nationals

Nationals Chatter: Zimmerman fantasy tips, Rendon feature and more on Harper

April 08, 2014, 2:24pm

The Nationals made it through the first week with a 4-2 record. The Nats swept the Mets in New York, but then dropped their first series to the Braves at Nats Park. The team was bit by the injury bug several times in the first week, losing catcher Wilson Ramos and outfielder Scott Hairston while third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's status is in limbo for the time being. Here are some stories you may have missed about the Nationals from other media outlets during the first week of the season. *...

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Williams discusses Nats' 5-0 win

April 08, 2014, 7:20pm

Nationals

This sure counts as one of those total-team-effort type of wins tonight. The Nationals got stellar starting pitching from Gio Gonzalez, who went six scoreless innings; got great defensive plays from Anthony Rendon, Ian Desmond and others; saw five of their position players chip in with at least one hit; and watched the bullpen lock down a 5-0 win over the Marlins. These are the type of wins that really make managers smile. Matt Williams loved what he got from Gonzalez today, who elevated his...

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Rachel Levitin: Injuries to Zimmerman, Ramos put early obstacles in Nats' path

April 09, 2014, 4:56am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Injuries to Zimmerman, Ramos put early obstacles in Nats' path

The 2014 season won't be easy for the Washington Nationals. If anything, the biggest hurdles thus far have unmasked themselves within the first seven games of the season. After dropping two of three to their division rivals over the weekend, the Nationals proceeded to shut out the Miami Marlins 5-0 in Game 1 of the three-game series at home Tuesday night. The Nationals' current obstacles still remain at the forefront of conversation. First off, Ryan Zimmmerman's shoulder isn't going to...

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Williams and Zimmerman on third baseman's shoulder, throwing drills

April 08, 2014, 1:55pm

Nationals

Williams and Zimmerman on third baseman's shoulder, throwing drills

Nationals manager Matt Williams backed off his comment during an interview on 106.7 The Fan on Monday night that third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was dealing with an "arthritic" right shoulder, but Zimmerman spent part of early workouts before Tuesday's game trying to get used to a new throwing motion from a three-quarters arm slot designed to alleviate some of the pressure on the joint. "I think it's a question of semantics - degenerative as opposed to arthritic," Williams said in his...

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LaRoche, Rendon find several ways to beat the Marlins

April 08, 2014, 7:25pm

Nationals

LaRoche, Rendon find several ways to beat the Marlins

A veteran not known for his speed getting that extra base. A young player returning to his collegiate position making a big defensive play. Both combine for big hits. All are a part of the Nationals' 5-0 victory over the Marlins on Tuesday night. First baseman Adam LaRoche was able to slide safely into second base in the sixth inning, thanks to Marlins second baseman Jeff Baker's inability to hold onto to the throw from catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The error by Baker was big in the inning,...

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Ramos on latest injury: "Hopefully, that was the last one"

April 08, 2014, 3:17pm

Nationals

Ramos on latest injury: "Hopefully, that was the last one"

Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos spoke Tuesday for the first time about undergoing surgery to remove the fractured hamate bone in his left hand. He recounted when he first felt soreness during the last week of spring training and then when he felt the severe pain during an at-bat against the Mets on opening day. "It was the last week of spring. I was feeling something in my wrist, but never think about the hamate bone," Ramos said. "I was feeling just a little bit sore. Every morning, I was...

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LaRoche gives Nats early advantage against Fish (Nats win 5-0)

April 08, 2014, 3:26pm

Nationals

LaRoche gives Nats early advantage against Fish (Nats win 5-0)

The Nationals plated a run in the bottom of the first. Jayson Werth hit a two-out double against Marlins starter Henderson Alvarez. Adam LaRoche brought Werth in with a run-scoring single, but was tagged out in a rundown between first and second to end the inning. It's 1-0 after one inning. Lefty Gio Gonzalez is starting for the Nationals. He's dominated the Fish on South Capitol Street, going 3-0 with an 0.95 ERA in three home starts against Miami last year. Update: Gonzalez was able to...

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Nats set rotation order, plus Fister note

April 08, 2014, 2:09pm

Nationals

Nats set rotation order, plus Fister note

The Nationals have set their rotation for the next five games, starting with tonight's opener of a three-game series against the Marlins. After left-hander Gio Gonzalez faces the Fish tonight, the Nationals will use right-handers Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg for the final two games of the home series. Righties Tanner Roark and Taylor Jordan will start the first two games of the three-game weekend series at Atlanta. Manager Matt Williams said Monday's off-day allowed the Nats to...

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Zimmerman sits again (plus Nats lineup)

April 08, 2014, 11:34am

Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman is out of the Nationals lineup for a second straight day, as the team tries to decide a course of action regarding the third baseman's swollen right shoulder. Zimmerman left Saturday's game after the fifth inning when he hurt his shoulder on a throwing error. He pinch-hit on Sunday, but did not play the field. Anthony Rendon is starting at third with Danny Espinosa at second as Washington opens a series against the surprising Marlins. Bryce Harper is back in the Nats lineup and...

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On a seemingly different Marlins ballclub and rotation possibilities

April 08, 2014, 5:06am

Nationals

On a seemingly different Marlins ballclub and rotation possibilities

In recent years, the Marlins have served as the doormat of the National League East. They've lost at least 90 games each of the last three seasons - including a 100-loss campaign last year - and finished anywhere from 29 to 34 games out of first place in the division. Last year, the Nationals took 14 of their 19 games against Miami, outscoring the Marlins 86-52 in those contests. You saw the Marlins coming up on your schedule, you could typically pencil in at least a couple of wins. That...

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Desmond's big victory had nothing to do with game-winning homer

April 07, 2014, 5:13am

Nationals

Desmond's big victory had nothing to do with game-winning homer

While it's very, very early in the season, there's no doubt that yesterday's 2-1 win was a big one for Matt Williams' club, as the Nationals avoided a sweep at the hands of the Braves and pushed back against a division rival that had dominated the head-to-head matchup dating back to last season. The big blast for the Nats yesterday came from the bat of Ian Desmond, who clubbed a long solo homer in the seventh that broke a 1-1 tie and led the Nats to an exciting win. But for Desmond, the...

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Stuart Wallace: The good and bad of an aggressive approach at the plate

April 07, 2014, 12:27pm

Nationals

Stuart Wallace: The good and bad of an aggressive approach at the plate

In the infancy of the 2014 season, the Nationals have already had a pair of at-bats that sans a hit or run scored have resonated with the team and fans alike. Last week, it was Danny Espinosa's eight-pitch at-bat against New York Mets reliever Bobby Parnell, culminating in a walk and a new look for the oft-maligned second baseman - that of a patient, strike zone-savvy hitter. In Sunday's game against Atlanta Braves starter Alex Wood, it was Nate McLouth's 13-pitch duel that turned heads,...

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Nationals have highest recent success rate employing Arizona Fall League participants

April 07, 2014, 11:16am

Nationals

The Nationals' opening day roster is chock full of Arizona Fall League participants. According to an Arizona Fall League news release, 53 percent of MLB opening day rosters (including disabled lists) played in the AFL. That is, 452 of the 854 players listed on the the 30 Major League Baseball opening day rosters played in the AFL. The Nationals and Padres have the most, with 20 former AFL players on each of their rosters. The Orioles have 19 players on their team who spent time in the...

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No panic in Nats right before the untuck

April 07, 2014, 6:35am

Nationals

No panic in Nats right before the untuck

It takes some work to get to the untuck. Nationals closer Rafael Soriano made it interesting in the ninth inning, especially in a one-run game on Sunday against the Braves. He struck out Dan Uggla to begin the frame. And then a pop-up to first by Gerard Laird had him looking good with two outs and no one on. But back-to-back singles by Andrelton Simmons and Ryan Doumit changed things. Suddenly the tying run was in scoring position and the go-ahead run was on first base with the dangerous Jason...

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Desmond and Jordan talk after 2-1 dispatch of rival Braves

April 06, 2014, 1:34pm

Nationals

Desmond and Jordan talk after 2-1 dispatch of rival Braves

Right-hander Taylor Jordan showed poise and resiliency on the mound Sunday as the Nationals got their first win of the season against the Braves, 2-1. Shortstop Ian Desmond said Jordan and catcher Sandy Leon did a nice job against a veteran and big hitting Braves lineup. "I thought Taylor and Sandy (Leon) didn't an unbelievable job," Desmond said. "That is a young battery right there going up against a very good team. They were both really composed in some tough situations. Really tough....

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Zimmerman dealing with shoulder inflammation, no structural damage

April 06, 2014, 1:49pm

Nationals

Zimmerman dealing with shoulder inflammation, no structural damage

Here's the good news that I can pass along on Ryan Zimmerman after today's 2-1 Nationals win over the Braves: An MRI revealed that Zimmerman does not have any structural damage in his sore right shoulder and he isn't going on the disabled list at this time. The other news - I guess you could call it bad news - is that the MRI did show that Zimmerman has some inflammation in his shoulder. Zimmerman was pulled from yesterday's game against the Braves after just five innings due to discomfort...

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Marty Niland: Rizzo's moves take some sting out of Zimmerman's injury

April 07, 2014, 5:02am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Rizzo's moves take some sting out of Zimmerman's injury

A collective sigh of relief swept through Nationals Park when Ryan Zimmerman stepped up to pinch-hit in the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves. Although he struck out (a bit awkwardly, at that), the appearance was a sign that whatever is bothering Zimmerman's troublesome right shoulder is not enough of a concern to keep him from swinging a bat. Zimmerman has insisted since he was first injured in 2012 that he does not feel any soreness at the plate, but this was a sure sign that the...

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Zimmerman frustrated with latest shoulder setback

April 06, 2014, 8:01am

Nationals

Zimmerman frustrated with latest shoulder setback

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is clearly frustrated after his latest shoulder setback. Zimmerman was forced to leave Saturday's game at the end the fifth inning after experiencing right shoulder soreness. He felt it after committing a throwing error in the fourth inning, which led to the Braves scoring two runs. "It's just more sore than it usually it is," Zimmerman said at Nats Park prior to Sunday's game. "For the last how many years, I've played when it felt good and I played when...

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Nationals again score first against the Braves (Nats win 2-1)

April 06, 2014, 10:09am

Nationals

The Nationals and Braves wrap up their first matchup of the season on Sunday with right-hander Taylor Jordan facing left-hander Alex Wood. The Braves have won 15 of the last 21 games against the Nationals and are 9-2 in that span at Nationals Park. The Nationals scored first and took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a base hit by Jayson Werth. Third baseman Anthony Rendon scored thanks to a throwing error by Braves second baseman Dan Uggla. Manager Matt Williams used a challenge later in the...

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Nats put Hairston on DL (Zimmerman, Harper out of lineup)

April 06, 2014, 6:44am

Nationals

Nats put Hairston on DL (Zimmerman, Harper out of lineup)

The injury bug has struck the Nationals again. The Nationals have placed outfielder Scott Hairston on the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain and recalled infielder/outfielder Tyler Moore. The Hairston injury comes one day after third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was removed after the fifth inning with right shoulder soreness. Zimmerman will not play today as he is awaiting an evaluation of his shoulder. In addition to Zimmerman not playing, manager Matt Williams is also giving...