nationals

Nationals announce "MVP Dad" winner, Wayne Schlauch

June 17, 2011, 11:00am

Major League Baseball announced the winners of the 2011 "My Dad, My MVP" contest to recognize extraordinary fathers and father figures as part of the MLB Father's Day celebration. The Washington Nationals are proud to announce that Wayne Schlauch, of College Park, Md will be honored as their "MVP Dad." As the Nationals' winner, Wayne will have the unique opportunity to deliver the lineup card during Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles on Father's Day, June 19, 2011. Wayne is a...

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Confidence in Burnett gave Nationals chance to sweep Cards

June 16, 2011, 7:32pm

Nationals

The Nationals were looking good with a 4-2 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals late Thursday night. In the eighth inning, they called upon their set-up man, Tyler Clippard, to get three outs. But an Albert Pujols' home run cut the lead to 4-3. The Nats still had the lead into the ninth frame. As usual, closer Drew Storen was summoned to finish off another game, as he had done 16 times this season. But, Yadier Molina's home run to lead off the inning changed that plan quickly. So, how big...

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Will Yoder: Nationals' rotation still one of the best

June 17, 2011, 3:19am

Nationals

Entering the 2011 season, many felt the Nationals dropped the ball over the winter in a rather public attempt to shore up their starting rotation. General manager Mike Rizzo made no secret that he was out to get another major league-level starter, and when he failed to sign even one of his targets, many were worried about the rotation the Nats had to offer. Quite surprisingly, the Nats' starting pitching has actually been a bright point for the club this season, with one of the more...

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Patience at the plate has fueled Nationals' win streak

June 16, 2011, 9:41am

Nationals

Earlier this season I was talking to a writer of a struggling opposing team and I asked him why they were losing. He said it was because they were not being patient at the plate. They were going after the first pitch. They weren't taxing the pitcher. They were going for bad pitches and innings were short and uneventful. While watching the Nationals during this current win streak, you can see one of the reasons the team is playing well. They are waiting for their pitch and fighting through...

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Riggleman: Personnel changes key to defensive turnaround

June 16, 2011, 1:07pm

Nationals

Riggleman: Personnel changes key to defensive turnaround

The Nationals are tied with the Phillies for fewest errors in the national league with 33 through 68 games (the Phillies have now played 70). That is a significant step forward for the Nationals team defense after leading the majors, alongside the Pirates, last season with 127 miscues. What might be even more impressive is what the team has done in the first summer month of 2011. The Nationals have the longest current errorless streak in the major leagues at 122 2/3 innings, dating back to...

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Look for the same broadcast team this weekend

June 16, 2011, 9:48am

Nationals

Look for the same broadcast team this weekend

Am I the only one who thinks a Battle of the Beltways logo would look pretty cool? I don't have an artistic bone in my body, so I'm certainly not the one to design it, but I'm picturing the two highways tangled together, steel entrenched with gridlock traffic popping out all over. Hey, it's just an idea, but for anyone who has to travel along either the Baltimore Beltway or Capital Beltway on a regular basis, you know there's enough congestion and construction to make any decent driver...

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Three-man booth on weekend O's-Nats broadcasts will feature Hunter, Flanagan

June 15, 2011, 1:14pm

Nationals Orioles

Three-man booth on weekend O's-Nats broadcasts will feature Hunter, Flanagan

When the Orioles travel to Washington, D.C., to face the Nationals in an interleague series beginning Friday night, MASN viewers will again have the opportunity to enjoy a rarity in broadcast sports television: a three-man booth featuring a collection of play-by-play announcers and color analysts from both teams. Orioles play-by-play veteran Jim Hunter and his D.C. counterpart, Bob Carpenter, will both call portions of the game. Carpenter will work the first two and a half innings, followed by...

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Will Yoder: Is Yunesky Maya running out of chances?

June 16, 2011, 4:49am

Nationals

Will Yoder: Is Yunesky Maya running out of chances?

The Washington Nationals optioned starting pitcher Yunesky Maya to Triple-A Syracuse yesterday in order to add another bullpen option for Jim Riggleman until Tom Gorzelanny makes his next expected start Sunday. While the demotion was expected, Maya didn't exactly do much to inspire the Nationals to make room on the roster to keep the 29-year-old Cuban. In four starts, Maya went 0-1 and posted a 6.88 ERA and a .325 batting average against. While some viewed his call-up as a chance for him to...

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Nationals' offense finally rewards Hernandez in 10-0 win over the Cards

June 15, 2011, 7:10pm

Nationals

The Nationals' offense has rewarded its starting pitching with a couple of big offensive performances to begin a series with the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park. Washington was down 6-1 in the fifth inning Tuesday, and erupted for seven runs to win, 8-6. Then, the Nationals crushed four home runs, two by red-hot Michael Morse, in a 10-0 shellacking of the Cardinals on Wednesday. It was a well-deserved reward for Livan Hernandez (4-8), who threw his 50th complete game and his ninth...

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Bryce Harper returns to Hagerstown lineup after missing two games

June 15, 2011, 3:03pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper returns to Hagerstown lineup after missing two games

Nationals top prospect Bryce Harper is in the lineup for tonight's regularly scheduled game for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns at Lakewood. Harper took batting practice prior to the conclusion of Tuesday's suspended game. He was deemed good to start. Harper jammed his left thumb in Sunday's game and missed two games. He is batting .338 with 14 homers, 11 stolen bases and 43 RBIs in 60 games. Harper is 12-for-32 (.375) with three homers and seven RBIs in the month of June (span of 10...

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Balester returns to Nationals throwing changeup more plus draft notes

June 15, 2011, 2:52pm

Nationals

The Nationals recalled right-handed reliever Collin Balester from Triple-A Syracuse before Wednesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Balester has gotten into a nice groove at Syracuse. He was 2-0 with one save and a 3.24 ERA in 19 games, striking out 29 and allowing just one home run. Balester appeared in three Nationals games earlier this season and got roughed up a bit. But he has made an adjustment in his pitch choices. Balester said he has started to throw his changeup more...

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Nationals' Mattheus "amazed" by quality MLB debut against Cards

June 15, 2011, 7:06am

Nationals

It has been a pretty amazing run for Nationals right-hander Ryan Mattheus, who began the season in Double-A Harrisburg and on Tuesday made his major league debut for the Washington Nationals. The run becomes even more impressive when you realize that Mattheus had been in the minors since 2005. Mattheus jumped from the short season Single-A New York-Penn League last year to Harrisburg to start this season after a scintillating spring. Fast-forward to April 2011. He pitched in 13 games for...

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Nationals top prospect Bryce Harper has sore thumb, listed day-to-day

June 15, 2011, 10:26am

Nationals

Nationals prospect

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Nats recall Balester, option Maya

June 15, 2011, 1:32pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today recalled right-handed pitcher Collin Balester from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and optioned right-handed pitcher Yunesky Maya to Syracuse. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Balester went 2-0 with one save and a 3.24 ERA in 19 relief appearances with Syracuse, posting 29 strikeouts in 25.0 innings at Triple-A this season. The 25-year-old has pitched 3.1 innings spanning...

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Will Yoder: LaRoche's shoulder surgery renews questions about first base

June 15, 2011, 3:26am

Nationals

Will Yoder: LaRoche's shoulder surgery renews questions about first base

MASNsports.com's Ben Goessling reported Tuesday night that Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche will, in fact, need season-ending surgery to repair a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder. The left-handed slugger had hit just .172/.288/.258 for the Nationals in 177 plate appearances before the club made the move to shut down the first baseman late last month. After an attempt to rehab the shoulder over the past few weeks, the club decided to have LaRoche undergo surgery in...

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Nix keys comeback with relentless at-bat in Nationals' rally over Cards

June 14, 2011, 8:22pm

Nationals

The Nationals showed resiliency with a gutty seventh inning rally against the first place St. Louis Cardinals. Down 6-2, the Nats put six runs on the board on four hits, three walks, one intentional and one hit by pitch. The six-run outburst matched the most runs the Nationals had scored in an inning this season. The Nationals had also scored six runs in an inning versus the Cardinals on April 20, against the Marlins, May 15 and the Orioles, May 20. Laynce Nix faced 11 pitches from St. Louis...

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Will Yoder: Zimmerman likely to return today; what effect will he have?

June 14, 2011, 3:01am

Nationals

Will Yoder: Zimmerman likely to return today; what effect will he have?

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is scheduled to make his return to the Nationals lineup today after missing 58 games as a result of an abdominal injury. It's been a day the club has been looking forward to practically all season, and it's one that could desperately help the club out of its horrendous offensive slump. In his absence, the Nationals have gone 27-31 overall, but have survived on their stellar pitching. At the plate, the club has hit just .229, and has managed to score only 496...

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Desmond starts and Bernadina replaces Ankiel

June 14, 2011, 3:01pm

Nationals

Desmond starts and Bernadina replaces Ankiel

Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond will go tonight but center fielder Roger Bernadina did not start. However, Rick Ankiel left the game in the second inning, Bernadina pinch hit and took over in center. We are awaiting word on the reason for Ankiel leaving the game. Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said they are going to watch Desmond carefully tonight to see how his sore left thigh reacts. "Desmond has had two days off now," Riggleman said. "I am sure he feels a little better. But I...

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Some new eats and tasty treats

June 13, 2011, 4:58pm

Nationals

We all know the real reason we go to the ballpark. It's not so we can sit and watch a baseball game for nine innings, or spend the afternoon with our friends and family sharing in some quality time. Forget all of that. The real perk of going to a major league baseball game? It's all about the food, baby. It's hard to imagine going to a sporting event without something delicious and equally unhealthy by my side. From Philly cheesesteaks during a Phillies game to a famous Dodger Dog, ballpark...

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Zimmerman activated from DL by Nationals

June 14, 2011, 11:04am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today recalled from rehab and reinstated third baseman Ryan Zimmerman from the 15-Day Disabled List and optioned right-handed pitcher Craig Stammen to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Zimmerman missed the last 58 games (27-31 team record during that span) after being placed on the DL on April 12, retroactive to April 10, with a left abdominal...