nationals

Updates on LaRoche, Ohlendorf, Detwiler and Porter

August 09, 2013, 1:48pm

A handful of Nationals players and staff used their off day yesterday to hit the links, playing in a tournament hosted by the Lerner family. Manager Davey Johnson was one of those who participated, and he struck it pretty well, posting four bogeys and a birdie on the front nine. "Just sweet-stroking it," Johnson said. Johnson had to take the last few holes off because his back was starting to act up, but even at 70 years old, he was able to out-drive Jordan Zimmermann for much of the...

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LaRoche in lineup against Lannan (updated)

August 09, 2013, 11:38am

Nationals

LaRoche in lineup against Lannan (updated)

The Nationals will face old buddy John Lannan again tonight. But, first baseman Adam LaRoche will take a seat against the lefty. Chad Tracy will play first base tonight. Without Tyler Moore around, the Nats lack a right-handed complement to LaRoche at first base. Lannan returns to D.C. today for the first time since being non-tendered by the Nats this winter. Update: Change of plans. LaRoche is now in the Nats lineup, hitting sixth. For the Nationals: CF Denard Span 3B Ryan...

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Social Media Weekend set to kick off Friday

August 02, 2013, 3:37pm

Nationals

Social Media Weekend set to kick off Friday

We're getting close to one of the best times of the year around the MASN headquarters: Social Media Weekend. Thanks to Hair Cuttery, kicking off Friday, Aug. 9 at Nationals Park, we'll be offering fans exclusive prizes and experiences. Each season, particularly in 2013, we have seen our loyal fans tweeting at us, chatting on our Facebook threads and sending us Instagram pictures. And we want to reward you for it. From Friday to Sunday, we'll be live on location at Nats Park, giving away...

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Nationals announce #NatsCaveCrasher Instagram contest

August 09, 2013, 12:14pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals will host a first-of-its-kind, interactive Instagram contest, the third of four social media promotions hosted this season in an effort to provide the ultimate interactive fan experience at Nationals Park. Nationals fans can enter the contest by posting a photo to Instagram using the designated hashtag #NatsCaveCrasher. Five finalists will be selected on a rolling basis, with one submission picked on Aug. 12, Aug. 14, Aug. 16, Aug. 19 and Aug. 21. All five finalists...

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Talking Haren and the waiver wire

August 09, 2013, 5:57am

Nationals

Tired of the doom and gloom talk? Had enough of discussions about the Nationals' "World Series or Bust" season looking a lot like "bust" with a quarter of the schedule still remaining? How about some good news, then? Ready? Dan Haren gets the ball for the Nats tonight when they open a three-game series with the Phillies. A month ago, fans probably wouldn't have seen that as good news, but lately, Haren has been on an absolute roll. The veteran right-hander has posted a 2.40 ERA and...

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Giolito and Johansen garner first pro victories as they gain experience

August 09, 2013, 8:38am

Nationals

Giolito and Johansen garner first pro victories as they gain experience

Right-hander Lucas Giolito recorded a couple of important "firsts" on Wednesday. In the 6-1 with over the GCL Marlins, Giolito won his first professional game, in his longest outing (five innings) with a career-high strikeouts (five). He allowed five hits, one run and one walk in the win. Giolito is now 1-1 and 3.57 ERA in 17 2/3 innings with 20 strikeouts and eight walks. He has 12 strikeouts and just two walks in his last three starts. This year's top pick right-hander Jake Johansen...

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Report: Matt Williams could be managerial candidate for Nats in 2014

August 08, 2013, 9:53am

Nationals

Report: Matt Williams could be managerial candidate for Nats in 2014

With Davey Johnson's tenure at manager coming to an end once the 2013 season is completed, speculation has begun as to whom his replacement will be. One name that has jumped out early is former major league player and current Diamondbacks coach Matt Williams, according to a tweet by baseball writer Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com: Matt Williams is said to be among candidates to replace Davey in washington. #nats http://t.co/ZubaYSFnGb— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) August 8, 2013 Williams,...

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Zimmermann, lefties starting to struggle

August 08, 2013, 10:39am

Nationals

Zimmermann, lefties starting to struggle

I mentioned last night that Jordan Zimmermann has hit a pretty rough patch since the All-Star break, posting a 6.75 ERA and a 1.929 WHIP in four starts after his first Midsummer Classic. This comes after Zimmermann was one of the most consistent starters in baseball in the first half of the season. He allowed more than three runs in an outing just three times prior to the All-Star break and made it through at least five innings in all 19 first-half starts. He also walked just 1.22 batters per...

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Meet Denard Span this Saturday, presented by Cox

August 08, 2013, 9:56am

Nationals

Meet Denard Span this Saturday, presented by Cox

For Nationals fans, one of the most exciting parts about last offseason was the acquisition of Denard Span. The center fielder livened up the Nats lineup, bringing speed to both the outfield and the basepaths. Well, thanks to Cox Communications, you have the chance to meet Span this Saturday, August 10! From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Span will be taking pictures with fans at the Cox Solutions Store in Fairfax, Va. Be sure to RSVP today; however, the event is open to all on a first-come,...

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Hearing from Zimmermann, Krol, Mattheus and Roark

August 07, 2013, 8:23pm

Nationals

Hearing from Zimmermann, Krol, Mattheus and Roark

You've already seen Jordan Zimmermann's quotes where he denied that he was feeling tightness in his neck, as manager Davey Johnson had indicated. So if it wasn't the neck, why was Zimmermann so off tonight, allowing seven hits, two walks and two runs in just four innings of work? "I had really, really good stuff today," Zimmermann said. "I just either was 0-2 and I let them back in the count or I fell behind 2-0, 3-0 and I had to battle. Get it back to full count, they fouled a few...

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Reality starting to set in

August 08, 2013, 12:01am

Nationals

For months now, Nationals players, coaches and front office personnel have countered questions about the team's continued struggles by saying that they have a talented roster and that there was plenty of time left for things to turn and for talent to show through. Well, there's no longer plenty of time left for things to turn. And so far, the talent still hasn't shown through. The Nats have played 114 games, more than 70 percent of their schedule. They've reached their season's low...

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Werth opens up on state of Nationals: "We are still in a building phase"

August 07, 2013, 8:00pm

Nationals

Right fielder Jayson Werth did all he could to keep the Nationals in their 6-3 loss to the Braves on Wednesday. He hit a game tying two-run shot, which was the first hit for the Nationals against Kris Medlen. He singled and scored the tying run three innings later. He walked in the rally attempt down three in the bottom of the ninth. But it was not meant to be and, in the end, Werth was sitting at his locker contemplating what a three-game sweep at the hands of the first-place Braves means...

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LaRoche and Gonzalez lament another set of missed opportunities in loss

August 06, 2013, 7:24pm

Nationals

LaRoche and Gonzalez lament another set of missed opportunities in loss

The Nationals dropped another one-run squeaker to the Braves, 2-1, failing to take advantage of opportunities presented to them with runners in scoring position. On Monday, the Nationals were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. On Tuesday, 0-for-5. First baseman Adam LaRoche reviewed his chance in the seventh. Facing reliever Luis Avilan, LaRoche worked the count to 2-0 on a pair of two-seam fastballs. On the third offering, LaRoche also faced a two-seam fastball that he weakly...

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A.J. Cole strikes out 10 in third Double-A start

August 07, 2013, 7:55am

Nationals

A.J. Cole strikes out 10 in third Double-A start

Right-hander A.J. Cole has made good progress in his return to the organization. Cole was sent to the Oakland A's two seasons ago. He struggled at high Single-A for the A's, but then flourished with their low Single-A team. Before this season, Cole was traded back to the Nationals in the Michael Morse three-team triangle trade with Seattle and Oakland. 2013 has been a big step up for Cole. He looked good with high Single-A Potomac early in the season. In 18 starts, Cole went 6-3 with a...

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Nationals even facing tough road to earning an NL wild card berth

August 08, 2013, 8:21am

Nationals

Now that the Braves have finished off their second series sweep in D.C. and kept the Nationals from being relevant in the National League East, the Nationals have to turn their attention to making the playoffs as a wild card. And that avenue to October doesn't look good. After getting swept for a second time in D.C. by the Braves this season, the Nationals are nine games behind the Reds for the second wild card spot in the NL. The Diamondbacks are also ahead of the Nationals, who won 98...

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Rachel Levitin: Where's the sustained fire and passion in 2013 Nats?

August 08, 2013, 5:17am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Where's the sustained fire and passion in 2013 Nats?

While I'll admit I wasn't present for the actual bench-clearing brouhaha that went down at Nats Park on Tuesday night, I have to say I for one am glad it happened. Just a couple of weeks ago on this very blog, I was commenting about how this Nationals team doesn't seem to be fighting for their wins this season. Granted, I went on to explain that I don't have clubhouse access so there's no way for me to actually ask the players what their feelings are on how the season's playing out or...

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Johnson discusses sweep at the hands of Atlanta

August 07, 2013, 7:45pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses sweep at the hands of Atlanta

Prior to tonight's 6-3 loss to the Braves, a defeat that resulted in the second Atlanta sweep at Nationals Park this season, Davey Johnson threw his back out. He appeared fine after the game, but in the 70-year-old skipper's mind, that injury was symbolic of how this season has gone for his club. The Nats came into this series against Atlanta hoping to, at the very least, take two out of three games and give themselves a shot to possibly claw back into the division race. Instead, they...

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A heck of a debut from Roark (Nats lose 6-3, swept by Braves)

August 07, 2013, 4:56pm

Nationals

A heck of a debut from Roark (Nats lose 6-3, swept by Braves)

Tanner Roark outpitched Jordan Zimmermann by a wide margin today. Baseball can be a funky game. Making his major league debut, Roark, who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse yesterday, pitched two scoreless innings, keeping this game tied 2-2. Roark worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning, his first in relief of Zimmermann (who left after allowing seven hits over four frames), and after surrendering a leadoff bloop single in the sixth, the right-hander needed just two batters to get out of the...

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A whole lot of nothing (Werth knots it up with a bomb)

August 07, 2013, 4:06pm

Nationals

A whole lot of nothing (Werth knots it up with a bomb)

Dating back to last night, the Nationals are 0-for-their-last-15 with 10 strikeouts. Somehow, some way, it keeps finding a way to get worse. The Nats trail 1-0 after three innings tonight and have been set down in order by Kris Medlen to this point. Nine up, nine down. Four strikeouts, five groundouts. Not a single ball hit out of the infield. How much of that is Medlen, who has really looked sharp? How much of it is the Nationals, who continue to scuffle regardless of who is on the mound?...

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Span leading off as Nats try to avoid sweep (Heyward in Braves lineup)

August 07, 2013, 11:43am

Nationals

Span leading off as Nats try to avoid sweep (Heyward in Braves lineup)

Denard Span is back leading off for the Nationals as manager Davey Johnson produced yet another lineup this afternoon. Ryan Zimmerman will hit second. The Braves are 9-3 against the Nats this season and 5-0 at Nats Park. The Nats will try and take a stand in the home-field advantage department tonight. Jason Heyward is back in the Braves lineup tonight after leaving yesterday's game in the first inning with a strained neck muscle. For the Nationals CF Denard Span 3B Ryan Zimmerman LF...