nationals

Prospect Oduber concentrates on timing at plate

May 16, 2011, 6:34am

Single-A Hagerstown Suns prospect Randolph Oduber has remained very consistent through the first seven weeks of the season, appearing as the designated hitter or in the outfield on a stocked roster. The "Groovin' Aruban", as fans and broadcasters like to call him, burst on the scene last year with an eye-opening .366 average in 39 games in the Gulf Coast League in 2010, crushing four homers with 30 RBIs, stealing 18 bases and earning Most Valuable Player honors. The 22-year-old left-handed...

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Peacock getting big time attention with masterful performance

May 15, 2011, 5:34pm

Nationals

Peacock getting big time attention with masterful performance

Double-A Harrisburg Senators right-hander Brad Peacock had one of those gem outings Friday night. Peacock shut down the Richmond Squirrels, going seven innings, scattering five hits, allowing one run and striking out 14 batters in a 5-2 victory. A Miami, Fla., native, Peacock struck out at least one batter in every inning. He struck out the final five batters he faced in the sixth and seventh innings. Nationals director of player development Doug Harris said the 23-year old Peacock has taken...

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Despite the loss, Kimball shines in major league debut

May 14, 2011, 1:08pm

Nationals

Despite the loss, Kimball shines in major league debut

Cole Kimball got the call late Friday. He didn't sleep all night and caught an early flight to Washington. At 3:24 p.m., Kimball threw his first major league pitch, a 92 mph fastball for a called strike, against Marlins cleanup hitter Gaby Sanchez. He struck out Sanchez on four pitches. Logan Morrison lined out to second base and Mike Stanton walked. Kimball then got Greg Dobbs to fly out to left. In less than 24 hours, right-hander Kimball went from the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs to...

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Pitchers Roark and Tatusko promoted up the Nats' chain

May 14, 2011, 10:50am

Nationals

Pitchers Roark and Tatusko promoted up the Nats' chain

Right-hander Tanner Roark has been called up from extended spring training to join Double-A Harrisburg Senators. Pitcher Erik Davis has been placed on the disabled list. Davis reportedly tweaked his knee last week and it is not considered a serious injury. Roark was 1-1 with 2.50 ERA in six starts with 33 strikeouts in 2010 with the Senators. The Washington Nationals have also announced that right-hander Ryan Tatusko has been promoted to Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs. Tatusko has gone...

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Reflections on Harmon Killebrew's career

May 14, 2011, 7:19am

Nationals Orioles

Reflections on Harmon Killebrew's career

Harmon Killebrew ranks 11th on the all-time home run list with 573 home runs, and, had it not been for at least three injury-plagued seasons, Killebrew would have been among the elite players in the 600-home run club. "I never think about it that way because I was so fortunate to be playing baseball for as long as I did,'' Killebrew said during a spring-training interview in Fort Myers, Fla., his final day in a Minnesota Twins uniform. Killebrew, 74, who started his career with the...

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Don't blink: Desmond on first base for a split second

May 13, 2011, 4:48pm

Nationals

Don't blink: Desmond on first base for a split second

Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond is creating havoc for opposing pitchers on the base paths. Despite a left quad injury that sidelined him Saturday, Desmond has stolen 13 bases, tied for the top spot in the National League. Third base coach Bo Porter, who stole 236 bases in the minor leagues and was an All-Big 10 defensive back for the Iowa Hawkeyes, says Desmond is good because he has speed but he is also paying attention to the pitcher and the game situation while on base. "He is very...

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Nats do almost everything right on relay to plate

May 13, 2011, 8:07pm

Nationals

Nats do almost everything right on relay to plate

Marlins second baseman Omar Infante somehow avoided a tag attempt by Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos in the 11th inning, scoring the eventual winning run in a 6-5 thriller Friday night at Nationals Park. Infante raced from first base on Greg Dobbs' double down the right-field line. With Infante arriving at home plate before the ball, Ramos tried - to no avail - to tag Infante, first on his left and then on his right hand. Home plate umpire Paul Nauert called Infante safe when Infante's...

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Marlins squeak past Nationals 6-5 in 11 innings

May 13, 2011, 6:27pm

Nationals

The Florida Marlins edged the Washington Nationals 6-5 on an RBI double by Greg Dobbs in the 11th inning before 19,503 at Nationals Park on Friday night. With one out in the 11th, Omar Infante singled off Nationals reliever Brian Broderick (0-1). Dobbs' one-out hit down the right-field line scored Infante, who reached his right hand around the tag of catcher Wilson Ramos and was called safe by home plate umpire Paul Nauert. The rest of the Marlins' offense was built around solo homers...

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Suns' Cole ready for second start tonight against Lakewood

May 13, 2011, 1:57am

Nationals

Suns' Cole ready for second start tonight against Lakewood

Single-A right-hander

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Rachel Levitin: Horning in on an unsound change of plans

May 13, 2011, 5:22am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Horning in on an unsound change of plans

It's Friday night in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are in town to start a series against the Florida Marlins. If this was 2010, there would be fireworks to look forward to. But in 2011, there are no more fireworks at Nationals Park. In April, fans found out about the change. According to Dan Steinberg at the DC Sports Bog, there had been some complaints from neighbors about the noise and some fans said their children were scared by the noise. Nationals Chief Operating Officer Andy Feffer...

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P-Nats righty Demny gets paid back with first win

May 12, 2011, 5:22am

Nationals

P-Nats righty Demny gets paid back with first win

Advanced Single-A Potomac Nationals righthander Paul Demny finally got credit for his outstanding pitching in a game where he gave up four runs. But a win is a win, and his resume from the first seven weeks has been an impressive one. The East Bernard, Texas, native went six innings and allowed four runs on two homers with six strikeouts and two walks in a 10-4 victory at Winston-Salem. The 21-year-old, a 2008 sixth-round selection out of Blinn Junior College, saw his ERA climb to only 2.94...

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Rachel Levitin: Would Veeck's wacky promotion play at Nationals Park?

May 12, 2011, 5:34am

Nationals

It was August 24, 1951 when the St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck Jr. decided to host Grandstand Manager's Day. This ballpark promotion had fans sending in a newspaper form that allowed them to set the last-place Browns' lineup against the Athletics, in addition to getting free admission the special Grandstand Managers Section at Sportsman's Park. When a decision from the manager was necessary, a sign was raised over the Browns dubout asking the fans sitting in the Grandstand Managers...

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Suns' manager: Harper seeing a lot of lefties

May 11, 2011, 2:06am

Nationals

Suns' manager: Harper seeing a lot of lefties

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Suns right fielder Bryce Harper extended his hitting streak to 14 games Tuesday with two hits in his final two at-bats of Single-A Hagerstown's 7-3 win over Delmarva. Suns manager Brian Daubach has noticed a trend on how opponents are trying to go after the No. 1 prospect. "It seems like he is facing a lot of lefties," Daubach said. "A lot of other teams (are) bringing the lefties when he is coming up. Probably to see what their guy can do, but also a challenge for...

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Harper has two singles, RBI as Hagerstown wins 21st game

May 10, 2011, 9:16am

Nationals

Harper has two singles, RBI as Hagerstown wins 21st game

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Right fielder Bryce Harper extended his hit streak to 14 games with two hits, including an RBI single to left in the fifth inning, as the Single-A Suns downed the Delmarva Shorebirds 7-3 before 1,808 on school day at Municipal Stadium. Harper also had a single to right in the eighth. He flew out to center field in his first at-bat and struck out twice. Harper has reached base in 19 consecutive games and has had 14 multi-hit games. He has had 14 RBIs in those 14 multi-hit...

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Georgia on my mind

May 11, 2011, 3:51am

Nationals

I'm off to Atlanta this morning - land of peaches, CNN, Coca-Cola and Braves baseball. I thought I would check in quickly from Dulles airport to mention a few odds and ends for the Nationals' next homestand. I'll be at the Turner Field on Wednesday and Thursday, so check back for more updates. And make sure to follow Matthew Kaminski, the Braves' organist, on Twitter. Kaminski asks fans for suggestions on songs played for visiting team at bats. Other news: * The Nationals recently...

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Rachel Levitin: Learning to cope without Zimmerman's impact

May 11, 2011, 4:59am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Learning to cope without Zimmerman's impact

John Feinstein of The Washington Post once wrote that anyone playing one of the major sports "knows that the way to make the highlight shows isn't to hit a jump shot or a home run, it is to dunk and dance; score a touchdown and salute; or hit a home run and pose." Ryan Zimmerman, 26, is a poser - and not the bad kind. Since it was first announced April 11 that Zimmerman would be heading to the disabled list for the longest stint of his young career, the Nationals have been playing in a...

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Harper has RBI single as hit streak reaches 14 games

May 10, 2011, 8:36am

Nationals

Harper has RBI single as hit streak reaches 14 games

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Hagerstown Suns right fielder Bryce Harper slapped a clean single to left in the bottom of the fifth inning that scored Adrian Sanchez from second and gave the Single-A Suns a 7-3 lead over Delmarva. Harper was gunned down trying to stretch the single to a double, but it did allow the run to score. Harper now has a 14-game hit streak and is 1-for-4 in the game.

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Hagerstown rallies in second; Harper strikes out

May 10, 2011, 7:18am

Nationals

Hagerstown rallies in second; Harper strikes out

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Single-A Delmarva scored two runs off of Suns starter Bobby Hansen in the second frame. Michael Flacco, younger brother of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, smacked an RBI double and Dudley Leonara added a run-scoring hit two batters later to give the Shorebirds a 2-0 lead. The Suns rallied for three runs in the bottom of the second. Michael Taylor drove in a run with a double and Blake Kelso had a two-run double. Bryce Harper struck out on a 3-2 count with a man on third and...

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Harper nice catch in right; flies out in first at-bat

May 10, 2011, 6:55am

Nationals

Harper nice catch in right; flies out in first at-bat

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Single-A Hagerstown Suns right fielder Bryce Harper made a nice over-the-shoulder running catch to rob the Shorebirds' Jonathan Schoop of extra bases in the top of the first inning in a morning affair from Municipal Stadium. In the bottom of the first with one out and a man on first, Harper swung on the first pitch pitch from Delmarva right-hander Luis Noel and popped up to center field for the second out. No score after one inning on school day in Hagerstown. Robbie Ray...

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Hagerstown vs. Delmarva lineups; game under way

May 10, 2011, 6:44am

Nationals

Hagerstown vs. Delmarva lineups; game under way

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Game under way, Bryce Harper batting third, lineups are in on a pleasant morning start at Municipal Stadium. Delmarva (20-11) Planeta CF Hornback LF Schoop SS Schutz RF Flacco 1B Ohlman DH Dalles C Gaylord 3B Leonara 2B RH Luis Noel (2-2, 4.75 ERA) Hagerstown (20-11) Blake Kelso 3B Adrian Sanchez 2B Bryce Harper RF David Freitas DH Jason Martinson SS Wade Moore LF Brett Newsome 1B Cole Leonida C Michael Taylor CF LH Bobby Hansen (3-1, 4.37)