nationals

The view from the top

July 27, 2012, 5:50am

Nationals fans have a lot to smile about this morning. For the first time since baseball returned to D.C., the Nationals are 20 games over .500. Actually, this is the first time a D.C.-based baseball team has been 20 games above .500 since all the way back in 1945. The Nationals currently are tied with the Yankees for the best record in baseball. They have a five-game lead over the Braves in the National League East. Even if the Nats only win half their remaining games, they'll finish...

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Marty Niland: Remembering your grandfather's Nats and the last time Washington led the majors

July 27, 2012, 4:55am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Remembering your grandfather's Nats and the last time Washington led the majors

At 20 games over .500, the Nationals have hit their high-water mark since moving to Washington in 2005, and with the right combination of events this weekend, they could find themselves with the best record in baseball. Think about that for a minute. Before this season, anyone who might even dare to form that combination of words would have been laughed out of town - just as the relocated Nats were regarded in many circles as the laughingstock of baseball Such a statement was completely...

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A must-see video and more positive signs from Storen

July 26, 2012, 10:31am

Nationals

A must-see video and more positive signs from Storen

Interested in watching Tyler Clippard, Sean Burnett, Craig Stammen and Ryan Mattheus read segments from "Fifty Shades of Grey"? Of course you are. During the Nationals' stop in New York this week, the four relievers went by the MLB Fan Cave, and took part in a few video shoots. One of them had the guys reading clips from the sultry book which has swept the nation. Stammen told me that the group needed a bunch of takes to get the video segments down, largely because Burnett couldn't stop...

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Lineups as Nats prepare to face Gallardo, Brewers

July 26, 2012, 1:11pm

Nationals

Lineups as Nats prepare to face Gallardo, Brewers

The Nationals open a four-game series in Milwaukee tonight by sending Edwin Jackson to the mound for the 19th time this season. Jackson will look to get his record back to the .500 mark. At 5-6, he's the only Nationals starter currently with a losing mark. The Brewers will give the ball to right-hander Yovani Gallardo tonight. The 26-year-old is 8-7 with a 3.73 ERA this season. In six career appearances against the Nats, Gallardo is 3-1 with a 3.90 ERA. Here are the lineups for tonight's...

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Espinosa driving force to Nationals' recent upswing

July 26, 2012, 8:05am

Nationals

One of the many reasons why the Nationals have been able to maintain consistency throughout the season is the team's ability to replace starters in the field and not lose momentum. Ryan Zimmerman, Drew Storen, Jayson Werth, Michael Morse, Wilson Ramos and others have gone down to injury and have had to be replaced quickly with very little dropoff. Now, without All-Star shortstop Ian Desmond for what will likely be a month, Danny Espinosa will have to switch from second base to shortstop for...

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The Henry Rodriguez dilemma

July 25, 2012, 9:46pm

Nationals

So much has gone right recently. Since the Nationals' disastrous 11-10 extra-inning loss to the Braves (one that some seemed to feel would instantly end the Nats' season), Davey Johnson's bunch has won five of its last six games. In that six-game span, there aren't many flaws to pick at. But one negative jumps off the stat sheet at you. Over Henry Rodriguez's last two appearances, he's faced five batters. The result: a hit, four walks and two runs scored. Yesterday, he came into a...

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Union Square Events, Nationals announce Round 2 of "Eat for the Cycle"

July 26, 2012, 7:13am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals and Union Square Events today announced the launch of Round 2 of the "Eat for the Cycle" in-park promotion, in which one lucky fan will win the Grand Giveaway, including field access to watch batting practice and dinner for four at the Union Square Events' in-park eatery of their choice. Round 2 will be available to fans of all ages from July 31 through September 9, 2012. The exciting promotion will be offered as follows: Guests can pick up their "Eat for the...

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Nationals will play for Salt River in this year's Arizona Fall League

July 25, 2012, 11:32am

Nationals

The Arizona Fall League revealed its organization and staff announcements for the 2012 season, which commences Oct. 9. The Nationals will play with prospects from the Diamondbacks, White Sox, Rockies and Blue Jays for the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Former major league third baseman Matt Williams is the manager and the Nationals will be represented by Mark Grater as the pitching coach. Grater is the Nationals' rehab pitching coordinator in Viera, Fla. The...

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David Huzzard: Masterful Johnson blends ingredients into a winner

July 26, 2012, 4:47am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Masterful Johnson blends ingredients into a winner

A manager has something to do with winning, but whatever that is, it can't be measured and it is not certain how much it matters. Only that it does. If the average person were given the finest ingredients in the world they could not produce a dish as excellent as a master chef, and that is what Davey Johnson is as a manager. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo gave Johnson the ingredients, but Johnson has worked them into a dish that has produced a 58-39 record 97 games into the...

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A masterful performance delivered by the Nats' ace

July 25, 2012, 1:10pm

Nationals

A masterful performance delivered by the Nats' ace

FLUSHING, N.Y. - After Stephen Strasburg's last start, in which he allowed four runs and needed 103 pitches to get through 5 1/3 innings, Davey Johnson frustratingly commented that his ace right-hander "really doesn't know who he is at times." The reactions to Strasburg's outing today were a little different. "That is the Strasburg I've known for a long time," Johnson said. "That's him. That's what he does." "I caught him before, it was really good," catcher Sandy Leon said....

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Another rocky outing for Henry Rodriguez (Nats win 5-2, sweep Mets)

July 25, 2012, 11:00am

Nationals

Another rocky outing for Henry Rodriguez (Nats win 5-2, sweep Mets)

FLUSHING, N.Y. - What was a comfortable 5-1 ballgame in the eighth inning quickly turned intense. Henry Rodriguez found himself right in the middle of all the action. The righty walked two batters leading off the eighth, and was immediately pulled by Davey Johnson. Rodriguez threw 11 pitches, eight of which were balls. The struggling flame-thrower failed to record an out for the second straight outing. The two walks forced Johnson to go into scramble mode, as he went to a total of four...

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Final thoughts after a convincing three-game sweep

July 25, 2012, 2:03pm

Nationals

Final thoughts after a convincing three-game sweep

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Before I pack up and leave the Citi Field press box, here are a few final thoughts: At the moment, the Nationals are tied with the Yankees for the best record in baseball. They're 19 games above .500, tying the franchise's high-water mark, set during the 2005 season. They've won five in a row, knocked the Mets 11 1/2 games back in the division and improved their road record to 30-20. If you've noticed this team gaining some swagger in recent weeks, there's a reason...

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So far, another gem from a Nationals starter (updated)

July 25, 2012, 9:36am

Nationals

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Over their last five games entering today, Nationals starters pounded the zone with fastballs, allowing them to keep their pitch counts low and work deep into games. Stephen Strasburg's following suit today. The Nationals righty needed just 48 pitches through four innings of work and now sits at 68 pitches through five, largely because he's challenged Mets hitters today. He worked mainly off his fastball, mixing in his changeup to keep hitters off-balance. Strasburg has...

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Pregame notes on Espinosa, Werth

July 25, 2012, 8:01am

Nationals

FLUSHING, N.Y. - There's been some major movement going on in the National League East lately. First, it looked like the Braves were set to acquire Ryan Dempster from the Cubs, only to have that deal apparently fall through when Dempster seemed unwilling to go to Atlanta. Now, the Braves claim they've moved on from Dempster and are looking at other options. Then the Marlins traded Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante to the Tigers. Miami followed that deal up by shipping Hanley Ramirez and Randy...

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After hot streak with GCL, Rendon moved to Auburn

July 25, 2012, 7:30am

Nationals

After hot streak with GCL, Rendon moved to Auburn

Nationals prospect Anthony Rendon has notched at least a base hit and an RBI in four straight games for the Gulf Coast League Nationals and continues to play deeper into games as the franchise slowly brings him back from his fractured left ankle. Rendon is hitting .444 (4-for-9) in his last four games with a double, two homers and nine RBIs. He has had home runs in back-to-back games. Rendon walked in the top of the eighth Tuesday and then was promptly replaced by a pinch runner. But he...

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Why another early hook?

July 24, 2012, 8:12pm

Nationals

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Even though Gio Gonzalez finished the seventh inning last night having thrown just 87 pitches, Edwin Jackson remains the only Nationals starter this season to record an out in the eighth. Take a second to let that sink in. As good as the Nationals' rotation has been this season, there have only been three games where that day's starter has notched an out in the eighth inning. And all three times, it's been Jackson. Gonzalez certainly could have worked into the eighth...

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Today's Nats-Mets lineups

July 25, 2012, 7:01am

Nationals

FLUSHING, N.Y. - It'll be the 10-win Stephen Strasburg against the one-win Jeremy Hefner at Citi Field today as the Nationals and Mets wrap up a three-game set. Twice this season, the Nats have taken the first two games of a series against the Mets only to drop the finale, failing to record the sweep. Today they'll rely on Strasburg as they try to notch their fifth straight victory. In his only career start at Citi Field coming into today, Strasburg fired six scoreless innings, allowing...

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Rachel Levitin: Context, not one loss, defines an entire season

July 25, 2012, 5:18am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Context, not one loss, defines an entire season

Life's pretty busy these days, what with the constant news cycle, work weeks that extend beyond 40 hours even if they shouldn't and the general buzz-buzz-buzz attitude that American culture unintentionally employs upon its citizens. That's why it makes sense that busy folks would be baseball fans. Here's my logic: It's a long season. There are at least 162 games in a season. That allows fans the opportunity to catch up if a game or two (or more) just so happen to be missed. And - just...

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Nats pull out all the stops against Dickey

July 24, 2012, 7:15pm

Nationals

Nats pull out all the stops against Dickey

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Adam LaRoche used Roger Bernadina's bat in his first three trips to the plate tonight. The switch-hitting Danny Espinosa hit right-handed against a right-handed pitcher. Jesus Flores and Michael Morse attacked the ball early instead of waiting for it to get deep into the zone. The Nationals tried everything against Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. And after five innings of mostly ineffectiveness, all the tinkering started to pay off in the sixth. Washington's hitters...

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Storen to eventually settle in as backup closer

July 24, 2012, 2:55pm

Nationals

Storen to eventually settle in as backup closer

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Once Drew Storen has a few more appearances under his belt and the Nationals feel that he's strong and can handle a bit of a heavier workload, manager Davey Johnson will slide Storen in as his backup closer behind Tyler Clippard. Johnson said today that Storen will keep working in the middle-to-late innings for now, as he works back from surgery which removed bone chips in his elbow. When Storen, who saved 43 games for the Nationals last season, is ready to handle more...