nationals

Zimmermann discusses another complete-game win

April 26, 2013, 6:51pm

How good was Jordan Zimmermann tonight? He was facing a Reds team that had scored the second-most runs in the National League coming into the game, and he held them scoreless. Six of his nine innings lasted just 10 or fewer pitches. He faced 30 batters and threw just 32 balls. You can do the math. That's impressive stuff. "I felt great. This is the best I've felt in a long time," Zimmermann said after his first career compete-game shutout. "A really good slider tonight and a good...

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Johnson: "Since I've been here, that's the best-pitched game I've seen"

April 26, 2013, 6:27pm

Nationals

Johnson: "Since I've been here, that's the best-pitched game I've seen"

Tonight was Davey Johnson's 268th game as manager of the Nationals. In his mind, the previous 267 starting pitching performances simply don't compare to the one put together by Jordan Zimmermann tonight in a 1-0 win over the Reds. "Since I've been here, that's the best-pitched game I've seen," Johnson said. "Low pitch count, really went after 'em. Never had any qualms at all about letting him hit (in the bottom of the eighth). Even if there was a runner on third and nobody out, I'd...

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Zimmermann on cruise control (Zimmermann delivers a shutout in 1-0 win)

April 26, 2013, 4:09pm

Nationals

Zimmermann on cruise control (Zimmermann delivers a shutout in 1-0 win)

There have been 13 Reds hitters that have stepped to the plate tonight. One has reached base. Twelve have gone back and had a seat in the dugout. Jordan Zimmermann is dealing here at Nationals Park tonight. The right-hander has faced just one over the minimum through four innings, with a single by Xavier Paul in the top of the third accounting for the lone baserunner. Zimmermann has needed just 41 pitches thus far. He's notched three strikeouts, including one of fearsome Reds slugger Joey...

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Bernadina off the schneid, plus the latest on Ramos and Zimmerman

April 26, 2013, 2:36pm

Nationals

Bernadina off the schneid, plus the latest on Ramos and Zimmerman

Craig Robinson, the actor probably best known for his role as Darryl from "The Office," is here at Nats Park today to throw out the first pitch. Call me when Dwight Schrute shows up in a mustard-colored short-sleeve button-down to do the same. When Roger Bernadina delivered a pinch-hit single in the eighth inning last night, he finally broke his way into the hit column this season, tallying his first base knock of the season after starting the year 0-for-16. "I kind of forgot how to get...

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Reading into the handling of Rendon

April 26, 2013, 1:38pm

Nationals

Davey Johnson is walking around with some pep in his step today. Part of that is because his team snapped a four-game losing skid last night, and did so in dominating fashion. Another part of it is that Johnson learned that former Dodgers and Cardinals GM Branch Rickey - a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and famously known for being the guy to sign Jackie Robinson - liked Johnson when he was a prospect in the Orioles organization. As you can see

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Johnson on relationship with Rizzo and Harper's anniversary

April 26, 2013, 1:56pm

Nationals

Johnson on relationship with Rizzo and Harper's anniversary

One of the many reasons the Nationals are successful on the field and can maintain that tempo throughout a season is the relationship between their manager and general manager. Manager Davey Johnson said he's on the same page with general manager Mike Rizzo when deciding what happens on the field. "He is the best GM I have ever had in a lot of respects," Johnson said. "I like that he is smart and that he played second base. He was a scout. He surrounds himself with intelligent people....

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For a night, it all comes together

April 25, 2013, 10:03pm

Nationals

Coming into this season, what type of team did you envision the 2013 Washington Nationals being? You probably didn't see the Nats hitting a collective .235 or getting on base at a .299 clip. I'm guessing you didn't see them leading the majors in errors and sitting dead last in fielding percentage. There's a good chance you didn't see the reigning National League East champions ranking in the bottom half of the league in team ERA. Yet entering last night's ballgame, that's where the...

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Rendon out of Nats lineup for second straight day

April 26, 2013, 11:39am

Nationals

Rendon out of Nats lineup for second straight day

The Nationals are sticking with the lineup that was so effective last night, the one that put up eight runs on 12 hits. Can't really blame them for that. The one guy left on the outside looking in, however, is Anthony Rendon, the Nats' top prospect, who was called up to the majors on Sunday to make his big league debut. The Nationals' initial idea had been to have Rendon in the lineup every day. There was no point in calling Rendon up to the big leagues, they believed, if he was just...

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Cast your ballot to send your favorite Nats to the All-Star Game

April 26, 2013, 1:18pm

Nationals

Cast your ballot to send your favorite Nats to the All-Star Game

Which Nationals hitters deserve to be voted into the starting lineup for the All-Star Game at Citi Field on Tuesday, July 16? Maybe you favor youth, and figure left fielder Bryce Harper, all of 20, should be starting after making it as a 19-year-old reserve last year. Or you think first baseman Adam LaRoche and his Gold Glove defense can help the National League win the Midsummer Classic. Or you just want right fielder Jayson Werth and his scruffy beard standing on the base line for pregame...

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Espinosa provides the gifts on his birthday

April 25, 2013, 7:23pm

Nationals

Espinosa provides the gifts on his birthday

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....