nationals

Nationals select prep right-hander Lucas Giolito 16th overall in 2012 First-Year Player Draft

June 04, 2012, 4:58pm

The Washington Nationals today selected 17 year-old right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito (Harvard-Westlake School, California) with the 16th-overall pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Personnel Roy Clark and Nationals Director of Scouting Kris Kline made the joint announcement. The 6-foot-6, 230 lbs. Giolito is regarded as one of the...

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Callis: Nationals can find a major league gem at No. 16

June 03, 2012, 7:26pm

Nationals

The Nationals ride into the 2012 First-Year Player Draft with a different feel about their first-round selection. Gone is selecting first two years in a row, or even sixth last year. This season, the team selects at No. 16, and as Nationals assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel Roy Clark told me Sunday, "We want to pick No. 30 every season." It is great to get the top selection, but that also means you were bad the prior season. That is no longer the case for the...

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Baseball America's Callis believes Nats can get quality hitting at No. 16

June 04, 2012, 7:18am

Nationals

Baseball America's Callis believes Nats can get quality hitting at No. 16

One guy is a great fielder and has a strong arm. Another hits for average and has great hands. Still another is an outstanding teammate and leader, and despite not having incredible tools, somehow finds a way to get on base almost every time. So which one should the Nationals select in tonight's First-Year Player Draft? After all, the Bryce Harpers of the world don't grow on trees. "It is makeup," Nationals assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel Roy Clark told me...

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Nats preparing for a different type of draft

June 04, 2012, 6:12am

Nationals

Nats preparing for a different type of draft

The Nationals have an off-day on the schedule today, but for nearly everyone in the organization with the exception of the players, today is no day off. The First-Year Player Draft is tonight, making today Nats general manager Mike Rizzo's favorite day of the year. He calls it his Super Bowl Sunday. This draft is very different for the Nationals than ones in seasons past, largely because, due to their improved record last season, they will no longer be picking within the top 10. It will also...

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Call-up Leon has made huge strides last two seasons

May 13, 2012, 7:02am

Nationals

Call-up Leon has made huge strides last two seasons

Due to a torn right ACL sustained by starting catcher Wilson Ramos, another top prospect in the Nationals' system will get a shot at the big leagues earlier than planned. But the Nationals are confident Sandy Leon is ready for this next challenge because of the talent he has shown on the field at Double-A Harrisburg. Assistant general manager Bob Boone and assistant to the general manager Pat Corrales - both former major league catchers - have worked very hard to develop Leon and they have...

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Harper's big offense outweighs outfield misplay

May 20, 2012, 2:28pm

Nationals Orioles

Harper's big offense outweighs outfield misplay

Look out to left and center field in the top of the first inning and the two players on defense for the Nationals had a combined 32 major league games at their defensive positions. Even looking at their minor league careers, Bryce Harper (129) and Tyler Moore (3) combined for just 132 total games in the outfield. Then, in the top of the second, Orioles third baseman Wilson Betemit lofted a fly ball between Moore and Harper that looked catchable, but the ball never hit Harper's glove and...

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Johnson talks Harper's baserunning, Zimmerman's struggles

June 03, 2012, 1:41pm

Nationals

Johnson talks Harper's baserunning, Zimmerman's struggles

Up with the Nationals trailing by a run in the fifth inning today, Bryce Harper smoked a ball high off the wall in right-center field. He could've come to a stop on second base, giving Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche a crack at bringing in the game-tying run. Instead, Harper made a turn for third and was gunned out on a strong relay throw from shortstop Andrelton Simmons. What say you, Davey Johnson? Was going for third the right play in that situation? "No," Johnson said, "and I talked...

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Postgame thoughts from LaRoche, Zimmerman and Harper

June 03, 2012, 2:08pm

Nationals

Postgame thoughts from LaRoche, Zimmerman and Harper

Two rookies - Steve Lombardozzi and Bryce Harper - went a combined 3-for-6 with two home runs and two walks today out of the top two spots in the Nationals' lineup. The four guys behind them went a combined 0-for-16 with no walks and five strikeouts. Those issues eat at Adam LaRoche, one of the veterans who helped accumulate those poor numbers, especially given the way Lombardozzi and Harper started the game by smacking back-to-back homers off Braves starter Tommy Hanson. "(It's) pretty...

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Ted Leavengood: Build it and we will come

June 04, 2012, 6:16am

Nationals

Ted Leavengood: Build it and we will come

For years now the fans of D.C. have been whispering, "Build it and we will come," in response to questions about attendance. In 2005, when the Nationals were the newest thing on the block, they drew 2.7 million. When Nationals Park opened in 2008 and there was another new toy, attendance went back up to 2.3 million despite a woeful team. As the team has fallen, attendance has as well. Which has left the guys in the press box questioning why there are no local fans. But they got their answer...

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G. Gonzalez, Harper earn NL honors

June 03, 2012, 9:39am

Nationals

The Nationals keep piling up the hardware. Gio Gonzalez has been named the National League Pitcher of the Month for May, after going 5-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 32 innings last month. Bryce Harper joins Gonzalez on the MLB press release, as the 19-year-old was named NL Rookie of the Month. Harper hit .271 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in May, and led National League rookies with 21 runs scored and four triples. These honors come after Stephen Strasburg was named National...

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Early hook for Gonzalez (Nats lose 3-2)

June 03, 2012, 11:16am

Nationals

The National League Pitcher of the Month for May couldn't get the job done in his first start of June. Gio Gonzalez wasn't able to get out of the fifth inning today, getting pulled after allowing a two-run single to Jason Heyward with two outs in the fifth. Heyward's knock put the Braves up 3-2 and forced manager Davey Johnson from the dugout. Craig Stammen came on and got the Nats out of a jam after walking catcher David Ross to load the bases. Gonzalez's day is done after 4 2/3...

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Lombardozzi, Harper get this thing started right

June 03, 2012, 10:08am

Nationals

Lombardozzi, Harper get this thing started right

The first home run of Steve Lombardozzi's major league career was a bomb. Lombardozzi, a wiry 23-year-old, crushed a Tommy Hanson fastball off the back of the wall in the Nationals' bullpen in right field, giving the Nats a 1-0 lead. It was a cool moment for Lombardozzi, who came into the Nats' dugout to a host of smiles and pats on the back from teammates and coaches. Then Bryce Harper had to go and top it. Harper absolutely demolished the first pitch he saw from Hanson, sending it at...

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Nationals activate reliever Michael Gonzalez (updated with Rizzo comments)

June 03, 2012, 7:39am

Nationals

The Nationals have selected the contract of left-handed reliever

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Nats, Braves Sunday lineups

June 03, 2012, 6:41am

Nationals

Davey Johnson's Sunday lineup looks exactly same as Saturday's. Except Stephen Strasburg isn't pitching again. That'd just be weird and uncalled for. Gio Gonzalez takes the hill for the Nationals, looking to improve on his 7-1 record. Gonzalez went 5-0 in May. He'll try and carry that success into a new month and give the Nats a mini two-game sweep over the Braves. Here are the lineups for the two teams: For the Nationals LF Steve Lombardozzi CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B...

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Gio Gonzalez and Bryce Harper capture National League Pitcher and Rookie of the Month awards

June 03, 2012, 9:28am

Nationals

Gio Gonzalez and Bryce Harper capture National League Pitcher and Rookie of the Month awards

Washington Nationals left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez was named National League Pitcher of the Month, while outfielder Bryce Harper was named National League Rookie of the Month, for the month of May. Major League Baseball made the announcements this afternoon. Gonzalez and Harper's monthly citations are the second and third earned by the Nationals this season. Right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg was named National League Pitcher of the Month in April after going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA and...

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Strasburg back on track after dominant effort against Braves

June 02, 2012, 4:11pm

Nationals

Strasburg back on track after dominant effort against Braves

Notoriously hard on himself after a poor performance - or at least what he considers a poor performance - Stephen Strasburg has nothing to complain about today. Strasburg went seven scoreless innings, marking the first time in his career that he has worked seven shutout frames, allowing just four hits, striking out nine and earning his sixth win in the Nationals' 2-0 victory over the Braves. This comes after three straight starts where Strasburg failed to work into the sixth inning and...

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Morse appreciative of fans' support in his return

June 02, 2012, 4:47pm

Nationals

Morse appreciative of fans' support in his return

When Michael Morse stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the first inning today, he was focused on his approach in what would be his first at-bat of the 2012 season. The Nats were threatening, with two runners on base, and Morse was facing Braves starter Brandon Beachy, who came into today with a 1.77 ERA this season. This was not the time for Morse to let his mind drift elsewhere or start reflecting on the long road he took to battle through a lat injury and rejoin the...

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Why aren't the Nats saving Strasburg's innings for later this season?

June 02, 2012, 12:56pm

Nationals

Why aren't the Nats saving Strasburg's innings for later this season?

Twice already this season, rainouts have allowed manager Davey Johnson the opportunity to skip Stephen Strasburg in the rotation. With Strasburg's innings adding up and his team-imposed limit of somewhere around 160 innings this season looming, Johnson could choose to jump Strasburg in these situations and throw Gio Gonzalez on normal rest. That would allow him to save Strasburg's innings for later in the season, when the Nationals will hopefully be fighting for a playoff spot. Both times...

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Wilkie "disappointed and embarrassed" by suspension

June 02, 2012, 9:28am

Nationals

Wilkie "disappointed and embarrassed" by suspension

Triple-A Syracuse right-handed reliever Josh Wilkie has been suspended 50 games for use of a banned substance, according to a club source. Wilkie said in a text message that he was suspended for a substance called Spice, which was mixed with a flavored tobacco. Spice is sold and distributed legally in some places, although it is increasingly being banned at the state and local levels. A chemical in Spice is not permissible according to Major League Baseball's banned substance...

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Nats roll over Braves - again

June 02, 2012, 2:45pm

Nationals

I feel like we've seen this type of win once or twice this season. A Nationals starter goes deep into the game, delivering a dominating outing, the offense provides just enough run support and the bullpen closes it down. All the familiar pieces were there in the Nats' 2-0 win over the Braves this afternoon. Stephen Strasburg bounced back off three consecutive subpar outings (by his lofty standards) and tossed seven shutout frames, allowing just four hits without a walk and striking out...