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Dave Nichols: Signing day brings intrigue to Nationals Park

August 15, 2011, 4:53am

The deadline to sign draft picks from June's First-Year Player Draft is midnight tonight. As of this post, the Washington Nationals still have not signed their top five picks from this year's draft. It's not an unusual scenario, due to Major League Baseball's antiquated rules governing the draft and the slotting system the league recommends for draft pick bonuses. Even though it's a yearly ritual by now, it still brings hand-wringing and hair-pulling until the clock strikes midnight and...

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Bryce Harper walk-off highlights historic night in Nationals' system

August 13, 2011, 6:58am

Nationals

Aug. 12, 2011. A pretty good night in the Nationals' system. Every team, from low Single-A to high Single-A was victorious with the biggest of prospects delivering, from Bryce Harper to Brad Peacock and even Stephen Strasburg. Nationals director of player development Doug Harris was in Woodbridge, Va., to watch Strasburg's performance. He took away a tremendous amount of pride for the organization following a successful night across the board. "Absolutely," Harris said. "Wins and...

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Potomac's Solis to return Monday; Higley slated for Aug. 27

August 14, 2011, 5:23am

Nationals

Potomac's Solis to return Monday; Higley slated for Aug. 27

Potomac Nationals left-hander Sammy Solis threw a bullpen session Friday and everything felt good with his elbow and his throwing arm. Solis thinks he will be activated and start Monday night after missing nearly a week with elbow inflammation. He threw 30 pitches and came away pleased with the session. "Fantastic," Solis said. "Everything was moving good. Velocity was good. It is just coming back after missing five days. You have to get in the rhythm of things and that is what I...

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Strasburg on second rehab start: felt more like a "normal game"

August 12, 2011, 5:02pm

Nationals

Strasburg on second rehab start: felt more like a "normal game"

WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Nationals right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg looked stronger in his second rehab outing. He threw only 33 pitches, 26 strikes, in three innings of shutout work, allowing just two infield singles, no walks, and striking out five. His fastball was lethal again, consistently hitting 98 mph, and touching 99 mph in the second inning. After catching a grounder and throwing to first to end the third, Strasburg came off to a round of applause from the sold out crowd at Pfitzner...

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Strasburg throws three clean innings, hits 99 mph

August 12, 2011, 3:46pm

Nationals

Strasburg throws three clean innings, hits 99 mph

WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg was on target again in his second rehab start, this time for the Single-A Potomac Nationals at a sold out Pfitzner Stadium. Strasburg consistently hit 98 mph on the stadium radar gun, and touched 99 mph. He threw just 33 pitches, 26 for strikes, allowed two infield singles and no walks. Strasburg struck out five Pelicans. He needed only eight pitches for a 1-2-3 third frame, striking out two batters in that inning. He struck out the...

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Pregame from Potomac: Stephen Strasburg preparing to pitch

August 12, 2011, 1:40pm

Nationals

Pregame from Potomac: Stephen Strasburg preparing to pitch

WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg getting ready for his second rehab assignment with 6,600 expected at a sold-out Pfitzner Stadium. The crowds were lining up at 4 p.m. outside the two main gates here at the stadium in anticipation of seeing the Nationals top pick from two years ago. The sun is bearing down on the field but it is absolutely perfect conditions. Strasburg is scheduled to pitch three innings and throw a maximum of 50 pitches. Strasburg likely will go...

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Potomac's Leon learning opponents' swings, making big strides behind the plate

August 12, 2011, 10:49am

Nationals

Potomac's Leon learning opponents' swings, making big strides behind the plate

The catching depth in the Washington Nationals organization continues to show itself in the lower level minor league teams with Adrian Nieto and David Freitas in Single-A Hagerstown. Meanwhile, up one level in Woodbridge, Va., after a slow start at the plate, High-A Potomac Nationals catcher Sandy Leon is beginning to get on a hitting roll. Leon has batted .273 in the last 10 games with a double, three homers and seven RBI. He has had those three round trippers in his last 10 outings, with...

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Rally falls short, Nationals lose to Cubs, 4-3

August 11, 2011, 11:31am

Nationals

Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann was pitching efficiently and looked like he was headed towards another one of his outstanding starts. Cubs starter Ryan Dempster (10-8) allowed only a Ryan Zimmerman home run in the first, so that did not give Jordan much wiggle room in the late stages of the game. Sound familiar? Zimmermann hasn't had much run support all season long. It happened again Thursday at Wrigley Field as the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals, 4-3. With the score...

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Zimmerman gives Nationals early lead in Chicago, 1-0

August 11, 2011, 10:34am

Nationals

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman reached 19 games in his current hitting streak with a monster solo shot out of Wrigley Field in the first inning off of the Cubs' Ryan Dempster. It is the second longest hit streak of Zimmerman's career, the homer coming on a slider from Dempster, who has allowed 16 homers this season. The Nationals are looking to win their first road series under Davey Johnson and lead the season series with Chicago, 4-2. Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann has...

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Potomac's Solis says elbow feels better; closer to bullpen session

August 10, 2011, 7:38pm

Nationals

Potomac's Solis says elbow feels better; closer to bullpen session

Single-A Potomac Nationals left-hander Sammy Solis had a fairly good game against Salem Aug. 2. He went seven innings and allowed three hits with two solo homers in taking the loss, 3-0. But toward the end of the game, Solis felt pain in his elbow and got it immediately checked out by the team's medical personnel. The diagnosis was left elbow inflammation and tendinitis. The MRI came back negative. Solis has still been solid in his six high Single-A starts, going 4-2 with a 3.38 ERA, 33...

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First look: Walters shows off arm, bat at Potomac

August 10, 2011, 7:57am

Nationals

First look: Walters shows off arm, bat at Potomac

I got my first look at the play of newly acquired shortstop

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Rachel Levitin: Musical traditions at Nats Park still being crafted

August 10, 2011, 5:42am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Musical traditions at Nats Park still being crafted

There was a time, long before Nationals Park was constructed, when I could hear AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" and not think of baseball. Those days are gone. That first song off AC/DC's 1990 album "The Razors Edge" still pumps me up in the gym or gets my head banging at a bar on the weekend but now, whenever I hear the song, I think of the Nationals. Lead guitarist Angus Young's guitar riff is etched into the minds of Nationals game-goers as the tune and anthem that Washington's boys of...

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Wang notches first win with Nationals; Morse and Gomes homer, 3-1 over Cubs

August 09, 2011, 5:58pm

Nationals

This was the night that Chien-Ming Wang dreamed about during those long hours rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder. Wang (1-2) notched his first major league win since June 28, 2009, and his first as a Washington National, going six innings, allowing just one hit and no runs. The Nationals scored all their runs in the sixth frame and defeated the Chicago Cubs, 3-1 at Wrigley Field. Davey Johnson's postgame comments after the Nationals beat the Cubs 3-1 at Wrigley on Tuesday Wang...

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Potomac's Destin Hood showcases newfound power with two homers

August 09, 2011, 7:09pm

Nationals

Potomac's Destin Hood showcases newfound power with two homers

WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Maybe it was Brian Peacock's bat. Maybe it was the slight breeze at Pfitzner Stadium. Maybe it was the early start time. Or maybe Destin Hood has found something in his swing. Nationals director of player development Doug Harris spoke about it last week, that Hood is close to getting that leverage that would make him an every day power hitter. "I think that the work (I have put in) has a lot to do with it," Hood said. "I am just trying to trust myself. I am not trying to...

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Dave Nichols: The second coming of Stephen Strasburg

August 07, 2011, 6:25pm

Nationals

Dave Nichols: The second coming of Stephen Strasburg

Washington Nationals right-handed starter Stephen Strasburg, dubbed "Baseball Jesus" by a teammate last season during spring training, made his much-anticipated return to a baseball field facing batters paid to beat him Sunday, as he took the mound for the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (no joke) in his first minor league rehab appearance, as he continues his recovery from ligament replacement surgery. The appearance comes two weeks less than one calendar...

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Wang hasn't allowed a hit versus Cubs through five

August 09, 2011, 5:33pm

Nationals

Wang hasn't allowed a hit versus Cubs through five

Nationals right-hander Chien-Ming Wang has pitched very well so far against the Chicago Cubs. Wang has not allowed a hit through five innings and has induced 10 ground ball outs. He has walked two and hit one batter, but otherwise has looked much improved from his early struggles in his first two starts. Matt Garza has been equal to the task, striking out eight Nationals' through five innings. Garza has struck out every hitter in the Nationals lineup at least once, except for Ryan...

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Potomac's Hood has two homers; Olbrychowski adds splitter

August 09, 2011, 9:09am

Nationals

Potomac's Hood has two homers; Olbrychowski adds splitter

WOODBRIDGE, Va. -- A few news and notes as I take in an early afternoon Carolina League Single-A matchup between the Potomac Nationals and the Salem Red Sox. P-Nats right-hander Adam Olbrychowski has added a splitter to his repertoire. The Pepperdine pitcher has won two of his last three starts and is coming off a career-high eight innings in Friday's win. Destin Hood hit home runs No. 10 and 11 in his first two at-bats. The solo shots off of Salem's Stolmy Pimentel were no-doubt-about-it...

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Mark Hornbaker: Can Morse stay in "Beast Mode" long enough to win batting title?

August 08, 2011, 4:43pm

Nationals

Mark Hornbaker: Can Morse stay in "Beast Mode" long enough to win batting title?

The Washington Nationals' first baseman Michael Morse, is putting up some offensive numbers Washington baseball fans haven't seen in nearly a half century. The 29-year-old Morse has a legitimate shot at winning the 2011 National League batting title. Currently Morse is third in the NL with a batting average of .324 and trails only Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers who has an average of .326 and league leading Jose Reyes of the New York Mets who is batting .336 in 98 games. If Morse does...

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Potomac's Olbrychowski records best outing of summer, won two of last three

August 08, 2011, 10:30am

Nationals

Potomac's Olbrychowski records best outing of summer, won two of last three

Single-A Potomac Nationals right-hander Adam Olbrychowski is on a roll recently in Woodbridge, Va. The Pepperdine hurler has allowed three hits or less in three of his last four starts. His most recent start, Aug. 5, was his best in over a month and his top outing since he returned to a starting role nine games ago. Friday at Myrtle Beach, Olbrychowski went a career-high eight innings, allowing three hits, one run, three walks and had six strikeouts for his fourth win of the season, a 6-1...

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News and notes from baseball as pennant races get tight

August 08, 2011, 12:21pm

Nationals Orioles

News and notes from baseball as pennant races get tight

The National League East is all but over. The other five division championships have boiled down to a two-team race with the exception of the American League Central. The Detroit Tigers lead the surprise Cleveland Indians, but how about the Chicago White Sox, the third place team that started a four-game series Monday in Baltimore? The White Sox are defined by inconsistent play this season, but they are coming off a weekend sweep in Minnesota, a team they were 8-28 against in the previous 36...