nationals

Johnson on Zimmerman's throwing and a possible move to first base

August 06, 2013, 2:35pm

Davey Johnson is going with a new-look lineup tonight, with Bryce Harper leading off, Ryan Zimmerman starting in the two-hole for the first time in his career, Wilson Ramos hitting sixth and Anthony Rendon eighth. Essentially, Johnson has just gotten rid of a leadoff hitter and moved of his middle-of-the-order hitters up a spot. What was the rationale for that alignment? "It's just something," Johnson said, smiling and giving a shake of the head. "I don't know. ... I was just throwing...

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Werth back in Nats lineup

August 06, 2013, 12:04pm

Nationals

Jayson Werth is back in the Nationals lineup tonight against the Braves after being scratched from starting on Monday because of a strained groin. Werth pinch hit in the seventh of yesterday's loss to Atlanta, but returns to the lineup as the Nats seek their first win in three games. Also, Ryan Zimmerman is making his first career start in the No. 2 spot in the batting order. He has one career at-bat and two plate appearances batting second, but no starts. For the Braves RF Jason Heyward LF...

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Nats promote Tanner Roark, option Cedeno, move Detwiler to 60-day DL

August 06, 2013, 10:11am

Nationals

Nats promote Tanner Roark, option Cedeno, move Detwiler to 60-day DL

The Nationals made a series of roster moves today, selecting the contract of right-hander Tanner Roark from Triple-A Syracuse, optioning left-hander Xavier Cedeno back to Syracuse and transferring lefty Ross Detwiler to the 60-day DL. Optioning Cedeno to Triple-A clears a spot for Roark on the 25-man active roster, and moving Detwiler from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL opens a spot for Roark on the 40-man roster. Roark has gone 9-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 33 games (11 starts) this season with the...

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Frustration, confusion continue to build

August 06, 2013, 5:55am

Nationals

Frustration, confusion continue to build

Ready for a few mind-numbing stats? Stephen Strasburg has a 2.14 ERA in four starts against the Braves this season. He's allowed just five runs and struck out 26 in 21 innings against Atlanta. Yet, Strasburg is 0-1 in those four starts. The Nationals have scored two runs or fewer in 45.5 percent of their games this season. This season, the average major league team has scored two runs or fewer 29.1 percent of the time. For what it's worth, the Nats are 6-45 in games where they score fewer...

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Nationals select right-hander Roark from Triple-A Syracuse, option left-hander Xavier Cedeno to Syracuse

August 06, 2013, 10:08am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today selected right-handed pitcher Tanner Roark from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and optioned left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno to Syracuse. Additionally, the Nationals transferred left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler to the 60-Day Disabled List. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Roark went 9-3 with two saves, four holds and a 3.15 ERA in 33 games/11 starts this season with the Chiefs. He...

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Werth scratched from Nats' lineup, named NL Player of the Month

August 05, 2013, 1:10pm

Nationals

Werth scratched from Nats' lineup, named NL Player of the Month

Jayson Werth has been named the National League Player of the Month. He'll celebrate with an unplanned day of rest. Werth has been scratched from the Nationals' lineup for tonight's series opener against the Braves. Manager Davey Johnson said this afternoon that Werth's bruised right hand isn't really much of an issue, but the strained groin that Werth aggravated this weekend in Milwaukee is still bothering him. The Nationals had originally written Werth into today's lineup, but he...

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Teammates, manager glad Gonzalez can officially put Biogenesis queries behind him

August 05, 2013, 1:55pm

Nationals

Teammates, manager glad Gonzalez can officially put Biogenesis queries behind him

Nationals teammates and manager Davey Johnson all are glad that left-hander Gio Gonzalez finally gets the recognition from Major League Baseball that he was not a part of the Biogenesis scandal. Today's announcement by Commissioner Bud Selig suspended thirteen more players, including Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, for their admitted use of performance enhancing drugs. The last paragraph of the statement released by Major League Baseball today read: "Major League Baseball's...

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Hearing from Hairston, Clippard, Span and Desmond

August 05, 2013, 7:44pm

Nationals

Hearing from Hairston, Clippard, Span and Desmond

It doesn't make the defeat any easier to stomach, but while the Nationals have had losses this season where the bats were nearly completely silent, at least they stuck the ball well tonight. That was something that Davey Johnson pointed out as a minor glimmer on a relatively dark night for the home team at Nats Park. "That's been happening a lot lately," Scott Hairston said. "All we can do is square it up, and it seems like that's been a pattern. A lot of lineouts and not too many...

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Ted Leavengood: Seeking 2.75 million heroes for 2013

August 06, 2013, 4:48am

Nationals

Ted Leavengood: Seeking 2.75 million heroes for 2013

There was a point several months ago, before games against Atlanta became object lessons in what the Washington Nationals have failed to master. It was opening day, when last night's game was projected to be a key matchup between the key contenders for the NL East title. On that cool April day, Stephen Strasburg pitched seven shutout innings and Bryce Harper hit two home runs as the Nationals started the season with a 2-0 win against the Marlins. The beginnings seemed auspicious enough and...

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Johnson: "Boy, we needed that one"

August 05, 2013, 7:12pm

Nationals

Another tight ballgame, another strong pitching performance, another night where the offense isn't able to deliver. Tonight's 3-2 Nationals loss feels like so many before it. The Nats took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, got seven strong frames from Stephen Strasburg and then watched things slip away. Justin Upton's solo homer leading off the eighth off Tyler Clippard gave the Braves the lead, one they didn't relinquish. After the first inning, the Nationals went 0-for-9 with runners in...

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Zimmerman: "It's great to see these guys get in trouble for what they've done"

August 05, 2013, 2:06pm

Nationals

Zimmerman: "It's great to see these guys get in trouble for what they've done"

Perhaps not surprisingly, the reactions inside the clubhouses to today's sweeping suspensions handed down by Major League Baseball for players' involvement with Biogenesis were very wide-ranging. Some, like Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche and the Braves' B.J. Upton, had no interest in discussing the 13 suspensions and the fallout from players getting caught using performance-enhancers. "I'm so over it. I don't even care anymore," LaRoche said. "Literally don't care." Others...

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Pregame notes on the Braves, Werth's bat and McCatty's return

August 05, 2013, 3:01pm

Nationals

Pregame notes on the Braves, Werth's bat and McCatty's return

We've covered the Biogenesis story from a couple different angles, with reactions to Gio Gonzalez being cleared of wrongdoing and 13 players being suspended for purchasing/taking performance-enhancers. Now how about a non-PED blog entry for the first time in a while? Sounds good to me. The Nationals enter this three-game set with the Braves tonight well-aware of where things stand with 51 games remaining on their schedule. They're 12 1/2 games back of Atlanta in the National League East and...

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Strasburg pitches well enough to win again, but Nats lose 3-2 to Braves

August 05, 2013, 7:19pm

Nationals

Strasburg pitches well enough to win again, but Nats lose 3-2 to Braves

With sweat showing through his San Diego State baseball T-shirt after the game, right-hander Stephen Strasburg spoke softly and appeared frustrated with another no-decision that turned into a loss, this one a critical opening series setback to the first place Braves. Strasburg went seven innings, tossed 112 pitches and allowed just two runs, yet his team lost 3-2 at Nationals Park. "I want to go out there and compete," Strasburg said. "I feel like I didn't let up for seven...

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LaRoche seems to like his new lumber (Nats tie it up)

August 05, 2013, 4:41pm

Nationals

LaRoche seems to like his new lumber (Nats tie it up)

Prior to borrowing Jayson Werth's bat out in Milwaukee, Adam LaRoche was in a 1-for-28 slump and had just three extra-base hits in his last 53 at-bats. Since trying out Werth's lumber during his third at-bat Saturday night against the Brewers, LaRoche is 4-for-8 with two homers and a double. That bat won't be leaving LaRoche's locker anytime soon, you can count on that. Actually, this appears to be a different, two-toned version of Werth's bat, as compared to the all-black one LaRoche...

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Braves come to town, Nats not expecting Gonzalez suspension (Gonzalez cleared)

August 05, 2013, 4:49am

Nationals

Braves come to town, Nats not expecting Gonzalez suspension (Gonzalez cleared)

I'm back, folks. Can't get rid of me that easily. Big thanks to the MASNsports.com staff for filling in over the last few days while I was out of town for my good buddy's wedding. I wish I could say I'm returning to the beat rested and refreshed, but that's most certainly not the case. Still, it's good to be back. I guess I missed a little bit while I was gone. Bryce Harper followed his emotional clubhouse rally-cry in Detroit with a homer on Friday, Dan Haren continued his post-DL...

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Statement from Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez

August 05, 2013, 11:47am

Nationals

"I am very pleased that Major League Baseball has cleared my name. With this process now complete, I have no lingering sense of animosity, as I quickly realized that the objective of this investigation was to clean up our game. This is an ideal that I share with both Major League Baseball and the MLBPA. I would also like to acknowledge the unwavering support of my teammates, the Lerner Family, Mike Rizzo, Davey Johnson, our coaching staff and Nationals fans everywhere."

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MLB finds "no violations" by Gonzalez in Biogenesis investigation (with statement)

August 05, 2013, 11:37am

Nationals

MLB finds "no violations" by Gonzalez in Biogenesis investigation (with statement)

After months of waiting, we finally have the official list of players suspended by Major League Baseball for their involvement in the purchase of performance-enhancing drugs from Biogenesis, a now-shuttered anti-aging clinic in the Miami area. And Gio Gonzalez isn't on it. MLB formally announced that they have found "no violations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program" by Gonzalez. As a result, he will not be suspended. Gonzalez's name had appeared in the personal notebooks...

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Dave Nichols: With playoff hopes slipping this season, will Nationals make big changes for next year?

August 05, 2013, 7:34am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals are 12 1/2 games out of first place at 54-57, three games below .500, with a three-game series against the division-leading Atlanta Braves looming this week. The Nats and Braves have nine such games to play before the end of the season, so each of these games count doubly in the standings. But with the Braves playing as well as they have lately, the Nationals lost three games in the standings in the past week. But a division title, at this point, is all but...

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Nats fail to complete series sweep after 8-5 loss to Brewers

August 04, 2013, 1:26pm

Nationals

Nats fail to complete series sweep after 8-5 loss to Brewers

The Nationals came into today's game seeking their first road series sweep since September of 2012. They will leave Milwaukee still searching for that first series sweep after losing to the Brewers 8-5. The Nats came into the sixth inning with Taylor Jordan cruising while leading 4-1. Jordan quickly loaded the bases, from which the Nationals could never recover, as the Brewers scored five runs. Offensively, Adam LaRoche and Anthony Rendon hit solo home runs - it was the second consecutive...