nationals

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

January 18, 2013, 7:26am

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...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals ross detwiler featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

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...

Comments

Tags:

a.j. cole alex meyer byron kerr gio gonzalez michael morse mike rizzo nationals tyler moore frontstory_nationals2

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...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko danny espinosa nationals rick ankiel roger bernadina frontstory_nationals3

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...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko drew storen nationals rafael soriano featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

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....

Comments

Tags:

a.j. cole aaron fitt alex meyer byron kerr danny rosenbaum harrisburg nationals oakland athletics paul menhart frontstory_nationals3

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...

Comments

Tags:

nationals nationals buzz olivia witherite weekly wrap

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...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko drew storen mike rizzo nationals rafael soriano featured_sidebar frontfeatured_nationals

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...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko drew storen mike rizzo nationals rafael soriano tyler clippard featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

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...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

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...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko michael morse mike rizzo nationals frontfeatured_nationals

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...

Comments

Tags:

a.j. cole dan kolko michael morse nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

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...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

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,...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

A little information on NatsFest ...

January 16, 2013, 8:36am

Nationals

NatsFest is only 10 days away, and information is finally leaking out about exactly what visitors to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center can expect for the event, which will run from noon-4 p.m. (with season ticket holders getting in an hour early at 11 a.m.). First, there are no longer autograph vouchers available for purchase through the team. However, you might be lucky enough to find these on the secondary market - CraigsList, eBay, etc. Which Nationals players will be appearing on...

Comments

Tags:

nationals nationals buzz natsfest pete kerzel

Nats sign reliever Rafael Soriano (another update)

January 15, 2013, 9:35am

Nationals

Nats sign reliever Rafael Soriano (another update)

Another Scott Boras client is coming to the nation's capital. The Nationals have signed right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano to a two-year, $28 million deal with a vesting option for a third year, according to Yahoo! Sports. Update: A source confirms the report. The terms listed above are accurate. Soriano's third-year option, worth $14 million, vests if he finishes 120 games over the next two seasons. By signing Soriano, 33, the Nationals will forfeit their first-round pick (No. 29...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko drew storen mike rizzo nationals rafael soriano featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Looking at where Harper will hit in 2013

January 15, 2013, 3:57am

Nationals

Looking at where Harper will hit in 2013

If you don't mind staying up close to or past midnight tonight, you'll find the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year making an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," a late-night talk show on ABC. Bryce Harper will be swinging by the set for an interview with Kimmel, whose show starts at 11:35 p.m. It's too bad Harper hasn't been able to have any cool things happen to him prior to turning 21. Just a shame. By the way, I'm setting the over/under at the first "That's a clown question,...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper dan kolko davey johnson nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

GCL Nats pitching capsules: Barrientos, Vasquez and Dicharry

January 15, 2013, 9:59am

Nationals

GCL Nats pitching capsules: Barrientos, Vasquez and Dicharry

The Gulf Coast League Nationals had their share of pitching prospects make progress in 2012, as the youngsters look to move up to short-season Single-A Auburn or low Single-A Hagerstown. We will take a look at several of their prospects in a couple of installments this week. The Nationals worked very hard to teach the prospects to pitch to contact, emphasizing from the beginning a philosophy of putting the ball in play and not allowing walks. Pitching coach Michael Tejera, rehab pitching...

Comments

Tags:

auburn byron kerr daury vasquez gulf coast hagerstown joel barrientos kevin dicharry nationals tripp keister frontstory_nationals2

Nats agree to terms with five players on minor league deals

January 15, 2013, 10:00am

Nationals

Nats agree to terms with five players on minor league deals

The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with left-handed pitchers Fernando Abad, Bill Bray and Brandon Mann, right-handed pitcher Ross Ohlendorf and infielder Will Rhymes on minor-league contracts with invitations to Major League Spring Training. In addition, the Nationals extended Spring Training invites to left-handed pitcher Pat McCoy, right-handed pitcher Tanner Roark, catcher Carlos Maldonado, first baseman/third baseman Matt Skole and infielder Zach Walters. Nationals Executive Vice...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

Harper to appear tonight on "Jimmy Kimmel Live"

January 15, 2013, 3:59am

Nationals

Harper to appear tonight on "Jimmy Kimmel Live"

Los Angeles, where Bryce Harper made his major league debut on April 28, will also be the site of the Nationals outfielder's debut on late night television. Harper, the National League Rookie of the Year, will appear tonight on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," which emanates from the City of Angels. The show starts at 11:35 p.m. Eastern time. Memo to show host Jimmy Kimmel: Watch the clown questions, bro. This is a nice get for the Nats, who have an opportunity to enhance their national...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper featured_sidebar nationals nationals buzz pete kerzel frontstory_nationals1

Source: Matt Skole invited to big league spring training

January 14, 2013, 10:11am

Nationals

Source: Matt Skole invited to big league spring training

Nationals minor league Player of the Year Matt Skole, who hit 27 homers and 92 RBIs for low Single-A Hagerstown, has been invited to major league spring training, a baseball source has confirmed. The news was first reported by Skole's brother Jake