nationals

Dave Nichols: Nationals have 10 days to decide whether or not they're contenders

July 22, 2013, 5:11am

The Nationals were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in their first series back from the All-Star break, losing close ballgames Friday and Saturday, while having their lunch handed to them Sunday, with Jordan Zimmermann getting rocked for seven earned runs in two innings. It's the stuff of nightmares for a team that needs to win just about every series from here on out to remain relevant in the standings. Forget about the playoffs for a moment. The Nats, at 48-50, sit in third place in the...

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Win opportunity to throw out first pitch at Nats Park

July 19, 2013, 7:34pm

Nationals

Win opportunity to throw out first pitch at Nats Park

If you haven't seen it yet, check out this first pitch thrown out by singer Carly Rae Jepsen at Tropicana Field a few nights ago. (Spoiler alert: It's terrible.) After watching this, you're probably thinking: I could throw a better first pitch than that. Well, MASN is giving you the chance to show off your arm at Nats Park! One lucky winner playing MASN's "Touch 'Em All" Rewards Program will be randomly selected to throw out the first pitch in front of thousands at Nationals Park on...

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It goes from bad to worse (Nats swept by Dodgers)

July 21, 2013, 10:28am

Nationals

It goes from bad to worse (Nats swept by Dodgers)

Well, this is a nightmare of a start for Davey Johnson, Jordan Zimmermann and the Nationals. The Dodgers sent 11 men to the plate in the second inning. They notched six hits, walked twice and scored seven runs. Can the Nationals score eight times against Clayton Kershaw - the major league leader in ERA - and the Dodgers today? They'll need to plate at least that many runners to have a shot at avoiding a brutal three-game sweep. Matt Kemp started the damage with a homer to left leading off...

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Getting in on the latest Eckstein discussion

July 21, 2013, 6:07am

Nationals

Getting in on the latest Eckstein discussion

Anytime the Nationals offense has struggled over the last few years, Rick Eckstein's name has surfaced. The Nats hitting coach has been the target of plenty of criticism - perhaps some warranted, some not - during the rough stretches, and since Eckstein came on board five seasons ago, there have been a number of rough stretches. And so it probably shouldn't surprise Davey Johnson when he gets a question about Eckstein's job security after another loss in which the Nats scored just one run...

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LaRoche returns, Harper leading off, Hairston in left

July 21, 2013, 8:02am

Nationals

LaRoche returns, Harper leading off, Hairston in left

After missing two games with the flu, Adam LaRoche is back in the Nationals lineup today against Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw. LaRoche had been battling the flu for a few days now, an illness that left his body achy and confined him to a back room in the Nats' clubhouse during games so as not to infect his teammates. He returns in time to face the major league leader in ERA (1.98) and WHIP (0.91). LaRoche is 4-for-16 (.250) with a homer and two RBIs in his career against Kershaw,...

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Desmond and Gonzalez react to Nats' 10-inning loss

July 20, 2013, 8:45pm

Nationals

Desmond and Gonzalez react to Nats' 10-inning loss

Ian Desmond had some interesting thoughts on the Nationals' season-long struggles and their current collective state of mind after tonight's 3-1 10-inning loss to the Dodgers. One of the more thoughtful, forthcoming players in the Nationals clubhouse, Desmond will tell it how he sees it. And tonight, after being a part of an offensive performance that again was subpar, Desmond said he felt the approach tonight was fine, but the results were just lacking. "I can only speak for myself,"...

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Stammen on 10th inning: "I made some really bad mistakes"

July 20, 2013, 8:24pm

Nationals

Stammen on 10th inning: "I made some really bad mistakes"

Right-hander Craig Stammen was one of the most consistent relievers early on this season. In April and May, Stammen allowed a combined eight earned runs in 27 2/3 innings. In June, he allowed a total of seven earned runs in 15 innings. Since June 27, however, Stammen has surrendered 10 earned runs in the past 10 games. On Saturday, it was two earned runs following back-to-back doubles to the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez in the 10th inning of a 3-1 Los Angeles victory over...

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Detwiler out through the homestand

July 20, 2013, 1:56pm

Nationals

The Nationals had hoped to have Ross Detwiler back in their rotation coming out of the All-Star break, ready to go after missing some time due to a lower back strain. Now, barring a surprise development, Detwiler, who last pitched July 3, won't be appearing in a major league game until after the current 11-game homestand. Detwiler threw a bullpen session today, but it was a brief one. The left-hander threw just 20-25 pitches, and manager Davey Johnson said pitching coach Steve McCatty...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 3-1 extra-inning loss

July 20, 2013, 8:22pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses Nats' 3-1 extra-inning loss

It's not hard to pinpoint the major failing in tonight's 3-1 Nationals loss. It's the same issue that's plagued this team pretty much the entire season. The Nats scored a single run over 10 innings. They went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. They left 12 runners on base. Davey Johnson's team had the bases loaded and one out in the first. The Nats got a leadoff double in the second. They put two runners on with one out in the third. They had two on with one out in the seventh....

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Gonzalez does his part, but Nats can't hold lead (Nats lose 3-1 in 10 innings)

July 20, 2013, 5:26pm

Nationals

Gonzalez does his part, but Nats can't hold lead (Nats lose 3-1 in 10 innings)

Gio Gonzalez did all he could tonight. He threw six scoreless innings, tied a career high with 11 strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 2.89. Thanks to a Roger Bernadina pinch-hit single to right in the sixth, the Nationals had a 1-0 lead when Gonzalez left the game. They just couldn't hold it. Drew Storen surrendered back-to-back two-out hits in the top of the seventh, allowing the Dodgers to tie the game at 1-1. Skip Schumaker doubled off the wall in right-center, then came around on Mark...

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DÃƒÂ©jÃƒÂ vu all over again (updated again)

July 20, 2013, 3:37pm

Nationals

DÃƒÂ©jÃƒÂ vu all over again (updated again)

For the second straight night, the Nationals had a golden opportunity against Dodgers pitching, loading the bases early in an inning. For the second straight night, the Nats squandered the chance, left the bases loaded and heard a chorus of boos from the crowd at Nats Park. Last night, the Nats had the sacks packed with none out in the fourth and failed to score. Tonight, they had the bases juiced with one out in the first, with a chance to pounce all over Zack Greinke, who hadn't allowed a...

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LaRoche still out with flu, plus Johnson's plan at first base

July 20, 2013, 1:45pm

Nationals

LaRoche still out with flu, plus Johnson's plan at first base

The promise of first baseman Adam LaRoche making a quick turnaround and returning to the field tonight is not going to happen. LaRoche is recovering from flu that will keep the veteran out of the starting lineup tonight for a second consecutive game. Nationals manager Davey Johnson said LaRoche might be available only to deke Dodgers manager Don Mattingly into using another pitcher in the late innings. Of course, if Mattingly reads this blog, that probably won't happen now. "Adam is real...

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LaRoche out of Nats lineup again

July 20, 2013, 11:32am

Nationals

Davey Johnson said last night that if Adam LaRoche was healthy enough to return to the Nationals' lineup, he'd bat Bryce Harper in the leadoff spot tonight and move Denard Span down in the order. Well, LaRoche is out of the Nats lineup yet again due to a bout with the flu. And as a result, Span remains in the leadoff spot and Harper is back hitting cleanup for a second straight day. The Nats' lineup is actually the same tonight as it was last night, with the exception of a new starting...

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Bases loaded, no-out opportunity one of few scoring chances for Nationals in loss

July 19, 2013, 7:27pm

Nationals

In the Nationals 3-2 loss to the Dodgers on Friday night, the fourth inning bases loaded no-out opportunity in which the Nationals failed to score proved to be costly in the end. Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper led off with back-to-back singles against Dodgers starter Ricky Nolasco. Jayson Werth earned a walk. Suddenly the bases were loaded for one of the most consistent hitters in the Nationals lineup, shortstop Ian Desmond. Desmond's grounder right at third baseman Juan Uribe was thrown...

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Tracy's struggles could expand Rizzo's to-do list

July 20, 2013, 6:19am

Nationals

Tracy's struggles could expand Rizzo's to-do list

The Nationals will try and keep their spirits high, remain optimistic and keep the faith that they can make a run over their final 66 games and reach the postseason. It sure would be easier to do that, however, if they didn't open the second half with another dud of a performance, one that assisted in dropping them back into third place in the National League East for the first time since June 8 and moved them seven games back of the Braves in the division. The Nats have a host of problems...

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LaRoche not in Nats lineup, Harper hitting cleanup (with Dodgers lineup)

July 19, 2013, 11:34am

Nationals

LaRoche not in Nats lineup, Harper hitting cleanup (with Dodgers lineup)

Davey Johnson has done some more tinkering to his lineup for the first game of the second half, and one of the moves makes me wonder if something's up. Adam LaRoche is not in the Nationals lineup today. Chad Tracy will instead play first base. The Nats are facing Dodgers right-hander Ricky Nolasco today, and Tracy (like LaRoche) is a left-handed hitter, so it's not as if Johnson is taking LaRoche out as some sort of platoon. The first game after the All-Star break, LaRoche just isn't in...

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More of the same in the second half (updated)

July 19, 2013, 4:43pm

Nationals

More of the same in the second half (updated)

If the first five innings of tonight's game are any indication, some time off over the All-Star break apparently hasn't changed much about this Nationals team. The Nats trail 2-1 after five innings despite loading the bases with no outs in the fourth inning. They got nothing in that frame and had boos rain down upon them as they walked off the field. After Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper singled with no outs and Jayson Werth followed with a walk to load the bases in the fourth, Ian Desmond...

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Soriano serves one up in the ninth (Nats lose 3-2)

July 19, 2013, 6:01pm

Nationals

Soriano serves one up in the ninth (Nats lose 3-2)

Entering in a 2-2 game in the top of the ninth inning, Rafael Soriano only threw five pitches before the game was no longer tied. Andre Ethier took a 1-2 slider from Soriano and golfed it just over the high wall in right-center for his sixth homer of the season, giving the Dodgers a 3-2 lead over the Nationals. It was Ethier's first homer since June 11. Soriano, meanwhile, has now allowed a run in two of his last three outings. He had been pretty solid for much of the season but has hit a...

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Hearing from Soriano, Harper and Strasburg

July 19, 2013, 7:50pm

Nationals

Hearing from Soriano, Harper and Strasburg

The 1-2 pitch that Andre Ethier golfed over the right-center field fence for the game-winning homer off Rafael Soriano actually wasn't in a bad spot. Don't believe me? Check out the strike zone plot on BrooksBaseball.com. Soriano had set Ethier up by pounding four fastballs on the outside corner to start the at-bat, and being ahead in the count, the Nationals' closer then tried to bury a slider down below the zone. That's what he did, but Ethier stayed on the pitch and drove it out for...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 3-2 loss

July 19, 2013, 7:17pm

Nationals

The Nationals had hoped to come out of the All-Star break refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to turn their season around. If that turnaround is coming, it'll have to wait another day. The Nats fell to the Dodgers 3-2 tonight, smacking nine hits, but going just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. They had just one RBI on the night, with their other run coming in on a wild pitch, and missed multiple opportunities to put crooked numbers up on the scoreboard. The biggest missed opportunity...