nationals

Zimmerman at third base for home game of split-squad series (with Nats lineups)

March 16, 2014, 6:17am

VIERA, Fla. - Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman took early grounders this morning and declared himself fit enough to play the field in the home half of a pair of split-squad games this afternoon. That one, against Justin Verlander and the Tigers, airs on MASN HD beginning at 1 p.m.; the other game is in Kissimmee against the Astros at the same time. Zimmerman will hit fifth and man third base. "Everything feels good," said Zimmerman, whose appearance as a designated hitter yesterday was his...

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Williams short and sweet after Nats' 2-1 victory

March 15, 2014, 12:44pm

Nationals

Williams short and sweet after Nats' 2-1 victory

JUPITER, Fla. - Nationals manager Matt Williams' postgame comments after a 2-1 victory over the Marlins were short and sweet. But that's what you get when two staff aces face off and the game takes only 2:45, which is pretty quick by spring training standards. Did Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg look like he was in midseason form? "He was good. It was a good matchup today. ... Those two guys going at it. We were able to scratch one and give him a little bit of room. Pitched well -...

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Hearing from Strasburg and Zimmerman

March 15, 2014, 12:28pm

Nationals

JUPITER, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg feels great, and says his mechanics are just about "locked in." Ryan Zimmerman is feeling better, but the Nationals third baseman isn't so sure about manager Matt Williams' proclamation that he'll be ready to play the field Sunday. Those contrasting diagnoses were the takeaways from the Nats' 2-1 win over the Marlins this afternoon. Strasburg threw four scoreless innings - matching Jordan Zimmermann for the longest outing by a Nationals pitcher this...

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News and notes on replay, Desmond, Harper and Fister

March 15, 2014, 8:06am

Nationals

News and notes on replay, Desmond, Harper and Fister

JUPITER, Fla. - Matt Williams will manage the Nationals for the home portion of Sunday's split-squad games, when Justin Verlander and the Tigers roar into Space Coast Stadium. Triple-A Syracuse skipper Billy Gardner will manager the other split-squad game versus the Astros in Kissimmee. Williams and the Nats' major league staff will be in Viera because it's the team's second game with replay this spring - and the game's on MASN HD beginning at 1 p.m., to boot. But in order to get...

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Nats, Strasburg grab 2-0 lead over Marlins (Nats win 2-1)

March 15, 2014, 10:02am

Nationals

Nats, Strasburg grab 2-0 lead over Marlins (Nats win 2-1)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 2, Marlins 1 Recap: Stephen Strasburg worked four shutout innings, matching Jordan Zimmermann for the longest outing by a Nationals pitcher this spring. Strasburg allowed two hits, walked one and fanned four. Need to know: Nationals manager Matt Williams will use the off-day Tuesday to set his rotation, but it's no guarantee that Strasburg will start the March 31 season opener in New York against the Mets. That honor could go to Zimmermann. On deck:...

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For Zimmerman, it'll be third first and first second

March 15, 2014, 7:48am

Nationals

For Zimmerman, it'll be third first and first second

JUPITER, Fla. - Matt Williams has just over two weeks left in spring training to make good on his offseason promise to get third baseman Ryan Zimmerman in a game at first base. But Zimmerman hasn't played since Monday, and has been troubled by right shoulder and general soreness in recent days, minor maladies that have stunted Williams' plan to increase the infielder's positional resume in a game situation. Zimmerman is listed as the designated hitter for today's game against the Marlins...

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Strasburg on mound, regulars aplenty make trip to face Fish (plus Marlins lineup)

March 15, 2014, 4:47am

Nationals

Strasburg on mound, regulars aplenty make trip to face Fish (plus Marlins lineup)

VIERA, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg takes the hill against the Marlins today at 1:05 p.m. in Jupiter, and he'll have a lot of regulars behind him at Roger Dean Stadium. Both Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman return to action, but only Harper will play in the field. Zimmerman, who has been battling general soreness, is listed as the designated hitter. Here is the Nationals lineup for today's game: 2B Anthony Rendon SS Danny Espinosa DH Ryan Zimmerman LF Bryce Harper C Wilson Ramos 1B Adam...

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Unorthodox delivery is Gonzalez's first step toward reclaiming bullpen role

March 14, 2014, 5:27pm

Nationals

Unorthodox delivery is Gonzalez's first step toward reclaiming bullpen role

VIERA, Fla. - It's hard to believe any pitching coach or manager would look at the sheer force behind the unorthodox delivery employed by Nationals lefty reliever Michael Gonzalez and whisper to a young hurler, "Just do what he does." That's because what Gonzalez does is so unusual, such a tangle of arms and legs in perpetual and powerful motion, that it hardly seems possible that it's successful. But there was Gonzalez on Friday in his first Grapefruit League game of the spring, taking...

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Ayala roughed up, hearing from Jordan (Nats lose 12-6)

March 14, 2014, 11:07am

Nationals

Ayala roughed up, hearing from Jordan (Nats lose 12-6)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Tigers 12, Nationals 6 Recap: Detroit scored four runs in the third inning off starter Taylor Jordan and came back with five more in the fourth against reliever Luis Ayala, who got only two outs. Tyler Moore and Scott Hairston homered for the Nats. Need to know: Today's contest is the first of three games between the Nats and Tigers in a four-day span, one of those little Grapefruit League scheduling quirks. A trip to Jupiter tomorrow never looked so good. ...

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Williams on Jordan and Ayala after 12-6 loss

March 14, 2014, 1:47pm

Nationals

Williams on Jordan and Ayala after 12-6 loss

LAKELAND, Fla. - Starting pitcher Taylor Jordan struggled with his command and said he wasn't helped by an umpire's strike zone that forced him to elevate pitches. The result was three-inning outing and four runs allowed, not exactly the kind of production a guy challenging for the final spot in the Nationals rotation can hang his hat on. Reliever Luis Ayala looked like he was throwing batting practice, as the Tigers hung five runs on him in 2/3 of an inning, inflating his spring ERA after...

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Fister passes bullpen session, will be re-evaluated Saturday

March 14, 2014, 1:18pm

Nationals

Fister passes bullpen session, will be re-evaluated Saturday

LAKELAND, Fla. - On a day when he watched his mound staff get battered for 22 hits and 12 runs, Nationals manager Matt Williams got a dose of good pitching news. Right-hander Doug Fister, who has been sidelined since March 2 with inflammation in his pitching elbow, threw a bullpen session without any problems this morning in Viera. While the Nationals will wait to see how Fister feels tomorrow before plotting out next steps, this morning's bullpen represented a step in the right direction for...

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Nationals-Tigers lineups

March 14, 2014, 6:39am

Nationals

LAKELAND, Fla. - Greetings from Joker Marchant Stadium, where the Nationals will face the Tigers at 1:05 p.m. today. Actually, they'll be playing one another three out of the next four days, but we're concentrating on today. Taylor Jordan gets the start for the Nationals today, with Luis Ayala, Michael Gonzalez, Drew Storen and Blake Treinen also available to pitch. For the Nationals: CF Denard Span 2B Anthony Rendon RF Nate McLouth DH Scott Hairston C Jose Lobaton 1B Tyler Moore LF Jeff...

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Williams awaiting report on Fister's bullpen session

March 14, 2014, 7:30am

Nationals

Williams awaiting report on Fister's bullpen session

LAKELAND, Fla. - Right-hander Doug Fister, who has been sidelined since March 2 with inflammation in his pitching elbow, threw a bullpen session this morning in Viera, Fla., one day after feeling tightness in the affected arm following three consecutive days of throwing. Nationals manager Matt Williams was awaiting the arrival of pitching coach Steve McCatty with a report on Fister's progress, but continued to preach that the team wasn't as concerned with Fister missing a couple of spring...

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Jordan gets the best of Cabrera (Moore cuts lead to 4-3)

March 14, 2014, 9:35am

Nationals

Jordan gets the best of Cabrera (Moore cuts lead to 4-3)

LAKELAND, Fla. - Joker Marchant Stadium is one of the Grapefruit League's gems. From its retro styling on the ediface to the variety of smells (from barbecue to burgers to grilled corn on the cob) permeating the concourse to the ever-present olde English D-clad fans, the place just oozes baseball. The fans are some of the most knowledgeable around, too, and right now, they're none too pleased after watching Miguel Cabrera - yes, the former Triple Crown winner and one of the game's greatest...

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Strong spring starts from LaRoche and Span (with note)

March 13, 2014, 8:58pm

Nationals

Strong spring starts from LaRoche and Span (with note)

VIERA, Fla. - Neither Adam LaRoche nor Denard Span had the type of 2013 season he was hoping for. LaRoche hit just .237 with a lowly .735 OPS, which, if you exclude his injury-plagued 2011 season, was the lowest on-base plus slugging percentage the veteran first baseman has posted in his career. Span finished the season really strongly, hitting .338/.375/.459 over his final 39 games, but was slow to adjust to a new team and a new league, and it took him 4 1/2 months to find a groove. Now,...

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Weekly Wrap: Replaying a busy week

March 14, 2014, 7:00am

Nationals

Spring training gives the Nationals their first look of the year at pitchers, players rehabbing from injuries and more. Well, this year, it's also giving Major League Baseball teams their first look at instant replay. While veterans and regular starters are less likely to make road trips during spring games, this week the regulars all traveled to Kissimmee to face the Astros. It was there that the Nats were first given access to challenges and a glance at the new replay system. Beyond rule...

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Hearing from Williams and Detwiler after Nats' 7-5 loss

March 13, 2014, 1:32pm

Nationals

Hearing from Williams and Detwiler after Nats' 7-5 loss

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals dropped a 7-5 ballgame to the Mets this afternoon at Space Coast Stadium, a game that was decided almost entirely by minor leaguers in the late innings. Manager Matt Williams was pleased with what he saw from most of the guys that he'll carry north with him in a few weeks, however, especially his pitchers. Left-hander Ross Detwiler allowed a run over 3 2/3 innings, Rafael Soriano bounced back from two rough outings with a strong scoreless sixth, and Tyler Clippard...

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A host of injury updates on Fister, Zimmerman and others (plus lineups and more)

March 13, 2014, 7:04am

Nationals

A host of injury updates on Fister, Zimmerman and others (plus lineups and more)

VIERA, Fla. - After throwing off flat ground this morning, the third straight day he'd done so, Doug Fister felt "a little bit tight" in his right arm, according to Nationals manager Matt Williams. As a result of that tightness, the Nationals will evaluate Fister tomorrow morning before clearing him to throw his scheduled Friday bullpen session. Fister has been sidelined since March 2 because of inflammation in his right elbow. He had thrown off flat ground the last two days without any...

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Detwiler takes a step in the right direction (Nats lose 7-5)

March 13, 2014, 10:39am

Nationals

Detwiler takes a step in the right direction (Nats lose 7-5)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Mets 7, Nationals 5 Recap: Ross Detwiler was solid in his third start of spring, allowing a run over 3 2/3 innings. The Nats took a 2-1 lead into the eighth, but allowed six total runs in the last two frames. Brock Peterson's three-run homer in the eighth wasn't enough to overcome the damage. Need to know: Christian Garcia, Rafael Soriano and Tyler Clippard combined to allow just one baserunner and strike out four over their 3 1/3 collective innings. Impressive...

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Nats cut six, including Taylor, Purke, Hensley

March 13, 2014, 5:38am

Nationals

Nats cut six, including Taylor, Purke, Hensley

VIERA, Fla. - With yesterday's split-squad games in the books, the Nationals made six cuts today, optioning outfielder Michael Taylor and left-hander Matt Purke to Double-A Harrisburg and reassigning right-handers Clay Hensley, Josh Roenicke and Daniel Stange and left-hander Danny Rosenbaum to minor league camp. Taylor, considered the top defensive outfielder in the Nats' organization, went 3-for-16 (.188) with a triple and three RBIs in 13 games played this spring. This will be the...