nationals

Haren's turnaround and its implications beyond this season

August 20, 2013, 11:25pm

CHICAGO - It really wasn't too long ago that Dan Haren could have, based on the numbers, been legitimately considered the worst starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. As of June 22, Haren led the majors in home runs allowed and had the highest ERA of any qualified starter in the National League. His WHIP was 1.43 (in other words, he was allowing an average of nearly 1 1/2 batters to reach via a hit or a walk every inning) and his OPS against was .888. Over the last six weeks, things...

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Nationals launch its first-ever season plan eCash reward incentives for 2014

August 21, 2013, 10:49am

Nationals

Renew your expiring Season Plan or become a new Season Plan Holder now and you are eligible to receive up to 15% in Bonus eCash rewards loaded directly onto your Ultimate Ballpark Access Account to use at concessions and for merchandise Plus, receive loyalty points for free tickets, upgrades, parking and access to one-of-a-kind experiences with your new purchase of a season plan Washington Nationals fans who renew their expiring season plan or purchase a new 2014 season plan can earn Bonus...

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Should Nats let Davey Johnson manage last month if they don't turn it around?

August 21, 2013, 8:42am

Nationals

Should Nats let Davey Johnson manage last month if they don't turn it around?

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo hasn't given up on the season, but at a time when the Phillies fired a legend, Charlie Manuel, there is a similar question for the Nationals: If there is no hope for the team by Sept. 1, is it best for manager Davey Johnson to work the final month? Johnson, who said before the season that this would be his last, deserves to go out on his own terms, but the final month could give Rizzo a chance to see how Randy Knorr looks as a manager and how he handles...

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David Huzzard: David DeJesus and the Nats' 2014 bench

August 21, 2013, 5:26am

Nationals

David Huzzard: David DeJesus and the Nats' 2014 bench

Sometimes the best moves a general manager can make are the ones that look confusing at first. Keep in mind general managers are allegedly smarter than the media and bloggers, and should be a couple of steps ahead of us. One the surface, the David DeJesus trade looks weird. The Nats don't need him for this season and his $6.5 million option is a lot to pay for a bench player for 2014, but let's look at the Nationals bench, or let's not because H.P. Lovecraft couldn't describe a monster as...

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Johnson, Desmond and Span talk missed chances, clutch hits late in 4-2 win

August 20, 2013, 9:09pm

Nationals

Johnson, Desmond and Span talk missed chances, clutch hits late in 4-2 win

CHICAGO - It's easy to chuckle about the fact that the Nationals put 21 runners on base and scored just four runs now that tonight's 4-2 win is in the books. Had the end result been different, Davey Johnson and the guys in the Nats clubhouse wouldn't have been laughing. The Nats had 14 hits and drew seven walks off Cubs pitching tonight. But somehow, entering the ninth inning, they still had put just two runs up on the scoreboard. They got two big insurance runs in the ninth on RBI...

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Nats option Krol to make room for Ohlendorf

August 20, 2013, 8:24pm

Nationals

Nats option Krol to make room for Ohlendorf

CHICAGO - Needing to clear a roster spot for right-hander Ross Ohlendorf, who will come off the disabled list and start tomorrow, the Nationals have optioned left-handed reliever Ian Krol to Triple-A Syracuse. Krol got off to a tremendous start with the Nats after his promotion from Double-A Harrisburg in early June, throwing 9 2/3 scoreless innings to start his big league career, with 12 strikeouts and one walk in that span. The 22-year-old has had a much tougher time of late, however,...

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Missed chances galore for both sides (Nats win 4-2)

August 20, 2013, 5:40pm

Nationals

Missed chances galore for both sides (Nats win 4-2)

CHICAGO - Call this the game of missed opportunities. And not just for the Nationals, for once. For both teams. The Nats and Cubs have combined to go 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position through the first four innings tonight. Seven of those missed chances have fallen at the feet of the Cubs, who have put runners on early in innings but haven't been able to do much of anything with them. Ryan Zimmerman's RBI double in the first inning and Brian Bogusevic's solo homer in the fourth...

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Source: Strasburg, Johnson won't be suspended for Atlanta incident

August 20, 2013, 1:43pm

Nationals

Source: Strasburg, Johnson won't be suspended for Atlanta incident

According to a Major League Baseball source, neither right-hander Stephen Strasburg nor manager Davey Johnson will be suspended for Saturday's incident in Atlanta during which the Nationals starting pitcher hit Justin Upton with a first-inning pitch and later threw behind Andrelton Simmons, earning ejections for both himself and Johnson. After Strasburg drilled Upton with a first-pitch fastball in the first inning, home plate umpire Marvin Hudson warned both benches that any further...

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What's next in the Nats' long search for a new spring home? (updated)

August 20, 2013, 4:55pm

Nationals

What's next in the Nats' long search for a new spring home? (updated)

So Kissimmee, Fla., is out as a possible spring training base for the Nationals. Where does that leave the Nats in terms of their longstanding desire to relocate spring camp to a location that offers both a new stadium and more teams closer by? For the time being, they'll stay in Viera, Space Coast Stadium and the adjacent minor league complex. Though it's not their preference, the Nationals at least have a functional facility at their disposal - at least until their lease runs out at the...

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Source: Nationals promote three more prospects

August 20, 2013, 3:05pm

Nationals

One day after promoting top prospect Lucas Giolito to short season Single-A Auburn, according to a source the Nationals have announced plans to promote three more prospects. Left-hander Brett Mooneyham will start for Single-A Potomac on Thursday, weather permitting. Mooneyham was 10-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 17 starts with Single-A Hagerstown. Austin Voth and Jake Johansen will also be promoted to Hagerstown. Both started the season with Auburn. Johansen, the Nats' top pick in the June draft,...

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Pregame notes on Moore, Storen, Harper

August 20, 2013, 3:24pm

Nationals

CHICAGO - Adam LaRoche is making the most of his day off today, as the first baseman spent part of batting practice getting some ground balls at shortstop, rotating in with Ian Desmond. LaRoche was casually scooping grounders with his first baseman's mitt and then whipping the ball across the diamond to first. It's a bit weird seeing a left-hander on the left side of the infield, I'll tell you that. The day off for LaRoche comes as a result of Davey Johnson wanting to get Tyler Moore into...

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Moore, Hairston starting for Nats

August 20, 2013, 12:29pm

Nationals

CHICAGO - Davey Johnson is again loading up his lineup with right-handed hitters against a left-handed starter, leaving Adam LaRoche and Denard Span on the bench in favor of Tyler Moore and Scott Hairston. Moore will play first base and bat sixth, while Hairston will play left field and bat eighth. Bryce Harper will slide over and play center field tonight and hit leadoff as the Nats face Cubs left-hander Chris Rusin. Rusin has a 3.06 ERA in six starts this season, and he's surrendered just...

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A twist in the DeJesus saga

August 20, 2013, 9:26am

Nationals

CHICAGO - As reported by FOXsports.com's Ken Rosenthal last night, just hours after the Nationals acquired David DeJesus in a trade with the Cubs, they placed him back on revokable trade waivers. In essence, that means DeJesus might not be around for all that long, after all. This is a strange bit of news, and I'm not entirely sure what to make of it, but there are a couple of theories here. First, it's possible that the Nationals simply made a mistake putting in a waiver claim on...

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Nationals acquire DeJesus from Cubs, release Bernadina (updated)

August 19, 2013, 11:28am

Nationals

CHICAGO - The Nationals this afternoon acquired outfielder David DeJesus from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a player to be named. DeJesus, 33, was claimed off waivers by the Nationals. Ironically, since the Nationals open a four-game series at Wrigley Field tonight, DeJesus will only need to switch clubhouses to meet up with his new team. To make space on the 25-man roster for DeJesus, the Nationals released outfielder Roger Bernadina. A career .279 hitter who can play all three outfield...

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Already reaching one 2012 mark

August 20, 2013, 1:19am

Nationals

CHICAGO - I failed to mention this here on the blog last night, but if you're able to stomach a depressing stat, I've got one for you. Last night's loss marked the 64th defeat for the Nationals this season. That evens their number of losses from all of 2012. In other words, in order for the Nats to match their record from last season, they'll need to go 38-0 the rest of the regular season. I'm no Major League Baseball scout. I'm no mathematician. Neither of those roles would suit me...

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Ted Leavengood: Can Nats compete without more international signings?

August 20, 2013, 5:50am

Nationals

As an organization, the Washington Nationals have largely eschewed big international signings. Last week, they paid $900,000 for Anderson Franco and the front office has said it will be more aggressive in international markets moving forward. Prior forays have been disappointing at best. They got nothing except legal fees for the $1.4 million they paid to Dominican phenom Smiley Gonzalez in 2006. They tried again in 2009 when they landed Cuban emigre, Yunesky Maya, who commanded a four-year, $8...

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Osceola County rejects plans for Nationals' spring training complex

August 20, 2013, 5:30am

Nationals

The Nationals won't be moving their spring training headquarters to Kissimmee, Fla. Last night, Osceola County commissioners voted 4-1 against constructing a new complex and stadium for the Nationals, who want to move their Grapefruit League operations out of Viera, Fla. Those commissioners voting against the $98 million deal said that any potential benefits from the project were outweighed by the county's investment in it. Monday's vote followed last month's 3-2 rejection of the team's...

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Hearing from Zimmermann, Zimmerman, Ramos and DeJesus

August 19, 2013, 8:15pm

Nationals

Hearing from Zimmermann, Zimmerman, Ramos and DeJesus

CHICAGO - Jordan Zimmermann has had a couple solid starts since the All-Star break, throwing six scoreless against the Brewers and allowing just one run over seven innings against the Giants. Both those strong outings have been sandwiched by a number of poor starts, which are rare to see from a starter as consistent as Zimmermann. Tonight's five-inning, eight-run outing was the third time in seven starts since the break that Zimmermann has allowed five earned runs or more, and it was the...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 11-1 loss

August 19, 2013, 7:44pm

Nationals

CHICAGO - Coming into today, the Cubs had only scored 10 or more runs once this entire season. They had scored one run or fewer in four of their last six games. They put up 11 on Jordan Zimmermann and company tonight. The Cubs had nine hits today, five of which left the ballpark. Three of those longballs came off Zimmermann, who worked just five innings and allowed a season-high eight runs, falling to 14-7 on the season with the loss. "Zim left the ball up. This is a ballpark, you leave the...

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DeJesus recaps a wild day after learning of trade to Nats (game update)

August 19, 2013, 4:36pm

Nationals

DeJesus recaps a wild day after learning of trade to Nats (game update)

CHICAGO - At around 1 p.m., David DeJesus looked down at his cell phone and saw that he had a missed call from Cubs team president Theo Epstein. DeJesus and his wife Kim were out getting green juice at the time, and DeJesus mentioned who the missed call was from. "You probably got traded," Kim DeJesus joked. They weren't laughing a few minutes later. DeJesus quickly called Epstein back and learned the news - that he'd been shipped from the Cubs to the Nats in exchange for a player to be...