nationals

Report: Nationals interested in Palm Beach County for new spring HQ

February 18, 2014, 11:00am

The Nationals' search for a new spring training facility has led them to a new locale. According to this tweet from MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, the Astros have met with the Nationals about the possibility of sharing a new two-team spring training facility in Palm Beach County. This isn't the first time the Astros and Nationals have been linked as possible partners in a new spring headquarters. The teams were interested in working together on a facility that would have been based in...

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Nationals Chatter: Searching for a new spring training complex, use of a drone and fantasy outlook

February 18, 2014, 8:45am

Nationals

Ah, springtime has arrived. Well, not here in the D.C. area, but in Viera, Fla. The Nationals began spring training last week, giving us baseball in our lives once again. Several publications have written about the Nationals over the last week. Read below for a national roundup. * The Nationals' search for a new spring training home as taken another turn. The Nats have asked former congressman Mark Foley of Florida to serve as a lobbyist for the Nationals. The team is said to be interested...

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Final notes and quotes, plus Day 4 photo gallery

February 18, 2014, 1:36pm

Nationals

Final notes and quotes, plus Day 4 photo gallery

VIERA, Fla. - Tanner Roark has been quietly going about his business so far this spring, but very little about pitching coach Steve McCatty is quiet. So when Roark was wrapping up his bullpen session this morning, McCatty turned to minor league pitching coordinator Spin Williams and took a playful shot at Roark, well within earshot of the right-hander. As most of you surely know, Roark's name is pronounced "Ro-ark," but when he first came up to the big leagues last season, many people...

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Zimmerman to begin getting playing time at first base this spring

February 18, 2014, 12:17pm

Nationals

Zimmerman to begin getting playing time at first base this spring

VIERA, Fla. - The chatter about Ryan Zimmerman eventually moving to first base has been going on for some time now. And while we don't know where Zimmerman will be playing the majority of his games two years from now, we do know that he'll get at least a little bit of playing time at first this season. New Nationals manager Matt Williams told Zimmerman this offseason that he wanted him to get a first baseman's mitt in preparation for this spring, where Zimmerman will get some work on the...

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Harper does some hitting, Soriano throws his first bullpen session

February 18, 2014, 11:19am

Nationals

Harper does some hitting, Soriano throws his first bullpen session

VIERA, Fla. - All 62 players on the Nationals' spring roster have reported to camp, according to manager Matt Williams. Reporters haven't seen Jayson Werth to this point, but that means nothing. Werth has apparently reported to people who actually matter, unlike myself, and he'll take part in player physicals tomorrow. Bryce Harper will meet with reporters tomorrow after he takes his physical. Today, Harper tossed on his Nationals red and blue pullover, laced up his cleats, shagged some...

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Harper arrives, Purke returning to form after injury

February 18, 2014, 5:12am

Nationals

Harper arrives, Purke returning to form after injury

VIERA, Fla. - Bryce Harper and Jeff Kobernus walked into the home clubhouse at Space Coast Stadium a little before 9 a.m., which leaves Jayson Werth as the only member of the Nationals' 40-man roster who I have yet to spot at camp. Harper dished out hugs to teammates and then started unpacking his things as he grabbed a seat in front of his locker. We'll see whether he decides to hang around today and get in some BP on the main field sometime around noon. I mentioned that left-hander Sammy...

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In the early days of spring, Williams keeping an open mind on roster construction

February 18, 2014, 2:17am

Nationals

In the early days of spring, Williams keeping an open mind on roster construction

VIERA, Fla. - While a host of position players have rolled into the Space Coast Stadium complex over the last handful of days, I don't think I realized just how close the Nationals were to having their full complement of players in camp until late yesterday afternoon, when I went up and down the roster, checking off the names of everyone who had arrived. Turns out, the only players on the 40-man roster I had yet to spot by the time things wrapped up yesterday were outfielders Bryce Harper,...

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Lobaton starting to settle in, plus Day 3 photo gallery

February 17, 2014, 12:43pm

Nationals

Lobaton starting to settle in, plus Day 3 photo gallery

VIERA, Fla. - It's been four days since Jose Lobaton was acquired by the Nationals in a trade with the Rays, and in that time, the Nats' backup catcher has slowly started to feel more and more comfortable. Except, it appears, when it comes to knowing the names of the pitchers he's been working with. "I like, after a bullpen, talk to them a little bit," Lobaton said after today's workout. "And I know a couple guys, the names. The next day, I'm like, 'I know that guy. I know I...

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Hearing from the skipper after Day 3 of workouts

February 17, 2014, 11:50am

Nationals

Hearing from the skipper after Day 3 of workouts

VIERA, Fla. - Yesterday, I mentioned that manager Matt Williams and new third base coach Bobby Henley were seen practicing signs in an empty Space Coast Stadium about two hours after nearly all the players had left the facility for the day. What exactly were Williams and Henley doing? Why couldn't they just practice those signs over dinner or in a meeting room? Turns out, Henley wanted to make sure that he had a good view of Williams from the third base coach's box here at Space Coast...

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LaRoche on his beard, his health and his experiences with Williams

February 17, 2014, 10:58am

Nationals

LaRoche on his beard, his health and his experiences with Williams

VIERA, Fla. - You can add Adam LaRoche, Denard Span, Tyler Moore, Eury Perez, Mike Fontenot and Will Rhymes to the list of position players who have arrived to camp early. The left side of the Nationals' clubhouse - the side occupied by the position players - is slowly starting to fill up. LaRoche strolled into the clubhouse early this afternoon with a lengthy beard on his face and his son Drake right on his heels. The LaRoche boys are back in town. The beard, which features a grey patch...

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More on the "open competition" at second base, Carroll excited to compete

February 17, 2014, 5:07am

Nationals

More on the "open competition" at second base, Carroll excited to compete

VIERA, Fla. - Matt Williams' comments yesterday about the Nationals having an "open competition" this spring between Anthony Rendon and Danny Espinosa for the team's starting second base job seemingly drew a lot of attention from fans. Rendon came up as a rookie last season, adapted on the fly to a position he had barely played since Little League, and fared pretty well. He improved at second base as the season went on and showed some offensive promise, despite the fact he made his big...

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Fister, Solis impress; Jeroloman almost ready for workouts

February 17, 2014, 8:40am

Nationals

Fister, Solis impress; Jeroloman almost ready for workouts

VIERA, Fla. - There's only so much you can take out of bullpen sessions early in spring. There's no one standing in the batter's box. There's no umpire. There are only a couple dozen people watching on instead of 30,000. And, well, pitchers are throwing in a bullpen that has nine other mounds, and typically four other pitchers getting in their own work. That said, you can't help but try and pull something substantive from these sessions, as hard as that can be sometimes. That's what we...

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Williams wants his infielders to be dancing machines

February 17, 2014, 2:20am

Nationals

Williams wants his infielders to be dancing machines

VIERA, Fla. - It wasn't all that long ago that walk-up music was first introduced in baseball games. It used to be when a player came up to the plate to start an at-bat, his name would be announced, the fans would applaud, then the noise would fade and then the player would dig into the batter's box. I'm at the age that I can vaguely remember those days. Walk-up songs have become a huge thing in recent years, though, and many players agonize over their choices or pick three or four...

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Quotes from McLouth and Roenicke, plus photo gallery

February 15, 2014, 12:45pm

Nationals

Quotes from McLouth and Roenicke, plus photo gallery

VIERA, Fla. - You can add Nate McLouth to the list of position players who have reported early to camp, this after the veteran outfielder made the trip down from Tennessee to Viera yesterday. McLouth signed a two-year, $10.75 million deal with the Nationals this offseason, giving the team an experienced fourth outfielder who is capable of playing all three outfield positions, has some pop and speed and is a quality clubhouse presence. The 32-year-old played in 146 games last season with the...

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Harper faces Kershaw in #FaceofMLB

February 17, 2014, 6:14am

Nationals

In his quest to become the #FaceofMLB, Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper needs your help. Harper destroyed Brewers' right fielder Ryan Braun in the first round of voting, by a margin of 91 percent to 9 percent. In the second round of voting, the competition is a bit tougher. Harper now faces Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in the MLB Network-sponsored contest. How can you help Harper get past the National League Cy Young winner? Simply send a tweet (or a few) using the hashtags...

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Sights and sounds from Day 2

February 16, 2014, 8:59am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - It felt like Florida weather this morning for the first time in a few days, as the sun came out and the temperatures rose into the 70s while the Nationals got their second workout of spring into gear. That allowed Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Ross Detwiler and a host of others to throw their first bullpen sessions of spring in solid conditions. Those three were joined by Tanner Roark in the first group to throw 'pens today. I tried to take a few minutes watching each...

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Final note plus Day 2 photo gallery

February 16, 2014, 1:39pm

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - I've got one quick final note to pass along from today, since I shared quotes from Matt Williams yesterday about how detail-oriented he can tend to be. A couple of hours ago, well after today's workout had ended and players had gone home, Williams and new third base coach Bobby Henley emerged from the Nationals clubhouse and made their way up to the corner of the home dugout nearest home plate. Henley then trotted out to the third base coach's box, and he and Williams...

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Williams: Starting second base job is up for grabs

February 16, 2014, 10:35am

Nationals

Williams: Starting second base job is up for grabs

VIERA, Fla. - Danny Espinosa said at NatsFest last month that he had been told by general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Matt Williams that he would have a chance this spring to - as he phrased it - win his starting second base job back. Today, Williams essentially confirmed that, saying that the Nationals will have an "open competition" for the second base job between Espinosa and Anthony Rendon this spring. "That's all you can say about it at this point," Williams said. "They haven't...

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Strasburg's focus this spring: holding runners (plus plenty more Strasburg quotes)

February 16, 2014, 12:47pm

Nationals

Strasburg's focus this spring: holding runners (plus plenty more Strasburg quotes)

VIERA, Fla. - Slowly over the last couple of years, one aspect of Stephen Strasburg's game has jumped out at him as an area that has to be improved. The numbers show it, and the results within games have made it plenty evident. Strasburg needs to get better at holding runners. The right-hander has only picked off one runner in his career, and of the 38 runners who have attempted to steal off Strasburg in his 75 big league games, 30 have been successful, a 72 percent success rate. Pitching...

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More from Williams on bullpen construction, Strasburg and Skole

February 16, 2014, 11:32am

Nationals

More from Williams on bullpen construction, Strasburg and Skole

VIERA, Fla. - The deeper we get into spring training, the more that we'll talk about roster construction scenarios with new Nationals manager Matt Williams. You don't want to spring too much on the guy right out of the gate, especially when he's still learning about his players and seeing many of them for the first time with his own eyes. But Williams did get a couple of questions today about the battle for spots in the bullpen, and while he didn't reveal much information, the Nats skipper...