nationals

Ted Youngling: Frustration grows with Nationals' lackluster play

July 28, 2011, 4:46am

If a win/loss record is the true indication of a team's success, then the Nationals front office should take serious consideration in bringing back Jim Riggleman to manage this team next season. Don't worry, I'm only being facetious, but let's not overlook the fact that ever since Riggleman bailed on his team they simply haven't been the same. In fact, it's been getting so bad that the Nats are currently battling the Florida Marlins for fourth place in the division. Hard to believe that...

Comments

Tags:

davey johnson guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz ted youngling

Johnson shakes up lineup for game two against Florida

July 27, 2011, 2:00pm

Nationals

Johnson shakes up lineup for game two against Florida

In a three-game skid and following a listless performance in their 11-2 loss to the Marlins in the opener, manager Davey Johnson shook up the lineup for game two. Johnson benched starters Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond, Wilson Ramos and Roger Bernadina. He inserted Jerry Hairston Jr., Alex Cora, Jesus Flores and Rick Ankiel into the starting nine, shifting Laynce Nix to right field. Johnson will have Hairston leading off, followed by Cora, Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse, Nix, Danny Espinosa,...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr davey johnson jayson werth nationals

Lottery winner to be announced

July 27, 2011, 3:39pm

Nationals

Would you like to win the lottery? Well, Nationals fans, I can't promise you a lifetime of riches, but I can offer the next best thing. Fans who attend the game on Friday, July 29 will be in for a special treat. In addition to seeing the Nationals take on the New York Mets, the Nationals will announce the identity of the recipient of a $1 million lottery prize. The winning ticket was reportedly purchased at Nationals Park on Tuesday, July 5, when the Nationals joined forces with First Lady...

Comments

Tags:

brian eller nationals nationals buzz

Bryce Harper getting defensive in left field for Harrisburg

July 26, 2011, 2:07pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper getting defensive in left field for Harrisburg

Much has been written concerning Nationals' top prospect Bryce Harper's hitting, with the 14 homers and 46 RBIs in Single-A Hagerstown and a mild start in Double-A Harrisburg at the plate. Recently, Harper has started to get something going in the batter's box with three doubles in the last two games, including a pair of extra base hits in the same inning against Orioles' lefty Zach Britton Monday night in Bowie, Md. But he is also starting to show off his defensive capabilities as well....

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr harrisburg senators nationals tony tarasco frontstory_nationals3

Nationals add Jonny Gomes to 25-man roster; Matt Stairs designated for assignment

July 27, 2011, 10:46am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today added outfielder Jonny Gomes to their 25-man roster and designated outfielder/first baseman Matt Stairs for assignment. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. On Tuesday, Gomes was acquired along with cash considerations from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for outfielder Bill Rhinehart and left-handed pitcher Chris Manno. Gomes is a career .244 hitter with 109 doubles, 115 home runs and...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

Bryce Harper has single, SB with Harrisburg and Bowie 1-1 midway

July 27, 2011, 8:56am

Nationals

Bryce Harper has single, SB with Harrisburg and Bowie 1-1 midway

BOWIE, Md. - Nationals top prospect Bryce Harper has gone 1-for-2 with a single and a stolen base in a pair of plate appearances Wednesday afternoon at Prince George's Stadium. Harper's base hit was the first off of Former University of Virginia left-hander Mike Ballard of the Bowie Baysox. He stole base in that inning but Ballard got out of it with a strikeout in the second inning. Harper faced Ballard again in the fourth and worked a 3-0 count and thought an outside pitch was ball four...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr nationals frontfeatured_nationals

Harrisburg's lineup against Bowie

July 27, 2011, 6:34am

Nationals

BOWIE, Md. - Double-A Harrisburg's lineup against the Bowie Baysox at Prince George's Stadium in series finale. Each team has won a game in the three-game set. Josh Johnson 2B Leonard Davis RF Chris Rahl CF Tyler Moore DH Bryce Harper LF Tim Pahuta 1B Devin Ivany C Stephen King 3B Chris McConnell SS LHP Oliver Perez (2-2, 3.75) vs. Bowie's LHP Mike Ballard (6-0, 290)

Comments

Tags:

bowie baysox bryce harper byron kerr harrisburg senators nationals

Rachel Levitin: What's in a name? For Metro, a challenge

July 27, 2011, 5:14am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: What's in a name? For Metro, a challenge

While most people in D.C. find themselves in a verbal squabbling match with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) on a daily basis - even if the conversation is more of a soliloquy-type scenario rather than a dialogue - I, too, have an issue with the system. It has nothing to do with its inability to run an efficient system but rather its inability to get the name of the Nationals' ballpark correct upon arrival. Here's my pet peeve: None of the train conductors seem to...

Comments

Tags:

guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz rachel levitin

Marlins send Nationals into last place with 11-2 setback

July 26, 2011, 5:27pm

Nationals

The Florida Marlins continued their dominance over the Washington Nationals with an 11-2 victory Tuesday in the series opener before 24,650 at Nationals Park. The loss sent the Nationals into last place in the National League East for the first time since June 15. The Marlins' Omar Infante triple and run in the first, and Logan Morrison's two-run blast off of Nationals' starter Jordan Zimmermann in the third, set the tone early as the Fish bolted out to a 4-0 lead. In the fifth, Greg Dobbs...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr nationals frontstory_nationals2

Nationals acquire Jonny Gomes from Cincinnati for minor leaguers

July 26, 2011, 3:16pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today acquired outfielder Jonny Gomes and cash considerations from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for outfielder Bill Rhinehart and left-handed pitcher Chris Manno. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Gomes is a career .244 hitter (554-for-2274) with 109 doubles, 115 home runs and 352 RBI in 738 career games spanning portions of nine big league seasons spent with Cincinnati (2009-11) and Tampa...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

Bryce Harper's two doubles bookend big inning as Harrisburg wins 13-2

July 25, 2011, 5:41pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper's two doubles bookend big inning as Harrisburg wins 13-2

BOWIE, Md. - Nationals' top prospect Bryce Harper delivered a pair of doubles to bookend the biggest inning of the season for the Senators, an eight-run outburst in the fifth inning, as Double-A Harrisburg cruised past the Bowie Baysox 13-2 before 6,375 Monday night in Bowie. Harper, playing his closest professional game to date to his future home at Nationals Park, smacked two doubles off of Orioles' hurler Zach Britton in the worst loss of the season for Bowie. The Baysox's previous...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr harrisburg senators nationals frontfeatured_nationals featured_sidebar

Slight adjustment in approach lifts Bryce Harper out of slump

July 25, 2011, 5:12pm

Nationals

Slight adjustment in approach lifts Bryce Harper out of slump

BOWIE, Md. -- With two doubles off of a pitcher who made 18 starts with the Baltimore Orioles, and three doubles in a seven at-bat span, the Nationals' No. 1 prospect Bryce Harper continues to hit the ball hard, and now is getting some of the positive results he saw during the first two months at Single-A Hagerstown. Harrisburg Senators hitting coach Troy Gingrich said they have worked with Harper on his approach, but he was still making good contact, even during the rough patch around the...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr harrisburg senators nationals troy gingrich frontstory_nationals1

Peacock serves notice with bounceback win in second Triple-A start

July 25, 2011, 9:34am

Nationals

Peacock serves notice with bounceback win in second Triple-A start

Syracuse Chiefs right-hander Brad Peacock could really feel the difference in his pitching from his Triple-A debut to his second start Friday. In his first chance at Triple-A, he allowed seven runs, including a three-run homer. But July 22, he came in with his fastball hitting the spots and rolled to a five-inning victory in which he allowed only one run. "I needed that one," Peacock said. "I made some stupid pitches in that first game. Their catcher got me at 2-0. I laid one in there...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr devin mesoraco greg booker nationals syracuse chiefs frontstory_nationals3

Bryce Harper: "quicker game, quicker guys" at Double-A level

July 25, 2011, 3:18pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper: "quicker game, quicker guys" at Double-A level

BOWIE, Md. - The Nationals' No. 1 prospect Bryce Harper spoke with reporters before the opening game of the Harrisburg Senators' series against Bowie on Monday and talked about fighting through his recent struggles at the plate. Recently, Harper fought through a 1-for-25 streak to collect five hits in his last 18 at-bats. He said before the game that he can definitely see the difference in talent between low Single-A and Double-A pitchers. "A lot better pitching," Harper said. "Guys...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr harrisburg senators nationals zach britton

Bryce Harper's two doubles highlight eight-run fifth inning for Harrisburg

July 25, 2011, 4:38pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper's two doubles highlight eight-run fifth inning for Harrisburg

BOWIE, Md. - The Nationals No. 1 prospect Bryce Harper crushed two doubles off of Bowie's Zach Britton, and bases-clearing extra base hits from Stephen King and Bill Rhinehart, lifted the Harrisburg Senators to an 8-1 advantage midway through Monday's game at Prince George's Stadium. With Britton seemingly cruising and up 1-0, Harper led off the fifth inning with a double off the left center field wall. Three batters later, King delivered a three-run triple and the Senators led 3-1. Later...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr harrisburg senators nationals zach britton frontfeatured_nationals

Tarp is off the field, Harrisburg at Bowie on schedule (updated)

July 25, 2011, 12:35pm

Nationals

Tarp is off the field, Harrisburg at Bowie on schedule (updated)

BOWIE, Md. - Standing by for game one of the three game set at Prince George's Stadium, with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators preparing to take on the Bowie Baysox. Left-hander Zach Britton, looking to return to the Orioles, goes for the Baysox against the Senators' right-hander Tanner Roark (4-7, 6.29), who is looking to snap a five-game losing skid It was absolutely pouring from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. The tarp has been on the field and batting practice is cancelled. Currently (4:30...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr harrisburg senators nationals zach britton

Dave Nichols: Nats both buyers and sellers at trade deadline

July 23, 2011, 10:30pm

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Nats both buyers and sellers at trade deadline

The non-waiver trade deadline is July 31, a mere six days away. As with every year since their inaugural season in D.C., the Washington Nationals - despite the protestations of Jayson Werth - are destined to be on the outside looking in once the playoff seeds are settled, especially considering the recently concluded 3-6 road trip. But contrary to years past, the organization - and Nats fans - can see brighter days ahead. The Nats have a lot of pieces in place already, and with a few key moves,...

Comments

Tags:

dave nichols guest blogger guestblogger mike rizzo nationals nationals buzz

Not every key move at the trading deadline is a big deal

July 25, 2011, 5:53am

Nationals Orioles

Not every key move at the trading deadline is a big deal

Trade speculation will fly furiously as Sunday's non-waiver trade deadline approaches. But if history is an indication, there will be plenty of trades made, as well. Last season, from July 25-31, there were 25 trades made, and the most significant were trades that didn't make headlines. The two best acquisitions were by the San Francisco Giants, who got lefty reliever Javier Lopez from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ramon Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox. The two were key to the Giants' World...

Comments

Tags:

drew storen frontstory_nationals4 frontstory_orioles4 jeremy guthrie jim johnson mel antonen nationals orioles ryan zimmerman wilson ramos

Rehab completed, Wang to start Friday for Nationals

July 24, 2011, 7:56pm

Nationals

In what was his last rehab start, right-hander Chien Ming-Wang struggled Sunday in his first loss in six minor league rehab assignments. Wang allowed five runs on eight hits in five innings, the big hit a three-run home run by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's Gustavo Molina. The Nationals reported Wang will start Friday night against the New York Mets. He otherwise dominated with a 2-1 record and a 3.14 ERA in six games with 17 strikeouts and four walks. Harrisburg left-hander Evan Bronson...

Comments

Tags:

brad peacock byron kerr chien ming-wang nationals frontfeatured_nationals

Plenty of offers on upcoming homestand

July 24, 2011, 10:21am

Nationals

If it seems like it's been forever since the Nationals have played a home game, well, it has. The Nationals haven't been home since July 10, a span that will reach 25 days when the Marlins come to town Tuesday. In between the homestands, however, there's been plenty of action. Tyler Clippard picked up the win at the All-Star Game before a nine-game road trip has seen the Nationals slip back under .500 at 49-51. Needless to say, it's the perfect time to get back to our nation's capital...