nationals

Shared experience will link Solis, Zimmermann

March 04, 2012, 6:07am

VIERA, Fla. - The call may not come tomorrow, or even in the next week or the next month. But Jordan Zimmermann is sure he'll pick up his cell phone sometime in the near future and punch in Sammy Solis' phone number. When Solis picks up, he'll have a lifeline to someone who's gone through what he's facing. Solis, a promising left-hander, will undergo Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery in Los Angeles on Tuesday, with Dr. Lewis Yucom performing the operation that will rebuild Solis'...

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Strasburg: "It was pretty much a breeze" (Nats lose 10-2)

March 04, 2012, 11:09am

Nationals

Strasburg: "It was pretty much a breeze" (Nats lose 10-2)

VIERA, Fla. - It's probably a good thing when a pitcher leaves the mound after his first spring training start feeling like he has a good bit more in the tank. That's how Stephen Strasburg felt after throwing 44 pitches in 2 2/3 innings today against the Astros. "I felt good," Strasburg said. "Arm felt strong. The big thing was going out there trying to pound the zone. Obviously, it's been a while since throwing offspeed to hitters and stuff, and I think the biggest thing I noticed was...

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Meeting with the manager

March 04, 2012, 12:05pm

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - In Davey Johnson's eyes, Stephen Strasburg had a bit too much adrenaline running through him while out on the mound today, leading to a little bit of wildness. "Stras was too hyped up, amped up," Johnson said. "You could tell from the first pitch he threw he was loaded for bear. But other than that, everybody came through all right." Johnson said he could understand Strasburg's emotions being high for the Nationals' Grapefruit League home opener; after all, as Strasburg...

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This sure isn't pretty

March 04, 2012, 10:04am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - It's only spring training. It's only spring training. Just repeat after me. And do the "

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Strasburg's day is done

March 04, 2012, 9:01am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - Nationals manager Davey Johnson had said that Stephen Strasburg was on a 45-pitch limit today. Strasburg's 44th pitch of the afternoon set down Astros shortstop Marwin Gonzalez swinging, and that marked the end of his day. The right-hander finishes having thrown 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and a wild pitch. Strasburg had three strikeouts, two of which were swinging. He allowed a solo home run to catcher Chris Snyder with one out in the second, and was on the...

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Flores flourishing early in camp

March 04, 2012, 7:01am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - Not too long ago, Jesus Flores was viewed as the Nationals' catcher of the future. Now, he's just trying to prove he can stay healthy for a full season and contribute at the big league level. Right shoulder problems - a fractured shoulder blade and a torn labrum - have in many ways wiped out the 27-year-old's last three seasons. He played in just 29 games in 2009 and missed the entire 2010 campaign due to the injury, then struggled in 2011, hitting just .216 in 86 games...

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Don't expect Morse to see time at first base

March 04, 2012, 5:54am

Nationals

Don't expect Morse to see time at first base

VIERA, Fla. - They just pulled the tarp off the field here at Space Coast Stadium, and the rain appears to be gone for the rest of the day. We're just left with 56-degree temperatures and a strong wind. For those of you up north who are rolling your eyes right now, I'm not complaining, I'm just saying. Stephen Strasburg will take the mound for the Nationals today, but the righty shouldn't have a problem with these conditions. It seems like every time he takes the mound, it's cool and...

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Strasburg works a perfect first (and is through the second)

March 04, 2012, 8:18am

Nationals

Strasburg works a perfect first (and is through the second)

VIERA, Fla. - It might be his first game action this spring, but Stephen Strasburg looked like Stephen Strasburg in his first inning of work this afternoon. Strasburg set the Astros down in order in the top of the first, retiring Jordan Schafer on a fly ball to right, getting Marwin Gonzalez on a first-pitch grounder to first base, and striking out Brian Bogusevic swinging. Strasburg tossed 14 pitches in the first inning, eight of which were for strikes. He threw mostly fastballs, but looked...

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This season, it's all about the Natitude

March 04, 2012, 7:49am

Nationals

This season, it's all about the Natitude

Teenagers have attitudes. Senior citizens have attitudes. Yours truly stuck in Beltway rush hour gridlock has an attitude. But Natitude? That's all you, Nationals fans. We're only a few weeks away from the start of the 2012 regular season and the buzz in the nation's capital is fierce. This year's squad is young, they're hungry and they're in prime position to reach the postseason for the first time since coming to D.C. And in honor of the impending rise of Nationals baseball, the...

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Nationals' top pick Rendon out to prove he can stay healthy

March 03, 2012, 11:51am

Nationals

Top pick Anthony Rendon, a third baseman, is completely healthy and thrilled to be in his first spring training with the Washington Nationals. "It is really exciting," Rendon said. "First game, I want to take a step back and soak it all in. (It is special) looking around at all these guys I watched them on TV the last couple years, and now I am in the same clubhouse." Rendon said his injuries to his shoulder and ankles were more quirky and "freak accidents" than signs of long-term...

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Nats trying not to harp on Harper

March 03, 2012, 12:51pm

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - Bryce Harper is the story of Nationals camp to 99 percent of the interested public. But the 19-year-old phenom isn't the story of camp in Davey Johnson's world. Asked a Harper-related question by a national reporter yesterday - far from the first he's had to answer on that topic this spring - Johnson made it clear that he's getting a little tired of all the Harper hype. "Is he on my mind every day? No," Johnson said. "I've known of him and seen him swing the bat for...

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Storm passes, leaving wind in its wake

March 04, 2012, 3:33am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - We've survived a gullywasher that blew through Brevard County this morning, and now Space Coast Stadium is being whipped by gusty winds. On my drive from my hotel in Melbourne this morning, I was three blocks from the ballpark when a weather advisory warning of winds in excess of 50 mph interrupted my morning helping of classic rock. How windy is it? Well, while setting up my laptop, I was treated to some theater of the absurd that tested the mettle of the grounds crew. All of a...

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Facing Nats a strange feeling for Livan Hernandez

March 03, 2012, 10:29am

Nationals

Facing Nats a strange feeling for Livan Hernandez

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - As much as he wanted to return to the Nationals, Livan Hernandez knew he'd be pitching elsewhere in 2012. That destination, unknown when he had an end-of-season meeting with manager Davey Johnson, wound up being Houston, and the soft-tossing right-hander made his Astros debut by pitching two scoreless innings against his old mates Saturday. The night before he took the mound at Osceola County Stadium, Hernandez said he received playful text messages from the Nationals'...

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Talking hurlers and Harper

March 03, 2012, 11:56am

Nationals

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Edwin Jackson said he spent today's outing focusing on his adjusted mechanics which should help him avoid tipping his pitches. Pitching coach Steve McCatty would prefer the righty didn't let those thoughts run through his head while on the mound. "To me, we're not going to make a mechanical issue about anything," McCatty said. "I'm not worried about tipping, nothing. I want him to be athletic, I want him to feel nice and smooth, I want him to feel like everything's...

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Jackson's focus on mechanical adjustments in debut (updated with 3-1 final)

March 03, 2012, 10:22am

Nationals

Jackson's focus on mechanical adjustments in debut (updated with 3-1 final)

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Edwin Jackson got a bit of on-the-job training today. The Nationals starter is working to adjust his mechanics in an effort to avoid tipping his pitches, and so the 28-year-old spent much of today's two-inning stint against the Astros focusing on "timing" issues. "I felt good," Jackson said in the Nats clubhouse after his outing. "I had a few minor adjustments that I was able to go to the 'pen and work on after the two innings. Right now it's just touch and feel, but...

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Nats trail Astros 2-1 in fifth

March 03, 2012, 9:38am

Nationals

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Nationals trail the Astros 2-1 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning. Successive doubles by Roger Bernadina and Jesus Flores off Brett Myers in the top of the fifth plated the Nats' first run of the Grapefruit League campaign. The Astros took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on a two-run homer by Chris Johnson off Ross Detwiler. With one out, Detwiler walked Jack Cust and Johnson followed with a blast to center. Fly balls have been tricky today at Osceola County Stadium,...

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Werth in Sunday's lineup, playing center field

March 03, 2012, 7:01am

Nationals

Werth in Sunday's lineup, playing center field

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Jayson Werth's back spasms are a problem no more, and he'll start in center field Sunday when the Nationals open their home Grapefruit League season against the Astros at Space Coast Stadium on Sunday, according to the lineup posted Saturday morning. But questions about Werth's recovery and his ability to move from right field to center were met with some resistance by manager Davey Johnson before today's first game of the spring at Osceola County Stadium. Johnson...

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Johnson looking hard at lefties

March 03, 2012, 7:28am

Nationals

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - New Nationals right-hander Edwin Jackson will be on a pitch count of 40-45 for today's Grapefruit League opener against the Astros. Houston will send very few "names" against Jackson today, unless Jack Cust and Jed Lowrie are your idea of stud big leaguers. Manager Davey Johnson wrote up a lineup dominated by left-handed hitters today, largely because the Nats will face right-hander Livan Hernandez, but also because Johnson wants to get a look at some of the lefties who...

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Today marks Harper's first true test

March 02, 2012, 7:02pm

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - How many blog entries can one reporter write about one specific player in one spring training? Get ready to find out. I've been here two days and somehow I already feel like I've typed Bryce Harper's name a thousand times. It's certainly no secret that Harper is the story of this year's Nationals spring training. I wrote about the 19-year-old phenom following his 0-for-2 effort (which included a four-pitch walk) in yesterday's exhibition opener, I'm writing about him...

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Harper creative yet quiet in spring opener

March 02, 2012, 11:06am

Nationals

Harper creative yet quiet in spring opener

VIERA, Fla. - Nationals fans might be eager to see Bryce Harper mash home runs and rack up RBIs in spring training, but leading off the third inning in today's exhibition game against Georgetown, the Nats' top prospect decided he wanted to drop down a bunt. It might not be Harper's forte, and the Nats sure don't expect the power-hitting right fielder to make bunting a major part of his game, but, hey, this is the time to work on those kinds of things, I guess. "In the on-deck circle, I...