nationals

Nationals agree to terms with left-hander Zach Duke

December 03, 2012, 2:18pm

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms with free-agent left-handed pitcher Zach Duke on a one-year contact. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. A 2009 National League All-Star, Duke is 49-74 with a 4.52 ERA (530 ER/1054.2 IP) in 189 games/168 starts spanning eight big league seasons with Washington, Arizona and Pittsburgh. He has twice posted a double-digit win total (11 in 2009, 10 in '06) and thrice (2006,...

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Rizzo talks Morse, LaRoche, search for an "impactful" starter (updated)

December 03, 2012, 12:55pm

Nationals

Rizzo talks Morse, LaRoche, search for an "impactful" starter (updated)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Speaking with reporters about half an hour ago in his suite at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said that he's gotten "a lot" of interest in left fielder/first baseman Michael Morse. "He's drawn interest," Rizzo said. "We've fielded calls for him. We've not made one call about him. We've fielded a lot of calls, and you can see the reason why. He's a middle-of-the-lineup hitter that puts up big numbers. He...

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NatsFest to be held Jan. 26 at Walter E. Washington Convention Center

December 03, 2012, 7:27am

Nationals

NatsFest to be held Jan. 26 at Walter E. Washington Convention Center

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - You wanted Nationals news from the Winter Meetings? OK, mark your calendars for Saturday, Jan. 26 and the return of NatsFest, which will be bigger and better than ever after the best season in team history. For the first time, this all-day celebration of all things curly and W will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, which will become the center of the D.C. baseball universe from noon-4 p.m. Activities will include live batting cages, exclusive Q&A...

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Market for LaRoche could be starting to thin out

December 03, 2012, 6:20am

Nationals

Market for LaRoche could be starting to thin out

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Adam LaRoche won't be going to Boston. And as a result, there's a feeling his chances of returning to the Nationals are increasing. The Red Sox are closing in on a deal with catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli, according to multiple reports. While pen might not have been put to paper on a deal just yet, Napoli is expected to ink a three-year contract today. Napoli has caught for much of his career, but he's played more first base in recent years. It's expected that he'll...

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The latest on LaRoche, Burnett (Nats re-sign Duke)

December 03, 2012, 11:05am

Nationals

The latest on LaRoche, Burnett (Nats re-sign Duke)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - As is seemingly always the case at the Winter Meetings, negotiations for a certain player have taken a bit of a surprise turn. Jayson Stark of ESPN.com has cited an MLB executive on a team that's interested in Adam LaRoche as saying that the Orioles are in on LaRoche "hard." The Orioles weren't expected to be one of the major players for LaRoche given their reluctance to hand him a three-year deal when they offered him a contract in the winter of 2010. Also, the O's...

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Velocity jump helped Erik Davis secure 40-man roster spot

December 02, 2012, 7:07pm

Nationals

Velocity jump helped Erik Davis secure 40-man roster spot

Right-hander Erik Davis was thrilled to get the call that he had been added to the 40-man roster last week and he is primed to take another step forward towards the Nationals in 2013. "It was huge for me," Davis said. "I was down in the Dominican Republic when I found out. One of our coaches called me in from shagging batting practice. Obviously, I knew that day was the deadline for that stuff to happen. The emotions just kind of overcame me and it was a dream come true." Davis said while...

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Lannan gets a chance to start anew

December 01, 2012, 6:49am

Nationals

John Lannan has had a rough 2012 from a professional standpoint. The 28-year-old left-hander went into spring training battling for a spot in the major league rotation. He ended up losing that battle, and then requested a trade only to have that request denied. The guy who had twice been the Nationals' opening day starter and had 128 major league starts under his belt found himself riding buses and taking the mound in front of miniscule crowds at Triple-A Syracuse. Lannan came up to make...

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Auction of rare baseball experiences benefiting Stand Up To Cancer debuts today on MLB.com

December 03, 2012, 10:17am

Nationals Orioles

Auction of rare baseball experiences benefiting Stand Up To Cancer debuts today on MLB.com

Major League Baseball and its 30 Clubs have organized a charity auction benefiting Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), announced today as a part of the annual Baseball Winter Meetings. The initiative was inspired by the numerous cases of public relations officials in the sport who have been diagnosed with cancer in recent years. The auction, which begins today and will be live on MLB.com until Thursday, December 6th at 11:59 p.m. (ET), features more than 70 unique experiences and items donated by the...

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Trade talks could start to center around Espinosa

December 03, 2012, 4:25am

Nationals

Trade talks could start to center around Espinosa

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - I woke up this morning feeling like I'd gotten a nice workout in yesterday. I hadn't been to the gym or gone on a run, however. I'd just spent the day navigating the massive Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, walking what felt like the two miles from the media work room to the lobby, and then eventually turning around and walking right back in the other direction. My legs should be prepared for even more of that drill today, as the Winter Meetings are set to...

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Nationals ring in 2013 season with return of NatsFest on Jan. 26

December 03, 2012, 7:07am

Nationals

Following the most memorable season in team history, the Washington Nationals invite fans across the region to reignite their Natitude for 2013 at NatsFest, taking place for the first time ever at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. The fun-filled baseball festival will be held at the spacious Convention Center in order to allow more fans than ever to celebrate the return of baseball alongside select Nationals players, coaches and team personnel. Open to...

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Filling the left-handed void in the Nationals' bullpen

December 02, 2012, 2:13pm

Nationals

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Since there's a dearth of left-handed relief pitching available on the free agent market, the Nationals are going to have to be creative when finding southpaws to round out their bullpen. Sean Burnett is angling for a four-year deal, which only works against his return and complicates general manager Mike Rizzo's to-do list at the Winter Meetings. Right now, the prospects of Burnett re-signing and the available left-handers present a bit of a conundrum for the Nationals....

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Morse could be Nats' ticket to another starter

December 02, 2012, 2:11pm

Nationals

Morse could be Nats' ticket to another starter

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - My flight out of BWI this morning was delayed nearly two hours, getting my 2012 Winter Meetings off to a stellar start. The fun began early this year. I'm now all checked into my hotel and set up here at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, the site of the meetings. Only a little over 12 hours until things really start getting under way. There are a number of free agent starting pitchers on the market who could be in play for the Nationals in the coming days...

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Nationals among favorites for Greinke, Rays may make run at Reynolds

December 02, 2012, 4:05pm

Nationals Orioles

Nationals among favorites for Greinke, Rays may make run at Reynolds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Welcome to 2012 version of baseball's Winter Meetings: The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center is an overwhelming maze of corridors, two million Christmas lights, restaurants and shops. Visitors can ride a showboat down the Cumberland River, visit the Holly Jolly Town Square, take a carriage ride or check out the two million pounds of ice sculptures with the theme of "Shrek the Halls." And, of course, a visitor can walk anywhere and get into a baseball...

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Time to take off for Nashville

December 01, 2012, 10:12pm

Nationals

I'm off for Nashville, where the weather is warmer than D.C., and the hot stove is certain to get toasty, as well. I've been to the Winter Meetings the last three years, but this will be my first as a beat writer. I'm looking forward to countless baseless rumors, having my phone glued to my hand for four straight days and trying to navigate my way through the massive Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, where the meetings are being held. Can you taste the sarcasm? In all...

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Winter numbers for Tatusko, Davis, McCoy, Walters, Rivero and others

December 01, 2012, 4:46am

Nationals

Winter numbers for Tatusko, Davis, McCoy, Walters, Rivero and others

Right-hander Ryan Tatusko has had a pretty good run with Leones de Ponce in the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball League. Tatusko has made five starts since Nov. 8, going 0-2 with a 1.54 ERA, allowing just four earned runs with 21 strikeouts, nine walks and no home runs allowed in 23 1/3 innings. He has given up only a .212 batting average against. Tatusko was 4-5 with a 3.50 ERA in 27 games this summer for Double-A Harrisburg. He also saw this grazing in the player's parking lot at a recent...

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Nats non-tender Lannan, Flores, Gorzelanny

November 30, 2012, 2:25pm

Nationals

Nats non-tender Lannan, Flores, Gorzelanny

The Nationals plan to cut ties with left-handed starter John Lannan, catcher Jesus Flores and left-handed reliever Tom Gorzelanny, a source confirmed, declining to tender those players a contract. Lannan was twice the Nationals' opening day starter, Flores was once viewed as the team's catcher of the future and Gorzelanny was a productive long reliever during the Nats' 2012 playoff run. All three would be free agents if they are indeed non-tendered. Teams have until 11:59 p.m. tonight to...

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A closer look at Span's 2012 reveals consistent offense

November 30, 2012, 7:36am

Nationals

A closer look at Span's 2012 reveals consistent offense

Newly acquired Nationals center fielder Denard Span said he did not feel like he was back at 100 percent health-wise and was building his strength back from shoulder and concussion issues in 2012. Yet he still put up consistent and crucial offensive numbers in the Twins offense. His presence in D.C. will mark the first time in their history the Nationals have had a real leadoff hitter/center fielder who has had success elsewhere for a period of time - but at 28 still has his best years ahead...

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Rizzo discusses the Denard Span trade

November 29, 2012, 1:45pm

Nationals

Mike Rizzo has had his eye on Denard Span for quite a while now. The Nationals' general manager scouted Span a decade ago back at Catholic High School in Tampa, Fla., followed him through the Twins' organization and was close to pulling off a trade for Span two years ago. Today, Rizzo finally got his guy. The Nationals acquired Span from the Twins for right-handed pitching prospect Alex Meyer this evening. Span will play center field and hit leadoff for the Nats, taking over a role that...

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Another look at the Span trade and the many options ahead

November 29, 2012, 10:47pm

Nationals

Another look at the Span trade and the many options ahead

The Nationals could have easily gone out and dropped $75-85 million on a big-name free agent center fielder. Michael Bourn and B.J. Upton were both out there for the taking until Upton landed with the Braves two days ago, and signing either would have turned heads and qualified as a big splash. Instead of going in that direction and being on the hook for a monster five-year deal, the Nats took the creative route. They made a deal with the Twins for Denard Span, a 28-year-old center fielder...

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Lannan's future with Nats could be decided today

November 30, 2012, 9:07am

Nationals

Lannan's future with Nats could be decided today

Sometime today, we'll learn whether John Lannan still could have a future with the Nationals or whether the team will cut ties with its two-time opening day starter. The deadline for teams to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players is 11:59 p.m. tonight. The Nationals have 10 players up for arbitration, but only two are legitimate candidates to be non-tendered, which is a fancy term for the team declining the option to negotiate a contract through arbitration. Ian Desmond,...