nationals

McCatty talks about Lannan's struggles at Triple-A

April 18, 2012, 3:09pm

The tarp has been pulled off the field, the drizzle here at Nationals Park has stopped, and we're set to start tonight's game on time. As for what will happen later on, well, we'll have to hope for the best. Since being optioned to the minors and subsequently requesting a trade, John Lannan has really struggled. In two starts for Triple-A Syracuse since his surprising demotion two days prior to the start of the regular season, Lannan has allowed a combined 13 runs (nine earned) over just...

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Holliday to be inducted in DC Basketball Hall of Fame

April 18, 2012, 2:48pm

Nationals

Holliday to be inducted in DC Basketball Hall of Fame

Only weeks after receiving the Golden Pioneer Award, an annual award given out by his high school alma mater for alumni who have made a huge impact, the accolades keep coming for Nationals and Hall of Fame broadcaster Johnny Holliday. Holliday, along with six other famous icons in the D.C. sports region, will be honored as the newest members of the Washington DC Metropolitan Basketball Hall of Fame. The ceremony for the seven new inductees will take place Saturday, May 5 at the Capital Hilton...

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An unlikely duo: Ryan Mattheus and Katy Perry

April 18, 2012, 9:58am

Nationals

An unlikely duo: Ryan Mattheus and Katy Perry

When it comes to picking a walk-out song, most major league relievers select something intense, something that will get their adrenaline flowing and pump them up as they jog out to the mound. Longtime Padres closer Trevor Hoffman used AC/DC's "Enter Sandman". Ryan Mattheus goes a different route. A very different route. You might have noticed that when the Nationals call on Mattheus, their 28-year-old reliever, in the late innings of a game, the music that blares through the speakers at...

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Wang throws successful simulated game; Lidge battling vertigo

April 18, 2012, 1:25pm

Nationals

Wang throws successful simulated game; Lidge battling vertigo

Chien-Ming Wang faced hitters today for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury during a spring training outing on March 15, and the reports on Wang out of the Nationals' complex in Viera, Fl. were positive. Wang threw 35 pitches today, and manager Davey Johnson said the veteran right-hander threw well and came out feeling healthy. "Really good, hard sink," Johnson said. "Had a great curveball, which, we saw that in the Yankee (game) his last outing before he hurt his hammy. But...

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Can they keep this up?

April 17, 2012, 11:07pm

Nationals

Teams aren't supposed to win games when they score three runs or fewer. Teams aren't supposed to be cruising along when they have a collective slugging percentage of .348 or be in first place when their five top outfielders have combined to drive in nine runs in 12 games. Yet, here the Nationals are. Two weeks into the season, Washington owns a 9-3 record and sits atop the National League East by a game and a half. The question now going forward is whether this pattern can continue. Can...

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Could Nationals prospect Tyler Moore be called up before September?

April 18, 2012, 8:00am

Nationals

Much has been made of when Bryce Harper will be called up to the majors. But what about Tyler Moore? Just this week, the career first baseman got his first taste of playing left field. He made one catch with no problems. Triple-A Syracuse manager Tony Beasley said they will get Moore more playing time in the outfield. Tuesday he was back at first base. He has played 425 games at first base and now one in left field. But Moore has been scorching the ball. The last 10 games, Moore is batting...

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Rachel Levitin: Arms race redefines game's growth from traditional to modern

April 18, 2012, 5:13am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Arms race redefines game's growth from traditional to modern

There was a time, back in the first year of the National League, when the same pitcher threw nearly every game of the season. That was 1876. Jim Devlin started and completed 68 of 69 games played by Louisville. Back then, the ball was thrown underhand and pitching careers were shorter. It wasn't until 1884 that pitchers were allowed to toss overhand - closer to the formation of the game we now watch daily from April to October - allowing more speed, but more stress, to envelop the arm. That...

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Another gem from Gio

April 17, 2012, 7:06pm

Nationals

Gio Gonzalez was representing the D.C. sports scene after tonight's dominant outing, sporting a Caps throwback t-shirt. The guy must love the nation's capital, huh? After tonight's outing, Gonzalez has now thrown 14 scoreless frames in his two starts at Nats Park this season, and he earned his first win as a National by holding the Astros to just two hits and two walks on a brisk night. It was another overpowering outing which saw Gonzalez outmatch Astros hitters, striking out eight,...

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Jackson's surprise gift brightens up the clubhouse

April 17, 2012, 2:11pm

Nationals

Jackson's surprise gift brightens up the clubhouse

Edwin Jackson's usually a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of guy. But today especially, his smile lit up the Nationals' clubhouse. Jackson got a surprise today when manager Davey Johnson called for Jackson to come into his office. The Nats skipper didn't want to talk about the hurler's latest outing or anything on-field related, but instead, he had a gift waiting for Jackson. Johnson picked up a small box and passed it across the desk. Inside the black case was Jackson's 2012 St. Louis...

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Nationals' DeRosa and Nady will continue to work their way around the outfield

April 17, 2012, 2:09pm

Nationals

With last year's starting left fielder Michael Morse nursing his way back from a left lat injury, the Nationals have used several different lineups in the outfield. Manager Davey Johnson has employed an outfield by committee early on, with injuries and rough starts contributing to the alterations, even from game to game. For instance on Monday, Xavier Nady played left field, Rick Ankiel played center and Jayson Werth was in right. On Tuesday, by contrast, Johnson called for Nady in left,...

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Experience helps Lidge survive rocky ninth to send Nationals to another victory

April 17, 2012, 6:45pm

Nationals

The scenario has played out many times for Brad Lidge. The starter hands off the lead and the bullpen pushes the game to the deciding ninth frame. This time, the margin of error was extremely small, a 1-0 advantage over a hungry Houston Astros squad that had only three hits all night. Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie led off the inning with a double just inside the right field line. Left fielder J.D. Martinez followed with a walk. Houston had men on first and second with nobody out. The Nationals'...

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Final notes from the clubhouse after the Nats' 1-0 win

April 17, 2012, 7:32pm

Nationals

Final notes from the clubhouse after the Nats' 1-0 win

Things got a little tight in the ninth inning of tonight's game when Brad Lidge, in trying to protect a 1-0 lead, allowed a leadoff double to Jed Lowrie, then walked J.D. Martinez on four pitches. For a time there, it looked like tonight might be the second time in five days that Lidge was going to blow a game for Gio Gonzalez after the Nationals starter had thrown seven scoreless innings. But Lidge regrouped, retiring the next three hitters in succession to close it out. Jayson Werth has...

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Another tight one, another Nationals win

April 17, 2012, 5:20pm

Nationals

It's a good thing the Nationals' starters keep turning in gems, because they're not getting a ton of offensive support. Tonight, Gio Gonzalez got just enough help, and the Nationals rode their left-handed starter and bullpen to a tight 1-0 win over the Astros. Gonzalez has his second straight fantastic outing, going seven innings of scoreless ball, allowing just two hits and two walks. He struck out eight Astros hitters and, at one point, retired 13 straight hitters without allowing a ball...

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Nats lead as we cruise through six (Gonzalez done after seven strong)

April 17, 2012, 4:28pm

Nationals

Nats lead as we cruise through six (Gonzalez done after seven strong)

The No. 1 rule of being on a baseball beat is to never talk about how quickly a game is moving. So I won't. I'll just say that Gio Gonzalez and Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez have been incredibly efficient through five and a half innings of play, and those of us in the press box thank them for it. Gonzalez has been cruising right along so far tonight, allowing just two hits and two walks through six frames, and he has a 1-0 lead going to the bottom of the sixth. Prior to a Jose Altuve...

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Today's Nats, Astros lineups

April 17, 2012, 11:44am

Nationals

As promised, both Mark DeRosa and Xavier Nady are in manager Davey Johnson's lineup today, as the Nationals will load up with right-handed hitters against Astros lefty Wandy Rodriguez. Interestingly, DeRosa is in right today with Nady in left. This will be DeRosa's first action in right field this season. Wilson Ramos also gets a day off today, as Jesus Flores is behind the plate to catch Gio Gonzalez. Here are today's lineups: Nationals SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa 3B Ryan...

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Ankiel's arm could play a major factor

April 17, 2012, 9:42am

Nationals

The word was already out prior to last night. But if by some chance you didn't know, now you know: Rick Ankiel has a rocket for an arm. Ankiel's laser of a throw from center field to the plate last night was a cool moment. It allowed the 16,245 in attendance at Nationals Park a chance to stand and applaud the work of the Nats center fielder and perhaps give a high-five to their neighbor - if they were the high-five-a-random-stranger type. But Ankiel's throw was more than just a highlight....

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Chien-Ming Wang to face hitters Wednesday

April 16, 2012, 2:21pm

Nationals

Chien-Ming Wang to face hitters Wednesday

The news on Chien-Ming Wang continues to be positive. Wang, who is down at the Nationals' complex in Viera, Fla., rehabbing his strained left hamstring, will throw a simulated game tomorrow. This will be his first time throwing to hitters since suffering the hamstring injury March 15 in a spring training start against the Yankees. The Nationals will continue to take things very slow with the veteran right-hander, but if all goes well in Wang's simulated game, he could be ready to begin a...

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Lombardozzi steps in with career night in Nationals' win

April 16, 2012, 8:00pm

Nationals

If Steve Lombardozzi is an example of the depth of talent that is on the bench for the 2012 Nationals, this team is heading in the right direction and fast. Playing in only his 19th major league game, Lombardozzi tallied four consecutive hits, including a dramatic go-ahead two-run double that lifted the Nationals back in the lead over the Astros, 4-2 in the sixth. Washington ended up winning the game, 6-3. Lombardozzi was a late-season call-up last year for manager Davey Johnson and the...

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Nationals' Desmond playing well, looking straight ahead

April 16, 2012, 2:26pm

Nationals

So far, Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond has looked and played the part of a leadoff man. In the first 10 games, Desmond has reached based 19 times with 17 hits and two walks, almost reaching a clip of twice per game. Desmond's numbers have been impressive at the plate, hitting .354 with three doubles, one homer and four RBIs. In 10 games, his on-base percentage is .380 and slugging percentage is at .479. Desmond said one reason for his accelerated start has been a clear mind and a trust in...

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Joe Drugan: Be wary of April standings

April 17, 2012, 6:19am

Nationals

The Nationals are off to the best start since their arrival in D.C., and there is a lot to be excited about, including one of the best pitching staffs in baseball and a team full of young talent. If you look at the standings this morning, it's easy to get even more elated to see the Nats in first place. Before you do get too amped about it, there are just a few things you should consider. * Today is April 17. The Nationals have just finished their 11th game of the season, which means they...