nationals

LaRoche: "I'd love to stick around"

October 09, 2014, 9:57am

Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche spent a good 15 minutes this morning with "The Junkies" on 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C., and talked about the unfortunate abrupt ending to a great season. To listen to the entire interview, click here. One major topic is LaRoche's future with the team and whether the veteran will be with the Nationals next season or will the organization decide to put Ryan Zimmerman at first base. LaRoche's lefty bat, high baseball IQ and leadership in the...

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Evaluating the last three years isn't so easy

October 09, 2014, 5:27am

Nationals

Evaluating the last three years isn't so easy

Over the last three years, the Nationals have won 280 regular season games, most in the major leagues during that time. In 2012, they picked up 98 wins, the most in the game, and earned their first National League East title since baseball returned to D.C. in 2005. In 2013, even in a year that was considered a bust in Davey Johnson's "World Series or bust" campaign, the Nats still earned 86 wins, sixth-best in the NL and far from anything worth being ashamed of in the grand scheme of...

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Down to baseball's final four, predicting an orange-and-black World Series

October 10, 2014, 5:49am

Nationals Orioles

Down to baseball's final four, predicting an orange-and-black World Series

At the beginning of the postseason, there was a chance for a Bay Bridge Series between Oakland and San Francisco, an Interstate 70 Series between St. Louis and Kansas City, and a Beltways Series between Baltimore and Washington. Now the only possibility is the I-70 Series, but it's not going to happen. The Orioles will beat the Royals in five games and play in the World Series against the Giants, who will win the National League pennant in six games. It will be a black-and-orange World Series...

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Bats go quiet at the worst time

October 08, 2014, 8:05am

Nationals

For much of the regular season, especially the second half of the 2014 campaign, the Nationals were a team that got balanced offensive production throughout their lineup. This wasn't a team that was carried by one or two players from an offensive perspective. Despite the fact that the Nats finished with 96 wins, the most in the National League, they don't have a clear-cut MVP candidate. (Although Anthony Rendon should get quite a few votes.) The Nats prided themselves on their ability to...

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Harper proved to be a leader and star for Nationals in postseason setback

October 08, 2014, 10:06am

Nationals

One major bright spot from the National League Division series was the play of Bryce Harper. On a national stage, in the most difficult of moments, he delivered. Offensively, besides an early surge in the series by Anthony Rendon, he was the best hitter for the Nationals. Every one of his hits changed momentum or added to it for D.C. In Game 1, with the offense spinning its wheels and the team down 3-0 late, Harper crushed a home run off of Hunter Strickland into the third deck at Nationals...

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Nats express disappointment after season-ending 3-2 loss

October 07, 2014, 10:32pm

Nationals

Nats express disappointment after season-ending 3-2 loss

SAN FRANCISCO - They sure made things interesting. From earning the best record in the National League to Jordan Zimmermann's no-hitter on the last day of the regular season, the Nationals became, to many, the team to watch in the postseason. Who could beat their pitching staff, a rotation in which the postseason's odd man out pitched to a 2.85 ERA during the regular season? Beyond their rotation, the Nats bullpen shut down teams and Drew Storen had emerged as a lights-out closer. However, in...

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Nationals now must look within to find answers after stunning postseason defeat

October 08, 2014, 5:30am

Nationals

Suddenly, the Nationals season is over. The season began on March 31 and ended on Oct. 7. The team that won 96 games, had the best record in the National League, is out of the postseason after a mere four games. The Nationals have won 280 games over the past three seasons, won a pair of division titles, but have yet to advance to the League Championship Series. What happened? Really, how did this happen so fast? The pitching was good. Allowing the Giants to score nine runs in four games....

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Williams meets the media after Nats are ousted from playoffs

October 07, 2014, 9:04pm

Nationals

Williams meets the media after Nats are ousted from playoffs

The 96 victories the Nationals amassed this year, the 17-game bulge over the Braves in the National League East, all the hopes and dreams of a deeper run than in the 2012 postseason - all evaporated Tuesday night in a 3-2 loss to San Francisco in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. The Giants advance to face the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series. The Nationals go home. The emotional swing in the decisive seventh inning was gut-wrenching. Any momentum the Nationals...

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Nats' season ends with 3-2 loss in Game 4

October 07, 2014, 5:56pm

Nationals

Nats' season ends with 3-2 loss in Game 4

SAN FRANCISCO - Seven Giants hitters came to the plate in the bottom of the second inning. Only one hit the ball out of the infield. And San Francisco has a 2-0 lead. Gio Gonzalez could have had an inning-ending double play on Juan Perez's tapper back to the mound with one on and one out, but he couldn't handle the slow roller which had loads of spin on it, and it went for an error. Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong then dropped down a nice bunt which neither Gonzalez nor Anthony Rendon made a...

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Strasburg available in relief tonight, Nats' Game 5 starter still TBA

October 07, 2014, 4:26pm

Nationals

Strasburg available in relief tonight, Nats' Game 5 starter still TBA

SAN FRANCISCO - Giants manager Bruce Bochy said today that all his pitchers are available for tonight's Game 4 of the National League Division Series - even Jake Peavy, who would otherwise be tabbed as San Francisco's Game 5 starter. Nationals skipper Matt Williams will go with the same everyone-is-available approach. Williams said this afternoon that he is not ready to announce his Game 5 starter, saying, "We have a couple guys that would be certainly ready for Game 5. But we don't know...

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Clippard and Williams praise Harper's growth, performance

October 07, 2014, 3:40pm

Nationals

Clippard and Williams praise Harper's growth, performance

SAN FRANCISCO - Hear Bryce Harper's name and you probably think of a guy who's been around the league for a while. He's been talked about by national writers for several years and compared to many past and present greats. Heck, he's even been edited into a commercial with footage of Ted Williams and Babe Ruth. However, what some may forget is that Harper is still young. Despite spending almost three full seasons in the majors, Harper is still nine days shy of 22. Not too shabby for...

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Red October: Let's play another!

October 07, 2014, 12:33pm

Nationals

The Nationals won yesterday, meaning we - Bobby and Olivia - are still enjoying the West Coast! We're about to head back to AT&T Park for Game 4 of the National League Division Series. We'll be updating you on everything leading up to and during the game, so stay tuned! As always, follow along here and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat as we show you behind-the-scenes looks of the park! Oh, yeah. Side note. When you're on the West Coast, you have to stop at In-N-Out? Right....

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Nats run out same lineup for Game 4

October 07, 2014, 1:02pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals are running out the same lineup as they did in the first three games of this series. No changes from one through eight in Game 4. The Giants, however, are going with a new left fielder - right-handed-hitting Juan Perez - against left-hander Gio Gonzalez, and they've bumped third baseman Pablo Sandoval down to the No. 5 spot in the order. For the Nats CF Denard Span 3B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche SS Ian Desmond LF Bryce Harper C Wilson Ramos 2B...

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Looking for another win by the bay

October 07, 2014, 7:38am

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals have life. Their clubhouse after yesterday's Game 3 win was brimming with energy. Now they turn the ball over to their most energetic starting pitcher. After yesterday's dramatic victory, Gio Gonzalez now gets the ball for the Nats today in their second straight must-win ballgame. The left-hander hasn't started a game in 12 days, but with their season on the line, the Nationals will look to Gonzalez to help them extend the National League Division Series and...

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Nationals showed some fight in Game 3 to earn right to play tonight

October 07, 2014, 7:54am

Nationals

It was good to see the fight the Nationals showed in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. Doug Fister deserves a ton of credit. Bryce Harper played well in the field, drew a walk and hit a crucial solo homer in the ninth. That gave Drew Storen some room to breathe and he battled out of a two-on jam in the bottom of the ninth. You got the feeling that this team was better than their two games to none hole in the bets-of-five series and they proved it with a 4-1 win. It will now be...

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Red October: San Francisco, we have arrived

October 05, 2014, 8:27pm

Nationals

Red October: San Francisco, we have arrived

SAN FRANCISCO - Greetings from California! It's quite the change of pace out here on the West Coast, and the Nationals are hoping that can translate to victory in this must-win game Game 3 of the National League Division Series. Today marks our first time seeing AT&T Park. So follow along here and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat as we show you behind-the-scenes looks of the ballpark as the Nats get ready for Game 3 of the National League Division Series! 12:35 p.m. - Bobby -...

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The break they've been waiting for

October 06, 2014, 5:28pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - As the ball got past Pablo Sandoval's outstretched glove hand and trickled down the left field line, multiple Nationals knew that moment could be it. It could be the momentum-shifter, the play that they had been looking for. "I mentioned it yesterday, that we just need one break," reliever Drew Storen said. "It's been a tough couple games here to start. And we got our break." Prior to starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner's errant throw to third on Wilson Ramos'...

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Fister dominates Giants to keep Nationals' playoff hopes alive

October 06, 2014, 5:27pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - Win or pack your bags, head home and prepare for a long offseason. That's the situation the Nationals found themselves in today, trailing the Giants two games to none in the best-of-five National League Division Series. Doug Fister chose to stay in San Francisco another day. The right-hander took the mound at AT&T Park in a do-or-die game and did what he did 16 other times this season: win. "Doug pitched great," manager Matt Williams said. "He was in command all day with...

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Hearing from Williams after Nats' win in NLDS Game 3

October 06, 2014, 5:21pm

Nationals

Hearing from Williams after Nats' win in NLDS Game 3

Say this about Nationals manager Matt Williams: He's immensely even-keeled regardless of the situation. It's hard to tell if he's eight runs up or eight runs down just by looking at the expression on his face. In his postgame meeting with the media following the Nationals' 4-1 win over the Giants in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, Williams was his typical focused and unflappable self, refusing to bite on questions about his team's two games to one hole in the best-of-five...

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Nats live to see another day with 4-1 win in Game 3

October 06, 2014, 3:20pm

Nationals

Nats live to see another day with 4-1 win in Game 3

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals said coming into San Francisco that if they just played their game and got a break or two along the way, that they could very easily come back to win this series. They might have just gotten that break. Madison Bumgarner's throwing error on a Wilson Ramos sacrifice bunt led to two runs, and the Nats tacked on an additional run in the seventh inning to take a 3-0 lead. Ramos came up with two on and nobody out after Ian Desmond's leadoff single and a Bryce Harper...