nationals

Getting Nationals starters to go distance becoming Johnson's strategy

May 05, 2013, 6:21pm

The Nationals' offense is certainly not where it wants to be. But it is making progress. One way to achieve the consistency it needs for the team to be a contender is for every player in the lineup to be healthy at the same time. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman returned Friday but now right fielder Jayson Werth is suffering from hamstring tightness. Werth hopes to be back in the lineup when the two-game series with the Tigers opens up Tuesday at Nationals Park. But the biggest trend recently...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr jayson werth jordan zimmermann nationals ryan zimmerman stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals3

Marty Niland: Veterans, bench finally getting into the swing of things

May 05, 2013, 6:45pm

Nationals

Marty Niland: Veterans, bench finally getting into the swing of things

It's not conventional wisdom for a major league team to "get healthy" on the road, and even less conventional for it to happen against a hot team, but that's just what seems to have happened to the Nationals as they wrapped up their 4-3 road trip. In Pittsburgh, where the Nats have not won a series since 2010, the Nats took two games from a Pirates team that had won six of nine, including a series win over St. Louis. And they did it behind several players whose contributions this season...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche guest blogger guestblogger marty niland nationals nationals buzz roger bernadina ryan zimmrman tyler moore

Hearing from Espinosa, Moore, Gonzalez and more after Nats' 6-2 win

May 05, 2013, 3:00pm

Nationals

Hearing from Espinosa, Moore, Gonzalez and more after Nats' 6-2 win

PITTSBURGH - Seven batters into today's game, the Nationals looked to be heading for a disastrous conclusion to their seven-game road trip. Bryce Harper had already been ejected. Gio Gonzalez's first pitch of the game had been crushed into the left field seats by Starling Marte, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead. Ryan Zimmerman committed his fifth throwing error of the season. Gonzalez had the bases full with Pirates and nobody out. Things could've gotten out of hand in a hurry. Instead,...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko danny espinosa gio gonzalez nationals tyler moore frontstory_nationals3

Moore makes the Bucs pay (Nats win 6-2)

May 05, 2013, 12:26pm

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - Given the way Adam LaRoche has been swinging the bat the last few days, and the way Tyler Moore has struggled to put the bat on the ball the last couple days, you can't really blame the Pirates for intentionally walking LaRoche to get to Moore with first base open in the top of the eighth inning. Just like yesterday, Moore was off to a rough start today, striking out in all three at-bats this afternoon, all three looking. But after falling behind in the count 0-2 with two...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche dan kolko nationals pirates tyler moore frontstory_nationals3

Bryce Harper ejected in first inning (Gonzalez battles through six)

May 05, 2013, 10:00am

Nationals

Bryce Harper ejected in first inning (Gonzalez battles through six)

PITTSBURGH - Bryce Harper's second career ejection came just 14 pitches into this afternoon's ballgame. With two outs in the top of the first, Harper tried to check his swing on a two-strike curveball from Wandy Rodriguez. Third base umpire John Hirschbeck rung Harper up, and Harper threw his hands up in the air in frustration. Hirschbeck then imitated Harper's reaction, throwing his hands up in a similar fashion. Harper stood at the plate staring at Hirschbeck while home plate umpire Bob...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper dan kolko nationals frontfeatured_nationals gio gonzalez

Span back in Nats lineup, Ramos starts again

May 05, 2013, 8:35am

Nationals

Span back in Nats lineup, Ramos starts again

PITTSBURGH - After missing yesterday's game with a sore right ankle/foot, Denard Span has returned to the Nationals lineup for this afternoon's series finale at PNC Park. Span nearly fell to the ground when he woke up yesterday morning, the pain in his lower ankle area having intensified overnight. He got a day of rest yesterday and woke up this morning feeling much better. He'll return to the leadoff spot and play center field. Jayson Werth will miss his third straight game with left...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko denard span lineups nationals pirates wilson ramos frontstory_nationals3

A step in the right direction

May 05, 2013, 5:55am

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - OK, so the Nationals stranded 11 runners, went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and gave up four runs on two Pirates homers off Stephen Strasburg in yesterday's win. But let's look at the positives. The Nats twice came from behind to tie yesterday's game. They put 15 runners on base, thanks to six hits, six walks and three hit batters. They got seven strong innings from Strasburg, who looked completely healthy and attacked the zone, needing just 95 pitches to get...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals ryan zimmerman stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals1

Zimmerman, LaRoche steal one from Pirates

May 04, 2013, 5:24pm

Nationals

Zimmerman, LaRoche steal one from Pirates

PITTSBURGH - Standing in the batter's box with the score tied, Ryan Zimmerman on second and Adam LaRoche at first in the top of the ninth inning, Tyler Moore figured he'd need a base hit to drop somewhere for Zimmerman to come around with the go-ahead run. "I would have thought those were the last two guys who were going to steal," Moore said after the Nationals' 5-4 win. Moore certainly wasn't alone. Pirates left-hander Tony Watson, on to try and keep the game tied in the ninth,...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche dan kolko nationals ryan zimmerman tyler moore featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Johnson discusses Nats' 5-4 win

May 04, 2013, 4:32pm

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals now have a 1.000 winning percentage after Davey Johnson-called team meetings this season. And his players are going to give him a little crap about it. Jordan Zimmermann approached Johnson following today's 5-4 win over the Pirates and shot a one-liner at his skipper. "Same time tomorrow?" Zimmermann quipped. Following his session with reporters, Johnson walked by Ian Desmond's locker. "Meeting of the year," Desmond said, his comment oozing with sarcasm....

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko davey johnson ian desmond jordan zimmermann nationals stephen strasburg tyler moore featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Davey Johnson holds closed-door team meeting (with Span update)

May 04, 2013, 11:33am

Nationals

Davey Johnson holds closed-door team meeting (with Span update)

PITTSBURGH - Davey Johnson held a closed-door team meeting this afternoon in the visitors' clubhouse at PNC Park. Before he did so, however, the 70-year-old Johnson went into the batting cage in the tunnel - sans batting gloves, as always - and took about 40 swings, more than he had in decades and so many that he left the cage with a blister on his left hand. "I wanted to see if it was that hard to still hit a baseball," Johnson deadpanned. The Nationals, picked by many as a World Series...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko davey johnson nationals frontstory_nationals3

Knotted up late in Pittsburgh (Nats win 5-4)

May 04, 2013, 2:49pm

Nationals

Knotted up late in Pittsburgh (Nats win 5-4)

PITTSBURGH - Stephen Strasburg gave the Nationals seven solid if not spectacular innings, and we're still tied 4-4 heading to the ninth here in Pittsburgh. The Nats have gone 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and have left 10 on base. Seven of those 10 have been in innings 6-8. At least they're getting guys on and giving themselves chances to drive runners in, however. That's something that was lacking in a handful of the Nats' recent losses. They've also walked six times and...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals1

Strasburg attacking but trailing (a missed opportunity for Moore)

May 04, 2013, 1:04pm

Nationals

Strasburg attacking but trailing (a missed opportunity for Moore)

PITTSBURGH - Through three innings, Stephen Strasburg has looked strong and healthy. He's been attacking hitters, throwing his fastball 94-96 mph and not showing any signs of the irritation in his forearm that led him to shake his throwing arm consistently during his last outing. Strasburg and the Nationals also trail 2-1 after three innings. After setting down six straight hitters, with two swinging strikeouts in that span, Strasburg allowed a Clint Barmes bloop single leading off the...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals stephen strasburg adam laroche frontfeatured_nationals ryan zimmerman

Span out of Nats lineup, Espinosa leading off

May 04, 2013, 8:30am

Nationals

Span out of Nats lineup, Espinosa leading off

PITTSBURGH - A day after fouling a ball off his right ankle, Denard Span is out of the Nationals' lineup. Danny Espinosa will move into the leadoff spot for this afternoon's 4:05 p.m. game against the Pirates, and Roger Bernadina will play center with Span out. Span had a bandage on his right ankle, directly above the top of his foot, after last night's game. He played all nine innings last night but looked to be favoring the ankle a bit after the game. Jayson Werth will miss his second...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko danny espinosa denard span nationals pirates stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals3

Not scoring many runs, not getting many breaks

May 04, 2013, 12:24am

Nationals

Not scoring many runs, not getting many breaks

PITTSBURGH - Since some of you might have missed the stats I shared last night on Andrew McCutchen's dominance against the Nationals, I feel the need to pass them along again. Sorry. While it might sting to look at these numbers, they're so ridiculous that I feel like they have to be shared. In 24 career games against the Nats, McCutchen is batting .456 (41-for-89) with 11 home runs, 22 RBIs and an insane 1.448 OPS. "He's not going to hit a home run every time," said Ross Detwiler, who...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche dan kolko nationals pirates ross detwiler frontstory_nationals3

Nationals reinstate Ryan Zimmerman from 15-day disabled list

May 03, 2013, 10:27am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today recalled from rehab and reinstated third baseman Ryan Zimmerman from the 15-Day Disabled List and optioned third baseman Anthony Rendon to Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Zimmerman, 28, rejoins the Nationals after being placed on the 15-Day DL on April 21 (retroactive to April 18) with a left hamstring strain. He missed 14 games, during...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

Johnson: "We just need to man up"

May 03, 2013, 7:10pm

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals struck out 14 times in tonight's 3-1 loss to the Pirates. Seven of those 14 were looking. They scored one run, marking the 11th time in 13 games that they've had three or fewer runners cross the plate. They're currently sixth-worst in the majors in runs scored. This is a Nationals club that feels it has the talent to be one of the top offensive teams in the league. It's just not happening right now. "I think we're kind of hitting rock bottom," Johnson said....

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko davey johnson featured_sidebar nationals ross detwiler ryan zimmerman frontstory_nationals1

Reactions from Detwiler, LaRoche and Zimmerman after 3-1 Nats loss

May 03, 2013, 7:44pm

Nationals

Reactions from Detwiler, LaRoche and Zimmerman after 3-1 Nats loss

PITTSBURGH - Ross Detwiler didn't get smacked all over PNC Park tonight. He allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. Far from a terrible outing, but not good enough for a win. Part of that falls on Detwiler, part of it falls on the Nationals' offense, which managed very little off A.J. Burnett, Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli in the Nats' 3-1 loss. "I mean, a loss is a loss, no matter what it is," Detwiler said. "I think (my) last three were losses. It's kind of tough to take...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche dan kolko nationals ross detwiler ryan zimmerman frontstory_nationals3

Don't pitch to Andrew McCutchen (Nats lose 3-1)

May 03, 2013, 4:25pm

Nationals

Don't pitch to Andrew McCutchen (Nats lose 3-1)

PITTSBURGH - Get ready for some offensive numbers that will wow you. They might also make you shake your head in disgust. Over 24 career games against the Nationals, Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen is now batting .455 with 11 home runs and 22 RBIs. McCutchen has gone 2-for-2 tonight with a solo home run and a single, accounting for the lone Pirates run off Ross Detwiler and two-thirds of Pittsburgh's hits on the evening. It was really enjoyable watching McCutchen take cuts in the...

Comments

Tags:

andrew mccutchen dan kolko danny espinosa nationals pirates ross detwiler frontstory_nationals1

Now completely healthy, Marrero shows off bat again

May 03, 2013, 6:42pm

Nationals

Now completely healthy, Marrero shows off bat again

The torn hamstring stunted first baseman Chris Marrero's season before it really ever got started in 2012. His shoulder and hamstring slowed him down for much of the time and he never was able to feel 100 percent healthy for long periods of time last season. Following 127 games for Triple-A Syracuse in 2011, he had to fight back from injury in 2012. Marrero ended up playing only 37 contests with the Chiefs last season. So it certainly had to be refreshing for Marrero to work his way through...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr chris marrero nationals frontstory_nationals2 nationals farm report

Zimmerman discusses his throwing, injury history

May 03, 2013, 3:07pm

Nationals

Zimmerman discusses his throwing, injury history

PITTSBURGH - After going without seeing live pitching for 13 days while sidelined with a strained left hamstring, Ryan Zimmerman made a one-day rehab appearance with high Single-A Potomac on Thursday, getting three at-bats and playing six innings in the field. It wasn't a lengthy rehab assignment, by any means, but Zimmerman thinks he accomplished all he needed to during that one day with the P-Nats in order for him to be game ready tonight. He was activated off the disabled list this...