nationals

Rays' Maddon advises future players to reconsider signing with Nats

June 20, 2012, 2:08pm

The war of words in Pine Tar Gate escalated following Tuesday's incident where Rays reliever and former Nationals pitcher Joel Peralta was ejected for an "excessive amount of a foreign substance in or around his glove", according to the umpiring crew. The umpires were tipped off when Nationals manager Davey Johnson asked that Peralta's glove be checked for pine tar. Apparently, Davey found out through someone in the Nationals dugout that Peralta may have pine tar in his glove, which is...

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Davey Johnson makes rotation move, fires back at Joe Maddon

June 20, 2012, 1:25pm

Nationals

Davey Johnson makes rotation move, fires back at Joe Maddon

Davey Johnson's 15-minute pregame session with reporters this afternoon sure didn't lack substance. Johnson announced that Chien-Ming Wang will be moved to the bullpen and Ross Detwiler will be inserted into the rotation. He also took aim at Rays manager Joe Maddon, who last night called out Johnson for having Joel Peralta's glove inspected on suspicion of Peralta using a foreign substance. Maddon called Johnson's decision "cowardly", "bush" and even dropped an expletive in there, as...

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Detwiler back in the rotation, Wang to the 'pen

June 20, 2012, 2:31pm

Nationals

Detwiler back in the rotation, Wang to the 'pen

Less than a month ago, Ross Detwiler was bumped from the Nationals' starting rotation after three straight rocky starts. Now, Detwiler finds himself back in the rotation after four straight rocky starts from Chien-Ming Wang. After taking a bit of a verbal swing at Rays manager Joe Maddon this afternoon, Nats manager Davey Johnson announced that Wang will be moved to the bullpen, while Detwiler will again become the Nationals' No. 5 starter. He'll take the mound Sunday when the Nats face...

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Nats lineup vs. Rays rookie Chris Archer

June 20, 2012, 11:34am

Nationals

Nats lineup vs. Rays rookie Chris Archer

In his first major league start, Rays right-hander Chris Archer will get tossed right into a potentially volatile situation. After last night's GloveGate, tensions might be high tonight as the Nationals and Rays meet up in game two of this three-game series. Archer was called up from Triple-A to start tonight after Tampa Bay's original starter, Jeremy Hellickson, was scratched because of a shoulder injury. The 23-year-old Archer came over to the Rays in the Matt Garza deal, and has posted a...

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Nats react to Peralta's pine tar incident

June 19, 2012, 8:59pm

Nationals

Nats react to Peralta's pine tar incident

You've seen the quotes from the Rays' side about the Joel Peralta ejection due to illegal use of pine tar, courtesy of MASNsports.com's Pete Kerzel. Now let's hear from the Nationals. Manager Davey Johnson said postgame that he had gotten word from people within the organization that Peralta (who pitched for the Nats in 2010) is fond of putting pine tar in his glove, which can help create a better grip on the baseball during a hot night like tonight. "He pitched here. I don't think...

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About last night

June 20, 2012, 6:44am

Nationals

Too bad nothing exciting went down in last night's 5-4 Nationals loss to the Rays. All we had was a Nats starter (a two-time 19-game winner, mind you) pitch his way firmly onto the rotation bubble, his competition for the No. 5 starting spot dominant in relief, a former Nationals pitcher get called out as a cheater by someone on his old team, and the Rays manager toss expletives in the direction of the other clubhouse. Just a nice, quiet little Tuesday night interleague game. For what it's...

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Werth possibly ahead of schedule in rehab (plus plenty of injury updates)

June 19, 2012, 1:59pm

Nationals

Werth possibly ahead of schedule in rehab (plus plenty of injury updates)

It's now been more than six weeks since Jayson Werth broke his left wrist while trying to make a sliding catch in a game against the Phillies. The initial timetable on Werth's return was set around 12 weeks, but doctors thought that because they had operated on the outfielder's wrist so quickly after the injury, he might be able to cut as much as three weeks off that estimate. Today, manager Davey Johnson said that Werth is making progress, but still probably is at least a month away from...

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Gonzalez's advice fueled Detwiler to quicker tempo in shutout relief

June 19, 2012, 8:16pm

Nationals

Gonzalez's advice fueled Detwiler to quicker tempo in shutout relief

The Nationals have more left-handers in their bullpen than right-handers. The southpaws: Sean Burnett, Ross Detwiler, Michael Gonzalez and Tom Gorzelanny build a bond as many left-handers do, comparing pitches and game strategies. Detwiler came into a tough situation Tuesday. With starter Chien-Ming Wang struggling from the first three batters on, Detwiler and Gonzalez got the feeling they could be called upon earlier than usual. Although Detwiler has been a starter for most of his career,...

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Perceived breach of etiquette by Nationals infuriates Rays' Maddon

June 19, 2012, 8:18pm

Nationals

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon opened his postgame session with reporters after Tuesday night's 5-4 Rays victory over the Nationals - a game in which one of his relief pitchers, ex-Nat Joel Peralta, was ejected after umpires discovered pine tar in his glove - with a zinger that was equal parts tone-setter and a no-doubt-about-it retaliatory verbal punch at the losing team for what Maddon perceived as a breach of baseball etiquette. "Heads up," he warned reporters, wiping a clearly clean spot...

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Johnson will wait to make decision on Chien-Ming Wang

June 19, 2012, 8:07pm

Nationals

Johnson will wait to make decision on Chien-Ming Wang

I've got plenty on the whole bizarre Joel Peralta pine tar incident coming up in a bit, with reactions from both the Nationals and the Rays. First, let's get to Chien-Ming Wang, who delivered another poor outing tonight and has a 6.62 ERA and 2.26 WHIP since joining the rotation. Wang has now made four starts this season. None have been all that impressive, and often, they've featured Wang struggling with his mechanics. That was true tonight, as well. "He's been having some problems...

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Will Yoder: Where is the 2010 Ryan Zimmerman?

June 19, 2012, 4:29am

Nationals

Will Yoder: Where is the 2010 Ryan Zimmerman?

If you followed Nationals spring training closely, you may have rightfully believed that Ryan Zimmerman was the best hitter on the planet. The 27-year-old was mashing the ball to all corners of the ballpark, and it looked as if the third baseman who once made his debut in Washington as a 20-year-old kid had finally reached his prime. While Zimmerman has started slowly on the stat sheet this season, everyone who was watching the games knew he was absolutely pounding the ball. On opening day,...

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Rays' Peralta ejected for "foreign substance" on glove (Nats lose 5-4)

June 19, 2012, 6:01pm

Nationals

Rays' Peralta ejected for "foreign substance" on glove (Nats lose 5-4)

Weird, wild stuff is happening here in D.C. as we get ready to start the eighth inning of a 5-4 ballgame. Rays reliever Joel Peralta, who pitched for the Nationals during the 2010 season, was ejected for having an "illegal substance" on or in his glove. The ejection happened before Peralta threw a single pitch in the eighth inning. All four umpires came out to the mound, as did the entire Rays infield and manager Joe Maddon. The umpires, including crew chief and home plate umpire Tim...

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Swept away by the pinstripes

June 17, 2012, 12:50pm

Nationals

The much-anticipated battle of first-place teams at Nats Park this weekend turned out to be a complete dud for the Nationals. The Yankees punctuated a dominating weekend in the nation's capital with a 4-1 win today, finishing off a three-game sweep. This marks the third time the Nats have been swept this season, and the first of those sweeps which has come at home. Ivan Nova went 7 2/3 innings for the pinstripes today, holding the Nats to one run on seven hits, while Curtis Granderson,...

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Chien-Ming Wang's future now in doubt (Morse has his first homer)

June 19, 2012, 4:42pm

Nationals

Chien-Ming Wang's future now in doubt (Morse has his first homer)

With Chien-Ming Wang putting up three straight sub-par starts entering tonight, this might have been a statement game of sorts for the veteran right-hander. This wasn't the statement he was hoping to make. Wang got smacked around by the Rays tonight, and was pulled after just 3 1/3 innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits, gave up three extra-base hits, walked three batters (including Rays starter David Price) and tossed 77 pitches before being pulled. Ross Detwiler came on in relief of...

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Ryan knows Ryan: Nationals' Mattheus believes Perry's transition to starter will be smooth one

June 19, 2012, 2:00pm

Nationals

Right-hander Ryan Perry is now with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators as he prepares to transition from reliever to starter. The 6-foot-4, 213 lb. pitcher will make his professional debut as a starter Saturday night at the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Perry is slated to pitch three innings, or to a limited pitch count, as he makes his initial attempt pitching as a starter. This will be the first time Perry has started at this level, having made 15 starts in his 62 games over three seasons at...

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Braves-Nationals game rescheduled

June 19, 2012, 2:13pm

Nationals

After rain washed out the game between the Braves and Nationals back on June 1, the team today released its plans to move the game to July 21. The two division foes will play a split doubleheader at Nationals Park, with the first game beginning at 1:05 p.m. and first pitch for the second game to follow at 7:05 p.m. The two games against the Braves on July 21 will require separate admission. Season Ticket Holders and Mini Plan Holders with game tickets to the postponed June 1 contest may use...

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Johnson tells Zimmerman, Morse to relax and "just go play"

June 19, 2012, 2:43pm

Nationals

Johnson tells Zimmerman, Morse to relax and "just go play"

After Sunday's game, a game in which Michael Morse went 0-for-4 at the plate, dropping his average to .211, he approached manager Davey Johnson and asked to be dropped in the batting order. "I'm killing the team," Morse told Johnson. "No, you're not killing the team," the Nats' manager replied. "You're going to be fine. You'll be carrying us in a minute. I'm not worried. I don't want you worrying." Morse and Ryan Zimmerman are frustrated with the way they've been swinging the...

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Moore starts in left against Rays (Rodriguez begins rehab assignment)

June 19, 2012, 11:36am

Nationals

Moore starts in left against Rays (Rodriguez begins rehab assignment)

Facing Rays left-hander David Price, Davey Johnson will send out what's become his typical lineup against lefties. Danny Espinosa will lead off, Michael Morse will hit cleanup and Adam LaRoche will be bumped down to the No. 5 spot. In addition, Tyler Moore will start in left field, hitting seventh. Here's how the lineup will look tonight: 2B Danny Espinosa CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman RF Michael Morse 1B Adam LaRoche SS Ian Desmond LF Tyler Moore C Jesus Flores P Chien-Ming...

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It doesn't get any easier

June 19, 2012, 5:59am

Nationals

I can't believe I'm actually asking this question right now, but is there a better starting pitcher in baseball as of today than R.A. Dickey? The guy who spent time with four organizations over a five-year span from 2006-2010, the guy who two years ago started the season in Triple-A, the guy who throws a knuckleball for God's sake, is the pitcher who no one in the majors wants to face right now. Dickey dominated the Nationals nearly two weeks ago, holding them scoreless over 7 1/3 innings...

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Nationals' Chris Marrero reports to Triple-A Syracuse

June 19, 2012, 8:22am

Nationals

It is obvious that Nationals first baseman Chris Marrero is feeling better and his torn hamstring is not giving him any trouble as he quickly moves up the ranks of the franchise's minor league system. A club source confirmed that Marrero has completed his rehab stint with Double-A Harrisburg and has reported to Triple-A Syracuse. Marrero already made quick stops at Single-A Hagerstown and Potomac. He originally tore his hamstring in winter ball, has also battled back from a slight shoulder...