nationals

Final thoughts from players, coaches on Johnson's last game

September 29, 2013, 4:32pm

PHOENIX - Pitching coach Steve McCatty, like most of the Nationals' coaches, has an interesting relationship with Davey Johnson. Johnson will tend to yell a decent amount. He demands plenty from his coaches. He'll complain about mistakes and ask why various moves weren't made. Then, he'll share a laugh with whoever he was yelling at just seconds or minutes earlier, cracking that big smile that we've seen so many times over the last two and a half years. Was today, Johnson's last day as...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche dan kolko ian desmond nationals steve mccatty frontstory_nationals3

Quotes from the clubhouse after Nats' 3-2 loss in season finale

September 29, 2013, 4:12pm

Nationals

Quotes from the clubhouse after Nats' 3-2 loss in season finale

PHOENIX - If you were expecting the waterworks to kick in for Davey Johnson after his last game as Nationals manager, you can keep on waiting. Johnson was all smiles after today's 3-2 Nationals loss in the regular season finale, this despite the fact that his managerial career ends on a losing note. He finishes his career with a 1,372-1,071 record, 301 games above the .500 mark. "It was a heck of a ride," Johnson said. "Great group of guys. Time to go home. Put me out of pasture." Did...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche dan kolko davey johnson nationals tanner roark featured_sidebar frontfeatured_nationals

Roark keeps doing Roark things (Nats lose 3-2 in season finale)

September 29, 2013, 1:51pm

Nationals

Roark keeps doing Roark things (Nats lose 3-2 in season finale)

PHOENIX - At this point, it probably shouldn't surprise anyone to see Tanner Roark get through six innings having allowed just one run on two hits and having thrown only 69 pitches. The rookie right-hander just keeps churning out quality outings, going after hitters, keeping the ball down and avoiding mistake pitches. He allowed an unearned run in the first inning after committing a two-base throwing error that led to Paul Goldschmidt's sac fly, but since then, he's shut the Diamondbacks...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals tanner roark frontfeatured_nationals

Werth scratched from lineup in Nats finale (with Diamondbacks lineup)

September 29, 2013, 10:31am

Nationals

Werth scratched from lineup in Nats finale (with Diamondbacks lineup)

PHOENIX - Jayson Werth has been scratched from the lineup in the Nationals season finale. Scott Hairston will play right field and bat third. That leaves the Nats' lineup today looking like something we might see during spring training. For the Nats LF Jeff Kobernus 3B Anthony Rendon RF Scott Hairston 1B Tyler Moore SS Zach Walters 2B Steve Lombardozzi C Jhonatan Solano CF Eury Perez RHP Tanner Roark For the Diamondbacks SS Willie Bloomquist LF Adam Eaton 1B Paul Goldschmidt 3B Martin...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko frontfeatured_nationals jayson werth nationals scott hairston

Davey Johnson: "It's been a journey. A fun journey"

September 29, 2013, 11:48am

Nationals

Davey Johnson: "It's been a journey. A fun journey"

PHOENIX - During reporters' pregame session with Davey Johnson this morning, a couple questions were fired at the 70-year-old skipper about what it feels like knowing today is his last game as a major league manager. Has it hit him yet? How long will it take to get used to life away from the game? "It's not like I'm dying tomorrow! Good lord," Johnson said, drawing laughter from reporters. "There'll be something I can do. "I'm ready to play this game today. Fly (back to D.C.). Pack...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko davey johnson nationals featured_sidebar frontfeatured_nationals frontstory_nationals1

Randy Knorr: "Everybody would want this job"

September 28, 2013, 10:08pm

Nationals

Randy Knorr: "Everybody would want this job"

PHOENIX - By no means is it a secret. General manager Mike Rizzo knows it. Nationals players know it. At this point, fans surely know it. Randy Knorr is interested in the Washington Nationals' managerial job that will open up once Davey Johnson steps aside at the conclusion of today's game. The cat was never really in the bag. But it's certainly out now. "Yeah, I think a lot of people are interested in it," Knorr said a couple days ago. "It's a great team. You just look at the players...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals randy knorr frontfeatured_nationals frontstory_nationals3

Tanner Roark one of the most pleasant surprises of 2013 for Nationals

September 29, 2013, 4:35am

Nationals

One of the most pleasant surprises of 2013 was the emergence of Tanner Roark. Just one season ago, he was battling in the minors, fighting through a 17-loss campaign. But in 2013, on the recommendation of Nationals pitching coordinator Spin Williams, manager Davey Johnson was convinced Roark could make a difference at the back end of a rotation that was having a rough go staying consistent. Dan Haren had a difficult first half, allowing too many home runs and starter Ross Detwiler had been out...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr nationals tanner roark frontstory_nationals2

Haren on his final start, Tracy on his big night

September 28, 2013, 8:34pm

Nationals

Haren on his final start, Tracy on his big night

PHOENIX - The first half of Dan Haren's season was awful. He had a 6.15 ERA and led the majors in home runs allowed through 15 starts. But man, did Haren turn things around in a pretty big way. After throwing seven scoreless innings in tonight's 2-0 Nationals win, Haren's ERA over his final 15 starts of the season is a strong 3.29, he has a 1.05 WHIP and he allowed just nine homers through 87 2/3 innings. In his mind, the strong finish in no way overcomes the first three months, but he...

Comments

Tags:

chad tracy dan haren dan kolko nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Triple the fun for Span (Haren notches 10th win in Nats' 2-0 victory)

September 28, 2013, 5:47pm

Nationals

Triple the fun for Span (Haren notches 10th win in Nats' 2-0 victory)

PHOENIX - The slide into third might not have been textbook, but Denard Span's leadoff triple in the top of the sixth has allowed the Nationals to break a scoreless tie in the sixth inning here at Chase Field. It's also given Span the major league lead in triples this season. Span roped a first-pitch changeup from Diamondbacks righty Brandon McCarthy into the right field corner and turned on the jets. He slid into third awkwardly, ending up on his backside as his momentum took him past the...

Comments

Tags:

dan haren dan kolko denard span nationals chad tracy frontstory_nationals3

Johnson on a milestone win of sorts, Haren's final start and plans for tomorrow's finale

September 28, 2013, 8:02pm

Nationals

Johnson on a milestone win of sorts, Haren's final start and plans for tomorrow's finale

PHOENIX - Tonight's 2-0 Nationals win had some special significance to manager Davey Johnson as his managerial career comes towards its end. It guaranteed that Johnson will finish with a lifetime record of at least 300 games over .500. That stat took particular meaning for Johnson in recent days, as silly as it might sound to some, but his players were able to deliver for him here in Arizona, picking up back-to-back wins over the Diamondbacks to push Johnson to 302 games over .500 in his...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko davey johnson nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Kobernus leading off, Moore playing first in Strasburg's 2013 finale

September 27, 2013, 2:14pm

Nationals

Kobernus leading off, Moore playing first in Strasburg's 2013 finale

PHOENIX - The final series of the Nationals' 2013 season begins tonight. Three games here at Chase Field against the Diamondbacks are all that separates the Nats from the offseason and the frustration that surely comes from watching postseason baseball from home. Stephen Strasburg will make his final start of the season tonight, while the Diamondbacks will send left-hander Patrick Corbin to the mound. Jeff Kobernus will lead off and play left field tonight, and Bryce Harper will play...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko diamondbacks lineups nationals stephen strasburg jeff kobernus tyler moore

Sunday's starter still up in the air; Johnson sums up Strasburg's season

September 27, 2013, 5:07pm

Nationals

Sunday's starter still up in the air; Johnson sums up Strasburg's season

PHOENIX - We know either Gio Gonzalez or Tanner Roark will start for the Nationals in the season finale Sunday. We still just don't know which of the two it'll be. Essentially, it boils down to how the Nats fare in the first two games of this series. If they win or lose both games, it sounds like Davey Johnson will start Roark on Sunday. If the Nats split the first two games of this three-game set, Gonzalez will probably get the ball. The reason? Johnson is currently 300 games over .500...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko davey johnson gio gonzalez nationals stephen strasburg tanner roark

Nats off to a shaky start out west (Werth's 25th homer is a bomb)

September 27, 2013, 7:05pm

Nationals

Nats off to a shaky start out west (Werth's 25th homer is a bomb)

PHOENIX - Stephen Strasburg's third inning of work included two walks, including one to the Diamondbacks' number eight hitter, hitting the opposing pitcher on a 1-2 curveball when said opposing pitcher was squaring around to bunt, and two singles. Frankly, Strasburg was fortunate to come out of the inning having just allowed two runs. An RBI single by Gerardo Parra broke a scoreless tie and kept the bases loaded with none out, but Strasburg induced a big 5-4-3 double play, turned nicely by...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals stephen strasburg ryan zimmerman

Johnson on Strasburg's season and Nats' 8-4 win

September 27, 2013, 9:50pm

Nationals

Johnson on Strasburg's season and Nats' 8-4 win

PHOENIX - Not only did tonight's 8-4 Nationals win finish off Stephen Strasburg's season on a high note and feature Jayson Werth's 25th homer of the year, it also brought Davey Johnson one win away from reaching a statistical milestone that somewhat strangely holds a decent amount of importance for him. With one more win this season, Johnson would be guaranteed to finish at least 300 games above .500 for his managerial career. If the Nats don't get the win tomorrow, Johnson will send...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko davey johnson nationals stephen strasburg featured_sidebar jayson werth

Strasburg on his season: "I learned a lot"

September 27, 2013, 10:19pm

Nationals

Strasburg on his season: "I learned a lot"

PHOENIX - In some ways, tonight's start exemplified Stephen Strasburg's season. Strasburg had a couple of moments where he struggled to locate and had a shaky stretch in the third inning where he walked two batters and hit Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin with a 1-2 curveball. He had just four strikeouts in seven innings of work. But he finished the night going a solid seven innings, allowing just two runs in an 8-4 Nationals win. It wasn't the smoothest of starts for Strasburg, but it...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals stephen strasburg featured_sidebar

Some leftovers from last night

September 28, 2013, 12:35am

Nationals

PHOENIX - Just prior to his fifth-inning home run Friday night, Jayson Werth noticed that the bat that he was using had splintered. It was the same bat he'd used for weeks, a much longer life span than most bats Werth handles, and had delivered many big hits over what has been a personal hot stretch. Werth needed a new piece of lumber, so he called for the bat boy. "I think his name was Bobby," Werth said, dropping a "The Natural" reference on everyone. "He ran out the Savoy Special to...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko jayson werth nationals stephen strasburg wilson ramos featured_sidebar

Haren likely making his final start as a National (LaRoche scratched)

September 28, 2013, 12:54pm

Nationals

Haren likely making his final start as a National (LaRoche scratched)

PHOENIX - Dan Haren will look to cap a disappointing season on a positive note tonight when he takes on the Diamondbacks in what will likely be his final start as a National. A free agent this offseason after his one-year, $13 million deal with the Nats comes to an end, Haren will be shopping around for a new team, but he knows he likely won't have many suitors after going 9-14 with a 4.87 ERA and 28 homers allowed in 162 2/3 innings to this point this season. He's 1-1 with a lifetime 5.00...

Comments

Tags:

dan haren dan kolko nationals lineups

Gonzalez to start tomorrow, LaRoche done for the season

September 28, 2013, 2:55pm

Nationals

Gonzalez to start tomorrow, LaRoche done for the season

PHOENIX - After some initial indecision about who would start tomorrow in the Nationals' season finale, Gio Gonzalez has decided to take the ball for Davey Johnson's last game as Nats manager. Gonzalez had been initially under the impression that Tanner Roark would start the finale, but Johnson told Gonzalez that he'd like the left-hander to pitch tomorrow to help him ensure that he finishes his managerial career at least 300 games above .500. After thinking it over, Gonzalez agreed to...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche dan kolko davey johnson gio gonzalez nationals featured_sidebar

Rizzo on the season's disappointments and offseason priorities

September 28, 2013, 4:09pm

Nationals

Rizzo on the season's disappointments and offseason priorities

PHOENIX - Reporters sat down with Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo for more than 13 minutes a bit ago, discussing what went wrong this season that left the Nats on the outside of the playoffs looking in and where Rizzo will look to improve the club this offseason. I'll have bits of that interview coming throughout the next few days, but first, here is some of the important quick-hit stuff that was discussed: Rizzo declined to address the upcoming managerial search or what qualities...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko mike rizzo nationals davey johnson featured_sidebar ian desmond jordan zimmermann frontstory_nationals3

Strasburg's 2013 season is done (Nats win 8-4)

September 27, 2013, 8:06pm

Nationals

Strasburg's 2013 season is done (Nats win 8-4)

PHOENIX - This will wrap up Stephen Strasburg's 2013 season. The right-hander went seven strong innings tonight, and leaves with the Nationals holding an 8-2 lead mid-way through the eighth thanks to Wilson Ramos' three-run shot. It was Ramos' 16th homer of the season, and it's turned this game into a blowout. Outside of a blip in the third inning in which he walked two, hit the pitcher and allowed two runs, Strasburg pitched pretty darn well tonight. He allowed just the two runs on six...