nationals

Meyers rewarded with Triple-A promotion, plus other farm notes

May 05, 2011, 5:43am

The Washington Nationals continue to reward their outstanding young pitchers in the farm system. Yesterday, Cameron Selik was promoted to the advanced Single-A Potomac Nationals after an outstanding first month with low Single-A Hagerstown Suns. On Thursday, righthander Brad Meyers got the call to head to Triple-A Syracuse from Double-A Harrisburg. The club really loves Selik's competitiveness on the mound and his overall command of all four pitches. His first start for Potomac will be Friday...

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Selik's dominance earns promotion to Potomac

May 04, 2011, 12:01pm

Nationals

Selik's dominance earns promotion to Potomac

The Washington Nationals have announced that right-handed starter Cameron Selik has been promoted to Single-A Potomac after an almost perfect month of April on the mound for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns. Selik is 3-0 with a 0.31 ERA in five starts. He allowed his first run of the season in his last start Saturday at the Rome Braves, which snapped an astounding 37.0 consecutive scoreless innings streak that dated back to 2010. Selik's 0.31 ERA is not only the best earned run average in the...

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Prospect Perez set to return to Potomac lineup

May 03, 2011, 12:05pm

Nationals

Prospect Perez set to return to Potomac lineup

Single-A Potomac Nationals center fielder Eury Perez will return to the lineup Wednesday against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans after being placed on the disabled list with a rib injury. Perez played in only nine games this season before getting hurt. He is batting .222 with seven stolen bases in 36 at-bats. In his last game April 18, at Frederick, Perez went 3-for-4. He does a good job of patrolling center field and utilizes his quickness on the base paths. "Eury brings speed to the table,"...

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Five-year anniversary of groundbreaking at Nationals Park

May 04, 2011, 7:22am

Nationals

Five years ago today, the Nationals broke ground on the new location for Nationals Park along the Anacostia River. WUSA Channel 9 is hosting a poll on its Web site asking residents if the $611 million price tag was worth it. The poll also links to these great photographs of the groundbreaking from JD Land. It's worth a look to see how different that part of southeast D.C. looks today. Also, here's a link to a video from the groundbreaking ceremony.

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Dave Nichols: Werth returns for some brotherly love

May 04, 2011, 6:40am

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Werth returns for some brotherly love

The Washington Nationals' $126 million man, Jayson Werth, returned to the place where he made his name Tuesday night: Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. He was the center focus of the festivities all evening long in the Nationals' 4-1 loss to the Phillies, even though he had very little to do with the action on the field, as he went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. He was received surprisingly warmly in his first at-bat, pausing to tip his batting helmet to acknowledge the appreciation...

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Dave Nichols: Is Gorzelanny's strong start sustainable?

May 02, 2011, 9:37pm

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Is Gorzelanny's strong start sustainable?

In Monday night's 2-0 win over the defending world champion San Francisco Giants, starting pitcher Tom Gorzelanny pitched a heck of a game, limiting the Giants to three hits over eight innings while striking out four. Most importantly for him, he didn't walk anyone, which has always been what has hindered him in his career and kept him from being a truly dependable starter in the league. After five starts for the Washington Nationals, Gorzelanny is 1-2 with a 2.93 ERA. Pretty impressive. I...

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Hairston helped Morse before go-ahead hit

May 02, 2011, 6:32pm

Nationals

Hairston helped Morse before go-ahead hit

Sometimes you need a little encouragement from your teammate. Someone else who is going through the same battle you are, someone else who struggled like you did and then came through. Such was the scenario for Nationals teammates Michael Morse and Jerry Hairston Jr., Monday night as they took on San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner. Both Morse and Hairston had been unable to notch a hit off the talented young southpaw. In the fifth inning, Morse struck out looking and...

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Bloxom to Potomac; King to Harrisburg

May 02, 2011, 9:14am

Nationals

Single-A Potomac Nationals first baseman Justin Bloxom has been activated today and will start tonight in Woodbridge. Bloxom has been out since the beginning of the season with knee weakness related to a previous surgery. The 6-foot-1, 205 lb. first baseman hit .309 with 11 homers and 70 RBI in 2010 with the Hagerstown Suns. His season was cut short last year due to the knee injury. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals announced that infielder Stephen King has been promoted from Potomac to...

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Over last 10 games, Harper dazzling with bat and glove

May 02, 2011, 9:37am

Nationals

Over last 10 games, Harper dazzling with bat and glove

Single-A Hagerstown Suns outfielder Bryce Harper - perhaps you have heard of him - continues to scorch South Atlantic League pitching. His last 10 games have been ridiculous. Since April 21, Harper is hitting .500 (16-for-32) with six doubles, five homers and 13 RBIs. During this recent run, Harper's slugging percentage is 1.156 and his on-base percentage is .600. Overall, Harper is now batting .355 with eight doubles, six homers and 20 RBIs. Projected out to a 140-game minor league...

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Military Appreciation Night launches 2011 Patriotic Series

May 02, 2011, 11:15am

Nationals

Military Appreciation Night launches 2011 Patriotic Series

As part of tonight's Military Appreciation Night, the Washington Nationals are proud to offer free tickets to service members and their families to watch the team take on the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants beginning at 7:05 p.m. Military personnel with a valid military ID (active or retired) can receive up to four complimentary tickets to tonight's game, available for pick up at the Grand Staircase Box Office on First Street, SE beginning at 5:30 p.m. Those wishing to...

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Dave Nichols: Honoring true heroes that protect our freedom

May 02, 2011, 7:35am

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Honoring true heroes that protect our freedom

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, I, like millions of fellow Americans, was on my daily commute to work, only I work two blocks from the White House. I first heard the news on the elevator up to my floor: "A plane hit the World Trade Center in New York." There were no details at that point and no reason to think that America was under attack. Once I reached my desk and got on the Internet, I realized there was a much bigger story and, like all my fellow Americans, I was then glued to the...

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Morse open to playing third base

May 01, 2011, 9:02am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals put Laynce Nix in the clean-up spot Sunday. Nix has had a pretty good start of the season at the plate in an utility role. Nix is batting .314 with three homers and nine RBIs. He hit a home run off of Tim Lincecum to start the series against the San Francisco Giants, and is an impressive 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Sunday is second game for the Nationals with the knowledge that third baseman Ryan Zimmerman will be out of the lineup until at least late...

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With Zimmerman out, can Morse move to third base?

April 30, 2011, 6:01pm

Nationals

With Zimmerman out, can Morse move to third base?

Now that Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is going to be out of the lineup for an extended period of time, what can the team do to add some punch to an offense that continues to struggle to put runs on the board? I started to think of possible solutions available right now on the current 25-man roster. One possible avenue is more playing time for Laynce Nix, who has had some big hits in limited duty this season. Nix has cranked game-winning home runs against the New York Mets and San...

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Bryce Harper hot streak continues in West Virginia

April 29, 2011, 8:42pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper hot streak continues in West Virginia

Single-A Hagerstown Suns outfielder Bryce Harper continues on a tear since the team left Maryland for road trip in West Virginia. Harper has hit .438 (14-for-32) with five doubles, four homers and 12 RBIs in his last 10 games. During that span, his slugging percentage has reached .969. Harper's season average is up to .333 (22-for-66) with six doubles, five homers and 18 RBIs. With runners on base, Harper is .412 with two homers and 15 RBIs. In five games from April 21 to April 27, Harper...

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Lannan focused on not changing plan versus Giants

April 29, 2011, 7:43pm

Nationals

Lannan focused on not changing plan versus Giants

Nationals starting left-hander John Lannan takes on the Giants' southpaw Jonathan Sanchez (2-1, 3.21 ERA) in Game 2 today at Nationals Park. The Nationals are seeking their third win in a row. The Giants have been shutout in two of their last three games. Lannan will look to keep the pitching momentum going for the Nats following Jason Marquis' amazing complete game five-hit shutout Friday night, 3-0. Lannan (2-2, 4.05) is coming off a tough loss in a rain-delayed game at Pittsburgh Monday,...

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Desmond remains hot since returning to team

April 29, 2011, 8:18pm

Nationals

Desmond remains hot since returning to team

This has been a pretty good week for Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond. As has been well documented, on Tuesday, his first child Grayson was born. In two games since returning to the ball club, Desmond is 5-for-7 with two doubles, one triple, one homer, three runs, one stolen base and one RBI. Friday, in the 3-0 win over the San Francisco Giants, Desmond went 3-for-3. Along with a Laynce Nix two-run homer, the offense provided just enough cushion for Jason Marquis to do his job. Marquis...

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New dad Desmond delivers game-winner against Mets

April 28, 2011, 8:12pm

Nationals

New dad Desmond delivers game-winner against Mets

Just two days after his wife gave birth to their new baby boy, Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond returned to the lineup and ignited the offense in the Nationals' 4-3 win over the New York Mets on Thursday night. Desmond slammed a triple in the fourth and later scored. In the fifth, Desmond blasted a solo home run over the fence in left-center for his third homer of the season. "It was nice to be back," Desmond said. "(I was) watching the games the last two days and it seemed like the team...

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Cancer scare behind him, Tyler Moore wielding big bat for Harrisburg

April 28, 2011, 11:46am

Nationals

Cancer scare behind him, Tyler Moore wielding big bat for Harrisburg

Double-A Harrisburg Senators first baseman Tyler Moore feels very fortunate to be back and healthy on the diamond this season. The Carolina League Player of the Year put together the most memorable season of his career in 2010, slugging 31 homers and 110 RBIs as the Single-A Potomac Nationals won the Mills Cup championship. But despite all the success on the field and at the plate last season, Moore was in pain. Before and after games his right leg would be sore. He would wake up early with...

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An early peek at top rookies, biggest surpises and worst messes

April 29, 2011, 9:10am

Nationals Orioles

An early peek at top rookies, biggest surpises and worst messes

Orioles lefty Zach Britton is the best of the rookie pitchers playing key roles among teams in the American League East, but if April is any indication, Britton's biggest competition for the AL's Rookie of the Year award is going to come from the Mariners' Michael Pineda. Like Britton, Pineda, 21, wasn't expected to be in the majors so soon. Britton is in the big leagues because of injuries in the Orioles' rotation.Pineda told the Mariners in spring training that he was going to pitch...

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Nationals' Desmond reinstated from paternity leave

April 29, 2011, 4:54am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today reinstated shortstop Ian Desmond from the Paternity Leave List and optioned outfielder Roger Bernadina to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Desmond, 25, rejoins the Nationals after missing the previous two games. Desmond is batting .205 (16-for-78) with four doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in 20 games this season with Washington. He...