nationals

On Zimmerman's power surge and Johnson's use of his southpaws

September 12, 2013, 5:32am

Here's how locked-in Ryan Zimmerman is lately, from a power perspective: Over Zimmerman's first 463 at-bats of the season, he hit 15 home runs, an average of 30.8 at-bats per homer. Over Zimmerman's last 39 at-bats, Zimmerman has hit seven home runs, an average of 5.6 at-bats per longball. If Zimmerman could keep this pace up over the course of a full season (550 at-bats), he'd have 98 homers. Sounds pretty doable, right? Strangely enough, in this nine-game span where Zimmerman's power...

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Roark back to the hill in series finale vs. Mets

September 12, 2013, 7:48am

Nationals

Roark back to the hill in series finale vs. Mets

Tanner Roark's first major league start couldn't have gone much better. Roark threw six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, walking none and striking out four in a win over the Marlins. The rookie right-hander improved to 5-0 with that win, and his ERA dropped to a sparkling 0.94. Today, Roark gets the ball again in the finale of the Nationals' four-game series with the Mets. The Nats have taken the first three in New York and are gunning for a much-needed sweep. Veteran...

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Nats win 3-0, extend winning streak to five games

September 11, 2013, 6:04pm

Nationals

Nats win 3-0, extend winning streak to five games

Dan Haren spun a gem, and the bats provided enough pop to allow the Nationals to pick up their fifth straight win. Haren threw six scoreless innings tonight, allowing just a hit and a walk and striking out eight, and Ryan Zimmerman's solo homer and Anthony Rendon's two-run double were enough to give the Nats a 3-0 win over the Mets. The victory makes Haren 9-13 on the season and gives him two more wins than Stephen Strasburg. Baseball can be a funny game at times. The Nats are now 22-9 in...

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Rachel Levitin: Is it too little too late for the Nats?

September 12, 2013, 5:14am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Is it too little too late for the Nats?

The Nationals are now six games back in the wild card chase behind Cincinnati with 17 games left on the schedule. This is after Wednesday night's 3-0 victory against the New York Mets in which Washington notched its fifth consecutive victory. It's like MASN's Dan Kolko said yesterday: finally, it's all clicking. But is it too late? That's the question facing the Nationals. Offense has been an ongoing issue for Washington throughout the season. Batting coach Rick Eckstein was let go,...

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Much better stuff from Haren (Rendon provides some insurance)

September 11, 2013, 4:05pm

Nationals

Much better stuff from Haren (Rendon provides some insurance)

Prior to tonight, the last two times Dan Haren took the mound, his night was over before he could sniff the fourth inning. Haren allowed nine runs over 2 2/3 innings in a loss to the Mets on Aug. 31, then surrendered five runs over three innings in a loss to the Marlins on Sept. 6. Tonight, Haren has allowed just one baserunner through his first three frames, holding the Mets hitless and striking out four. Haren has worked quickly and needed just 42 pitches (27 of which have been strikes) to...

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Harper returns, hitting cleanup

September 11, 2013, 11:56am

Nationals

After missing the last four games with left hip inflammation, Bryce Harper is back in the Nationals lineup today, playing left field and hitting cleanup. Harper went back to D.C. over the weekend to get checked out by Nationals medical director Dr. Wiemi Douoguih. He was told to sit out Monday and Tuesday's games, but took batting practice at Citi Field yesterday and felt well enough to have Davey Johnson write him back in the lineup for tonight's contest. This will mark just the fourth...

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Finally, it's all clicking

September 10, 2013, 9:21pm

Nationals

Jordan Zimmermann notched his 17th win last night, most in the National League. Rafael Soriano recorded his 40th save, second-most in the NL. Jayson Werth leads the league in OPS and slugging percentage, and is one percentage point behind Chris Johnson for the league lead in batting average. Denard Span has a 21-game hitting streak and has worked his average up to .281. Wilson Ramos has 12 homers and 46 RBIs in just 231 at-bats. Tyler Moore is hitting .388 since his promotion with three...

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Nats' Jayson Werth should be a factor in National League MVP competition

September 11, 2013, 8:49am

Nationals

Nats' Jayson Werth should be a factor in National League MVP competition

Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth should be a factor in the National League's MVP voting. But if the team pulls off a miracle and becomes a wild card team, Werth's case gets stronger. He missed May with an injury, but there's no arguing that his average, on-base percentage and power in the second half have carried the Nationals' reawakened offense. He might win the NL batting title, and, in addition, he has all the leadership intangibles. The competition: * Freddie Freeman and Chris...

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David Huzzard: The Nationals and international free agents

September 11, 2013, 5:56am

Nationals

List the best free agent pick-ups of this past offseason, and it will be difficult to leave off Hyun-jin Ryu or Yasiel Puig. Go back one season earlier and there is an argument to be made that the best free agent signings were once again of non-MLB players in Yoenis Cespedes and Yu Darvish. This offseason, that could be the case once again with rumors of Masahiro Tanaka being posted and Jose Abreu already a free agent. And while the Nationals made a run at Aroldis Chapman, there was never any...

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Werth and LaRoche having a party (Nats win 6-3)

September 10, 2013, 3:44pm

Nationals

Werth and LaRoche having a party (Nats win 6-3)

Prior to last season, the Mets brought in the fence in left and left-center field at Citi Field in order to make the park a bit smaller, and installed what they call the Party City Deck between the new fencing and the old wall that they had out there. It's an area for fans to hang out during the game and get a unique view just above the fence. And it's also a prime area for souvenirs, especially the last two days. The Nationals are wearing out that Party City Deck during this series, and...

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Gio Gonzalez's interesting 2013 campaign

September 10, 2013, 5:17am

Nationals

Gio Gonzalez's interesting 2013 campaign

It's been a bit of a strange season for Gio Gonzalez. When Gonzalez has been good, he's been really, really good. See: last night's one-hit shutout of the Mets in a 9-0 Nationals win. That was dominance, and it sure looked for a while there like Gonzalez had a legitimate shot at a no-hitter the way he was throwing. But on the rare occasion when Gonzalez has struggled this season, he's really struggled. The left-hander has allowed more than four earned runs in a start five times this...

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Lombardozzi, Moore in Nats lineup against Gee

September 10, 2013, 12:27pm

Nationals

Lombardozzi, Moore in Nats lineup against Gee

As teammates, good friends and roommates, Steve Lombardozzi and Tyler Moore are around each other a lot. That's why, as a joke, an unknown member of the Nationals took Moore's jersey, hat and baseball gloves during the last homestand and put them in Lombardozzi's locker. When Moore walked into the Nats clubhouse and made his way toward his locker, he noticed his stuff was gone. The confused Moore started spinning around looking, trying to figure out what was going on, only to find his gear...

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"Productive" meeting held between Nats and Lee County, Fort Myers, Rockford Construction

September 10, 2013, 7:35am

Nationals

"Productive" meeting held between Nats and Lee County, Fort Myers, Rockford Construction

Officials from Lee County, Fort Myers and Rockford Construction met yesterday in Washington with Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner to discuss the team's potential move to vacant City of Palms Park for spring training, perhaps as early as the 2015 Grapefruit League season. According to this story in the Fort Myers News-Press, Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais characterized the meeting as a fact-finding mission but sounded hopeful that progress was made that could result in the Nationals...

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The most oft-asked questions this September

September 10, 2013, 9:50am

Nationals Orioles

The most oft-asked questions this September

Here are the answers to the most often asked questions about September: * Why do teams play with 25-man rosters through August and then are allowed to expand to up to 40 for September? It's a rule that has always been, but it's driving managers crazy, and they are becoming more vocal about it. General managers have the power to change the rule, and they will likely take a look at it this winter. The simple solution is to allow roster expansion but designate a certain number of additional...

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Nationals announce 2014 schedule

September 10, 2013, 9:16am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today released their 2014 schedule, which includes 81 home dates, beginning with Washington's 81st home opener since 1901 on Friday, April 4 vs. Atlanta and is highlighted by an attractive slate of weekend visits from the Braves (twice), Phillies (twice), Cardinals, Cubs and Pirates. The Nationals start the 2014 season on the road on Monday, March 31 at Citi Field against the Mets. Washington's 2014 slate both begins and concludes with a significant stretch of games...

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Nationals release 2014 schedule

September 10, 2013, 7:23am

Nationals

The Nationals will open their 2014 season with 15 straight games against division opponents, the first three of which will be in New York against the Mets. After kicking off the season on the road, the Nats will return for their home opener on Friday, April 4, to be played against the Braves. The Nats have an 11-game homestand - their longest of the season - in April, including four games apiece against the Cardinals and Padres, and a three-game interleague series against the Angels. Other...

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Ted Leavengood: Nationals' sun may be setting, but what a view

September 10, 2013, 6:07am

Nationals

Five home runs in a 9-0 blowout, and still Gio Gonzalez completely stole the spotlight from Rick Schu's offense. He flirted with history for six innings, taking a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh. Then one got away. It was so close, so close to being corralled by Adam LaRoche, so close to being foul, but it was a hit. Gonzalez left the mound at the end of the inning muttering to himself, but he finished the game off as a one-hit complete-game shutout. Just that one cheap hit. Gonzalez...

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Gonzalez delivers one-hit shutout in 9-0 Nats win (updated)

September 09, 2013, 5:15pm

Nationals

Gonzalez delivers one-hit shutout in 9-0 Nats win (updated)

The Nationals' bats have made all the big noise tonight. But Gio Gonzalez quietly hasn't allowed a hit through six innings. Gonzalez has struck out seven and retired 17 straight as we go to the seventh. The only Mets hitter to reach base tonight was Daniel Murphy, who got on via a one-out walk in the first. Gonzalez has thrown 73 pitches, 52 for strikes. He's needed to sit through a couple long half-innings when the Nats have done some offensive damage, but it hasn't seemed to bug the...

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Span and Zimmerman stay hot (five innings, five homers, no Mets hits)

September 09, 2013, 3:28pm

Nationals

Span and Zimmerman stay hot (five innings, five homers, no Mets hits)

Denard Span extended his hitting streak to 20 games in style. Then Ryan Zimmerman kept his hot streak going with some flash, as well. Span and Zimmerman hit back-to-back homers to open tonight's game, giving the Nationals, and starter Gio Gonzalez, an early 2-0 lead. Span's shot was a laser to right field that cleared the wall and skipped up into the netting above the bullpens. It's his fourth of the season and takes away whatever drama there might have been thanks to Span's hitting...

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Moore in left with Harper still out (with Mets lineup)

September 09, 2013, 11:48am

Nationals

Moore in left with Harper still out (with Mets lineup)

With Bryce Harper still out of the Nationals' lineup with a hip injury, Tyler Moore will play left field tonight in the opener of the Nats' four-game series against the Mets. Gio Gonzalez will oppose Mets right-hander Carlos Torres, who the Nats got to for eight earned runs in just three innings in a 14-1 win back on July 28. For the Nats CF Denard Span 3B Ryan Zimmerman RF Jayson Werth SS Ian Desmond 1B Adam LaRoche C Wilson Ramos LF Tyler Moore 2B Anthony Rendon LHP Gio...