nationals

Washington Nationals extend long-term partnership with Levy Restaurants

January 28, 2014, 5:03am

Signaled by a multi-year agreement, the Washington Nationals and Levy Restaurants have extended their partnership and ongoing commitment to welcome and wow Nats fans with an unforgettable game day experience at Nationals Park. Levy has been the exclusive restaurant partner at the ballpark since 2009. "For the last five years, our collaboration with Levy Restaurants has resulted in a diverse selection of fantastic food options and outstanding hospitality," said Alan H. Gottlieb, Lerner Sports...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

Gio Gonzalez and Jorge Posada: An unlikely offseason tandem

January 27, 2014, 4:07am

Nationals

Gio Gonzalez and Jorge Posada: An unlikely offseason tandem

Some pitchers use their old high school or college teammates as their catcher during offseason bullpen sessions. Some pitchers throw to their fathers during the winter. Others strap their personal trainers up in catching gear and have them on the receiving end of a few dozen fastballs. Gio Gonzalez has recruited someone with slightly better credentials to catch his offseason bullpen sessions: former Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. Gonzalez and Posada have met up each of the last two Tuesdays at...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko gio gonzalez jorge posada nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

More from Espinosa on his struggles in 2013 and optimism for 2014

January 26, 2014, 6:17am

Nationals

More from Espinosa on his struggles in 2013 and optimism for 2014

Of all the interviews that were conducted at NatsFest yesterday, if I was asked which was the most interesting, I'm pretty sure Danny Espinosa's 10-minute chat with reporters would take the cake. We got a lot of updates on throwing programs, a lot of offseason workout updates. But as always, Espinosa was brutally honest in his session with reporters, and provided some interesting information on his 2013 season and what he expects in 2014. Espinosa says that he's been told he'll be able to...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko danny espinosa nationals featured_sidebar frontfeatured_nationals frontstory_nationals3

Hernandez hoping Nats extend a job offer

January 25, 2014, 10:11am

Nationals

Hernandez hoping Nats extend a job offer

Even before his Nationals career was over, Livan Hernandez was talking about how he'd like to return to the organization once he had thrown his last pitch. He wanted to be able to work with young pitchers, impart the knowledge that helped him forge a 17-year major league career, five of those seasons spent in a Washington uniform (and two before that north of the border with the Expos). Now it appears that dream may become a reality. Appearing at NatsFest on Saturday, the 38-year-old...

Comments

Tags:

livan hernandez nationals nationals buzz natsfest pete kerzel frontstory_nationals3

Final notes and quotes from NatsFest

January 25, 2014, 10:40am

Nationals

The Nationals announced that more than 8,400 people showed up today at NatsFest. Hope everyone who did had a blast. Unfortunately, as is almost always the case with these events, I was pretty much stashed away in a media work room, making the walk from the interview area to my laptop and then back to the interview area. Wish I could've seen more of the sights and sounds around the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. Here are a handful of final notes and quotes from a jam-packed...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals natsfest frontstory_nationals2

Strasburg's rehab complete, plus arbitration notes on Clippard and Fister

January 25, 2014, 10:13am

Nationals

Strasburg's rehab complete, plus arbitration notes on Clippard and Fister

While Bryce Harper still has a little ways to go in his rehab from offseason knee surgery, Stephen Strasburg's rehab is complete following a surgical procedure to remove loose bodies from his right elbow back in October. Strasburg says that he went through a brief six-week rehab period following the surgery, but that he's now back to his normal offseason routine. As a result, he expects to be full-go when spring training begins in a few weeks. "(The offseason routine) really hasn't...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko doug fister nationals stephen strasburg tyler clippard frontfeatured_nationals

Any role Nats throw at him is fine for Roark

January 25, 2014, 9:18am

Nationals

Any role Nats throw at him is fine for Roark

Whatever the Nationals want him to do is just fine with Tanner Roark. "If they want me to throw one pitch to one guy, I'll do it," he said. "Anything to help out the team. It's a different mindset. Starting, you've got four days to prepare yourself. Relieving, you flip that switch right away once you hear that phone ring. Everybody looks back to see who's name will be called. But I like starting, I guess." Coming off a spectacular 2013 campaign where he went 7-1 with a 1.51 ERA in 14...

Comments

Tags:

nationals nationals buzz natsfest pete kerzel tanner roark frontstory_nationals3

Clippard mum on how he'll fare in arbitration

January 25, 2014, 7:59am

Nationals

Clippard mum on how he'll fare in arbitration

If Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard has a sense of how his impending run through the arbitration process will unfold, he's keeping it close to the vest. "I don't know, we'll see how it all plays out," the veteran right-hander said when asked if he expected to go to an arbitration hearing with the Nats. Clippard has filed for arbitration and, since he wasn't able to reach an agreement with the Nationals, he and his representatives have exchanged proposed salary figures with the...

Comments

Tags:

nationals nationals buzz natsfest pete kerzel tyler clippard frontstory_nationals3

Espinosa: "If I can get a fair opportunity to win my job, I feel I can do it"

January 25, 2014, 9:00am

Nationals

Espinosa: "If I can get a fair opportunity to win my job, I feel I can do it"

Back at the Winter Meetings in December, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo suggested that Danny Espinosa could become a solid backup middle infielder this season, largely because of his defensive abilities at shortstop and second base. Today, Espinosa said that Rizzo and new Nats manager Matt Williams have both told him that he'll get a chance to compete with Anthony Rendon for the Nationals' starting second base job, the job that Espinosa held in 2011, 2012 and early in the 2013 season...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko danny espinosa nationals frontstory_nationals2

Rizzo on Balfour, bullpen, arbitration negotiations and more

January 25, 2014, 6:32am

Nationals

Rizzo on Balfour, bullpen, arbitration negotiations and more

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo just met with reporters for nearly 10 minutes here at NatsFest, and covered a wide range of topics related to the Nats' roster and remaining offseason pursuits. Rizzo said that while the Nats are still open to upgrading their roster in any way that will improve the club, members of the front office aren't necessarily actively seeking to make more moves. Asked if it's reasonable to say that the Nats are receiving more phone calls from teams and agents...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko mike rizzo nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Harper unsure if he'll be 100 percent when camp begins

January 25, 2014, 7:40am

Nationals

Harper unsure if he'll be 100 percent when camp begins

Bryce Harper says that he's been making solid progress in his recovery from offseason surgery to debride and repair the bursa sac in his left knee, but it sounds like there's a chance that he won't be full strength when spring training begins. Harper says that he's rehabbing the knee three times a week at this point and he's at week 12 or 13 in what he's been told is a 16-week rehab process. He sprinted for the first time three weeks ago and says that he felt good. But with position...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper dan kolko nationals featured_sidebar frontfeatured_nationals

Rendon knows Williams, still working on footwork at second

January 25, 2014, 7:33am

Nationals

Rendon knows Williams, still working on footwork at second

Anthony Rendon won't have to worry about switching between positions in spring training. No more grounders at third base, followed by intensive footwork sessions at second, then back to the hot corner. He goes into camp at the incumbent second baseman and thinks that comfort level will be a plus. "I think that will help me tremendously," he said at NatsFest. "I think that will be a positive that I can stay in one area, continue to work on my footwork, continue to learn the position as much...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon davey johnson matt williams nationals nationals buzz natsfest pete kerzel frontstory_nationals3

Tyler Moore: "I'm definitely gonna have to earn what I'm gonna get"

January 25, 2014, 5:24am

Nationals

Tyler Moore: "I'm definitely gonna have to earn what I'm gonna get"

I'm all set up here at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center for NatsFest 2014, and this place is already hopping. Fans have swarmed this enormous building and there's red everywhere. The fact that it's January and the temperatures are in the 20s doesn't seem to be dampening enthusiasm about the Nationals or baseball at all. Players will be rolling through the media room all day, and I'll have tons of quotes to pass along from our sessions with these guys. First on the docket...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals natsfest tyler moore featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Hairston likes Williams' approach, how Nats have beefed up bench

January 25, 2014, 5:32am

Nationals

Hairston likes Williams' approach, how Nats have beefed up bench

For a change, Nationals outfielder Scott Hairston didn't go into an offseason wondering where he'd be playing the following campaign. He's got a new manager to get used to, and a new spring training base to acquaint himself with in a couple of weeks, but he knows his team and his role entering the 2014 season. "I think it takes a toll psychologically when you're not sure where you're going to be," Hairston said while meeting with reporters at NatsFest at the Gaylord Resort and...

Comments

Tags:

nationals nationals buzz natsfest pete kerzel scott hairston frontstory_nationals3

Trade rumors don't bother determined Storen

January 25, 2014, 6:56am

Nationals

Trade rumors don't bother determined Storen

Right-hander Drew Storen has had a busy offseason while training in Indianapolis. He's already thrown off a mound a few times and he's added about 15 lbs. as a cushion for the expected warmer weather he'll encounter once the Nationals convene in Viera, Fla., for spring training. Amid all the hard work, he's again been the subject of trade rumors. At NatsFest, Storen made it clear he wants to remain a National and hopes none of the incessant chatter about deals comes to fruition. "You...

Comments

Tags:

drew storen nationals nationals buzz natsfest pete kerzel frontstory_nationals1

Cole, Goodwin, Skole among 18 non-roster invitees to Nats spring training

January 24, 2014, 11:43am

Nationals

Cole, Goodwin, Skole among 18 non-roster invitees to Nats spring training

The Nationals today released a list of 18 non-roster invitees to big league spring training, players that are not on the team's 40-man roster, but will be given a chance to work out at major league camp. Many of the names on the list we already knew, due to the Nats signing these players to minor league deals that offered spring training invitations. But other names on the list are up-and-coming prospects who will get a shot to compete with the big leaguers in the early stages of...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals aj cole brian goodwin matt skole frontstory_nationals3

Notes on Giolito and Cole, plus final NatsFest reminders

January 24, 2014, 4:23am

Nationals

Notes on Giolito and Cole, plus final NatsFest reminders

Two Nationals prospects have been named to MLB.com's Here's the link to the NatsFest page for more information on tickets and the event in general.

Comments

Tags:

a.j. cole dan kolko lucas giolito nationals natsfest frontfeatured_nationals frontstory_nationals3

Welcome to NatsFest!

January 25, 2014, 4:55am

Nationals

Welcome to NatsFest! The gates were supposed to open for season ticket holders at 10 a.m., but they seem to have gotten a head start and are queuing up at the autograph station already. Guess you can't keep a good Nats fan down (or out). If you're one of the throngs of Nationals fans invading the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center today for the annual mid-winter event, enjoy it to the max. If you happen to see me - I'm in the red MASN jacket, probably the size of a Kolko and a half,...

Comments

Tags:

nationals nationals buzz natsfest pete kerzel frontfeatured_nationals

A couple more pitchers come off the market (Balfour to Rays)

January 22, 2014, 7:25pm

Nationals

A couple more pitchers come off the market (Balfour to Rays)

You might have wanted the Nationals to make a final offseason splash by signing Japanese free agent starter Masahiro Tanaka. It wasn't going to happen, especially not when Tanaka was getting a seven-year, $155 million offer from the Yankees, an offer that Tanaka accepted yesterday. Tanaka was going to land a monster contract from some team that had a big hole in its rotation, but the Yankees really outdid themselves here, giving Tanaka the second-largest free agent contract ever handed out...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko eric o'flaherty masahiro tanaka nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nationals announce 2014 non-roster invitees

January 24, 2014, 11:30am

Nationals

Pitchers and catchers to report to Viera, Fla., by February 13 The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Gabriel Alfaro, infielder Jamey Carroll, right-handed pitcher Manny Delcarmen, infielder Mike Fontenot, right-handed pitcher Clay Hensley, right-handed pitcher Daniel Stange, infielder Brock Peterson, and catcher Chris Snyder on minor-league contracts with invitations to Major League Spring Training. In addition, the Nationals extended Spring Training invites...