Bullpen puts up a rare stinker, but Nats find a positive in loss

Bullpen puts up a rare stinker, but Nats find a positive in loss
The Nationals are certainly frustrated with how today's game finished and the fact that they cost Jordan Zimmermann another win. But two guys in the Nats clubhouse feel that today's loss might actually benefit the team in the long-run. "I look at it as good timing," Tyler Clippard said. "You know, I think you don't ever want to get too comfortable or too confident out there, so this is a little, maybe, check for ourselves. We can kind of regroup and move forward with a new beginning in...

Desmond just keeps doin' it (Nats close first half with 4-3 loss)

Desmond just keeps doin' it (Nats close first half with 4-3 loss)
The numbers keep getting more impressive by the day. Ian Desmond is 2-for-2 today, and his two-run home run to the red seats in left-center in the fourth inning has given the Nationals a 2-1 lead over the Rockies. The All-Star shortstop now has 17 home runs and 51 RBIs on the season. A day before the All-Star break. Oh, and he added his 10th stolen base of the season this afternoon, as well. Desmond leads all shortstops in homers, RBIs, doubles and slugging percentage. He's tied for...

Johnson discusses a tough 4-3 loss

Johnson discusses a tough 4-3 loss
The worst part of today's 4-3 loss to the Rockies from Davey Johnson's perspective was that it wasted a fantastic outing from starter Jordan Zimmermann, who allowed just one run over seven innings. Zimmermann lowered his ERA to 2.61 on the season, the ninth-lowest total in the majors among pitchers with at least 15 starts. Despite that low ERA and the fact that Zimmerman has gone at least six innings in all 17 outings, the righty goes into the All-Star break with just five wins. His shot at...

Nats preparing for a welcome break (plus Tracy, Storen updates)

Nats preparing for a welcome break (plus Tracy, Storen updates)
Davey Johnson isn't a big fan of team meetings. He doesn't feel he needs to stand up in front of his squad like a football coach and deliver a pep talk. But Johnson did walk around the Nationals clubhouse early this afternoon, talking to each player, giving out handshakes and wishing everyone well over the All-Star break. "I just talked to all the players individually, congratulated them on their first half," Johnson said. "Want them to relax. No horse riding, no jet skiing, no crashes...

Johnson outlines probable post-All-Star break rotation

Johnson outlines probable post-All-Star break rotation
While he'll have to see how things play out in the All-Star Game, Davey Johnson has set what he's calling his probable rotation after the All-Star break. That rotation has Jordan Zimmermann working the first game after the break, which will come Friday in Miami. Zimmermann will be followed by Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler. Johnson said there's "a little better probability than 50 percent" of that rotation coming to fruition. He'll wait to see how much...

Rockies-Nationals lineups for first-half finale

Rockies-Nationals lineups for first-half finale
The Nationals close out the first half today with a 1:35 p.m. game against the Colorado Rockies and right-hander Jeremy Guthrie. Here are the lineups for today's game: For the Rockies: CF - Dexter Fowler 2B - Marco Scutaro LF - Carlos Gonzalez RF - Tyler Colvin 1B - Todd Helton 3B - Jordan Pacheco SS - Jonathan Herrera C - Wil Nieves P - Jeremy Guthrie For the Nationals: LF - Steve Lombardozzi CF - Bryce Harper 3B - Ryan Zimmerman RF - Michael Morse 1B - Adam LaRoche SS - Ian Desmond 2B -...

Harper to replace Stanton at All-Star Game (updated with quotes)

Harper to replace Stanton at All-Star Game (updated with quotes)
Bryce Harper will be on the National League All-Star roster after all. Harper will replace Miami Marlins All-Star Giancarlo Stanton, who was forced to drop out following a knee injury that will require surgery. NL manager Tony La Russa hand-picked Harper following Stanton's injury. Harper is the fourth Nationals player named to the All-Star team, along with teammates Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg and Ian Desmond. However, Desmond was forced to pull out of the game Saturday with a sore left...

Desmond discusses decision to sit out All-Star Game

Desmond discusses decision to sit out All-Star Game
After learning that he'd been selected to the All-Star Game for the first time in his career, Ian Desmond took a few days to decide how to proceed. He was honored to be chosen for the National League team by NL manager Tony La Russa, but given that he's been battling a sore left oblique recently, Desmond also wanted to use the All-Star break to get some rest. He talked things over with Nationals manager Davey Johnson, spoke to general manager Mike Rizzo, and then called La Russa to inform...

Storen hit a bit in second rehab game, but felt like he took a "step forward"

Storen hit a bit in second rehab game, but felt like he took a "step forward"
Nationals right-hander Drew Storen came in for the eighth inning Saturday and got hit a bit during the second game of his rehab assignment for high Single-A Potomac. Leading 3-1, Storen allowed two runs on two hits and a walk, with only one of the runs earned. He did finish out the inning. Storen faced six batters. Storen told reporters he was a little disappointed the outing did not go as well as Thursday, but that is not the most important reason for these rehab games. It is about making...

Oh yeah, there was a game today

Oh yeah, there was a game today
We know Bryce Harper was named to the All-Star Game. We know Ian Desmond has opted out of the All-Star Game. Now, let's discuss the actual game which was played at Nationals Park today. Gio Gonzalez went six innings, allowing just one run on three hits in the Nationals' 4-1 win over the Rockies. "Gio pitched an outstanding game," manager Davey Johnson said. "He was going to fight me again after throwing 100 pitches in a tie ballgame, he didn't want to leave the game tied. I said,...

Walters tearing cover off the ball, Tatusko impressive as Harrisburg edges Bowie

Walters tearing cover off the ball, Tatusko impressive as Harrisburg edges Bowie
Harrisburg Senators shortstop Zach Walters hit fairly well in his first 54 games at Single-A Potomac, batting .269. But since his call-up to the Double-A level, Walters has been on a serious tear. Friday night in Bowie, Walters crushed a three-run shot to account for all the Senators' offense in a 3-2 win over the Baysox. His fourth homer came in the fourth inning off of Bowie starter Richard Zagone. Senators play-by-play man Terry Byrom tweeted the blast traveled 425 feet. Walters is now...

Harper replaces Stanton on NL All-Star roster

Harper replaces Stanton on NL All-Star roster
Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper has been named by 2012 National League All-Star manager Tony La Russa to replace Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton on the N.L.'s active roster for the 83rd All-Star Game, Major League Baseball announced today. Stanton, a first-time All-Star, will be inactive for the All-Star Game due to a right knee injury. Harper entered Saturday with a .283 batting average, eight home runs, 25 RBI and 42 runs scored in his 61 games played. The...

Nats get a couple gifts in the sixth (also get a 4-1 win)

Nats get a couple gifts in the sixth (also get a 4-1 win)
The Rockies are not an incredibly talented or fundamentally sound baseball team. That's why they entered today 19 games under .500. The Nationals didn't see that Rockies team yesterday. They saw a squad which got a very strong performance from its starter and put up five runs in a game started by the Nats' ace. Today, at least for an inning, the Rockies played like they're the second-worst team in baseball. They threw the ball around in the bottom of the sixth, essentially giving the...

Updates on Tracy, Nady, Storen, Wang

Updates on Tracy, Nady, Storen, Wang
Today is Photo Day at Nationals Park, which allows a group of fans to line the warning track all the way around the field and shake hands and pose for pictures with Nats players. What a perfect day for both players and fans to be standing outside for a lengthy period of time. Temperatures of 103 degrees with a heat index of close to 110 degrees? Just lovely. Bryce Harper and Ryan Mattheus came prepared to help the fans keep cool, as they brought a bag of freeze pops and tossed them out to...

Desmond will sit out All-Star Game to rest oblique (plus game update)

Desmond will sit out All-Star Game to rest oblique (plus game update)
For a few weeks now, Ian Desmond has been battling a sore left oblique. It hasn't been enough to cause him to miss any game action, but it has bugged him. And so, instead of risking further aggravating the oblique by coming off the bench during the All-Star Game, Desmond has decided to skip the Midsummer Classic. He'll instead get some time to rest over the break. This decision was made after conferring with Nationals team doctors, management and the manager of the National League All-Star...

Nats lineup on a scalding Saturday (updated with Rockies lineup)

Nats lineup on a scalding Saturday (updated with Rockies lineup)
Yeah, it's a little bit warm in the nation's capital today. I don't envy Gio Gonzalez or Jeff Francis, the two starters who will be trying to fight through this heat at Nationals Park. It's bad enough trying to unstick myself from my chair in the press box, much less get a grip on a curveball. Here's the Nationals lineup today against Francis, who held the Nats in check in Denver last week: 2B Danny Espinosa CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman RF Michael Morse 1B Adam LaRoche SS Ian...

Three straight losses will stick with Strasburg over the break

Three straight losses will stick with Strasburg over the break
Those pesky Rockies. They have the second-worst winning percentage in baseball and have a winning record against just three teams this season. Those three teams: the 32-52 Astros, the 39-44 Brewers and the 48-33 Nationals, who own the best record in the National League. Colorado has now won three of the five games it's played with the Nats this season. Surprisingly, two of those three wins have come against Stephen Strasburg, who has registered losses in three straight starts. Strasburg...

Nats hitters left shaking their heads (plus Strasburg quotes)

Nats hitters left shaking their heads (plus Strasburg quotes)
The overwhelming feeling in the Nationals clubhouse after tonight's game was simple: We let one slip away. Rockies rookie Drew Pomeranz had a good fastball tonight. It sat in the low-to-mid 90s and had some cut to it at times, and the lefty was able to both work the ball in on hitters and get some tailing action away. But when 91 percent of a guy's pitches are fastballs, you'd think it wouldn't be too hard to see the ball and drive it. The Nationals just couldn't do that this...

Johnson talks Strasburg, offensive futility after 5-1 loss

Johnson talks Strasburg, offensive futility after 5-1 loss
First things first - after tonight's 5-1 loss to the Rockies, Davey Johnson clarified some earlier comments in which it sounded like he planned on pushing Stephen Strasburg back in the rotation coming out of the All-Star break. Turns out, what Johnson meant was that he'll decide when Strasburg will start next based on how much the righty works in the All-Star Game. Same goes with Gio Gonzalez, who also is a part of the National League All-Star roster. "I'm going to base when I pitch him...

Tyler Colvin owns Stephen Strasburg (Nats fall to Rockies 5-1)

Tyler Colvin owns Stephen Strasburg (Nats fall to Rockies 5-1)
Tyler Colvin had never faced Stephen Strasburg coming into tonight's game. Colvin has now seen Strasburg twice. He's homered off him in both at-bats. The Rockies have a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning, and it's entirely thanks to Colvin, whose solo home run in the second inning and two-run shot in the fourth have provided all the offense so far tonight. The second-inning home run wouldn't have happened if catcher Jesus Flores had been able to squeeze a foul pop up behind the plate two...