nationals

Williams updates Fister's simulated game and Harper's quad

April 17, 2014, 1:38pm

Manager Matt Williams had some positive news on the recovery of right-hander Doug Fister, who has been on the disabled list with a right lat strain since the beginning of the season Williams reported Fister tossed two innings and 28 pitches today in a simulated game in extended spring training in Viera, Fla. "Felt good about it," Williams said. "Reports are his second inning was better than his first inning, which is a good sign and so the plan is he will be on normal rest, five-day type...

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Rough start for Nats in opener vs. Cards (St. Louis wins 8-0)

April 17, 2014, 3:17pm

Nationals

Rough start for Nats in opener vs. Cards (St. Louis wins 8-0)

It's been a shaky start for the Nationals, who trail 3-0. Matt Carpenter reached first base in the top of the first when shortstop Ian Desmond bobbled a grounder right to him. Kolten Wong was safe with a single when Taylor Jordan could not get the ball out of his glove in time for the toss to first baseman Adam LaRoche. With two men on, Matt Holliday's RBI double made it 1-0. Matt Adams followed with a run-scoring grounder and Yadier Molina slapped a RBI single to left. Suddenly, it was 3-0...

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Williams and Espinosa respect Cardinals, but it's more about the Nats

April 17, 2014, 2:26pm

Nationals

Williams and Espinosa respect Cardinals, but it's more about the Nats

Nationals manager Matt Williams has respect for the Cardinals as they begin a four-game series at Nationals Park, with both teams at 9-6. They have a lot in common, with great starting pitching and timely hitting. But is Williams intimidated by playing them because the Nats' record early this season against better teams? Not necessarily. "They play the game really well," Williams said. "They do a lot of things really well. It starts with their rotation. They have got one of the best...

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Harper back in Nats lineup

April 17, 2014, 11:27am

Nationals

After being scratched about an hour before gametime Wednesday, Bryce Harper is back in the Nationals lineup tonight against the Cardinals. Harper missed the series finale at Miami because of quad tightness. He's back to batting second and playing left field. Third baseman Anthony Rendon is leading off and Nate McLouth is playing center field. Taylor Jordan is on the mound, looking to rebound from allowing five runs and 10 hits in five innings at Atlanta on Saturday. Adam Wainwright starts for...

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Some early notes and quotes

April 17, 2014, 12:39am

Nationals

There's one aspect of the major league schedule that you don't really think about until you're a part of it: the travel. The Nationals faced Jose Fernandez, one of the toughest pitchers in the majors, Wednesday night in Miami. They managed to come back from a three-run deficit and pick up a win, then headed out for the Miami airport after the game. The team plane landed in D.C. at 2 a.m., and buses didn't get back to the stadium until right around 3 a.m. By the time most players got settled...

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David Huzzard: Exploding the myth of the window of opportunity

April 17, 2014, 5:02am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Exploding the myth of the window of opportunity

Nationals fans have heard a lot about the window of opportunity lately, how it is only open for a limited amount of time and how they need to take advantage of the opportunity while they have it. The main focus of this window is on the core of the team, and who that core is or how many players it consists of could be up for some debate, but there is evidence that the window of opportunity is a lie. That evidence exists in the form of tonight's opponent, the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals'...

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Walters delivers game's biggest hit against familiar foe

April 17, 2014, 3:36am

Nationals

Walters delivers game's biggest hit against familiar foe

Baseball is a small world. With apologies to Kevin Bacon, call it six degrees of separation on the diamond. Nationals pinch-hitter Zach Walters crushed a slider off of Marlins reliever Mike Dunn to give the Nats their first lead of Wednesday's game. The Nationals end up winning 6-3 after trailing 3-0. Dunn and Walters attended the same high school, Cimarron Memorial High School in Las Vegas. "All I got to say is I won't be invited to the Christmas party this year," Walters told MASN's Dan...

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Williams on comebacks: "It's a good thing. Not ideal, but good"

April 16, 2014, 7:05pm

Nationals

Williams on comebacks: "It's a good thing. Not ideal, but good"

The Nationals are now up to five comeback wins in 15 games, meaning more than half of their victories have come when the opponent scores first. The jury's out on whether that's the best way to build a winning record, but so far, it has the Nats coming home from a six-game road trip with a 9-6 mark. What exactly does it say about the Nats that they keep getting up after being knocked down? "Just that they fight. It's good that they fight," manager Matt Williams said after his team's 6-3...

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Updating Span's status, Fister's throwing schedule and more

April 16, 2014, 2:47pm

Nationals

Updating Span's status, Fister's throwing schedule and more

Denard Span, who was placed on the seven-day disabled list for concussions on Saturday, has returned to Washington ahead of the Nationals to be checked out by doctors and begin working his way back. Span had an appointment today and could potentially start a rehab assignment as early as Thursday. "If he passes his tests, which we expect him to do, he'll go out on a rehab assignment as early as tomorrow and get three at-bats and see how he feels after that," Nats manager Matt Williams said...

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Dietrich goes deep on Roark, Werth ties it (Walters homers, Nats win 6-3)

April 16, 2014, 4:09pm

Nationals

Dietrich goes deep on Roark, Werth ties it (Walters homers, Nats win 6-3)

Tanner Roark and Jose Fernandez were swapping zeroes... until Derek Dietrich stepped to the plate in the Marlins' half of the fourth. With two on and one out, Dietrich took Roark deep to right-center, breaking a scoreless tie with the three-run homer and putting the Nationals in a familiar position - comeback mode. This time, they're charged with erasing a 3-0 deficit against the Marlins ace, who has held the Nats scoreless on one hit while fanning five and walking none through four frames....

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During a game to forget, Souza, Walters have moments to remember (plus Span note)

April 16, 2014, 8:15am

Nationals

During a game to forget, Souza, Walters have moments to remember (plus Span note)

MIAMI - OK, so last night's 11-2 loss wasn't exactly the most enjoyable three hours for Nationals fans, players or coaches, but there were two moments last night that brought a smile to my face sitting next to the Nats' dugout. In the sixth inning, with the Nats down 11 runs, Steven Souza Jr. came into the ballgame, replacing Jayson Werth in right. Two innings later, Souza stepped into the batter's box at Marlins Park, took a first-pitch slider for ball one, and then scorched a 92 mph...

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A couple of issues through the season's first two-plus weeks

April 15, 2014, 10:38pm

Nationals

A couple of issues through the season's first two-plus weeks

MIAMI - There have been very few times early in Matt Williams' managerial career when we've seen or heard him legitimately frustrated about something. Last night, after watching his team drop a ballgame 11-2 to the Marlins, Williams sure sounded frustrated when discussing the Nationals' defensive play to begin the season. The Nats made two more errors last night, giving them 15 errors through 14 games this season, the most in the majors. Williams' team also has the major leagues' worst...

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Postgame reactions after Nats' 11-2 loss

April 15, 2014, 7:14pm

Nationals

Postgame reactions after Nats' 11-2 loss

MIAMI - This was most certainly one of those games a team would like to just toss out the window and forget about. The Nationals were outscored 11-2 by the Marlins tonight. They were outhit 15-2. They made two errors, giving them 15 errors through 14 games. Yup, try and forget about it and start fresh tomorrow morning. Here are postgame reactions from the Nationals clubhouse: Matt Williams: On Stephen Strasburg's rough outing, in which he allowed six runs in four innings: "I don't know. They...

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Nationals Chatter: Injury plague strikes, Williams on replay, more on Harper and Robinson

April 15, 2014, 7:28am

Nationals

Much of the past week was dominated by the Nationals' injury woes. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and center fielder Denard Span are the latest Nats to hit the disabled list. Zimmerman is expected to be out four to six weeks after fracturing his right thumb on Saturday, while Span was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list after a collision with the Braves' Dan Uggla last Friday. In between injuries, the Nats were swept by Atlanta, but got back on the winning side of things after...

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Rachel Levitin: A few thoughts about expectations

April 15, 2014, 8:32pm

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: A few thoughts about expectations

After being swept by their most formidable division rival in Atlanta over the weekend and an 11-2 loss to Miami, the Nationals are struggling to establish a steady, winning momentum. It's only April, so the standings aren't an accurate representation of where all teams will end up at the end of the season. But that doesn't mean this isn't the perfect time for a little wake-up call. When I posted up shop at a local D.C. bar for happy hour waiting for a friend, the fellow sitting next to me...

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Rendon staying healthy and delivering big hits for Nationals

April 16, 2014, 3:36am

Nationals

Remember during draft time when all the naysayers complained about Anthony Rendon and his ability to stay healthy? I do too, and I asked a professional who was there. He recollected what the apprehension was for Rendon when the Nationals selected him in 2011. Jim Callis was the executive editor for Baseball America back then. He is now the senior writer for MLBpipeline.com "He had two right ankle injuries I thought were fluky in college and thought he was the best guy in that 2011 draft,"...

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Harper, McLouth, Leon in Nats lineup

April 15, 2014, 11:41am

Nationals

MIAMI - As expected, Bryce Harper is in the Nationals lineup tonight against the Marlins, after he left last night's contest in the seventh inning after feeling some tightness in his quad. The quad issue is considered minor and is something Harper has dealt with for the last handful of days, according to manager Matt Williams. Harper will play left field tonight, with Nate McLouth playing center. McLouth was scratched from Sunday's game against the Braves due to left knee soreness, but...

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Walters homers, but Nats fall 11-2

April 15, 2014, 3:36pm

Nationals

If the Nationals are going to continue their mastery of the 2014 Marlins, they're going to have to come from behind. Three batters into tonight's game, Stephen Strasburg was down 3-0. Christian Yelich singled off Strasburg's second pitch and Marcell Ozuna followed by whackin a first-pitch fastball into left field. That brought Giancarlo Stanton to the plate and Stanton mashed a 2-1 changeup over the fence in straightaway center for a three-run homer. The Marlins are being aggressive early in...

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Rounding up the Nationals' injury udpates

April 15, 2014, 2:29pm

Nationals

I wonder which part of the "How to Be a Major League Manager" handbook covers addressing your team's injuries with the assembled media before every game. Nationals skipper Matt Williams has been spending an inordinate amount of time each day recapping the various ailments that have befallen the Nats and how players are progressing, and Tuesday in Miami was no different. So without any further ado ... Outfielder Bryce Harper's quad is fine, as is outfielder Nate McLouth's sore left knee....

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On Espinosa's strong start to 2014

April 15, 2014, 5:13am

Nationals

MIAMI - With Ryan Zimmerman out 4-6 weeks with a fractured right thumb, Danny Espinosa will be getting a good bit of playing time at second base in the near future. And while Zimmerman will be missed during his absence, the Nationals sure don't mind having Espinosa in the lineup given the way the 26-year-old is playing right now. Espinosa is 9-for-26 (.346) with four doubles, a triple, two walks, five strikeouts and a stolen base on the young season. He's reaching base at a .414 clip and...