nationals

Rizzo discusses Lucas Giolito's latest setback (we're under way in D.C.)

August 20, 2012, 2:32pm

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed that 2012 first-round pick Lucas Giolito will be heading to Los Angeles to see renowned orthopedist Dr. Lewis Yocum after suffering a setback in his return from an elbow injury. Giolito appeared in a game with the Gulf Coast League Nationals last Tuesday, his first outing in the Nats organization, allowing one run and two hits over two innings. After the outing, however, Giolito complained of some soreness in his throwing elbow. He was examined...

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Desmond's up there, ready to party (Nats win in 13th)

August 20, 2012, 4:45pm

Nationals

Desmond's up there, ready to party (Nats win in 13th)

Back in spring training, Ian Desmond was being interviewed during a game that was airing on MASN, and reporters were down in the clubhouse as Desmond was talking on air. The Nationals shortstop was asked about his tendency to swing at the first pitch of an at-bat, to which he replied, "Yeah, I'm just up there ready to party." That phrase can certainly apply to Desmond's first-inning at-bat tonight. With the Nats already up 2-1, and with Desmond stuck in an 0-for-11 stretch since coming...

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Big challenge awaits Suzuki as Braves runners arrive

August 20, 2012, 8:01am

Nationals

Big challenge awaits Suzuki as Braves runners arrive

A key match-up in the Braves series is the running game. The Nationals must focus on monitoring the progress of Braves speedsters Michael Bourn and Jason Heyward. The two have combined to steal 50 bases. Bourn has stolen 33 bases this season, which ranks No. 1 in the National League and No. 3 overall in the majors. He has been caught stealing only eight times (an 80.4 percent success rate). So basically, four out of every five times Bourn takes off, he is safe and in scoring...

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Bring on the Braves

August 20, 2012, 6:29am

Nationals

Do the Mets really have to leave town? Is there any way they can hang around a bit longer? Can someone divert their train back to D.C. and have them play a few more games at Nats Park? If Davey Johnson promises not to have Johan Santana cover the gold patch on his glove, is the lefty willing to throw a few more times against the Nats? With just three games between these two teams still to be played, the season series between the Nationals and Mets has been dominated by the best team in...

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Details on how Nationals' AFL roster will break down

August 20, 2012, 1:11pm

Nationals

The Nationals' selections for participation in the Arizona Fall League will be decided in about one week, according to a club source. The Nationals will partially stock the Salt River Rafters, alongside the Rockies, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks and White Sox. AFL play begins Oct. 9. As reported last week, with the new guidelines for roster allocation in place this season, each team can send two low Single-A players, two high Single-A players and three players from Double-A and up. No details...

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Previewing the pitching (plus Giolito update and lineups)

August 20, 2012, 11:46am

Nationals

Previewing the pitching (plus Giolito update and lineups)

I guess it's fitting that for a series which could play a major role in determining the National League East champion, we'll get three pretty strong pitching matchups. Tonight, Jordan Zimmermann (9-7, 2.38 ERA) and veteran Braves right-hander Tim Hudson (12-4, 3.59 ERA) will kick things off. Zimmermann hasn't faced the Braves yet this season, but he's 2-1 with a 3.09 ERA in three career starts against the boys from Atlanta. It's a small sample size, but only one of seven Braves hitters...

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Harper could be snapping out of his skid

August 19, 2012, 4:51pm

Nationals

Harper could be snapping out of his skid

Prior to Friday's game against the Mets, Bryce Harper had been hitting just .171 since the All-Star break with an OPS of .501. He was getting pitched tough, with opposing hurlers giving him lots of soft stuff away and very few pitches in that he could turn on. But Harper also seemed to be swinging with less authority at the plate, often making off-balance contact and failing to stay on the pitches away. In this weekend's series against the Mets, that started to change. Harper went 4-for-8...

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Johnson talks after another Nats series win

August 19, 2012, 4:28pm

Nationals

Johnson talks after another Nats series win

Today wasn't what you might consider a typical Gio Gonzalez outing. In four of his last five starts, Gonzalez had worked into at least the seventh inning, and he'd only failed to go six innings once since the All-Star break. Today, he went just 5 2/3 frames, allowing nine baserunners. Still, he managed to work out of trouble and give up just a single run, earning his 16th win in the process. He also added a bloop single to right, to the delight of his teammates. "He was having the ball...

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Ted Leavengood: The bullpen down the stretch

August 20, 2012, 5:14am

Nationals

Ted Leavengood: The bullpen down the stretch

Watching Bryce Harper come alive yesterday afternoon and make the difference in a 5-2 win over the Mets, one that pushed the Nationals' lead on the Braves to five games, was heartening. Nothing could be better than to see the Nationals' best 19-year-old get hot down the stretch. But just as important may have been the performance of Craig Stammen and Tyler Clippard. Both pitchers have had hiccups over the past month. Two of the Washington 2012 bullpen stalwarts shut down the Mets in the...

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With a shot to extend division lead, Nats jump on Hefner (Nats win 5-2)

August 19, 2012, 1:13pm

Nationals

With a shot to extend division lead, Nats jump on Hefner (Nats win 5-2)

The Braves lost to the Dodgers earlier today in a game which was not disrupted by rain. Those lucky bums. That loss means if the Nationals are able to take the rubber game against the Mets today, they'll enter their big three-game series with Atlanta with a five-game division lead. So far, so good. The Nats have a 4-0 lead over the Mets and starter Jeremy Hefner through just three innings this afternoon. They've put the leadoff man on in each inning (twice, that leadoff man has been...

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Johnson discusses a tough 2-0 loss

August 18, 2012, 6:58pm

Nationals

Earlier this season, Edwin Jackson pitched a complete game, allowing just one run. He then struck out eight and allowed just one run in eight innings against the Orioles in late June and threw seven shutout innings against the Brewers last month. But in Davey Johnson's mind, tonight was as good as Jackson has been all season. "That was probably the most dominant I've seen him pitch," Johnson said. "He had outstanding stuff. Breaking stuff, his fastball was dropping off the table and had...

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Jackson brilliant, but it's not enough

August 18, 2012, 7:28pm

Nationals

When your pitcher goes out and dominates the opposition the way Edwin Jackson dominated the Mets tonight, you'd like to see that guy get rewarded with a win. That didn't happen, which will eat at the Nationals' hitters a little bit. "That's about as good as we've seen him," Adam LaRoche said of Jackson. "Sucks to waste it like that." Entering tonight's game, the Nationals had scored the most runs of any team in the majors since the All-Star break, so they won't hang their heads...

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Potomac's Martinson passes 100-run, 100-RBI plateaus

August 18, 2012, 6:49pm

Nationals

Potomac's Martinson passes 100-run, 100-RBI plateaus

The high Single-A Potomac Nationals used the longball to trip up Salem 7-4 on Saturday. Kevin Keyes, Steven Souza Jr. and Jason Martinson connected on homers for the P-Nats, who have erupted for 32 hits in the past two games. Shortstop Martinson continued to add to his milestone of 100 runs and 100 RBIs in the same season, split between low Single-A Hagerstown and Potomac. With the home run Saturday, he now has reached 101 runs and 103 RBIs. He also has 22 homers and 30 stolen bases in 122...

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No day off for Desmond, Werth

August 19, 2012, 7:22am

Nationals

Davey Johnson had said he planned on giving both Ian Desmond and Jayson Werth the day off for today's rubber game against the Mets. That's not happening. Both Desmond and Werth are in today's Nationals lineup. I'd be interested to hear the reasoning for Johnson's change of heart. I have a hard time believing that last night's shutout loss to the Mets factored in at all, but it's possible Desmond and Werth both convinced their skipper that they're OK to play again this afternoon. The...

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Back on bench, Lombardozzi trying to stay sharp (we're finally under way)

August 19, 2012, 8:17am

Nationals

Back on bench, Lombardozzi trying to stay sharp (we're finally under way)

There's a monster storm heading towards Nationals Park, one which looks like it might play a factor both in what time the game begins and how long we're stuck here this afternoon. The Nationals and Mets have mutual off-days on Aug. 27 and Sept. 13, but with this being the Mets' last visit to D.C. this season, they'll do all they can to get this game in today, even if it means having everyone hang around for a while. Steve Lombardozzi will be hanging around for the first few innings...

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Whole lot of zeros on the board (Nats lose 2-0)

August 18, 2012, 4:34pm

Nationals

Whole lot of zeros on the board (Nats lose 2-0)

Remember that entry a couple hours ago where I wrote about how effective the Nationals' offense has been since the All-Star break? Call me Mr. Jinx. The Nationals have been shut out through five innings tonight, as Mets left-hander Jonathon Niese has cut through the Washington order with relative ease. The Nats threatened in the first when Danny Espinosa and Ryan Zimmerman delivered back-to-back one-out singles, but they were both stranded in scoring position when Adam LaRoche grounded out...

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Rendon to D.C. for September call-up? (plus news on Perry, Wang and Pucetas)

August 18, 2012, 3:40pm

Nationals

Rendon to D.C. for September call-up? (plus news on Perry, Wang and Pucetas)

Nationals prospect Anthony Rendon spent just nine games with high Single-A Potomac before being called up to Double-A Harrisburg. He has played only four games for the Senators, but with September call-ups just around the corner, manager Davey Johnson was asked about the possibility of Rendon getting some at-bats at the major league level before the season ends. "He hasn't had many at-bats," Johnson said. "I don't know how many games they have left down in Harrisburg. But I know that he...

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New team-wide offensive approach netting positive results

August 18, 2012, 2:12pm

Nationals

New team-wide offensive approach netting positive results

Bryce Harper is getting a day off today, but he's not the only Nationals starter who will be out of the lineup during this series with the Mets. Davey Johnson has already decided that he's planning on resting Ian Desmond tomorrow. He'll go with his "pre-Desmond infield" of Danny Espinosa at short and Steve Lombardozzi at second, but he's yet to inform Desmond about this decision. "Don't tell him I said that," Johnson said with a smile. "I've already got one guy wanting to choke me...

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The sounds of a playoff push, the signs of a potent lineup

August 18, 2012, 6:08am

Nationals

The sounds of a playoff push, the signs of a potent lineup

Get this: When Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse have both been in the starting lineup this season, the Nationals are 44-21 (.677). That's a 110-win pace. Not too shabby. Given the way things have been going lately, the Nats could seemingly win 110 games and still end up taking the National League East by a slim margin. While Washington has won 11 of its last 13, the Braves keep on matching them, and with their 11-inning walkoff win last night, they've now won 11 of their last 15. The...

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Harper gets a day off, Moore in left

August 18, 2012, 11:42am

Nationals

As Davey Johnson mentioned last night, Bryce Harper will get today off, with Tyler Moore sliding in to play left field and hit seventh. Harper smacked his 11th home run of the season last night, but Johnson is giving his rookie outfielder a day to rest while also giving his other rookie outfielder - Moore - a chance to stay fresh with some at-bats against a lefty. Jesus Flores will be behind the plate catching Nationals starter Edwin Jackson, who is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against...