nationals

Young, Soriano throw live BP, Rodriguez is next (with Vasquez note)

February 27, 2013, 7:44am

VIERA, Fla. - Javier Vasquez has pulled out of the World Baseball Classic and decided not to pitch in the major leagues this season, according to El Nuevo DÃƒÂa, a Puerto Rican newspaper. The Nationals had scouted Vasquez in Puerto Rico this offseason prior to the veteran right-hander suffering a meniscus injury. General manager Mike Rizzo went down to watch Vasquez in person, and had been considering Vasquez as an option to give the Nationals increased starting pitching depth within the...

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A look at a stacked rotation and another possible innings limit dilemma

February 27, 2013, 4:37am

Nationals Orioles

A look at a stacked rotation and another possible innings limit dilemma

When it comes to baseball's best rotations, the Nationals, Phillies, Giants and Braves are usually the four teams mentioned first. But the team with the deepest rotation is usually overlooked. We're talking about the Reds. With Aroldis Chapman, a lefty reliever who can throw 100 mph, moving from closer to the rotation, the Reds have six quality starters. Like the Nationals' John Lannan a year ago, one talented Reds pitcher with nothing to prove will start the season at Triple-A. The Reds...

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Johnson talks Detwiler, Harper, Perry

February 26, 2013, 12:41pm

Nationals

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Had the rain postponed today's game between the Nationals and Braves, Ross Detwiler's pitching schedule would have gotten thrown all out of whack. Detwiler was scheduled to start today and then get one more outing with the Nats on March 3 before joining Team USA for the World Baseball Classic on March 4. If the rain that fell heavily from about 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. had forced a postponement and not just a one-hour delay, the Nationals would have needed to...

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Nationals' top prospects fortified by "second wave" of talent

February 26, 2013, 6:44pm

Nationals

When the Nationals beat the New York Mets 6-4 on Monday with a roster filled with the future of the organization, the team's development staff had to be beaming with a sense of pride and accomplishment. It wasn't too long ago the Nationals would bring 80 guys to camp and didn't know if they had a handful of major leaguers in that lot. The entire starting lineup Monday night featured the best the minor league system had to offer, sprinkled with a couple of players already with the...

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Ramos closing in on a return to action

February 26, 2013, 4:37am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche are both scheduled to make their spring debuts tomorrow. Manager Davey Johnson has slotted Werth in right field (hitting third) and LaRoche at first base (hitting fourth) for tomorrow's home game against the Marlins, giving two of his most-tenured veterans their first action this spring. Dan Haren will start tomorrow for the Nationals. Chad Tracy, who didn't make the trip to Port St. Lucie yesterday because of a bruised arm, had a bat in his...

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Karns makes quite an impression in first big league spring contest

February 26, 2013, 2:56am

Nationals

Karns makes quite an impression in first big league spring contest

VIERA, Fla. - If not for a dazzling defensive play from Mets outfield prospect Matt den Dekker, who scaled the center field wall at Tradition Field last night to bring in Anthony Rendon's deep fly, Rendon would have had himself two straight games with a two-run homer. The catch by den Dekker ended up as No. 3 on the top 10 plays on "SportsCenter" last night, and it limited Rendon to a 1-for-2 game. "Who does that?" Rendon joked after the game. "It's spring training!" A couple of...

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Nats hoping to play through the drops, plus lineups

February 26, 2013, 7:26am

Nationals

Nats hoping to play through the drops, plus lineups

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The tarp is on the field here at Champion Stadium at ESPN's Wide World of Sports, and the skies have opened up. They're calling for some pretty heavy showers here this afternoon and I've even heard rumblings of a tornado watch, but the Nationals are really hoping to get today's contest in, largely because they want to get Ross Detwiler into a game. Detwiler is scheduled to leave the Nats on March 4 to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. He'll get a...

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Nationals seeking anthem performers for 2013 season

February 26, 2013, 7:08am

Nationals

Oh, say, do you think you can sing the national anthem before a game at Nationals Park? If so, warm up your vocal chords. The Nationals would like to hear - and hear from - you. Beginning today, the first 50 people who submit their resume (performance or otherwise) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. will be invited to auditions at the ballpark on Saturday, March 9. Anthem performers must meet the following prerequisites: * The anthem should take no longer than 90 seconds to sing. * The anthem must be...

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Washington Nationals seek national anthem performers

February 26, 2013, 7:00am

Nationals

Talented Washington Nationals fans who are interested in performing the national anthem throughout the 2013 season are invited to submit their applications beginning today. The first 50 anthem hopefuls to submit their resume (performance or otherwise) and a recent photo to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. will be invited to audition live at Nationals Park on Saturday, March 9. Anthem performers must meet the following prerequisites: * The anthem should take no longer than 90 seconds to sing * The...

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Johnson analyzes Gonzalez's outing, Nats' 6-4 win

February 25, 2013, 5:02pm

Nationals

Johnson analyzes Gonzalez's outing, Nats' 6-4 win

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - There wasn't much not to like about Gio Gonzalez's spring debut tonight at Tradition Field. He pitched two clean innings, worked on fastball command, showed off a sharp, bending curve and left his manager, Davey Johnson, impressed. "Gio was great," Johnson said. "He had a little rough first inning with an error behind him. He threw 25-something pitches in the first inning. But he was real efficient, more like himself in the second. And that was all he needed,...

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Gonzalez shaky in first spring inning (but finishes strong)

February 25, 2013, 1:42pm

Nationals

Gonzalez shaky in first spring inning (but finishes strong)

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Most pitchers throw fastballs almost exclusively in their first outing of spring in an attempt to build up arm strength and work on their location. Gio Gonzalez went a different route. Gonzalez leaned heavily on his curveball in his first inning of work, throwing at least six hammers, by my count, in a 23-pitch frame. The left-hander didn't have good fastball location, walking Brandon Hicks to put the first two batters on following a Zach Walters error, but man, his...

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Gonzalez happy to hear "fans still support you and they still love you" (Nats win)

February 25, 2013, 3:28pm

Nationals

Gonzalez happy to hear "fans still support you and they still love you" (Nats win)

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Gio Gonzalez was sporting a small scar on his forehead after his spring debut. Had he gotten hit on the head with a ball unbeknownst to reporters? Had he taken a tumble while taking part in fielding drills during a recent workout? Nope. Gonzalez said the scar was rug burn, the result of a bit of a wrestling match with his French Bulldog, Hollywood. Credit Hollywood with the pin. "She gave me a rug burn. I hate her," Gonzalez said. "And then I love her. And then I...

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Tracy, Owings battling bumps and bruises (plus two guys impressing Davey)

February 25, 2013, 12:40pm

Nationals

Tracy, Owings battling bumps and bruises (plus two guys impressing Davey)

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Two Nationals that were scheduled to make today's trip to Port St. Lucie ended up staying in Viera. Chad Tracy is dealing with a bruise on his right triceps area after getting hit by a pitch yesterday against the Marlins, and manager Davey Johnson said the Nationals' plan is to keep him out of the lineup both today and tomorrow. Tracy's injury isn't thought to be serious. Same goes for Micah Owings, the former pitcher who is trying to reinvent himself as a position...

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Nats-Mets lineups for Gonzalez's spring debut

February 25, 2013, 10:38am

Nationals

Nats-Mets lineups for Gonzalez's spring debut

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Of the players the Nationals brought with them on today's road trip to Port St. Lucie, likely just three will find themselves on the opening day roster. Gio Gonzalez will get the ball against the Mets tonight, in a game being broadcast in the D.C. and Baltimore regions on MLB Network, but behind him will be a host of prospects with incredibly long odds at cracking the 25-man roster come April 1. Tyler Moore and Steve Lombardozzi made the trip, and veteran Chris Snyder...

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Storen far from worried after blown save, plus Espinosa quotes

February 24, 2013, 1:18pm

Nationals

Storen far from worried after blown save, plus Espinosa quotes

VIERA, Fla. - When Drew Storen took the mound for his first appearance of the spring last year, he says he attacked the outing much like he would if it was the regular season, throwing with nearly full force right out of the gate. The next day, Storen said he could tell something was wrong with his right elbow. The Nationals reliever ended up needing surgery to remove bone chips in the elbow, and he missed more than half of the season as a result. That's why Storen came into today's outing...

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Three Nationals prospects learning new spots as accelerated development program begins

February 24, 2013, 6:54pm

Nationals

The Nationals' accelerated development roster confirmed the club's confidence in positional changes for Justin Miller and Kevin Keyes. Miller and Keyes worked at new positions during October's instructional league workouts. Miller switched from the infield to catcher and Keyes from the outfield to first base. Miller is listed as a catcher and Keyes as first baseman on the roster released last week for accelerated development camp in Viera, Fla. With the unfortunate news that Spencer...

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Zimmermann doesn't look like he's missed a beat (we've got some rain)

February 24, 2013, 8:28am

Nationals

Zimmermann doesn't look like he's missed a beat (we've got some rain)

VIERA, Fla. - It might only be Feb. 24, but Jordan Zimmermann looks like he's in midseason form. Zimmermann has quickly fired two scoreless innings this afternoon, allowing just a two-out single in the first. The Nationals right-hander has kept the ball down, inducing five groundball outs and getting Matt Downs swinging on an off-speed pitch in the second inning. Through these two frames, Zimmermann has thrown just 23 pitches, 15 for strikes. There isn't a stadium gun here at Space Coast...

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Rendon goes yard, Zimmermann feels his changeup is improving

February 24, 2013, 10:40am

Nationals

Rendon goes yard, Zimmermann feels his changeup is improving

VIERA, Fla. - We're back under way after a rain delay of 1 hour, 6 minutes, and the Nationals' lineup looks a heck of a lot different than it did before the tarp was pulled onto the field. Denard Span, Bryce Harper, Chad Tracy, Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and Kurt Suzuki have all been pulled, with a host of minor leaguers replacing them in the lineup. Anthony Rendon just went yard to right-center, a two-run shot off Marlins right-hander Ryan Webb. Rendon hit just six home runs in 133...

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Christian Garcia could miss two weeks, plus notes on Henry Rodriguez, Chris Young

February 24, 2013, 6:11am

Nationals

Christian Garcia could miss two weeks, plus notes on Henry Rodriguez, Chris Young

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals are confident that Christian Garcia's wrist/forearm strain isn't anything serious, but they're not taking any chances with the promising right-hander. As a result, Garcia will be held out for the next 10-14 days, according to manager Davey Johnson. Garcia said today that he's been feeling better in recent days after first experiencing some tightness in his throwing wrist/forearm area when throwing a bullpen session last Sunday. The 27-year-old, who has had...

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Johnson reminisces, Purke progressing, Mayor Gray visits Viera

February 24, 2013, 7:03am

Nationals

Johnson reminisces, Purke progressing, Mayor Gray visits Viera

VIERA, Fla. - A few Nationals players not in the lineup today are making their way over to Daytona International Speedway for the Daytona 500, which led manager Davey Johnson to reminisce about his own experience at the race. Johnson says he was invited to ride in the pace car before the Daytona 500 some 40 years ago, and while he didn't recall who won the race that year, other important details about that day came to mind. "I got to sit with Ms. Stick Shift in the bleachers. You remember...