nationals

Dave Nichols: Espinosa's struggle to make contact is alarming

May 03, 2012, 8:46am

During the offseason and into spring training, if you asked 100 Nationals fans which middle infielder they would be concerned with having to replace at some point in the 2012 season, I'd venture to guess 98 of them would have replied, "Ian Desmond." Their answer is not without basis. Desmond has had challenges both offensively and defensively as he continues to try to establish himself as a starting shortstop in the major leagues. This season, Desmond, 26, isn't really burning things...

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Desmond leads by example with walk-off rocket

May 02, 2012, 8:01pm

Nationals

Desmond leads by example with walk-off rocket

Shortstop Ian Desmond kept going back to belief. It was Tuesday night, after another rough loss where the pitching staff had done their job for the most part, but the Nationals bats had stayed cold. Standing in front of his locker in the Nationals clubhouse, Desmond looked for ways to explain how his team had managed only seven runs in five games. He said that his teammates would not be going 4-for-4 every game or hitting home run after home run. He talked about being surrounded by major...

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Johnson: "We needed it, no doubt about it"

May 02, 2012, 7:48pm

Nationals

Johnson: "We needed it, no doubt about it"

It's incredibly early. We're just one month into the season, and there are plenty more games to be played. But is it possible that coming off five straight losses, four of which were incredibly close, hard-fought defeats, that the Nationals needed a win like tonight's? Is it reading too much into things to say that after struggling so mightily on offense the last week that the Nats needed this type of performance from their hitters to wake them out of a trance? "Oh, we needed it, no doubt...

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Desmond blasts Nats to 5-4 walk-off win

May 02, 2012, 6:13pm

Nationals

Down to their last out and staring a frustrating sixth straight loss in the face, the Nationals got help from their struggling leadoff hitter. Ian Desmond crushed a two-run, walk-off homer to left center off Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz, giving the Nationals a 5-4 win over Arizona. The Nats had chances to knot the game late, putting at least one runner on in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, only to fail to convert. Bryce Harper doubled leading off the ninth inning, but it looked like...

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Harper putting on a show in D.C. (Nats trail D'backs)

May 02, 2012, 4:44pm

Nationals

Harper putting on a show in D.C. (Nats trail D'backs)

On a cool Wednesday night in which the Capitals might be stealing some attention away from Washington baseball, those at Nationals Park are getting the full Bryce Harper experience. In the second inning, Harper beat out an infield single on a slow roller, then was promptly picked off first base by Diamondbacks pitcher Joe Saunders. Some good, some bad. In the top of the fourth, Harper appeared to have tracked down a Justin Upton fly ball to center. He got in position, camped under it and...

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Strasburg named NL Pitcher of the Month

May 02, 2012, 1:47pm

Nationals

Three, or possibly even four, different Nationals starters could have legitimately won National League Pitcher of the Month honors and no one would have blinked an eye. Only one guy could actually take home the honor, however. And that guy is Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg has been named NL Pitcher of the Month after going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA, 34 strikeouts and just six walks in five April starts. The 23-year-old righty allowed just four earned runs over his five starts (all of which were...

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Quick-hit notes on Wang, DeRosa, Rodriguez

May 02, 2012, 3:45pm

Nationals

Quick-hit notes on Wang, DeRosa, Rodriguez

Chien-Ming Wang's recovery from a strained left hamstring continues tomorrow when he makes a rehab start for Double-A Harrisburg. Nationals manager Davey Johnson said Wang is scheduled to go 5-6 innings and throw around 75 pitches tomorrow. The veteran right-hander will make this rehab outing and at least one more before the Nats consider activating him off the disabled list. Asked if he's decided how Wang will fit into the Nationals' pitching staff when he returns, Johnson smiled and...

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Harper's close plays showed unbridled potential in home debut

May 01, 2012, 7:10pm

Nationals

Harper's close plays showed unbridled potential in home debut

Nationals fans welcomed their young phenom Bryce Harper to Nationals Park for his home debut Tuesday in the 5-1 setback to the Arizona Diamondbacks. When announced for his first at-bat, Harper got a large roar from the partisan 22,675 in attendance. He struck out in his first battle with D-backs starter Trevor Cahill, but still got another rousing applause from the hometown fans as he walked back to the dugout. "I went into my first at-bat a little excited, chasing some pitches I shouldn't...

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Rizzo: prospects Purke and Ray making progress

May 02, 2012, 8:55am

Nationals

Rizzo: prospects Purke and Ray making progress

Nationals prospect Rick Hague has returned to high Single-A Potomac after starting the season in extended spring training. Since Hague has been called up to his minor league team, the questions are now focused on the status of left-handers Matt Purke and Robbie Ray. Both hurlers have been in Florida continuing to work at the Nationals' facility. It is not known for sure what the current status is for each pitcher, or what they were focusing on in Florida, but it is clear they needed to build...

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Zimmerman not likely to return until Tuesday

May 02, 2012, 1:24pm

Nationals

Zimmerman not likely to return until Tuesday

It appears the Nationals are likely to be without Ryan Zimmerman for the entire series against the Phillies this weekend. Manager Davey Johnson said today that Zimmerman will hit off a tee on Friday, hit first time swinging a bat since going on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. There's a chance Zimmerman could return on Sunday for the series finale against Philadelphia, but a more likely scenario has Zimmerman back in the Nats' lineup for the first time after Monday's...

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Storen pleased with rehab progress, thrilled with Harper addition

May 02, 2012, 9:18am

Nationals

Storen pleased with rehab progress, thrilled with Harper addition

Drew Storen was a happy guy yesterday. Not only did he finally have all his teammates back in the Nationals clubhouse after their West Coast road trip, but the Nats closer is getting close to beginning a throwing program, which he expects to kick off in the next week or two. "I'm excited," Storen said. "I need that back in my life." Storen has been grounded since undergoing surgery to remove a bone chip in his right elbow three weeks ago. He doesn't travel with the team on road trips,...

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Harper in center, Nady in left, Werth hitting third

May 02, 2012, 11:38am

Nationals

Harper in center, Nady in left, Werth hitting third

With the Nationals facing another left-handed starter tonight, Rick Ankiel will take a seat and Bryce Harper will get the start in center field for manager Davey Johnson. This will be Harper's second time playing center in his four major league games. Jayson Werth will hit in the No. 3 hole today, with Xavier Nady playing in left and hitting fifth. Tyler Moore again will come off the bench. Joe Saunders will take the mound for the Diamondbacks, looking to improve on his 2-1 record and 0.90...

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Nats hitters know "something needs to change"

May 01, 2012, 11:31pm

Nationals

Nats hitters know "something needs to change"

The Nationals are 0-3 with Bryce Harper in the lineup. That's it; get the kid out of here. He's a jinx. Unfortunately, the solutions to Washington's losing streak aren't that simple. The reasons for the five-game slide are easy to spot, however. The Nationals have now scored seven runs combined during their last five games. They've averaged five hits per game over that span, have 46 strikeouts to just 10 walks and are 2-for-23 with runners in scoring position. Possibly the most...

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Rizzo says Harper delivering as expected in early returns

May 01, 2012, 3:14pm

Nationals

Rizzo says Harper delivering as expected in early returns

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo made the decision to call up 19-year-old phenom Bryce Harper on Saturday. After two games, Rizzo said Harper showed exactly what he had shown in the minor leagues, a player that can hit, hit for power and go after every ball in the outfield. Rizzo said Harper's final at-bat was his best of the weekend when he earned a walk off Dodgers right-handed reliever Kenley Jansen. Harper didn't strike out or flail at every pitch. He measured Jansen well and hung...

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Rachel Levitin: A different vibe for Harper's home debut

May 02, 2012, 4:47am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: A different vibe for Harper's home debut

The District's baseball skepticism is warranted. A double dose of 100-loss seasons after 30-plus years of no baseball in town will do that to a person. Those miserable 2008 and 2009 seasons are also what brought the Nationals to this point in time. Baseball in Washington is at crossroads of sorts now that Bryce Harper has made his home debut. With the media hoopla surrounding the young stud of a hitter, it wasn't far-fetched to think that the atmosphere at the ballpark might rival that of...

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Zimmerman's progress on schedule for possible Sunday return

May 01, 2012, 2:21pm

Nationals

Zimmerman's progress on schedule for possible Sunday return

Positive news on the progress of third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who threw Tuesday during batting practice and his throwing motion looked good. Zimmerman has been out with right shoulder inflammation of the AC joint. Manager Davey Johnson said Zimmerman can't hit until the weekend. The doctors don't think he can re-injure his shoulder by swinging. The injury occurred hitting the ground diving for a ball on defense. So, is there anything that Zimmerman could do to prevent the injury from...

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Johnson talks offense, Harper after Nats' 5-1 loss

May 01, 2012, 7:48pm

Nationals

Johnson talks offense, Harper after Nats' 5-1 loss

The Nationals are without Michael Morse and Ryan Zimmerman. We know this. But their lack of offense during their five-game losing streak is still surprising and disappointing, especially to the man writing out the starting lineup every day. "I feel like we got the hitters that can hit," Johnson said. "(We're) just not as aggressive as I'd like to see. Our one and two hitters (Ian Desmond and Steve Lombardozzi) were aggressive tonight. They went out and swung the bat and got a couple of...

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Nats fall again, drop 5-1 decision to Diamondbacks

May 01, 2012, 5:45pm

Nationals

Nats fall again, drop 5-1 decision to Diamondbacks

For a few games last week, the Nationals were working on a string of consecutive scoreless innings thrown by their starting pitchers, a total which reached 25 frames. For most of tonight's game, they were watching a different scoreless streak mount. And it wasn't a good one. When Roger Bernadina crossed the plate in the eighth inning tonight, it broke a string of 17 straight innings the Nats had gone without a run. The one run was nice, but Washington could have used a few more of 'em, as...

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Harper hitless as Nats' offensive woes continue (updated)

May 01, 2012, 4:36pm

Nationals

Harper hitless as Nats' offensive woes continue (updated)

The Nationals have managed just two hits and a walk and have struck out five times through five scoreless innings. Here we go again. Washington has not scored in its last 15 innings, and yet again enters the late frames needing the bats to awaken as Davey Johnson's group trails the Diamondbacks 2-0 in the middle of the sixth. Tonight, the Nats are making D'backs starter Trevor Cahill look like a Cy Young award winner, as they've put up little fight against the Arizona right-hander. The...

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Harper could move up in order, Rizzo OK with current roster

May 01, 2012, 3:51pm

Nationals

Harper could move up in order, Rizzo OK with current roster

Davey Johnson was asked if he's been impressed with how calm Bryce Harper has been in his first few days in the majors. "I wouldn't call him calm. He's energetic," Johnson said, before cracking a smile. "I'm thinking about getting a PRP from him and getting some of that blood in me." Not sure that's exactly how the platelet rich plasma treatment works, but the Nationals skipper's joke drew laughs from the assembled media. Johnson said he isn't looking too far down the road in...