nationals

Give Zimmermann "best outing of spring" honors

March 28, 2012, 1:49pm

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - If they handed out superlatives at the end of Nationals spring training like they do at the end of, say, high school, "Best Start" would without question go to Jordan Zimmermann. The righty threw six scoreless innings against the Mets in today's 3-2 win, allowing just two hits with no walks and striking out two. He faced only one hitter over the minimum, kept the ball on the ground, getting nine groundball outs to just four flyouts, and very rarely allowed anything to...

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Nats taking a good look at Nady

March 28, 2012, 2:48pm

Nationals

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Not only is Xavier Nady not going anywhere for the next couple days, but it shouldn't surprise anyone if the guy who was without an organization 11 days ago is introduced with the Nationals come opening day at Wrigley Field. After Nady went 1-for-3 today in his first major league spring training game with the Nationals, manager Davey Johnson said he will keep the veteran outfielder/first baseman with the big league club for the time being, and will write him into the...

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Nats lineup for today's home split-squad game

March 29, 2012, 5:33am

Nationals

Nats lineup for today's home split-squad game

VIERA, Fla. - Well, today's the day. Adam LaRoche finally returns to the Nationals lineup for the home half of today's split-squad games. LaRoche will join the rest of the Nats' veterans in taking on the Braves after missing the last couple weeks with a bone bruise in his left foot. LaRoche will play first base today and will hit sixth. Xavier Nady is in the lineup again today, this time playing right field. Mark DeRosa will play left today, with Jayson Werth sliding over to center....

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Zimmermann overpowers Mets, Werth goes yard (Nationals win 3-2)

March 28, 2012, 10:48am

Nationals

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Apparently Jerry Seinfeld is here at Digital Domain Park today, watching his Mets take on the Nationals. Think the bosses at MASN will care if I just wander the stands for the rest of the afternoon hoping to bump into Seinfeld? Keep my plan on the down-low, please. Jordan Zimmermann has just walked off the mound after dominating the Mets, allowing just two hits over six scoreless frames. The righty didn't walk anyone, faced only one over the minimum and struck out two...

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Quick positive updates on Morse, LaRoche

March 28, 2012, 12:35pm

Nationals

Quick positive updates on Morse, LaRoche

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Before I pass along notes and quotes on Jordan Zimmermann's outing and Ian Desmond's 4-for-4 day, here are some postgame updates on Michael Morse and Adam LaRoche. How many injury entries can I write on those two guys over a month-long span? I'm not sure. I'm trying to set an unbreakable record. I told you earlier today that Morse was scheduled to throw from 60-90 feet today and then have a sonogram on his strained (or torn, depending on which terminology you...

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Johnson on starting Nady at first: "Why not look at him?"

March 28, 2012, 9:37am

Nationals

Johnson on starting Nady at first: "Why not look at him?"

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - So why is Davey Johnson starting Xavier Nady - a guy who was out of a job a week and a half ago and is signed to a straight minor league contract -at first base today? Reason No. 1: With Adam LaRoche (left foot), Mark DeRosa (calf cramps) and Michael Morse (lat) injured, he needs to fill the corner infield and outfield spots somehow. "He plays outfield and first base," Johnson said of Nady. "Last I checked, I had some guys on injured reserve there." Injured...

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Storen DL-bound, Morse likely headed that way, as well

March 28, 2012, 8:46am

Nationals

Storen DL-bound, Morse likely headed that way, as well

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - This doesn't come as much surprise, given where Drew Storen is in his rehab from elbow inflammation, but manager Davey Johnson said in today's pregame session with reporters that Storen will begin the season on the disabled list. Johnson is hopeful that Storen will be able to return sometime in mid-April, but admitted that he's taking an optimistic view on how quickly the Nationals' closer will work through the elbow issues which have kept him out of action since...

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Looks like Lidge is back in peak form

March 28, 2012, 4:19am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - Stan Kasten was once an NBA general manager. Now the former president of the Nationals is back in baseball, only with an NBA Hall of Famer by his side. Kasten and Magic Johnson are part of a group which agreed to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers for $2 billion late last night. The purchase will get Kasten back into the major leagues, although in some ways, Kasten never left, even after resigning as Nationals president after the 2010 season. He was still seen around the Nats'...

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Mid-game adjustments help Gonzalez finish strong

March 27, 2012, 1:34pm

Nationals

Mid-game adjustments help Gonzalez finish strong

JUPITER, Fla. - In his last start, both Gio Gonzalez and manager Davey Johnson felt that the lefty might have been working through a dead-arm period, which can happen toward the end of spring. Today, Gonzalez might have actually had too much life in his arm early on. Johnson said he thought Gonzalez was a bit too "frisky" in the first inning today, causing the 26-year-old to miss his spots and allow four baserunners and three runs. The big blow in the first inning was Austin Kearns'...

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Didn't see this coming: Nady to start at first base today

March 28, 2012, 5:20am

Nationals

Didn't see this coming: Nady to start at first base today

VIERA, Fla. - Davey Johnson said yesterday that today's lineup against the Mets would contain a surprise. It sure does. Xavier Nady will start at first base for the Nationals today. General manager Mike Rizzo had said just days ago that Nady, who was signed to a minor league deal last Sunday, would not play in a major league game this spring. But there's the 33-year-old's name written into the seventh spot in today's order. Nady has been primarily a corner outfielder in his career, but...

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Former Nationals president Kasten part of group that will buy Dodgers

March 27, 2012, 8:03pm

Nationals

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced late Tuesday that the team will be purchased for a record $2.15 billion by a group that includes former NBA and Los Angeles Lakers great Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Also a part of the group is former Nationals and Atlanta Braves team president Stan Kasten. Johnson's group won out the right to buy the Dodgers over groups led by multiple sports team owner Stan Kroenke and New York Mets limited partner Steven Cohen. Johnson said in a statement: "I am thrilled to...

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An Ankiel update plus more postgame notes

March 27, 2012, 12:54pm

Nationals

An Ankiel update plus more postgame notes

JUPITER, Fla. - Rick Ankiel has been getting a ton of treatment on his injured quad lately. Perhaps as a result of all the deep massages and medical work, Ankiel's quad tightened up on him a little bit during today's 3-1 loss to the Marlins. Not wanting to take any chances with the guy who is set to be his opening day center fielder, manager Davey Johnson pulled Ankiel after the fourth inning, sending Brett Carroll up as a pinch-hitter in the fifth. "He said from all the massages he's...

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Pregame notes on Lombardozzi, Morse, LaRoche

March 27, 2012, 8:46am

Nationals

Pregame notes on Lombardozzi, Morse, LaRoche

JUPITER, Fla. - If you're around a TV tonight at 10 p.m., you might want to flip on MLB Network, as they'll be featuring the Nationals as part of their 30 clubs/30 days series. Mitch Williams and the MLB Network crew were in Viera the last two days filming interviews with manager Davey Johnson and a number of key players, and if my blog just hasn't done enough to help you get your Nats fix lately, tonight's show might help. While Steve Lombardozzi is getting playing time in left field...

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Gonzalez battles back after slow start (Nats lose to Marlins 3-1)

March 27, 2012, 11:01am

Nationals

Gonzalez battles back after slow start (Nats lose to Marlins 3-1)

JUPITER, Fla. - Gio Gonzalez's first inning of work wasn't too pretty. He allowed three hits, a walk and three earned runs, needing 28 pitches to get three outs. From there, the Nationals lefty appeared to get stronger each time he trotted out to the mound. Gonzalez didn't allow a run over his final four innings of work, and retired seven of the last eight hitters he faced. He struck out six over his five innings, and did a nice job settling down after getting hit around in that opening...

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Ankiel leaves game in fifth

March 27, 2012, 10:37am

Nationals

JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals' projected opening day center fielder might not be over his lingering quad issues just yet. Rick Ankiel left today's game against the Marlins after four innings, walking into the Nats' clubhouse with a trainer. We have no way of knowing what - if anything - was bothering Ankiel, but we do know he's battled a quad injury of late. Ankiel missed a week and a half because of quad issues earlier this spring, and after returning to Grapefruit League action last...

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A camp filled with minimal roster drama

March 27, 2012, 4:40am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - We know how John Lannan reacted to being named the Nationals' fifth starter. How did Ross Detwiler respond to the news he'd officially be getting his work out of the Nats' bullpen to start the season? He carefully answered questions yesterday with a slight smile on his face, but said he'll need some time to adjust to being used in relief. "I'm a big routine person," Detwiler said. "That's what's kind of throwing me off right now: I'm not on the same routine I've been...

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Unaffected by outside "noise," Lannan looks sharp

March 26, 2012, 2:14pm

Nationals

Unaffected by outside "noise," Lannan looks sharp

VIERA, Fla. - When Davey Johnson officially slotted John Lannan into his starting rotation earlier today, he probably had outings like this afternoon's on his mind. When Lannan is good, when he's spotting his fastball and getting good movement on his offspeed stuff down in the zone, he's pretty darned good. And Lannan was pretty darned good today, as he went five strong innings this afternoon against the Astros, allowing two runs on just two hits with a walk and five strikeouts. The lefty...

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Nationals lineup vs. Marlins

March 27, 2012, 6:54am

Nationals

JUPITER, Fla. - Steve Lombardozzi is back in left field today as the Nationals take on the Marlins. Davey Johnson is really giving Lombardozzi - a lifelong infielder - a good look in left field the last couple weeks. Rick Ankiel is back in the lineup after getting the last two days off. He's in center field, hitting third. Here's the Nats' lineup today: SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa CF Rick Ankiel 3B Mark DeRosa 1B Chad Tracy C Jesus Flores RF Roger Bernadina LF Steve Lombardozzi P...

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Bernadina breaks out, Rodriguez finishes it off

March 26, 2012, 12:47pm

Nationals

Bernadina breaks out, Rodriguez finishes it off

VIERA, Fla. - Break up the Nationals, they've now won two in a row. Might as well start planning that championship parade now. John Lannan led the way this afternoon in the Nats' 7-4 win over the Astros, throwing five innings of two-run ball (more on him in a bit), but Roger Bernadina provided the biggest offensive blow, crushing a Kevin Chapman pitch deep over the right-center field wall for a two-run homer in the fifth inning. It was the second homer in as many games for Bernadina, whose...

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Lannan cruising right along (Nats win 7-4)

March 26, 2012, 10:43am

Nationals

Lannan cruising right along (Nats win 7-4)

VIERA, Fla. - Just a couple hours after Davey Johnson anointed John Lannan his fifth starter, the lefty showed that he might be close to being regular season-ready. Lannan retired 13 of the first 14 batters he faced today, striking out three Astros hitters in his first four innings of work. He allowed a solo home run to Houston third baseman Chris Johnson in the second inning, and then gave up one more run in the fifth, but overall, Lannan looked really sharp. He mixed his pitches well,...