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Johnson asking for more from his power hitters

June 15, 2012, 3:47pm

Davey Johnson was asked during his pregame session with reporters about his experience facing the Yankees. "I have some good memories," Johnson said. "I (also) have some bad memories of 12-year-olds reaching over the field and catching balls." Ah, Jeffrey Maier. You continue to haunt those associated with the Orioles even today. On their last six-game road trip, the Nationals scored just over five runs a game, boosting their season average to 3.93 runs per contest. The offense has...

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Auburn Doubledays release opening day roster

June 15, 2012, 8:44am

Nationals

Auburn Doubledays release opening day roster

The short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays have released their 29-man 2012 opening day roster. Most of the team was available Thursday for a workout and their mini-camp will continue through the weekend until they open Monday night at Batavia. Notable pitchers include 2007 Nationals sixth-round pick southpaw Jack McGeary, who is recovering from 2010 elbow surgery, and left-hander Bryan Harper, Bryce's older brother. The roster includes recently signed picks Tony Renda, Brandon Miller and...

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LaRoche back in Nats lineup (plus your predictions)

June 15, 2012, 11:35am

Nationals

LaRoche back in Nats lineup (plus your predictions)

Adam LaRoche got the day off on Wednesday for the final game of the Nationals' six-game road trip after he fouled a ball off his right foot the night before. That opened the door for Tyler Moore's two-home run, five-RBI performance in Wednesday's win over the Blue Jays. Today, LaRoche returns to the Nats lineup for the series opener against the Yankees, and Moore returns to the bench. LaRoche will be back in the cleanup spot in the order and will play first. Here's the Nats lineup for...

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A (successful) Night at the Park

June 14, 2012, 10:26pm

Nationals

It started as just a simple idea, one which took shape during a conversation in the Zimmerman living room back in early 2006. Ryan Zimmerman, fresh off a season which saw him make his major league debut, wanted to start a foundation which would raise money to benefit the treatment and ultimate cure of Multiple Sclerosis, the debilitating disease which his mother Cheryl was diagnosed with in 1995. The ziMS foundation was born, and initially was focused around a charity golf tournament in...

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With the Yanks in town, what a fun weekend it should be

June 15, 2012, 8:11am

Nationals

With the Yanks in town, what a fun weekend it should be

Two first-place teams. Two teams riding six-game winning streaks. Two teams with star power playing in front of what will almost certainly be sellout crowds every day. Yup, this three-game series should be plenty of fun. The Nationals host the Yankees this weekend in a series which will draw lots of attention across Major League Baseball. We won't get Stephen Strasburg or CC Sabathia on the hill at any point during this weekend's action (and missing Strasburg is fine with Alex Rodriguez,...

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The view from mile post No. 61 is impressive

June 14, 2012, 10:04am

Nationals

The view from mile post No. 61 is impressive

The view from mile post No. 61 is pretty significant for the Washington Nationals. Without the jinx police knocking on my keyboard door, here is the rundown of some powerful team statistics as to where the 38-23 Nationals stand heading into Friday's clash with the equally red-hot New York Yankees at Nationals Park. Both teams arrive with six-game winning streaks, the best in the majors. DAYDREAM ALERT: (Of course, pennants are not won on June 14, it has happened to the Nationals once before...

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Hagerstown's Purke placed on 7-day DL with shoulder stiffness

June 14, 2012, 12:12pm

Nationals

Hagerstown's Purke placed on 7-day DL with shoulder stiffness

Left-hander Matt Purke was placed on the seven-day disabled list prior to Wednesday's game due to shoulder stiffness, according to a club source. The Hagerstown southpaw has made three starts, going 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA. He has struck out 14 and walked 12, surrendering one homer. The Nationals' No. 2 prospect spent the first two months of the season in extended spring training, working to build strength and lengthen out his innings following shoulder inflammation. Purke told me last week...

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Getting an opportunity to perform, Nats rookies up to the task

June 14, 2012, 5:38am

Nationals

Getting an opportunity to perform, Nats rookies up to the task

Of the four rookies on the Nationals roster, one is getting enough attention and media coverage to make your head spin. You have an idea which one I'm referring to? I know, that's a clown question, bro. If you get into a conversation about the Nats these days, Bryce Harper is almost certainly the first name to come up. He finds his way into every Nationals highlight, dominates the social media landscape and is a hot topic among those who aren't even fans of the team that currently leads...

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Marty Niland: Could Harper make an impact on All-Star Game?

June 15, 2012, 5:35am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Could Harper make an impact on All-Star Game?

With the Nationals still atop the National League East, there has been much talk lately about the All-Star Game and which Nats deserve to go. However, it's a safe bet that no one in a Washington uniform will be voted into the starting lineup, since none of the regulars is close to the lead at any position. That leaves pitchers, the team's main strength this season, and reserves. Their fate is up to NL manager Tony LaRussa and his staff. On the mound, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez...

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Marrero and Mattheus look good in Harrisburg, other minors notes

June 14, 2012, 5:11am

Nationals

Marrero and Mattheus look good in Harrisburg, other minors notes

First baseman Chris Marrero had a nice debut with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators on Wednesday. Marrero went 2-for-3 with a double and run scored in game two of a double dip. Marrero is now batting .450 (9-for-20) with three doubles, one homer and four RBIs in seven minor league rehab games as he recovers from a torn left hamstring in winter ball. Reliever Ryan Mattheus pitched a scoreless seventh inning, allowing no hits, no walks and striking out one. Mattheus is returning from plantar...

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I'll have some Moore, please (Nats lock up a 6-0 road trip)

June 13, 2012, 10:58am

Nationals

I'll have some Moore, please (Nats lock up a 6-0 road trip)

Have yourself a day, Tyler Moore. Filling in for Adam LaRoche, who is getting his first day off since May 7, Moore not only notched his first career RBI with a two-run double to left in the second inning, he also recorded his first major league homer in the fourth inning. That was a two-run shot that made it a 4-2 game. But Moore wasn't done. His next time up, the rookie crushed another ball, this one to dead center field. It landed in the tarped-off seats for another homer, giving the...

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Rare day off for LaRoche, Moore starts at first

June 13, 2012, 6:52am

Nationals

Rare day off for LaRoche, Moore starts at first

For the first time since May 7, the last day of a four-game stretch in which he was sidelined by an oblique injury, Adam LaRoche is not in the Nationals' lineup. LaRoche will get the day off today, while rookie Tyler Moore will make his first career start at first base. First base is Moore's natural position, but he's strictly played the outfield during his time with the Nats, largely because LaRoche has been a mainstay in the Nats' lineup at first. Also, on a side note, Bryce Harper...

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So much for a super-tough stretch of the schedule

June 13, 2012, 5:07am

Nationals

So much for a super-tough stretch of the schedule

Remember when some felt this portion of the Nationals' schedule was supposed to bring the team back down to earth a little bit? The Nats are now 22 games into a stretch which has them playing 32 straight contests against teams from either the National League East or American League East. So far in those games, the Nats are 14-8. They've won five straight on the road and now have the top road record in the NL with a .594 road winning percentage. They could notch the second-longest road...

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Harper, Espinosa homer as Nats continue to roll (Nats win 4-2)

June 12, 2012, 5:35pm

Nationals

Harper, Espinosa homer as Nats continue to roll (Nats win 4-2)

And the beat goes on. The Nationals just keep rolling over American League East teams, and they're up over the Blue Jays 4-2 tonight thanks to homers from Bryce Harper and Danny Espinosa. Harper's blast was a solo shot in the third that was absolutely demolished, bouncing off the Blackberry sign in the second deck in right-center. It was Harper's seventh homer on the season, and his average now is above .300. Espinosa's blast came an inning later. It was a two-run shot to center that...

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Hagerstown's Meyer fires six innings of shutout ball

June 13, 2012, 5:42am

Nationals

Hagerstown's Meyer fires six innings of shutout ball

Right-hander Alex Meyer served up his best performance as a professional with six innings of shutout baseball Tuesday night, allowing just two hits. Meyer struck out five Hickory Crawdads and walked just one in a 4-0 Hagerstown victory in a rain-shortened affair at Municipal Stadium. Meyer showed a 93 mph sinker and had better quality on his fastball by keeping it down in the zone, according to a club source. Meyer benefited from three outstanding defensive plays behind him and has done a good...

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Buzz in Harrisburg: Marrero, Mattheus and Kobernus join Sens

June 12, 2012, 10:36am

Nationals

Buzz in Harrisburg: Marrero, Mattheus and Kobernus join Sens

Some big news at Double-A Harrisburg, as the Senators welcome major league rehabbing players Chris Marrero and Ryan Mattheus, and activate Jeff Kobernus from the disabled list. Marrero went 7-for-17 (.412) with two doubles, one homer and four RBIs in six games with low Single-A Hagerstown and high Single-A Potomac. He has recovered from a torn hamstring suffered in winter ball, as well as a sore shoulder and now a bruised thumb. Mattheus has been battling back from a nagging plantar fasciitis...

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Nats sign 10 of top 14 picks (plus lineup)

June 12, 2012, 12:23pm

Nationals

Nats sign 10 of top 14 picks (plus lineup)

The Nationals announced they have signed 10 of their first 14 picks from last week's First-Year Player draft. They are second baseman Tony Renda (second round), outfielder Brandon Miller (fourth round), catcher Spencer Kieboom (fifth round), center fielder Hayden Jennings (sixth round), right-hander Derek Self (ninth round), catcher Craig Manuel (10th round), right-hander Brian Rauh (11th round), third baseman Carlos Lopez (12th round), left-hander Elliott Waterman (13th round) and right...

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Let's give Jackson a little love

June 11, 2012, 10:07pm

Nationals

Poor Roger Bernadina. A day after Davey Johnson starts talking about how he's planning on giving Bernadina more playing time, the Nationals outfielder goes out and strains his right hamstring on a hustle play and needs to leave the game. And it happens the day before his birthday. Talk about tough luck. The Nats are hopeful that Bernadina's hamstring is not severely strained and he'll be able to avoid the disabled list, but they'll have to check on him today and see how he recovers from...

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Nationals sign 23 players from draft

June 12, 2012, 11:30am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today announced the signing of 23 players selected in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft: second baseman Anthony Renda (second round), outfielder Brandon Miller (fourth round), catcher Spence Kieboom (fifth round), center fielder Hayden Jennings (sixth round), right-handed pitcher Derek Self (ninth round), catcher Craig Manuel (tenth round), right-handed pitcher Brian Rauh (11th round), third baseman Carlos Lopez (12th round), left-handed pitcher Elliott Waterman (13th...

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Will Yoder: Revisiting some preseason predictions

June 12, 2012, 6:50am

Nationals

Will Yoder: Revisiting some preseason predictions

Several days before the 2012 campaign, I wrote a post at The Nats Blog offering five bold predictions on the impending Nationals season. I said at the time that the week before the season was a wonderful time for bloggers because it marked perhaps the only time all year long that we would have yet to be wrong. Well, it's nearly 60 games into the season now, so I went back to see what my preseason predictions were, and unfortunately, I have not fared well so far. Let's review: 5. Adam...