nationals

Nationals statement regarding Vito Rizzo

May 18, 2011, 9:15am

The Washington Nationals organization today announced the passing of Vito Rizzo, 103, the father of Nationals Senior Advisor to the General Manager Phil Rizzo and the grandfather of Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo. Vito passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2011, in Chicago, IL from natural causes. "My grandfather was a long time Chicago railroad worker, who doubled as a terrific semi-professional ballplayer. A lifelong fan and student of...

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Checking in live from Hagerstown

May 18, 2011, 6:38am

Nationals

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - I'm out in Hagerstown this afternoon, as the Suns will play two games today. The first game will be the conclusion of yesterday's suspended game. Kannapolis leads 2-1 heading to the bottom of the third. @bkerr32 for instant updates.

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Bryce Harper 0-2 through third inning in Hagerstown

May 18, 2011, 6:54am

Nationals

Bryce Harper 0-2 through third inning in Hagerstown

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Hagerstown Suns right fielder

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Younging/Yoder: Mourning the passing of Harmon Killebrew

May 18, 2011, 6:59am

Nationals

Younging/Yoder: Mourning the passing of Harmon Killebrew

The baseball world is mourning the death of Harmon Clayton Killebrew, who died Tuesday at the age of 74. As such, it would seem unfitting to blog about anything else this morning. The 13-time All-Star, 1969 American League Most Valuable Player and 1984 Hall of Fame inductee played 22 seasons in the majors, collecting 2,086 hits, 573 home runs and 1,584 RBIs. "It's a sad day. We lost an icon. We lost Paul Bunyan," former Minnesota Twins star Kent Hrbek said Tuesday, speaking about...

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Former Mets lefty Oliver Perez activated to Double-A Harrisburg

May 17, 2011, 9:32am

Nationals

Former Mets lefty Oliver Perez activated to Double-A Harrisburg

The Washington Nationals have made a couple of moves worth noting that affect the Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse rosters. Outfielder Jesus Valdez and right-hander Ryan Mattheus have been promoted to Syracuse. Mattheus had a strong run of nine consecutive games without allowing an unearned run snapped May 12 at Richmond. His record is still impressive at 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA as a reliever with the Senators. Valdez has gone 6-for-14 in his last five games and is batting .278 in...

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Nationals' statement on passing of Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew

May 17, 2011, 3:35pm

Nationals

Washington Nationals Managing Principal Owner Theodore N. Lerner issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Harmon Killebrew at the age of 74: "For baseball fans and Washingtonians there was a distinct sadness felt today with the passing of Harmon Killebrew. Our family and the Nationals organization were honored to host Harmon for a game last season at Nationals Park. We shall long treasure that evening and the gentlemanly impression left by Harmon. "A Hall of Fame...

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Lannan learning to battle through early adversity

May 17, 2011, 8:56am

Nationals

Lannan learning to battle through early adversity

Nationals' left-hander John Lannan fought through Monday night's start against the Pittsburgh Pirates when everything wasn't clicking like he had hoped. He was giving up base hits. His fastball wasn't locating, ending up high in the zone. The Pirates had chances to blow the game open early. "I felt good but I was just up," Lannan said. "I told myself to take a deep breath and get down. That is where I am most effective and that is where I am going to get groundballs. That is what I...

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Will Yoder: For slump busters, Monday's win a welcome relief

May 17, 2011, 3:17am

Nationals

Will Yoder: For slump busters, Monday's win a welcome relief

The Nationals won a 4-2 decision last night over the Pittsburgh Pirates to help them get within one game of .500. It was their second win in a row, after dropping their three previous games by a combined three runs. It has clearly been an up-and-down few weeks for the club, but for some it had been more down than up lately. One such player was Danny Espinosa. There was a time when he was the only hitter in the Nats lineup manager Jim Riggleman could rely on, but the rookie second baseman had...

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Espinosa makes Pirates "right move" look so wrong

May 16, 2011, 7:26pm

Nationals

Espinosa makes Pirates "right move" look so wrong

Playing the percentages, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle pulled starting left-handed pitcher Paul Maholm in the bottom of the seventh inning in a 2-2 game. Hurdle brought in right-handed reliever Jose Ascanio to face Nationals switch-hitting second baseman Danny Espinosa, who has had only three hits in his last nine games and was 0-for-2 Monday night. Danny Espinosa talks about his strong at-bats in the Nationals' win Espinosa, switching over to bat left-handed, saw the move being made and...

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Peacock garners Eastern League Player of Week honors

May 16, 2011, 4:29pm

Nationals

Peacock garners Eastern League Player of Week honors

Double-A Harrisburg Right-hander Brad Peacock was named Player of the Week in the Eastern League for May 9-15 after a scintillating performance at the Richmond Squirrels Friday night. Peacock threw seven innings, scattering five hits, allowing one earned run with one walk and a career-high 14 strikeouts. Peacock said he had never struck out more than 10 hitters in the past. "I am pretty sure that was my best outing of my career," Peacock said. "I was definitely in a zone. Derek Norris...

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Espinosa's blast lifts Nationals past Bucs

May 16, 2011, 5:09pm

Nationals

Danny Espinosa welcomed Pirates relief pitcher Jose Ascanio to Nationals Park Monday night with a two-run blast deep into the right field bullpen, lifting the Washington Nationals to a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 21,960. Nationals starter John Lannan struggled throwing strikes early on, but settled down to go 6 1/3 innings, scattering seven hits, allowing only two runs with four walks and four strikeouts. Cole Kimball pitched one inning of relief for his first major league...

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Prospect Oduber concentrates on timing at plate

May 16, 2011, 6:34am

Nationals

Prospect Oduber concentrates on timing at plate

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...