Rachel Levitin: With cultural shift comes opportunity

Rachel Levitin: With cultural shift comes opportunity
Cultural change comes with winning in baseball. That's why this is a good time to embrace the changes. It's fair to say that the consensus is that this Nationals ballclub is a good ballclub. They've garnered respect throughout their division, league and all of baseball. In fact, they've got the best record in all the game at the moment and continue to set club milestones as the season progresses. There's a Joe DiMaggio quote in the aisle leading from the clubhouse to the dugout. It says,...

"The Shark" attacks

"The Shark" attacks
The way Roger Bernadina has been playing the last couple months, it's a shame the Nationals have nowhere to put him in their starting lineup. With Michael Morse raking again and Jayson Werth back from a broken wrist, Bernadina has lost out on some playing time. But it doesn't seem to matter to the 28-year-old outfielder from Curacao, who is playing at the highest level of his major league career. Every time he's been given a chance to step into game action recently, it seems like he's...

That's what you call a beatdown (Rendon promoted to Harrisburg)

That's what you call a beatdown (Rendon promoted to Harrisburg)
I got a text message from a buddy during the fifth inning of last night's beatdown in San Francisco. "This is a turnover or two away from becoming an interesting football game," he said. At least the 49ers were able to register a safety to avoid a shutout at the hands of the Skins. That would've been embarrassing for Jim Harbaugh (I mean, Bruce Bochy) and the boys. Not much went wrong for the Nationals last night in their 14-2 win, outside of Jayson Werth being scratched because of right...

Rendon promoted to Double-A Harrisburg (updated)

Rendon promoted to Double-A Harrisburg (updated)
A Nationals source has confirmed that third baseman Anthony Rendon has been promoted from high Single-A Potomac to Double-A Harrisburg. The 22-year-old Rendon was Washington's first pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, taken sixth overall. He was rated Baseball America's 19th best prospect heading into the 2012 season. Rendon was informed of the promotion after the P-Nats' 4-3 home loss to Wilmington on Monday night, a game in which he went 2-for-4 while serving as the designated...

Beasley: Perez "fun player to watch" in Syracuse outfield

Beasley: Perez "fun player to watch" in Syracuse outfield
Center field prospect Eury Perez continues to excel at Triple-A Syracuse since his call-up from Double-A Harrisburg. Perez has played 25 games and is hitting .330 with a .374 on-base percentage for the Chiefs. Syracuse manager Tony Beasley said they have liked what they have seen from the speedy outfielder in his first month with the squad. "He has been doing a nice job," Beasley said. "He definitely hasn't been overwhelmed offensively. He is a good hitter. He has done a good job hitting...

Nats smack around one of baseball's top pitchers (Nats win 14-2)

Nats smack around one of baseball's top pitchers (Nats win 14-2)
Ryan Vogelsong came into tonight's game as the National League ERA leader. He had gone all season - 21 starts - without allowing a run in the first inning. He hadn't given up more than four runs in any outing this year and had allowed one earned run or fewer in four of his last five starts. Then the Nationals rolled into San Francisco and put up an eight-spot on Vogelsong, knocking the Giants starter out of the game after just 2 2/3 innings. Ryan Zimmerman's RBI double in the first got it...

Stephen Walker: Choosing to see the rainbows

Stephen Walker: Choosing to see the rainbows
Lately, in my Ellicott City neighborhood, we have experienced the strange phenomenon of pouring rain falling from half-sunny, half-cloudy skies as thunder booms in the background. Whenever this happens, a rainbow appears right above my neighbor's house. I can see it from my driveway. Strangely, a lot of folks who walk or drive by look irritated by the clouds, rain and thunder. Most fail to notice the rainbow. The few that do glance for about 15 seconds or so, then go back inside. Me, I stand...

Werth scratched due to right ankle soreness

Werth scratched due to right ankle soreness
Less than an hour prior to first pitch, the Nationals have announced that Jayson Werth has been scratched from tonight's lineup due to right ankle soreness. With right-hander Ryan Vogelsong on the mound for the Giants, Roger Bernadina will slide into the starting lineup in left, with Bryce Harper playing center and Michael Morse sliding over from left field to right. This is the second day in a row that Werth will not start for the Nats. He entered yesterday's game as a pinch-hitter in the...

Lombardozzi leading off, G. Gonzalez on mound (with Giants lineup)

Lombardozzi leading off, G. Gonzalez on mound (with Giants lineup)
The Nationals begin a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants tonight. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez will take the mound for the Nats and will be opposed by Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong. Jayson Werth is batting sixth and playing right field. Since being activated from the 15-day disabled list on August 2, Werth is batting .400 with five RBIs. For the Nats: 2B Steve Lombardozzi CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche LF Michael Morse RF Jayson Werth SS Danny Espinosa C...

Showing some love to a quartet of relievers

Showing some love to a quartet of relievers
When you have three legitimate aces on your team, it's easy to see how other hurlers can get overlooked. Jordan Zimmermann is having a career year, and is starting to turn heads nationally as a result. Gio Gonzalez's effectiveness on the mound and personality off of it have made him a media and fan favorite. Stephen Strasburg, well, I think I could move to the North Pole for the next few weeks and still find myself inundated with stories from national outlets debating the Nationals' plan...

Some of this, some of that

Some of this, some of that
Yesterday marked the first time in Kurt Suzuki's Nationals career that he experienced a loss. I hope the guy made it through the night OK. After eight straight wins to kick off his tenure as a Nat, Suzuki and his new teammates were on the losing end of things yesterday in Arizona. They battled back from a 7-0 deficit to make things interesting in the ninth inning, bringing the tying run to the plate and allowing manager Davey Johnson to utter one of his favorite lines about there being no...

Not the best showing in the desert (Nats lose 7-4)

Not the best showing in the desert (Nats lose 7-4)
After taking the first two games in Arizona, the Nationals are getting pushed around by the Diamondbacks in the series finale. Boy, are they ever. It's 7-0 after five innings, as the Diamondbacks are outplaying their opposition in all possible phases. Ross Detwiler didn't make it out of the fifth inning, allowing five runs (four earned) over 4 2/3. He only gave up three hits, but left the ball up in the zone much more than he had in his past two outings. The Nats also didn't help him...

Hip soreness puts Wang's season in jeopardy; Garcia possible call-up?

Hip soreness puts Wang's season in jeopardy; Garcia possible call-up?
Right-hander Chien-Ming Wang has been removed from the Double-A Harrisburg roster and remains on the disabled list. He has reportedly continued to have issues with hip soreness, so his minor league injury rehabilitation assignment has been halted. He left his start four days ago after just 4 2/3 innings when the hip issue returned. Now that he is no longer on the 30-day rehab clock, he can remain on the disabled list. He has allowed 13 runs and 23 hits in his last three rehab starts for...

Ted Leavengood: Behind the smiles, a major league staredown

Ted Leavengood: Behind the smiles, a major league staredown
Let's forget the final game in Phoenix, though the Nationals did not go easily in their only loss in nine games. Rather, it is easier to remember the loose and easy smiles all around the dugout and positive demeanor of the eight-game winning streak. What's not to like when you are 27 games over .500 with the best record in baseball? But in truth, there is a very serious confrontation under way. Like arm wrestlers locked into combat across a barroom table, the Nationals and the Braves are...

Werth getting a day off (with D'backs lineup)

Werth getting a day off (with D'backs lineup)
Jayson Werth has been raking lately. Today, he'll be sitting. Werth is getting a day off today, and Davey Johnson has decided to slot in Tyler Moore in the outfield along with Bryce Harper and Michael Morse. Ross Detwiler is on the mound for the Nationals today, looking to continue his recent run of strong starts. For the Nats: SS Danny Espinosa CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman RF Michael Morse 1B Adam LaRoche LF Tyler Moore C Kurt Suzuki 2B Steve Lombardozzi P Ross...

Michael Gonzalez bridges gap, fights through eighth to help hold win

Michael Gonzalez bridges gap, fights through eighth to help hold win
Speaking with left-hander Sean Burnett last week, I asked him if it was surprising that the Nationals carry three southpaws in their bullpen. Burnett said, "Our left-handers can get both lefties and righties out. We are not just lefty specialists. I think (Michael) Gonzalez has been a huge part of the bullpen and saves my arm. (Tom) Gorzelanny eats up innings, too. We got some valuable lefties out there." Fast forward to Saturday night, and manager Davey Johnson goes to Gonzalez to get...

Finding new ways to keep on winning

Finding new ways to keep on winning
They're now 28 games over .500. The winning streak is now at eight, with the last six of those games coming on the road. The Washington Nationals are red-hot, folks. It doesn't matter if they fall behind by three runs early. Doesn't matter if their starter gives up five runs in less than six innings. These Nationals seem to keep finding new ways to win. They've covered the storyline where their starting pitcher dominates and carries the team to a win. We've seen that one a few...

It's Werth looking at the numbers

It's Werth looking at the numbers
Since coming back from a broken wrist on August 2, Jayson Werth has done a little bit of everything. He's gotten on base in big spots, setting the table for his teammates. He's put together his power stroke, showing he hasn't lost the form he displayed early in the season before his injury forced him to miss 75 games. He's added even more stability to a Nationals lineup which is really rounding into form. In nine games since his return (eight starts), Werth is hitting .400 (12-for-30)...

Werth leading off, Harper takes seat again (with D'backs lineup)

Werth leading off, Harper takes seat again (with D'backs lineup)
After a 9-1 rout of the Diamondbacks last night, the Nationals will send Edwin Jackson to the mound, who is looking to even his record at 7-7. He'll face Wade Miley, who is 12-7 with a 2.85 ERA. Bryce Harper will sit for the second time in the last three days. The rookie is hitting just .173 since the All-Star break, which has dropped his average on the year to .250. For the Nats: CF Jayson Werth SS Danny Espinosa 3B Ryan Zimmerman RF Michael Morse 1B Adam LaRoche LF Tyler Moore C...

Upon further review, Nationals have really gotten to those Phillies

Upon further review, Nationals have really gotten to those Phillies
The Nationals have become a machine. Rolling through the National League, they have amassed 70 wins, the first team in the majors to do so. With Jayson Werth back in the lineup and Michael Morse swinging the hottest of bats, the Nationals have added consistent offense to what has been the best pitching in the league for the first 100 games. And then there are the Phillies. Wait a minute, you mean, and then there are the Braves. Absolutely, the Braves are also humming along. They have...