nationals

More sloppy baseball (updated)

July 23, 2013, 3:50pm

Taylor Jordan allowed three runs in the second inning, but in reality, he should've been out of the frame with the Nationals trailing 1-0. Sure, Jordan loaded the bases with none out and fell behind in counts too many times, putting pressure on himself and his defense. But with one out and runners on the corners, Jordan got a tailor-made double play ball hit to Ryan Zimmerman at third base. The ball was struck well by Jordy Mercer, for sure, but Zimmerman picked it clean and delivered an...

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Nats sticking with same lineup (with Pirates lineup)

July 23, 2013, 11:32am

Nationals

Nats sticking with same lineup (with Pirates lineup)

The Nationals will stick with their same lineup (minus the pitcher) for game two of this four-game series with the Pirates. Bryce Harper will lead off and Denard Span will hit seventh. Wilson Ramos is again behind the plate for the Nats. Taylor Jordan will get his fifth big league start tonight, still in search of his first win despite positing an impressive 3.32 ERA thus far. Jordan is coming off the best outing of his major league career thus far, when he allowed just two runs on eight...

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Storen's costly wild pitch allows eventual winning run in loss to Pirates

July 22, 2013, 7:46pm

Nationals

Storen's costly wild pitch allows eventual winning run in loss to Pirates

The Nationals' rally fell short in the ninth because they needed to score three runs instead of just two. Jayson Werth's second two-run shot of the game pulled the Nationals within one at 6-5. The reason they needed three to tie was a costly run scored by the Pirates because of a wild pitch. Looking back at the eighth inning, a wild pitch by Drew Storen allowed the Pirates Pedro Alvarez to break for home. Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos retrieved the ball and threw back to the plate, but...

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Little things adding up to big problems

July 23, 2013, 6:23am

Nationals

For much of the last two months or so, Davey Johnson has been peppered with questions about why the Nationals have been struggling so mightily. Early on in that period, Johnson didn't really have much of an answer, other than that the offense largely wasn't doing its job. That part is obvious, of course, but there are other factors at play. Overall, the Nats just aren't performing quite to the level that they did last season, mostly across the board. The starting pitching largely has...

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Hearing from Haren and LaRoche after Nats' 6-5 loss

July 22, 2013, 8:08pm

Nationals

Hearing from Haren and LaRoche after Nats' 6-5 loss

Dan Haren was asked after tonight's 6-5 Nationals loss, a loss that dropped them to 48-51 on the season and eight games back of the Braves in the National League East, whether he thinks the Nats have reached their low-point, or "rock bottom," as one reporter phrased it. "That I don't know," Haren said. "Obviously the mood in the clubhouse right now isn't really good. I haven't really talked to the guys about how they're feeling about today with Eck being gone, but yeah, it was a...

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All Nationals need to do to get back in NL East race is put together a winning streak

July 22, 2013, 5:27am

Nationals Orioles

All Nationals need to do to get back in NL East race is put together a winning streak

The Nationals are battling to stay in the National League East race. Their All-Star pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, was done after two innings Sunday. They continue to struggle hitting with runners in scoring position and will try to rebound after getting swept at home by the Dodgers. But even though four months of the season are nearly complete, there's still time. And, they can learn from the Dodgers and Rays about what a winning streak can do to change a season. The Dodgers and Rays were...

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Ted Leavengood: Nats need to find a straw to stir the drink

July 23, 2013, 4:32am

Nationals

Ted Leavengood: Nats need to find a straw to stir the drink

Reggie Jackson famously described his presence on the Yankees and other teams as "the straw that stirs the drink." In his 1984 autobiography, he said, "if the other ingredients were there ... if the mix was just about right, I could make the difference." The Washington Nationals desperately need that kind of presence in their lineup. It has been showing all along, but Davey Johnson kept saying that when everyone was healthy, everything would be OK. Everyone is healthy, the mix is about...

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Johnson: "This is a bad day for me. I'm glad it's over with."

July 22, 2013, 7:43pm

Nationals

Johnson: "This is a bad day for me. I'm glad it's over with."

Davey Johnson normally walks through life with a smile on his face and a joke ready for those he encounters, regardless of the circumstances. The 70-year- old is typically upbeat and cheerful, even if his team is going through a rough patch on the field. When reporters met with Johnson this afternoon, he spoke quietly and slowly, his spirits severely dampened by the firing of Nationals hitting coach Rick Eckstein, a move made by general manager Mike Rizzo without Johnson's endorsement. When...

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Stop pitching to Andrew McCutchen (Nats reach new low with 6-5 loss)

July 22, 2013, 4:00pm

Nationals

Stop pitching to Andrew McCutchen (Nats reach new low with 6-5 loss)

Seriously. Just stop. Andrew McCutchen has come to the plate twice tonight in three innings of play. He's twice hit a two-run homer off Dan Haren. This is McCutchen's 27th career game against the Nationals. In those 27 games, McCutchen is hitting .444 with 13 homers, 26 RBIs and a 1.448 OPS. Yes, those numbers are accurate. Yes, those numbers are insanely high. McCutchen has now homered every 7.62 at-bats against the Nats in his career. Yes, that number is insanely low. You get the idea...

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Veteran players' reactions to firing of hitting coach Rick Eckstein

July 22, 2013, 1:30pm

Nationals

Veteran players' reactions to firing of hitting coach Rick Eckstein

A trio of Nationals veterans - third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, first baseman Chad Tracy and shortstop Ian Desmond - reacted for the first time to the news that hitting coach Rick Eckstein was relieved of his duties and replaced by the Nationals roving hitting instructor Rick Schu. Zimmerman reacted to Eckstein's release, saying it was not Eckstein's fault for the team's paltry hitting numbers and that the player has to take the responsibility for his hitting. "It is tough," Zimmerman said....

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Hairston says Rick Schu brings the right balance to the art of hitting

July 22, 2013, 2:43pm

Nationals

Hairston says Rick Schu brings the right balance to the art of hitting

Outfielder Scott Hairston remembered working with new hitting coach Rick Schu when he was battling back and forth between Triple-A Tucson and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004 and 2005. Hairston remembered a hitting coach that communicated well with the players and knew his craft. "It was good with Rick," Hairston said. "I think he is good at communication. From what I remember, he really didn't say much right away until he saw you hit in the cage or in a game. "It wasn't always...

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Rizzo: "I felt we needed a change and so I made the change"

July 22, 2013, 2:11pm

Nationals

Rizzo: "I felt we needed a change and so I made the change"

When Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo approached manager Davey Johnson and informed him the decision had been made to fire Rick Eckstein, Johnson stood up for his hitting coach. Johnson told Rizzo that if he wanted to change up the coaching staff, perhaps firing the manager was the way to go. Rizzo declined that offer, and instead made the decision to let Eckstein go and hire Rick Schu - a guy he worked with when both men were with the Diamondbacks - as the Nats' new hitting...

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Johnson on Eckstein: "Today is arguably the toughest day I've had in baseball"

July 22, 2013, 1:45pm

Nationals

Johnson on Eckstein: "Today is arguably the toughest day I've had in baseball"

One thing is clear about the Nationals' decision to fire hitting coach Rick Eckstein today: The move was not endorsed by manager Davey Johnson. General manager Mike Rizzo approached Johnson today and told him that he was going to fire Eckstein, who has served as the Nats' hitting coach for the last five years. Johnson, who has called Eckstein the best hitting coach he's ever been around, disagreed with the call to the point that he put his own job on the line, suggesting that Rizzo could...

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A look into some depressing numbers

July 22, 2013, 6:02am

Nationals

Into torturing yourself? Not already feeling enough pain on a Monday morning and want some more? I've got some numbers that should do the trick. The Nationals sent their best three starters to the mound in their weekend series with the Dodgers. They got swept anyway. Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez combined to allow two runs over 13 innings with 17 strikeouts. It didn't matter. Jordan Zimmermann had a fluky outing, one that was actually the worst of his career. He's certainly allowed...

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Ohlendorf's long outing prepares him well for Friday's start

July 21, 2013, 2:04pm

Nationals

Ohlendorf's long outing prepares him well for Friday's start

As a relief pitcher, it is never easy to come into a game with your team already down 7-1. But your job is always to attempt to keep the score where it is to give your guys a chance to come back. Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf was able to do that Sunday in the Nationals' 9-2 loss to the Dodgers. In a game that was decided early, it is sometimes easy to forget the contributions of a long reliever in keeping the game from getting further out of hand. Ohlendorf went six innings and allowed just...

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Harper hitting leadoff again

July 22, 2013, 11:29am

Nationals

The Nationals lineup with Rick Schu as their hitting coach looks a lot like their lineup when Rick Eckstein was their hitting coach. Bryce Harper will remain atop the lineup today, with Denard Span returning and hitting seventh. Harper will be in left, Span in center. Dan Haren will look to continue his recent turnaround; he's allowed just two earned runs over 11 innings in his last two starts. For the Nats LF Bryce Harper 2B Anthony Rendon 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche RF Jayson...

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Eckstein out as Nats' hitting coach, replaced by Schu (updated)

July 22, 2013, 11:00am

Nationals

Eckstein out as Nats' hitting coach, replaced by Schu (updated)

Two days after getting a vote of confidence from Nationals manager Davey Johnson, who called him the best hitting coach he's had in his 17 seasons as a major league manager, Rick Eckstein has been relieved of his duties. The news came in a press release issued a few minutes ago. Rich Schu, a former major leaguer who has served as he Nationals' minor league hitting coordinator for the past four seasons, has been promoted to fill the vacancy. Schu played for nine seasons in the majors with...

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Nationals relieve Rick Eckstein of duties, name Rick Schu new hitting coach

July 22, 2013, 11:09am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today relieved Rick Eckstein of his duties and promoted Rick Schu to hitting coach. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Schu joins Davey Johnson's staff after spending the last four seasons as Nationals minor-league hitting coordinator. Schu's resume includes 16 seasons as a hitting coach and a nine-year big league career. In Washington, Schu has pre-existing relationships with Bryce...

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Johnson on Zimmermann's rough outing, another Nats loss

July 21, 2013, 2:02pm

Nationals

Johnson on Zimmermann's rough outing, another Nats loss

If you thought there wasn't anything positive to take out of today's 9-2 drubbing at the hands of the Dodgers, a loss that wrapped up a three-game sweep, I've got something for you. Jordan Zimmermann's health isn't a concern. Zimmermann's neck had been bothering him for the last couple of months, but it appears that he might be over the soft tissue problem at this point. Both Zimmermann and manager Davey Johnson said the right-hander felt great today health-wise, even though he had the...

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Zimmermann and Werth discuss Nats' latest defeat

July 21, 2013, 2:19pm

Nationals

Zimmermann and Werth discuss Nats' latest defeat

Jordan Zimmermann has battled through a stiff neck and found a way to pitch at a very high level over the last couple of months. Strangely enough, with the discomfort in his neck dissipating, Zimmermann turned in the worst outing of his career this afternoon in the Nationals' 9-2 loss to the Dodgers. Zimmermann has been on anti-inflammatories over the last week or so, and he made a conscious effort over the All-Star break to rest the neck to try and get it back to full strength. While the...