nationals

Cole will not have to try to impress in return to Nats

January 20, 2013, 4:41am

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo talked last week about one of the possible reasons why right-hander A.J. Cole struggled in his initiation to the Oakland A's organization last season. The high altitude and high-octane California League has gotten to many a great starting pitcher over the years. Rizzo scouted that league extensively while with the Arizona Diamondbacks and knows from experience. Potomac Nationals pitching coach Chris Michalak knows Cole very well and believes there might...

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Managing the expectations

January 20, 2013, 9:01am

Nationals

Davey Johnson and Bryce Harper were in New York last night to receive some hardware. Back in the U.S. after a lengthy trip to Africa with his wife, Johnson was presented with his National League Manager of the Year award, and Harper was given his NL Rookie of the Year at the New York Baseball Writers' Association Dinner. Here are the dapper Harper making their acceptance speeches. Harper sure can rock a tux. I wrote a few weeks ago about how the Nationals will have to adjust to being the...

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MASN's grin-and-grab photo lineup for NatsFest

January 21, 2013, 6:29am

Nationals

MASN's grin-and-grab photo lineup for NatsFest

Last week, we drew back the curtain on some of the events that will take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center as part of NatsFest on Saturday. We also hinted that you'd have the opportunity to get your picture snapped with some of your favorite Nationals and MASN personalities. Well, the lineup is now set. Check out the MASN booth in the middle of the NatsFest madness and you'll have a chance to say, "Cheese" with Nats old and new, and the club's TV broadcast voices....

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Breaking down why the Nats remain high on A.J. Cole

January 19, 2013, 6:34am

Nationals

Breaking down why the Nats remain high on A.J. Cole

At Thursday's press conference at Nationals Park, Nats general manager Mike Rizzo said he feels "very fortunate" to have gotten the package that he did in return for Michael Morse, who was under contract for only one more season. That package consisted of right-handed prospects A.J. Cole and Blake Treinen, and a player to be named later, who will be selected from a list of a couple of guys the Nationals and Athletics agreed upon. Cole is the big name in the group acquired from the A's, a...

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Schwartz gained momentum in Hagerstown after long college season

January 20, 2013, 5:08am

Nationals

Schwartz gained momentum in Hagerstown after long college season

Continuing our updates on some of the pitching prospects who pitched for the Gulf Coast Nationals in 2012, we spotlight right-hander Blake Schwartz. The 6-foot-3, 200-lb., right-hander from Oklahoma City started five games for the GCL Nats before moving to Single-A Hagerstown and getting seven starts with the Suns. Schwartz went 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA for the GCL Nats. In 16 innings, Schwartz struck out 12 batters and allowed one walk. Tripp Keister,the new skipper in Hagerstown, had Schwartz...

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Nationals look in own backyard for left-handed reliever depth and find real McCoy

January 19, 2013, 7:03am

Nationals

There is a bit of concern regarding the left-handed depth available out of the Nationals bullpen heading into the 2013 campaign. Zach Duke and Bill Bray are the top names that will get the best shot to be the lefty specialists out of the 'pen. Duke did well in his work last season with the Nationals and despite some injuries, Bray had success with the Cincinnati Reds. And he also was with the Nationals before he was traded away in 2007. But do the Nationals need more depth at the spot? Ross...

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What are Soriano's chances of triggering third year of deal?

January 18, 2013, 9:06am

Nationals

What are Soriano's chances of triggering third year of deal?

General manager Mike Rizzo left little doubt that Rafael Soriano will be the Nationals' primary ninth-inning option for 2013. For the money they're paying Soriano - two years and $28 million with a vesting option for a third year - that was pretty much predetermined. Soriano doesn't have the long history as a closer that Rizzo referenced in yesterday's press conference at Nationals Park. He's only closed games full-time since 2009, when he took over the role when the Braves designated Bob...

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Nats avoid arbitration with five players, swap salary figures with Zimmermann

January 18, 2013, 7:26am

Nationals

Nats avoid arbitration with five players, swap salary figures with Zimmermann

The Nationals have avoided arbitration with left-hander Ross Detwiler, as the two sides agreed to terms on a $2.3375 million deal with performance bonuses for the 2013 season. Detwiler will earn $25,000 if he reaches 200 innings pitched this season, according to CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman. Detwiler's agency, CAA Sports, announced the terms of the deal. Another CAA client up for arbitration, Drew Storen, agreed to a $2.5 million contract with the Nats that includes performance bonuses...

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Rizzo on getting Cole back and saying goodbye to Morse

January 17, 2013, 1:03pm

Nationals

Rizzo on getting Cole back and saying goodbye to Morse

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo, speaking during Rafael Soriano's introductory press conference, said he was excited to be able to get a talent like right-hander A.J. Cole back in the organization. Rizzo said the deal to get a prospect like Cole, and right-hander Blake Treinen, would not have been possible by just talking to the Seattle Mariners. In his discussions with Seattle, he was able to get the Oakland A's involved, and that is how Cole, Treinen and a player to be named were...

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Espinosa added to Mexico's provisional roster for WBC (Storen avoids arbitration)

January 17, 2013, 2:40pm

Nationals

Espinosa added to Mexico's provisional roster for WBC (Storen avoids arbitration)

Major League Baseball announced its provisional rosters for the World Baseball Classic this afternoon, and two guys on the Nationals' 40-man roster are in line to participate in the event. Danny Espinosa is on the roster for Team Mexico. Espinosa was born in Santa Ana, Calif., but his father is Mexican. Nats outfielder Roger Bernadina is also set to participate in the WBC; the 28-year-old is on the Netherlands' provisional roster. Team USA's roster does not have any Nats players. Another...

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Storen's roller-coaster ride of a career continues

January 18, 2013, 5:32am

Nationals

Storen's roller-coaster ride of a career continues

Sixteen months ago, Drew Storen was putting the finishing touches on a 43-save season which, in the eyes of many, made him one of the top young closers in baseball. Today, Storen finds himself a set-up guy, a pitcher who had hoped to put a crushing blown save behind him and prove he could still close at an elite level, but instead will be primarily working the eighth inning this season in front of the Nationals' new $28 million man, Rafael Soriano. Storen has been on quite a professional...

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Nats "excited" to get chance to work with A.J. Cole again

January 17, 2013, 9:47am

Nationals

Nats "excited" to get chance to work with A.J. Cole again

The Nationals are elated to get right-hander A.J. Cole back in a trade with the Oakland A's. After trading away the top prospect to the A's in the package for left-hander Gio Gonzalez, the Nats re-acquired Cole in a trade that sent Michael Morse to the Seattle Mariners. Cole struggled at high Single-A Stockton, going 0-7 with a 7.82 ERA in eight starts in the hitter-friendly California League. After going down to low Single-A Burlington, Cole rebounded to go 6-3 with a 2.07 ERA in 19 starts....

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Weekly Wrap

January 17, 2013, 5:52pm

Nationals

There have been some big changes around the Nats organization this week, including a new closer. The Nationals announced that they agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal with former Yankees reliever Rafael Soriano. In the reliever's introductory press conference yesterday, GM Mike Rizzo announced that while Soriano would be the closer, Drew Storen would still be an important part of the 'pen. Yesterday, Storen agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with $1 million in performance bonuses...

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Rizzo: Soriano will close, Nats still confident in Storen

January 17, 2013, 2:11pm

Nationals

Rizzo: Soriano will close, Nats still confident in Storen

The Nationals introduced their new right-handed reliever, Rafael Soriano, at Nats Park this evening, and while general manager Mike Rizzo was quick to say that he still thinks highly of Drew Storen, he left no doubt as to who the Nats plan on utilizing as their closer. "Suffice it to say, Raffy is here to pitch the ninth," Rizzo said. "He has done it successfully everywhere he has been and we expect him to continue that." The Nats agreed to terms Tuesday with Soriano to a two-year, $28...

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Examining all aspects of the Soriano signing

January 16, 2013, 4:06am

Nationals

Examining all aspects of the Soriano signing

If you missed Bryce Harper's appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last night, you also missed Kimmel's first "clown question" reference coming four seconds after Harper walked out on stage. No, seriously. I'm not kidding. Kimmel's according to former Nats general manager Jim Bowden) to bring in a guy who doesn't fulfill a specific need for you? And why do it when it didn't appear that Boras, Soriano's ÃƒÂ¼ber-confident agent, had many other teams interested in the 33-year-old...

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Nationals sign right-hander Rafael Soriano to two-year contract

January 17, 2013, 12:02pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Rafael Soriano on a two-year contract with an option for the 2015 season. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Soriano joins the Nationals after going 2-1 with 42 saves and a 2.29 ERA in 69 games for the Yankees last season. He spent the majority of '12 as the Yankees' closer after Mariano Soriano's season ended prematurely in early May (ACL...

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Morse, Nats both benefited from slugger's time in D.C. (programming update)

January 17, 2013, 4:27am

Nationals

Morse, Nats both benefited from slugger's time in D.C. (programming update)

Michael Morse joined the Nationals organization on June 28, 2009, coming over from the Mariners in return for outfielder Ryan Langerhans. At the time, Morse had just 300 major league at-bats under his belt, having struck out 65 times and had hit just three home runs and in his brief big league tenure. He was a 27-year-old without a set position, a guy who broke into the major leagues as a shortstop despite the fact that he was 6-foot-5 and didn't have great quickness. Morse leaves the...

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Morse traded to Mariners in three-team deal (with multiple updates)

January 16, 2013, 2:09pm

Nationals

Morse traded to Mariners in three-team deal (with multiple updates)

The Nationals have found a new home for Michael Morse, shipping the power-hitting outfielder/first baseman to the Mariners in a three-team deal that also involves the Athletics, according to an industry source. In return for the 30-year-old Morse, the Nationals will get minor league pitcher A.J. Cole, who the Nats traded to the A's in the Gio Gonzalez deal last winter. Washington will also get another prospect and a player to be named, according to the source. The Mariners will give up...

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Nationals send Morse to A's in four-player swap

January 16, 2013, 2:57pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today acquired right-handed pitcher A.J. Cole, right-handed pitcher Blake Treinen and a player to be named in exchange for first baseman/outfielder Michael Morse. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Cole was originally selected by the Nationals in the fourth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft before being dealt to the A's as part of the December 2011 trade that brought Gio Gonzalez to...

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Nationals announce details for NatsFest

January 16, 2013, 10:38am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today released new details about 2013 NatsFest, taking place for the first time at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, January 26, 2013. More than 25 Nationals players and prospects are expected to attend the fun-filled baseball festival, including but not limited to*: Corey Brown, Tyler Clippard, Ian Desmond, Ross Detwiler, Danny Espinosa, Christian Garcia, Gio Gonzalez, Brian Goodwin, Bryce Harper, Nathan Karns, Steve Lombardozzi, Ryan Mattheus,...