nationals

Werth discusses his big hit and his fake-out ball toss

September 26, 2012, 8:31pm

PHILADELPHIA - The momentum had completely swung in the Phillies' favor. They had cut the Nationals' lead from five all the way down to one after eight innings. Despite only being about half-full by the time the top of the ninth rolled around, Citizens Bank Park was starting to rock again. Then, as Jayson Werth stepped to the plate to a chorus of boos, he delivered a monster base hit to center, scoring two runs and all but putting the game out of reach. The Nats went on to win 8-4, cutting...

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Big-game Lannan comes through again (Porter reportedly named Astros manager)

September 26, 2012, 9:20pm

Nationals

Big-game Lannan comes through again (Porter reportedly named Astros manager)

PHILADELPHIA - In the vast majority of John Lannan's seven career starts at Citizens Bank Park prior to tonight, he'd gotten into trouble and had a hard time working his way clear of it. That wasn't the case tonight. Lannan went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, and improved to 4-0 on the season in the process. "I've always come in and always thought I've pitched well (in Philadelphia), but some stuff didn't go my way," Lannan said. "But tonight, I told myself I wasn't...

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Getting starters ready for the postseason: Where to begin?

September 26, 2012, 6:24am

Nationals

Getting starters ready for the postseason: Where to begin?

The playoff picture in the National League is close to being set with four teams already assured of spots in the postseason. The Nationals, Reds, Giants and Braves have clinched berths, while the Cardinals are the second-closest wild card team with eight regular season games remaining. Manager Davey Johnson has said he is not going to speculate as to who his starters will be for the postseason, but you can bet at his desk he has penciled in his thoughts on how he wants to set up his top guns...

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How Bo Porter's new gig will impact the Nationals (updated with Rizzo statement)

September 26, 2012, 11:57pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals' players and the bulk of their coaching staff will spend the morning and early afternoon resting up from last night's exciting 8-4 win over the Phillies and gearing up for tonight's series finale. One guy will have a slightly busier day on his hands. Nats third base coach Bo Porter will be named the new Astros manager in a press conference late this morning. Porter will be likely (or should I say, likely already has been) flown out to Houston to meet with the...

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David Huzzard: Power up the middle

September 27, 2012, 7:01am

Nationals

There is an old saying in baseball about building teams with defense up the middle and power at the corners. Anyone watching the Washington Nationals can see that they have built a team full of capable defenders. The Nationals' infield is the best in the game, getting not just defense up the middle and power at the corners, but receiving power up the middle and defense at the corners. While Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche offer Gold Glove play on a nightly basis, the real added strength of the...

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Skipper pegged Lombardozzi over Espinosa as starter at second base

September 26, 2012, 2:12pm

Nationals

Skipper pegged Lombardozzi over Espinosa as starter at second base

PHILADELPHIA - Recently, Davey Johnson has seen Danny Espinosa trying to do a bit too much. In an effort to nip that in the bud, Johnson is giving his second baseman the night off tonight. "I think he's been pressing a little bit lately," Johnson said. "He's been swinging awfully hard and (I) just wanted to let him sit back and relax a little bit." That, combined with the fact that Espinosa is 3-for-16 with four strikeouts in his career against Kyle Kendrick, who is starting tonight for...

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Grab your tickets for the "Teddy in 2012" series

September 26, 2012, 5:05pm

Nationals

Grab your tickets for the "Teddy in 2012" series

Forget the Mayans. When Teddy Roosevelt finally wins the Presidents Race, we'll know the world is ending. Everyone's favorite lovable loser has yet to win the Nationals' mid-game ritual and, frankly, it's overdue. But while Teddy still sports a goose egg in the win column, the Nationals are presenting him with some time in the spotlight. The Nationals will dedicate the last homestand of the 2012 regular season to Teddy when they take on the Philadelphia Phillies from Oct. 1-3. Known...

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Nats lighting up the scoreboard in Philly (solid work by Lannan)

September 26, 2012, 3:47pm

Nationals

Nats lighting up the scoreboard in Philly (solid work by Lannan)

PHILADELPHIA - Because of some late-afternoon rain, batting practice was canceled for the Nationals this afternoon. No matter. Kyle Kendrick is throwing the Nats some impressive BP during tonight's game. Kendrick has surrendered three home runs through his first two innings, and all three were rockets. Bryce Harper crushed a two-run opposite-field shot just six pitches into the game, Ian Desmond led off the second with a line drive home out to left and Kurt Suzuki demolished a Kendrick...

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Espinosa out of Nats' lineup

September 26, 2012, 11:42am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - A day after Nationals manager Davey Johnson said that all hands would be on deck until the Nationals clinched the division, Danny Espinosa is out of the lineup. Espinosa got a cortisone shot in his aching shoulder last Monday and has played in all eight games (with seven starts) since then, batting .348 with two RBIs and three doubles. His production has returned, and Espinosa told me yesterday that his shoulder was feeling fine. That all makes it a bit surprising that he's...

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Staying cool as the division race heats up

September 25, 2012, 10:24pm

Nationals

Staying cool as the division race heats up

PHILADELPHIA - Things sure have gotten a bit more interesting within the last couple of weeks. Entering action Sept. 12, fresh off a three-game sweep of the Mets, the Nationals' lead over the Braves in the NL East was 8 1/2 games. Today, that lead is down to four games, the slimmest the division margin has been since Aug. 28. The Nationals have also now fallen into a tie with the Reds for the top seed in the National League. There are eight games left in the regular season. If the Nats...

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One inning does in Detwiler (Nats lose, drop a full game)

September 25, 2012, 5:29pm

Nationals

One inning does in Detwiler (Nats lose, drop a full game)

PHILADELPHIA - If you take out the third inning, Ross Detwiler had a pretty solid start. Excluding that one frame, Detwiler allowed just one run and three hits over four innings of work. The Phillies did a lot of damage in that third inning, though. Detwiler, who was a little out of sorts early on, walked the first two hitters he faced in the third, gave up an RBI single to Ryan Howard and then served up a three-run bomb to Carlos Ruiz. Four batters, four runs scored. That made it a 5-1...

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Rachel Levitin: Playoff baseball is a bonding experience unlike any other

September 26, 2012, 5:07am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Playoff baseball is a bonding experience unlike any other

The first thing I wanted to do when I heard the Nationals had clinched their first playoff berth was call my dad. I was standing at a bus stop in Arlington with Twitter feeding me a constant live stream of updates from friends, media members and baseball fans. I'll even admit to getting a little misty-eyed. That's why I wanted to call my dad. He's the one who taught me how to love baseball. To my dad and me, baseball was a bonding experience. While I don't know exactly why we chose...

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Detwiler on his performance: "It was embarrassing"

September 25, 2012, 7:49pm

Nationals

Detwiler on his performance: "It was embarrassing"

PHILADELPHIA - Ross Detwiler is usually pretty tough on himself after a poor outing. Tonight, given how close the Nationals are to clinching the National League East and how few starts he has left this season, Detwiler didn't hold back when asked about his performance in the Nationals' 6-3 loss to the Phillies. "It was embarrassing," a dejected Detwiler said after the game. The Nationals have watched the Phillies celebrate in person three times in the last five years. In both 2007 and...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 6-3 loss

September 25, 2012, 7:16pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The combination of the Nationals' loss to the Phillies and the Braves' dramatic walk-off win over the Marlins leaves Washington's lead in the NL East at four with eight games to go in the regular season. Your thoughts, Davey Johnson? "Just got to win tomorrow," the Nationals' skipper said. "We lost a battle today, we've got to win a battle tomorrow. Want to win the war." The Nats aren't panicking yet. They would've liked to keep pace with Atlanta today and cut into...

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Nats know Morse isn't 100 percent, but he'll play

September 25, 2012, 2:42pm

Nationals

Nats know Morse isn't 100 percent, but he'll play

PHILADELPHIA - It's clear at this point that Michael Morse is going to have to play though his lingering wrist and hand issues for the rest of this season. He won't be 100 percent healthy the rest of the way out, and a lot of Morse's performance will be about how much he'll be able to tolerate, and fight through, any pain he feels when swinging. Morse is in the Nationals' lineup tonight, but manager Davey Johnson admits that he doesn't have a lot of faith that Morse is back healthy...

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Nats have all hands on deck, Garcia keeping an open mind (Nats trail early)

September 25, 2012, 4:07pm

Nationals

Nats have all hands on deck, Garcia keeping an open mind (Nats trail early)

PHILADELPHIA - Much was made of Davey Johnson's quote yesterday, saying that he plans on resting some of his starters once the Nationals clinch the NL East title. Johnson isn't there yet, though. So, he plans on using anyone and everyone necessary today against the Phillies, including reliever Christian Garcia, who dealt with some biceps tightness recently. "He's available. Everybody's available," Johnson said. "And everybody's going to be available tomorrow. ... They're all...

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Perry and Garcia candidates to start in 2013

September 25, 2012, 11:49am

Nationals

Perry and Garcia candidates to start in 2013

Manager Davey Johnson said Monday he would consider Christian Garcia as a starter next season. Going up to Garcia and saying this, Johnson said the right-hander responded, "I'm good with being in the bullpen." "Of course you are," Johnson laughed. "You are in the major leagues". But Double-A Harrisburg pitching coach Paul Menhart, who worked with Garcia before he was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse, said Garcia can start because that is all he ever knew coming into this season. "That...

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Playing the numbers

September 25, 2012, 11:11am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - It's an absolutely gorgeous day at Citizens Bank Park, as the Nationals get set to open a three-game set with the Phillies. The Nats won't see Cliff Lee in this series, but they're likely to get two of the Phillies' other big three starters. Cole Hamels will take the mound tonight, Kyle Kendrick will go tomorrow and while the Phillies haven't officially announced their starter for the series finale on Thursday, Roy Halladay would be able to get the start on regular...

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Morse returns to lineup versus Phillies

September 25, 2012, 12:34pm

Nationals

The Nationals will have an extra dose of power tonight against Cole Hamels, as slugger Michael Morse returns to the lineup. He'll bat fifth and start in left field as Washington draws closer to its first division crown since moving to the nation's capital. For the Nationals: RF Jayson Werth CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche LF Michael Morse SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa C Kurt Suzuki P Ross Detwiler For the Phillies: SS Jimmy Rollins CF John Mayberry 2B Chase...

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A chance to clinch in Philly

September 25, 2012, 5:01am

Nationals

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has gotten a lot of heat over the years. How's Selig look in comparison to his NFL counterpart, Roger Goodell, this morning? While everyone will still be busy ripping Goodell for subjecting us to replacement officials who look completely overmatched, I'll be making the trip up to Philadelphia this afternoon for the Nationals' final 2012 series at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies are still technically in the mix for a postseason berth, but in...