nationals

One concern with Wang set to face Yanks

March 15, 2012, 7:54am

VIERA, Fla. - Davey Johnson would prefer that the Yankees weren't in town today. He has nothing against the Pinstripes, other than possibly from his time as a player and a manager with the Orioles, when he would battle with the Yanks a bunch of times each season. But Johnson's concern with Joe Girardi's bunch is that the logo on their helmets will cause his starter today, Chien-Ming Wang, to push things too hard against the team that he played for from 2005-2009. Wang is still in the...

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Nats, Yanks knotted in the sixth (Nationals lose 8-5)

March 15, 2012, 11:19am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - As I check NCAA Tournament scores in between pitches ... We're tied 2-2 here in the sixth inning at Space Coast Stadium. And while the action on the field the rest of the way will be monitored, the main story that will come out of today will be the injury to Chien-Ming Wang, who left the game in the third inning because of a left hamstring strain. We'll have to see what reports manager Davey Johnson gets from the training staff about the righty's status and hope that it's...

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Updates on Morse, Ramos and Flores

March 15, 2012, 7:07am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - The Yankees didn't exactly bring their A-team with them today. Brett Gardner, Russell Martin, Andruw Jones and Bill Hall are the only real recognizable names in New York's lineup, leaving Nationals manager Davey Johnson to wonder why Derek Jeter wasn't able to make the trip. "It would probably be just a half-hour trip in his jet," Johnson joked. Johnson offered a few injury updates during his pregame session with reporters, saying that left fielder Michael Morse still...

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Chien-Ming Wang leaves game after taking awkward fall (updated)

March 15, 2012, 10:03am

Nationals

Chien-Ming Wang leaves game after taking awkward fall (updated)

VIERA, Fla. - Chien-Ming Wang was grooving right along, pounding the strike zone and sitting down Yankees hitters. Then he went down himself. Wang had to leave today's game in the third inning after awkwardly landing around first base. The Nationals right-hander moved toward the first-base bag to pick up a chopper off the bat of Yankees catcher Russell Martin, and as he tried to tap the base, his leg buckled. The veteran hit the ground, landing on his shoulder, but it appeared to be his...

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Harper's throwing adjustment keying seamless position switch

March 15, 2012, 10:07am

Nationals

Harper's throwing adjustment keying seamless position switch

Nationals outfield coordinator Tony Tarasco has worked with Bryce Harper from Day One on getting the No. 1 prospect to make a smooth transition from his early days in high school and college as a catcher to his time now as a professional outfielder. "His progress has taken huge leaps," Tarasco said. "It is pretty impressive considering that he has only played outfield for about a year and also considering that he is coming from behind the plate and going to the outfield. A lot of times you...

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Strasburg admits "immaturity" getting in the way of progress

March 14, 2012, 7:44pm

Nationals

Strasburg admits "immaturity" getting in the way of progress

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - It's always nice watching a young player begin to grow in front of our eyes, to evolve from a guy getting by on talent to one who starts to really get it. We saw a bit of that with Stephen Strasburg tonight; but we didn't see it until the Nationals starter's jersey was off and he had large bags of ice taped to various parts of his right arm. Strasburg's line tonight wasn't pretty. He went four innings against the Braves, and allowed four runs on five hits with...

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Today's lineup plus some leftover notes

March 15, 2012, 5:40am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals host the Yankees today for a 1:05 p.m. game, and as promised, Bryce Harper is in the lineup, hitting seventh and playing right field. And please, no jokes about him secretly trying to slip on a Yankees uniform. Michael Morse is not in the Nats' lineup again today, but Roger Bernadina is back in there after being scratched from last night's game because of lightheadedness after having a tooth pulled. Bernadina will lead off and play left field. Here's the Nats'...

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Harper's goal remains the same - big leagues or bust

March 14, 2012, 6:08pm

Nationals

Harper's goal remains the same - big leagues or bust

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Despite being quoted as saying he doesn't think he has a good chance to make the Nationals' 25-man opening day roster, Bryce Harper said tonight that his goal remains the same: Start the season in a big league uniform. A

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Strasburg lacking Strasburg-like stuff (Nats lose 6-5)

March 14, 2012, 3:41pm

Nationals

Strasburg lacking Strasburg-like stuff (Nats lose 6-5)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The balls are flying out of Champion Stadium tonight, as the Nationals and Braves have combined to hit four home runs through four innings of play. Two have come off Nats' bats - a two-run shot from Chad Tracy and a solo blast by Jesus Flores - but the two that will draw the most attention were the homers hit off Nationals right Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg allowed four runs in his four innings of work, and surrendered longballs to Dan Uggla (a two-run shot in the...

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Nats say Harper still has a shot at opening day roster

March 14, 2012, 8:23am

Nationals

Nats say Harper still has a shot at opening day roster

VIERA, Fla. - While Bryce Harper's chances of making the Nationals' opening day roster have taken a hit as he's missed the last six days because of a left calf injury, general manager Mike Rizzo says that Harper still is in the mix for the team's starting right fielder job. "We haven't made any decision to the contrary," Rizzo said. "He's still in the picture, and we're still early in the decision-making process." Harper, the Nats' top prospect, has gone 5-for-11 (.455) in...

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Surprise: Harper to play center field tonight (updated again)

March 14, 2012, 1:02pm

Nationals

Surprise: Harper to play center field tonight (updated again)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Bryce Harper won't just be returning to the lineup tonight for the first time in a week after suffering a left calf injury. He'll also be playing center field. After a late lineup change, Harper will get the start in center for the Nationals tonight, with Roger Bernadina moving over to right field and Eury Perez manning left field. Update: Bernadina has been scratched from tonight's lineup because he's experiencing lightheadedness after having a tooth pulled...

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Morse update plus tonight's lineup

March 14, 2012, 9:28am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - Michael Morse isn't in the Nationals' lineup tonight, but that doesn't mean the left fielder isn't getting work in today. Morse, who is still dealing with a lat strain, will head over to a side field at the Nats' complex and play in a minor league game today. He plans on getting 6-8 at-bats during that game, which he much prefers over the 2-3 that he would get if he was to travel with the Nationals to Orlando for tonight's game against the Braves. "I can actually work on...

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Opening day starter still up in the air

March 14, 2012, 5:42am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - Manager Davey Johnson isn't ready to announce how his starting pitchers will line up for the first couple regular season series just yet, but that decision will come fairly soon. While we've now been through the Nationals' rotation twice, Johnson wants to see each starter go one more time and get up around that 75-pitch limit before he makes any decisions on how things will play out in early April. The two obvious candidates get the honors as the Nats' opening day starter...

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Emptying the notebook after the Nats' 6-3 loss

March 13, 2012, 6:29pm

Nationals

Emptying the notebook after the Nats' 6-3 loss

VIERA, Fla. - Bryce Harper made it through today's workout without experiencing any issues with his ailing left calf, and the right fielder will return to the Nationals' lineup tomorrow evening against the Braves, as planned. Left fielder Michael Morse will not travel to Disney to face Atlanta after seeing action at DH the last two games. As reporters walked into the clubhouse following tonight's 6-3 Nats' loss to Detroit, the replay of the game was airing on MASN on the lone clubhouse...

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Despite results, Jackson pleased with his outing (Nats lose 6-3)

March 13, 2012, 4:57pm

Nationals

Despite results, Jackson pleased with his outing (Nats lose 6-3)

VIERA, Fla. - Edwin Jackson should have been out of the first inning having retired the side in order. Instead, he needed to face an extra hitter when left fielder Jason Michaels dropped a lazy fly ball, and Jackson followed by giving up a two-run homer to the next batter he faced. Jackson could've benefited from a double play on a sharply-hit ground ball hit up the middle in the fourth inning. Instead, shortstop Ian Desmond stumbled and only managed to get a force at second base by taping...

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Nats' bench battle should go down to the wire

March 13, 2012, 1:26pm

Nationals

Nats' bench battle should go down to the wire

VIERA, Fla. - While the bulk of the spots on manager Davey Johnson's bench are accounted for at this point, the battle for the last slot might get fierce. Johnson said today that the competition for the final bench job "probably won't be settled until the last day" of spring, allowing outfielders Brett Carroll and Jason Michaels and infielders Chad Tracy, Mark Teahen and Andres Blanco plenty of time to sort out who will crack the 25-man roster. First baseman Tyler Moore, who has hit 31...

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A rundown of banged-up outfielders

March 13, 2012, 11:59am

Nationals

VIERA, Fla. - Here are a few rapid-fire injury updates before I have to pop right back down to the field in a couple minutes. You ready? Here we go. As I mentioned a bit ago, Bryce Harper is in tomorrow's Nationals lineup, but manager Davey Johnson wants to watch him get a full workout today. If Harper comes through the workout feeling OK, he'll be in there tomorrow against the Braves. Johnson noted how Harper was here at 7:15 this morning, raring to go. Today marks the sixth straight day...

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Jackson shaky in third start, Zimmerman still locked in

March 13, 2012, 3:45pm

Nationals

Jackson shaky in third start, Zimmerman still locked in

VIERA, Fla. - How many bad jokes can I make about Ryan Zimmerman being on fire? Nobody touch his bat; you might scald your hands. Don't look directly at him, you might hurt your eyes. OK, two is enough. Zimmerman is now hitting a whopping .615 this spring after doubling to right-center in his second at-bat tonight. The Nationals' third baseman is 8-for-13 in Grapefruit League action, and remarkably, six of his hits are for extra bases. He also has the Nats' lone RBI of the night, which...

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"The Fielding Bible" lists Nats' Ankiel as best outfield arm

March 13, 2012, 7:25am

Nationals

"The Fielding Bible" lists Nats' Ankiel as best outfield arm

The Nationals' outfield defense was a major reason the team finished only one game under .500 in 2011. Their defense, with arms such as Rick Ankiel, Jayson Werth, Michael Morse and quite possibly top prospect Bryce Harper patrolling the warning track this season, could take a step forward again as the franchise seeks its first playoff berth since 1981. Looking back at last year's defensive statistics, Ankiel saved eight runs in center field, the best in baseball from that position, according...

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Rendon, Purke part of first round of Nats cuts

March 12, 2012, 1:59pm

Nationals

Rendon, Purke part of first round of Nats cuts

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals trimmed nine players from their stable of players at big league camp today, including two of their top three picks in the 2011 draft. First-round pick Anthony Rendon, who has seen time at multiple infield positions this spring, and third-round left-handed pitcher Matt Purke were both optioned to Single-A Potomac. Infielder Carlos Rivero was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, while six others - right-handed pitchers Austin Bibens-Dirkx and Rafael Martin, catcher Sandy...