nationals

Nats players pulling for Knorr, McCatty as offseason begins

September 29, 2013, 5:12pm

PHOENIX - The Nationals' 2013 season is over. "World Series or bust" came up bust. One thing that's strange about professional sports is how quickly the focus inevitably turns once a season ends. A week ago, the Nats embarked on a road trip still hoping to pull off a miraculous run into the postseason. Two days ago, they ran out their regular lineup and played a game for their manager, who was trying to reach a statistical milestone. But after yesterday's game, as the Nats packed their...

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LaRoche on weight loss, struggles and confidence he can regain top form

October 03, 2013, 12:22am

Nationals

LaRoche on weight loss, struggles and confidence he can regain top form

Over the course of the 2013 season, Adam LaRoche lost around 15 pounds and was left playing at a weight he hadn't been measured at since high school. The medicine that LaRoche took to combat his attention deficit disorder (ADD) sapped his appetite and left him down in the low-190 lb. range, as compared to the 205-210 lbs. at which he typically plays. A couple of months into the season, Nationals teammates started noticing the difference in LaRoche's frame, and it's around that time that...

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Rendon won't be handed starting second base job this spring

October 01, 2013, 10:57pm

Nationals

Rendon won't be handed starting second base job this spring

On June 5 of this season, Anthony Rendon started his first big league game at second base. Rendon had been promoted from Triple-A Syracuse the day prior, marking his second stint with the Nationals, and Danny Espinosa, who had been the Nats' starting second baseman the vast majority of the season up to that point, had been placed on the disabled list. That day, June 5, served as a turning point as far as the Nationals' second base job went for the remainder of the season. Rendon effectively...

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Zimmerman not moving off the hot corner anytime soon

September 30, 2013, 10:35pm

Nationals

Zimmerman not moving off the hot corner anytime soon

Last night's Rays win over the Rangers in the American League play-in game means that former Nationals great David DeJesus will taste the postseason for the first time in his 11-year big league career. What do you think DeJesus will remember most about this season - finally reaching the playoffs, or those three at-bats he got in a Nationals uniform back in August? They're probably about even, is my guess. If someone was stranded in a cave without TV or the Internet for the last six months,...

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Zimmerman-Ripken conversation featured at Dec. 4 event

October 01, 2013, 8:57am

Nationals

Zimmerman-Ripken conversation featured at Dec. 4 event

Offseason baseball events have come a long way since the rubber chicken awards dinners of winters past. Mark your calendars now for Wednesday, Dec. 4 - that's the night when the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation will host "The Hot Corner: A Conversation of Baseball Greats" at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C. The event will feature an intimate conversation between Cal Ripken Jr., the longtime Orioles third baseman who was enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007, and...

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What's your final take on the Nats' 2013 campaign?

September 29, 2013, 10:31pm

Nationals

What's your final take on the Nats' 2013 campaign?

PHOENIX - I'm about to say goodbye to Phoenix and wrap up the 2013 season from a personal perspective, as my flight back east is set to take off in just a little bit. Quickly, I'd like to say thank you to each and every one of you for following along this season, both here on the blog and on Twitter. While it's a long season and the job can be pretty grueling at times, you guys have again helped make things fun. I really enjoy the back-and-forth with everyone, and truly thank you for your...

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Predicting the AL and NL postseason awards

September 30, 2013, 6:48am

Nationals Orioles

Predicting the AL and NL postseason awards

The season is done. The ballots are in. The Orioles' Chris Davis and Adam Jones are going to appear on American League MVP ballots. The Nationals' Jordan Zimmermann should make some National League Cy Young Award ballots and maybe his teammate, Jayson Werth, will get NL MVP votes as well. The Baseball Writers' Association of America will announce their awards in November, but here's one perspective: * NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers is the winner. How could anyone argue with...

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

September 29, 2013, 4:32pm

Nationals

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

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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...