nationals

Espinosa provides the gifts on his birthday

April 25, 2013, 7:23pm

No need for anyone to get Danny Espinosa any birthday gifts. He gave himself the best present he could ask for tonight. On his 26th birthday, Espinosa delivered two clutch knocks, helping power the Nationals to a much-needed 8-1 win over the Reds. "I always feel like during the season I typically struggle on my birthday," Espinosa said. "In the minors, I was always hot in the first month, and my birthday would come around and I'd suck on a big 0-for-4." Not tonight. Tonight, Espinosa...

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Gonzalez attacks strike zone, allows one hit to get Nats back on track

April 25, 2013, 7:07pm

Nationals

Gonzalez attacks strike zone, allows one hit to get Nats back on track

Manager Davey Johnson has harped on it the last couple of starts for his top-of-the-rotation guys. Stephen Strasburg and Thursday's starter, Gio Gonzalez, have been unable to consistently get ahead early in at-bats at the start of games. It has ended up hurting their results. They began the season a combined 2-5. Last season, they combined for 36 wins. On Wednesday, Strasburg failed to get a strike on the first pitch in the first frame. The Cardinals put up three runs on three hits and went...

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Nationals pick up Rizzo's 2014 option

April 25, 2013, 6:30pm

Nationals

The Nationals have picked up general manager Mike Rizzo's option for 2014, a team source confirmed tonight. Rizzo and the Nationals are in negotiations on a long-term extension, the source said, but there is no immediate need to get a deal done. In addition to his 2014 option, Rizzo also has an option for 2015 written into his contract, which was signed after the 2010 season. MLB.com first reported that the Nats had officially picked up Rizzo's option. The Washington Times initially...

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Johnson discusses Nats' losing streak-busting 8-1 win

April 25, 2013, 7:03pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses Nats' losing streak-busting 8-1 win

While Davey Johnson might not enjoy having to sit down with reporters and answer questions about his team's performance after every single game, you can bet that experience was a bit easier to take tonight than it had been the last four days. Johnson's Nationals smacked 12 hits and picked up an 8-1 win over the Reds tonight, snapping a four-game losing streak and getting back on track after what had been a fairly trying week for the guys in the Nats' clubhouse. "Real satisfying," Johnson...

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More lineup talk plus notes on Ramos, Zimmerman

April 25, 2013, 2:34pm

Nationals

More lineup talk plus notes on Ramos, Zimmerman

Given the way Adam LaRoche has been struggling at the plate lately, Davey Johnson knew LaRoche would be taking early batting practice today to try and find a groove. Johnson was curious how LaRoche's cage session would go, so he popped out to the field this afternoon to watch his first baseman take some cuts. Only problem was, LaRoche wasn't in the group rotating into the cage. The Nationals had so many players getting in early BP that LaRoche, mired in an 0-for-11 slump with eight...

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Nats bust out in a big way (Nats stomp Reds 8-1)

April 25, 2013, 4:14pm

Nationals

Nats bust out in a big way (Nats stomp Reds 8-1)

A week's worth of frustration is all spilling out in the early innings tonight. The Nationals have put up six runs through the first three innings against the Reds, and they have a 6-0 lead. Jayson Werth said yesterday that the Nats had been neither lucky nor good during their recent slide. Tonight, they've been both. The Nats have seven hits, three for extra bases. Bryce Harper and Danny Espinosa both homered in a four-run third inning, with Espinosa's shot plating Adam LaRoche, who had...

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Rizzo comfortable with bullpen construction (Nats have a lead)

April 25, 2013, 3:30pm

Nationals

Rizzo comfortable with bullpen construction (Nats have a lead)

The Nationals chose to open the season with just one left-hander in their bullpen, and that's the way things will stay for the time being. Despite the Nats having a bullpen ERA of 4.48 over 64 1/3 innings, 21st in the majors, general manager Mike Rizzo is happy with the current construction of the 'pen. Zach Duke is currently the lone left-hander, but the Nats have a number of righties (Tyler Clippard, Ryan Mattheus and Craig Stammen among them) who have good reverse splits, meaning...

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Rizzo says Rendon has a "calmness" about his play with Nationals

April 25, 2013, 2:37pm

Nationals

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo decided to call up top prospect Anthony Rendon on Saturday night to replace Ryan Zimmerman, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a hamstring injury. Zimmerman attended batting practice and was stretching, but is not hitting yet. Manager Davey Johnson said Zimmerman is still a "couple days behind" Wilson Ramos in their recoveries from injuries, but is still on track to return when the 15 days expire. Rizzo said Rendon will "most likely"...

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New-look lineup has Lombardozzi playing third, Werth batting cleanup

April 25, 2013, 11:35am

Nationals

New-look lineup has Lombardozzi playing third, Werth batting cleanup

In desperate search of some more offense, Davey Johnson has inserted Steve Lombardozzi into today's Nationals lineup and moved Jayson Werth into the cleanup spot. Lombardozzi, who is off to a really strong start to 2013, batting .345 in 29 at-bats, will play third base and hit second in the new-look Nats batting order. Werth will hit fourth, with Adam LaRoche moving down to fifth in the lineup. Danny Espinosa, batting .155 on the season, remains in the lineup, batting seventh. Rookie...

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Players on board with a switched-up lineup

April 25, 2013, 6:06am

Nationals

Players on board with a switched-up lineup

Following Tuesday night's loss to the Cardinals, a defeat which was, at the time, the Nationals' third in a row and eighth in 11 games, a handful of Nats players sat around in the clubhouse and vented. It was pretty late at the time. Media members and most players and coaches had left. But Jayson Werth and a few of his teammates stuck around, letting their frustrations out and bouncing ideas off each other. "Just airing grievances," Werth said. "Just talking out, just complaining really,...

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Rachel Levitin: Can Goon Squad affect turnaround for Nats?

April 25, 2013, 4:56am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Can Goon Squad affect turnaround for Nats?

Three weeks into the 2013 season and the Nationals are struggling to get their 2012 groove back. Fact is, though, it's only April and there are months of baseball still to be played. The biggest factor haunting the Nats in present day is high expectations associated with coming off a successful run last year. "We've been pressing," outfielder Jayson Werth told MASNsports.com's Dan Kolko. "We've been trying to do too much. That's a common side effect. It's just one of those things....

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Werth says recent slide has left Nats pressing

April 24, 2013, 1:59pm

Nationals

Werth says recent slide has left Nats pressing

In his first at-bat of this afternoon's game, Ian Desmond bunted for a base hit and then stole second base, even after he was picked off by Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia. "Just trying to get something going," Desmond said. "A little spark here or there. You never know. Anything can turn into a snowball." In Desmond's final at-bat of the game, when he represented the tying run in the eighth inning, Desmond swung through three Trevor Rosenthal fastballs, with each swing bigger than the...

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Johnson says more lineup changes are coming after 4-2 loss

April 24, 2013, 1:20pm

Nationals

Johnson says more lineup changes are coming after 4-2 loss

Another Nationals loss, another postgame press conference with a frustrated Davey Johnson. The Nats fell 4-2 this afternoon, wrapping up a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cardinals and pushing the Nationals below .500 for the first time since the last day of the 2011 season. Johnson made some minor lineup changes for today's game and said we should expect more of the same tomorrow. Steve Lombardozzi will start tomorrow night, Johnson said, and it sounds like Lombardozzi will likely play...

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Strasburg fought himself in first, but then settled in to go seven innings

April 24, 2013, 1:34pm

Nationals

Strasburg fought himself in first, but then settled in to go seven innings

Stephen Strasburg tried not to do it, but he still did. He was trying again to be too perfect. He was being too fine around the plate. He told himself not to pitch that way. But it still happened. In the first inning, the Cardinals were able to put five of their first six batters on. They scored three runs on three hits. It ended up being the difference in a Cardinals' 4-2 win over the Nationals. But after the first inning, Strasburg really settled in. He allowed only two hits the rest of...

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Strasburg rebounds, still on the hook (Nats swept by Cardinals, fall below .500)

April 24, 2013, 11:23am

Nationals

Strasburg rebounds, still on the hook (Nats swept by Cardinals, fall below .500)

It took Stephen Strasburg an inning to get settled in. Once he did, he was almost unhittable. Strasburg allowed three runs on three hits and a walk in the first inning, but in his final six frames, the Nationals ace allowed just two hits, holding the Cardinals at bay. Overall, Strasburg struck out seven and walked just one. He threw 110 pitches, 76 for strikes. At one point, Strasburg set down 10 Cardinals hitters in a row. He struck out two in his final inning of work, a 1-2-3 sixth....

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Another early deficit (Nats still trail after six)

April 24, 2013, 9:30am

Nationals

Another early deficit (Nats still trail after six)

The Nationals and Cardinals have played just half an inning this afternoon, and we've already gotten a sample of the same issues that have been plaguing this Nats team for much of the first 20 games of the season. Stephen Strasburg allowed three hits and a walk in the top of the first, Anthony Rendon committed his second error in four big league games and the Nats trail 3-0 midway through the first inning. Strasburg got a bit of bad luck in the inning, allowing bloop hits to Matt Carpenter...

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Johnson explains lineup changes, decision to play Espinosa (with Ramos note)

April 24, 2013, 8:24am

Nationals

Johnson explains lineup changes, decision to play Espinosa (with Ramos note)

A frustrated Davey Johnson promised lineup changes after last night's 2-0 loss to the Cardinals, the Nationals' eighth defeat in their last 11 games. Today's lineup card, however, only saw two tweaks: Tyler Moore playing first base in place of the slumping Adam LaRoche and Jhonatan Solano behind the plate instead of Kurt Suzuki. With the Nats facing Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia in this afternoon's series finale, sitting LaRoche serves a dual purpose. It provides the 33-year-old a...

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Rizzo on 106.7: "I wouldn't trade this 25-man roster for any other 25-man in the league"

April 24, 2013, 7:54am

Nationals

Rizzo on 106.7: "I wouldn't trade this 25-man roster for any other 25-man in the league"

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo appeared with Holden Kushner and Danny Rouhier on 106.7 The Fan prior to Wednesday's finale against the Cardinals, getting fans updated on the state of the Nationals. With his team falling to 10-10, Rizzo is not pleased with the start, but believes the Nationals can get on a hot streak, and more than just one. "It is probably mediocre," Rizzo said of the Nationals' record out of the gate. "I'm not satisfied. Davey (Johnson) is not satisfied. There...

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LaRoche, Suzuki sit, Moore and Solano in Nats lineup (updated)

April 24, 2013, 5:37am

Nationals

LaRoche, Suzuki sit, Moore and Solano in Nats lineup (updated)

Having gone hitless in his last 10 at-bats with seven strikeouts, Adam LaRoche is getting a rest for today's matinee against the Cardinals. So is catcher Kurt Suzuki with a day game after a night game. Tyler Moore starts at first while catcher Jhonatan Solano gets his first start behind the plate since being called up on April 14. The Nationals are facing Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia today, so Johnson will get another right-handed bat in the lineup by putting Moore in there. With...

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Rodriguez learning to trust all of his pitches and Johnson noticing

April 24, 2013, 8:45am

Nationals

Rodriguez learning to trust all of his pitches and Johnson noticing

Right-hander Henry Rodriguez is starting to put together a few good outings and is gaining the confidence of manager Davey Johnson to put him in for longer stints. Johnson said because of the operation on Rodriguez's elbow last Aug. 31, the rehab prevented the hard thrower from having a full offseason of workouts and games. "He didn't have any winter ball," Johnson said. "He went through that arm operation. It is kind of a trust thing. The more he gets more comfortable and the more he...