nationals

Time to begin letting starters go deeper?

April 12, 2013, 11:08pm

Here's a strange note: Last night's blown 4-0 lead and eventual 6-4 loss to the Braves came six months to the day after the Nationals blew a 6-0 lead and lost 9-7 to the Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. Ironically enough, Drew Storen's first save opportunity since that crushing postseason loss came last night. This one also ended in a blown save and a Nats loss, although Storen wasn't on the mound when it ended this time. I thought Ryan Zimmerman's point last...

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Braves-Nats lineups

April 13, 2013, 7:04am

Nationals

One night after a disappointing extra-inning loss to the Braves, the Nationals are sticking with their regular lineup. Stephen Strasburg gets the start with Wilson Ramos behind the plate. The Braves have Ramiro Pena at shortstop after he hit the go-ahead homer in the 10th on Friday. For the Nationals: CF Denard Span RF Jayson Werth LF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa C Wilson Ramos RHP Stephen Strasburg For the Braves: CF B.J. Upton RF Jason...

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Johnson on bullpen issues, Zimmerman's throw after 6-4 loss to Braves

April 12, 2013, 7:46pm

Nationals

Johnson on bullpen issues, Zimmerman's throw after 6-4 loss to Braves

Thanks to Ross Detwiler's seven strong innings and a few big swings of the bat from Bryce Harper, Denard Span and Jayson Werth, the Nationals held a 4-1 lead over the Braves after seven innings. Then, things fell apart. Tyler Clippard failed to get through the eighth, allowing a run on a hit and three walks. Drew Storen got out of a jam he inherited from Clippard in the eighth, but then allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with a walk in the ninth. And in the 10th, Craig Stammen...

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Hearing from Clippard, Storen and Zimmerman after 10-inning loss

April 12, 2013, 8:09pm

Nationals

Hearing from Clippard, Storen and Zimmerman after 10-inning loss

Nationals starting pitchers have gotten off to a strong start to 2013, putting up a 3.09 ERA collectively with six quality starts in 10 games. Nationals relievers, however, have had some issues through the season's first 10 contests. The guys in the Nats' bullpen have posted a 6.34 ERA over 32 2/3 innings. Tonight, three Nationals relievers combined to surrender five runs over three frames, turning a 4-1 lead into a 6-4 loss in 10 innings. This isn't what most people expected, given the...

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Detwiler deserves better after second impressive start

April 12, 2013, 7:56pm

Nationals

Detwiler deserves better after second impressive start

It was all playing out early on for Ross Detwiler and the Nationals. Staked to a 4-0 lead, Detwiler went after the Braves and lasted seven innings, allowing only a Chris Johnson solo shot. So, it was a shock for the Nationals to lose that early advantage and allow six runs in four innings, ending in a 6-4, 10-inning setback to the Braves. "Det was great, challenging the guys, going right at them," said third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. "I think he threw like three off-speed pitches through the...

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It all falls apart for Nats (Nats lose in 10 innings)

April 12, 2013, 6:33pm

Nationals

It all falls apart for Nats (Nats lose in 10 innings)

Well this didn't go as planned. After Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen each struggled in relief and contributed to the Nationals blowing a 4-1 lead, Craig Stammen surrendered a two-run homer to Ramiro Pena in the top of the 10th, giving the Braves a 6-4 lead. In 327 career at-bats, this was just Pena's third home run. And boy, was it a big one. The ball landed towards the back of the Nationals' bullpen, and a handful of Braves fans sprinkled throughout the stands exploded in cheers. The...

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Soriano might get tonight off

April 12, 2013, 2:23pm

Nationals

The Nationals have played nine games thus far this season. Rafael Soriano has pitched in six of them. That includes each of the last three nights. Soriano worked the ninth inning in each game of the Nats' recent series against the White Sox, notching three straight saves. The heavy recent workload might prevent Soriano from handling the closer's duties tonight if the Nats have a ninth-inning lead. Manager Davey Johnson indicated after yesterday's game that he might go to Drew Storen...

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Another dandy delivered by Detwiler (we go to extras)

April 12, 2013, 5:12pm

Nationals

Another dandy delivered by Detwiler (we go to extras)

Yeah, I love alliteration. What of it? Ross Detwiler is completely locked in tonight against the Braves, having thrown six scoreless innings on just 79 pitches. Detwiler has allowed just three hits, walked two and struck out three. He's held the potent top five hitters in the Braves' order to a 2-for-14 line with two Ks. Only once has Atlanta put a runner in scoring position tonight; that came when Justin Upton doubled off the very top of the wall in right-center with two outs in the...

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Harper stays red-hot at Nats Park (the lead increases)

April 12, 2013, 3:38pm

Nationals

Harper stays red-hot at Nats Park (the lead increases)

OK, Bryce Harper is red-hot anywhere he hits. But at Nationals Park, Harper is really crushing the ball. Harper smoked an opposite-field, two-run shot in the first inning off Braves starter Julio Teheran, giving the Nats an early 2-0 lead over their division rivals. The homer came on a 2-1 fastball, and it left the yard in a hurry. It's Harper's fifth homer of the season. The Nats have played just 10 games. Decent homer-to-game ratio, I guess. Teheran's pitch wasn't a bad one; he...

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Harper forging to lead early in Nationals offense

April 12, 2013, 1:34pm

Nationals

After nine games, left fielder Bryce Harper is the Nationals' most consistent hitter. He has become so well-known for his hitting that the White Sox decided to intentionally walk the 20-year-old to get to Ryan Zimmerman. But it isn't just about matchups and whether or not Harper has the hot bat. He also has been more selective at the plate to begin this season. Harper began his rookie season red-hot and then cooled off. This season, through nine games, Harper is leading the team in...

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Davey Johnson on Padres/Dodgers brawl; Storen knew Quentin from Stanford days

April 12, 2013, 2:28pm

Nationals

Davey Johnson on Padres/Dodgers brawl; Storen knew Quentin from Stanford days

There's been a lot of buzz around the clubhouse about the bench-clearing brawl in Thursday's Padres vs. Dodgers game at San Diego's Petco Park. Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin charged the mound and tackled Dodgers starter Zack Greinke after getting hit by a pitch. Greinke was injured during the melee, suffering a fractured left collarbone. Greinke is out until June. No suspensions have been announced. Manager Davey Johnson said hitting a batter was never a part of his direction, but he...

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Pitching probables for Nats-Braves weekend series (plus tonight's lineup)

April 12, 2013, 11:39am

Nationals

Pitching probables for Nats-Braves weekend series (plus tonight's lineup)

The Nationals and Braves will square off tonight for the first of 19 times this season, with Ross Detwiler and Braves right-hander Julio Teheran taking the mound this evening at Nats Park. The 22-year-old Teheran has made just five career big league starts and has a 5.81 ERA in his brief major league career. Detwiler is coming off six strong innings in his 2013 debut. He allowed just an unearned run in a no-decision against the Reds last Saturday. Tomorrow, we'll get the Nats and Braves...

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Some of this, some of that (including a great Haren video)

April 12, 2013, 6:09am

Nationals

Some of this, some of that (including a great Haren video)

While it's still incredibly early in the 2013 season, the battle for National League playoff spots just got a bit more interesting. Right-hander Zack Greinke, the Dodgers' $147 million man, fractured his left collarbone during a brawl last night, and might miss somewhere around the next two months. The injury happened after Greinke plunked Padres left fielder Carlos Quentin and Quentin charged the mound. Greinke defended himself from Quentin by ramming his left shoulder into the 240-lb....

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Haren still not where he wants to be, but a win is a "few steps forward"

April 11, 2013, 7:34pm

Nationals

Haren still not where he wants to be, but a win is a "few steps forward"

Dan Haren has pitched for five different teams in the majors and has won 120 games. But after a 15-0 loss at Cincinnati last Friday, Haren desperately wanted to bounce back and make a good impression in front of the fans of his newest team. And just like a veteran pitcher, he found his way out of sticky situations Thursday. Scattering 10 hits over five innings, Haren held the Chicago White Sox to three runs and notched his first victory of the season, a 7-4 Nationals' win. "I think I...

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Patrick Reddington: An early test for a strengthened strength

April 12, 2013, 5:46am

Nationals

Patrick Reddington: An early test for a strengthened strength

The signing of Rafael Soriano came as a surprise to most, including Nationals manager Davey Johnson. Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore explored the possibility before the two-year, $28 million deal with the veteran reliever was announced, but the baseball world at large was caught off guard by the defending NL East champions' decision to strengthen a strength and add another closer to an already strong bullpen that had helped them get within one strike of the National League Championship...

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Zimmerman makes Ventura's gamble look silly (Nats sweep White Sox)

April 11, 2013, 5:20pm

Nationals

Zimmerman makes Ventura's gamble look silly (Nats sweep White Sox)

Coming into tonight, the hitter in front of Ryan Zimmerman in the Nationals' batting order had only been intentionally walked once since 2009. That one time, on Sept. 3, 2011, Zimmerman responded with a walk-off homer over the Mets. Zimmerman, after all, has been the Nats' most fearsome hitter for some time now. There's very rarely a reason to put a runner on base in front of him, regardless of most circumstances. Apparently, that's changing. The White Sox decided to intentionally walk...

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Ventura, Zimmerman and Harper on the questionable intentional walk

April 11, 2013, 8:02pm

Nationals

Ventura, Zimmerman and Harper on the questionable intentional walk

The big topic of discussion in the press box during tonight's 7-4 Nationals win was White Sox manager Robin Ventura's decision to intentionally walk Bryce Harper with two outs and Ryan Zimmerman on deck in the fifth inning. Harper, while he's on fire and possesses a world of talent, has played just 148 games in his big league career. Zimmerman has a proven track record, having performed at a high level over nine major league seasons. We're just nine games into the season. You don't often...

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Johnson talks after Nats pick up sweep of White Sox

April 11, 2013, 7:36pm

Nationals

Johnson talks after Nats pick up sweep of White Sox

The Nationals have played two series at home this season. They've swept them both. Tonight's 7-4 win over the White Sox gave the Nats another three-game sweep at Nats Park and made a winner of Dan Haren for the first time this season. While Haren allowed 10 hits, hit a batter and threw 101 pitches over five innings, he allowed just three runs and kept his team in the game. "You know, he's still not where he wants to be, I'm sure," manager Davey Johnson said of his starter. "They've...

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Nationals developing home-field advantage and opponents notice

April 11, 2013, 1:47pm

Nationals

First baseman Adam LaRoche talks about it all the time. When he would come in to play the Nationals while with the Diamondbacks, they knew they could beat the Nationals, and they expected to beat the Nationals. That is not the case anymore. The Nationals are 5-0 at Nationals Park to start this season and were 50-31 at home last season, second only to the Yankees (51-30). Since 2008, the Nats have steadily improved at home. In 2008, they were 34-46 at Nationals Park, 33-48 in 2009, 41-40 in...

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John Wall returning to Nats Park, hoping for better first-pitch results (updated)

April 11, 2013, 1:55pm

Nationals

John Wall returning to Nats Park, hoping for better first-pitch results (updated)

The last time Wizards guard John Wall threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Nationals Park, back in 2011, things, uh, didn't go so well. Wall wound up and spiked the ball so short of home plate that it didn't even reach the dirt, forcing Drew Storen, who was behind the dish awaiting Wall's toss, to lunge to his right to snag the ball before it got by him. If you haven't seen the video,