twice), Randy Johnson, Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, Rick Sutcliffe, Dwight Gooden, Orel Hershiser, Jake Peavy and Roy...

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The rarest of rare Washington baseball uniforms

November 13, 2014, 8:21am

Nationals

The rarest of rare Washington baseball uniforms

Holiday shopping season is upon us, and more than a few folks will be buying replica Nationals uniform jerseys for the baseball-crazy fans on their naughty-or-nice lists. There's nothing like a successful season - a second National League East title and playoff appearance in three seasons - to jack up sales in the official team store or via your favorite Major League Baseball-approved website. There are few things more American than baseball, apple pie, Chevrolet - and the ringing of cash...

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On the Jordan Zimmermann trade rumor and what it all means

November 12, 2014, 5:09am

Nationals

On the Jordan Zimmermann trade rumor and what it all means

You know the offseason is truly under way when we have a report of a monster trade coming from one outlet, and multiple other outlets quickly shooting that report down. Last night, said report involved the Nationals and the starting pitcher who many people would consider to be the team's ace. The Chicago Sun-Times reported last night that the Cubs are actively involved in talks to acquire Jordan Zimmermann from the Nationals, with one of Chicago's many talented middle infield prospects coming...

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Williams on NL Manager of the Year award: "I'm proud of that and humbled by it"

November 11, 2014, 3:07pm

Nationals

Williams on NL Manager of the Year award: "I'm proud of that and humbled by it"

Shortly after winning the National League Manager of the Year award, Nationals skipper Matt Williams took part in a conference call with reporters, discussing an honor that he said he considers an "organizational award." The trophy will have his name inscribed on it. And Williams will forever have 2014 NL Manager of the Year on his resume. But not surprisingly, Williams was quick to deflect praise and spread the compliments around to his players, coaches and members of the front office for...

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Nationals will retain entire coaching staff for 2015

November 12, 2014, 6:24am

Nationals

A day after Matt Williams won National League Manager of the Year honors, the Nationals announced that they will welcome back his entire coaching staff from the 2014 season. All seven members of the Nats coaching staff - bench coach Randy Knorr, pitching coach Steve McCatty, hitting coach Rick Schu, third base coach Bobby Henley, first base coach Tony Tarasco, bullpen coach Matt LeCroy and defensive coordinator/advance coach Mark Weidemaier - will be back in 2015. This marks the first time...

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Nationals announce return of entire coaching staff

November 12, 2014, 6:16am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals announced today that they will welcome back all of their coaches from the 2014 staff. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. In keeping bench coach Randy Knorr, pitching coach Steve McCatty, hitting coach Rick Schu, third base coach Bobby Henley, first base coach Tony Tarasco, bullpen coach Matt LeCroy, and defensive coordinator/advance coach Mark Weidemaier in the fold for 2015, Manager Matt Williams will have stability...

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News and notes from around the NL East

November 11, 2014, 5:29am

Nationals

Are there any other players out there named Manny that the Nationals can sign this week? They inked Manny Delcarmen and Emmanuel "Manny" Burriss to minor league deals yesterday, bringing back two players who spent 2014 at Triple-A Syracuse and giving both invitations to big league spring training. Manny Ramirez is still out there. Anyone interested? Starting tonight at 6 p.m. on MLB Network, the results of the Baseball Writers' Association of America voting on the Manager of the Year awards...

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Matt Williams wins NL Manager of the Year award

November 11, 2014, 1:29pm

Nationals

Matt Williams wins NL Manager of the Year award

In his first year as a major league skipper, Matt Williams has earned the top award in his profession. Williams has been named National League Manager of the Year for the 2014 season, as voted on at the end of the regular season by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Williams received a total of 109 votes, including 18 of the 30 first-place votes. The Nationals manager also received six second-place votes and was written in as the third-place finisher on one ballot. Pirates...

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Nationals manager Matt Williams named 2014 BBWAA NL Manager of the Year

November 11, 2014, 1:28pm

Nationals

Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams was named the 2014 National League Manager of the Year Tuesday night by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Williams received a total 109 points, including 80 first-place votes. Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle finished second in the voting, and San Francisco Giants Manager Bruce Bochy was third. Williams, who becomes the second manager in Nationals history to earn this honor, had an exceptionally successful rookie season in the dugout...

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Burriss, Delcarmen get minor league deals, spring training invites

November 10, 2014, 6:57am

Nationals

Burriss, Delcarmen get minor league deals, spring training invites

The Nationals have agreed to minor league deals with infielder Emmanuel Burriss and right-handed reliever Manny Delcarmen, and both will get invitations to major league spring training in Viera, Fla. The 29-year-old Burriss signed a minor league deal with the Nats in December 2013 and hit .300/.377/.412 in 116 games at Triple-A Syracuse, where he played mostly shortstop. Burriss, a native of Washington, D.C., is a career .243 hitter in five seasons with the Giants, but hasn't played in the...

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A look inside GM Mike Rizzo's trade history

November 10, 2014, 6:44am

Nationals

A look inside GM Mike Rizzo's trade history

Major league general managers are convening in Phoenix starting today to meet with officials from the commissioner's office, go over potential rules changes, discuss what worked (and didn't) with expanded replay and initiate the process of filling roster holes in anticipation of the 2015 season. The reality is that few deals are made at the GM meetings. However, it's a venue where a lot of talks get started, with the hope of consummating deals a few weeks later at the Winter Meetings (which...

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Predicting this week's BBWAA award winners

November 10, 2014, 4:11am

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Predicting this week's BBWAA award winners

The Baseball Writers' Association of America announces its awards for the 2014 season this week, starting with the top rookies and finishing with the Most Valuable Players. Some races are obvious. Others are up for debate. Ballots were due the final day of the season, so October doesn't count. That's good news for the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw, not so much for Madison Bumgarner, the Giants' World Series hero. Here's the scouting report on each of the ballots: Ballot with the most No. 1...

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Some of this, some of that

November 10, 2014, 4:46am

Nationals

While it might seem like the World Series just ended a couple days ago, the general managers' meetings begin today in Phoenix, marking the first fairly significant event in the major league offseason. By "fairly significant," I don't mean that much wheeling and dealing typically happens during the GM meetings. If we come out of this four-day stretch with news of more than a couple of trades or big free agent signings, I'll be surprised. We're still early in the offseason, after all. But...

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Another National excelling in winter league play

November 09, 2014, 5:40am

Nationals

Another National excelling in winter league play

He's not a minor leaguer that will sit atop various prospect lists or have Nationals fans clamoring for his jersey this winter. But Rafael Martin had a tremendous 2014 campaign, and he's now dominating winter league action, as well. The 30-year-old reliever appeared at three different levels of the Nats' minor league system this year, and put up a stellar 1.39 ERA in 58 1/3 innings over 38 appearances. Martin struck out 66, walked just 12, had a 0.806 WHIP and allowed only one home run all...

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A big few months for Moore

November 08, 2014, 4:45am

Nationals

We all saw in 2012 what Tyler Moore is capable of. That season, Moore put up a .840 OPS and hit 10 home runs in just 156 at-bats in his first taste of the big leagues, putting himself on the radar of Nationals fans and seemingly positioning himself as, at the very least, a productive bench bat on the major league roster going forward. Things haven't worked out as planned. Moore hit .222 with a .607 OPS in 63 games in 2013, then hit .231 with a .685 OPS this last season, shuttling back and...

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Don't miss five "Nationals Classics" on MASN HD this week

November 07, 2014, 6:42am

Nationals

Last week, shortstop Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon won Silver Slugger Awards for being the top offensive players at their respective positions. Tomorrow, manager Matt Williams will find out if he's been named National League Manager of the Year for leading the 2014 Nationals to the best record in baseball. I know, I know, - awards season is not the same as watching actual baseball games. If you're missing your Nationals, however, you have the opportunity to watch five "Nationals...

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Some more on the Silver Sluggers (and Japan All-Star Series update)

November 07, 2014, 5:08am

Nationals

Some more on the Silver Sluggers (and Japan All-Star Series update)

It had been six years since a team last had both members of the left side of its infield win Silver Sluggers. Derek Jeter and everyone's favorite, Alex Rodriguez, accomplished that feat with the Yankees in 2008. Now Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon are the newest shortstop/third base combo to take home baseball's top offensive award. Last night, Desmond won his third straight Silver Slugger Award, presented by Louisville Slugger, putting him in a pretty prestigious club. The only shortstops in...