nationals

Door still open for Harper to participate in AFL

October 12, 2010, 10:53am

Nationals No. 1 draft selection Bryce Harper played his final instructional league game today in Orlando and then will head back to his hometown of Las Vegas. If Harper has time in Las Vegas, he will likely workout with UNLV and his former college coach Tim Chambers on their first day of camp, which opens Wednesday. But that does not mean Harper is done playing competitive baseball before 2011 spring training. Despite not being on the initial Scottsdale Scorpions roster, there's still a...

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Scorpions begin Arizona Fall League play

October 11, 2010, 6:07pm

Nationals

Scorpions begin Arizona Fall League play

Scottsdale Scorpions Manager: Randy Knorr, Harrisburg Senators Pitchers: RHP Adam Carr RHP Cole Kimball RHP Brad Peacock LHP Sammy Solis Catcher: Derek Norris Infielder: Steve Lombardozzi Outfielder: Michael Burgess It will be very interesting to see how all four of the Nats pitching prospects do against top flight competition, especially left-hander Sammy Solis, who has been signed for only two months and did very well against instructional league competition the last couple of...

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Nats building power pitchers at instructs

October 09, 2010, 4:02pm

Nationals

Nats building power pitchers at instructs

Nationals prospect left-hander Sammy Solis (pronounced soh-lease) is getting ready to start the Arizona Fall league season and head back home. He says his time in Viera with the instructional league squad has been all about getting in condition to pitch against the best in Arizona. It is even more impressive to see Solis excel in Florida and get ready for the AFL, after signing with the Nationals less than two months ago (August 14). "It is actually going really well," Solis said as he...

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Solis ready for Arizona

October 07, 2010, 6:28pm

Nationals

Left-hander Sammy Solis has adapted well to the instructional league in Viera and is now ready to take on the challenge of the Arizona Fall League. The Nationals' second round selection, 51st overall, grew up in Arizona and went to school in San Diego, so he is thrilled to get a chance to pitch in such a prestigious offseason league that is stocked with potential superstars of the future. Last year, wunderkinds Jason Heyward and Stephen Strasburg played in Arizona before dazzling in the...

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Comeback winners give hope to Strasburg, Zimmermann

October 05, 2010, 4:43pm

Nationals

Comeback winners give hope to Strasburg, Zimmermann

Major league baseball announced Tuesday that pitchers Tim Hudson and Francisco Liriano have each won the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Hudson won the National league honor and will start Game 3 of the NLDS between the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants. Liriano helped guide the Minnesota Twins to the American League Central title with a 14-10 record and a 3.62 ERA. He will start game 1 of the ALDS versus the New York Yankees Wednesday night. Both players returned from...

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Norris confident adjustments at plate will help in Arizona

October 04, 2010, 7:11pm

Nationals

Norris confident adjustments at plate will help in Arizona

Potomac Nationals catcher Derek Norris has one more day at instructional league before heading to the Land of the Sun and the Arizona Fall League. The first workout is scheduled for Thursday and the first game is October 12. Norris says he is excited to be able to catch Brad Peacock, Adam Carr and Cole Kimball. Norris caught Kimball for one game and has never caught Carr. He says he can learn from calling games for other pitchers. "I am really looking forward to working with a guy like...

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Morse primed to take the next step

October 02, 2010, 10:45am

Nationals

Right fielder Michael Morse says he will spend the offseason working out with soon-to-be Hall of Famer and Nationals teammate catcher Ivan Rodriguez. Morse is hoping his .290, 15-home run season will translate into an every day starter job for the Nationals in 2011 and feels learning from one of the best will help him make that final step. "That will be kind of interesting. We are planning to workout with his trainer in Florida during the offseason," says Morse. "It will definitely help...

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Hitting update for guys not named Bryce Harper

October 01, 2010, 4:22pm

Nationals

Hitting update for guys not named Bryce Harper

A quick update on how some of the Nats' prospects are hitting in Viera after the first two weeks of instructional league competition. Rick Schu, Nationals hitting coordinator, broke down a few of the guys on the roster. For our update on Bryce Harper, check this capsule from earlier this week. OF Destin Hood, Hagerstown "He is swinging the bat really well. We want him to execute situationally. We are looking for Destin to be more aggressive in hitters counts and use his lower half. He...

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Pitching prospects update from instructs in Florida

September 30, 2010, 5:53pm

Nationals

Pitching prospects update from instructs in Florida

A quick update on the pitching prospects and how several of them are progressing after a couple of weeks at instructional league in Viera, Florida: The team was in Vero Beach today to take on Team China. First, an update on veteran Chien-Ming Wang - He threw a simulated game earlier this week and will throw a scheduled side session today. If everything goes well, they will likely put him in a game soon. Wang has been recovering from major shoulder surgery which took place about 14...

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Espinosa excited to play winter ball in Puerto Rico

September 29, 2010, 4:19pm

Nationals

Espinosa excited to play winter ball in Puerto Rico

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa is preparing to finish up the season strong and then play winter ball for one month in Puerto Rico for Ponce. Espinosa feels that playing winter ball will help refine his hitting skills and will give him more reps at second base after the major league season concludes. "I am very excited," Espinosa said. "I am really looking forward to the opportunity. I think that it is going to be great for my hitting, especially. That is the main reason I am...

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Detwiler going for two in a row

September 28, 2010, 8:29pm

Nationals

Left-hander Ross Detwiler takes to the hill in the series finale with the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night at Nats Park, opposed by right-hander Joe Blanton. Detwiler was thrilled to get that win last time out but says a lot of credit goes to the defense behind him. "I went six innings and the team really picked me up," said Detwiler on the Nats defense. "After they pinch hit for me there, I think they scored four or five runs and it ended up being the winning run....

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Bryce Harper hits first home run at instructs

September 28, 2010, 3:21pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper hits first home run at instructs

Nationals' number one overall selection Bryce Harper connected on his first home run in an instructional league game against the Atlanta Braves today from Viera, Florida. Nationals hitting coordinator Rick Schu said it was an opposite field shot and that Harper also added a double in the rain-shortened game that was called in the third inning. Harper also smacked a triple on Friday and has fit in well in his first week at instructs, working with coach Tony Tarasco and others on defense in...

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Milone selected Nats' MiL Pitcher of the Year

September 27, 2010, 8:02pm

Nationals

Milone selected Nats' MiL Pitcher of the Year

Left-handed pitcher Tom Milone has been named the franchise's 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Milone went 12-5 with a 2.85 ERA in 27 starts for Double-A Harrisburg. Milone was very happy to be chosen for the honor by the Nationals because a lot of previous winners have gone on to pitch in the majors. "Obviously, it is a great honor being named player of the year for the whole system. That right there is an honor," Milone said. "There is long list of guys who have received...

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Moore thrilled to be named Nats MiL POY

September 27, 2010, 4:37pm

Nationals

First baseman Tyler Moore has been named the Nationals Minor League Player of the Year. Moore hit a franchise-record 31 homers with 111 RBI, 43 doubles, 78 runs and a .269 batting average in 129 games, guiding the Potomac Nationals to the Carolina League title. He led the League in doubles, home runs, RBI, extra-base hits (77), total bases (277) and slugging percentage (.552). Moore says he is thrilled to be honored with the award. "I feel blessed finishing strong like that, the way the...

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Bryce Harper update

September 27, 2010, 5:03pm

Nationals

Nationals number one pick Bryce Harper continues to get his work in after five games at the instructional league from Viera, Florida. Nationals hitting coordinator Rick Schu reports Harper went 1-for-4 Monday with a base hit to right field, a strikeout, a flyout to right field that just missed, and a groundout to the first baseman. Schu recounts Harper's work over the weekend, saying he is showing his talent and learning from each at bat. "Harps has got it a little bit tougher than...

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Nats building trust in the clubhouse

September 26, 2010, 7:11am

Nationals

One critical component of a winning baseball team is accountability in the clubhouse by the players themselves. Veteran teams have leaders that lead by example. Small problems are solved before they become major fissures. The players in the clubhouse police themselves. When one player is not doing something on the field he should be doing, a veteran goes to him and fixes the problem. Sometimes when it comes from a teammate instead of a higher figure in the organization, like the...

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Zimmerman on Dunn: "He is the most important piece of this team"

September 24, 2010, 7:07pm

Nationals

Zimmerman on Dunn: "He is the most important piece of this team"

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman missed a couple of games with a rib strain, but before he went down with that injury, I had a chance to talk to the Nats' silver slugger about the season and what lies ahead for the Nationals in 2011. He explained why he has been so consistent at the plate and continues to make the case for resigning slugger Adam Dunn. Zimmerman says hitting .300 is certainly a goal each year, but feels being consistent at the plate is the key every year to reaching that...

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A.J. Cole ready for instructs debut

September 23, 2010, 2:52pm

Nationals

Right-hander A.J. Cole makes his Nationals instructional league debut Friday and will throw one inning against Houston at the Astros complex in Florida. It seems like just yesterday that Cole had to make a big decision: whether to start playing pro ball now or go to college. The Nats presented a big contract. The University of Miami offered him a full ride baseball scholarship. Cole says it was a pretty easy decision. "It all came down to that I really wanted to just play baseball for a...

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Bryce Harper 0-for-2 in Instructional debut

September 23, 2010, 1:39pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper 0-for-2 in Instructional debut

Bryce Harper went 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts as the Braves beat the Nationals 5-3 in the first game of instructional league from Viera, Florida. It was the first live pitching the team had seen in 20 days and the Nationals did have the winning run at the plate in the late going. The Nationals are at Houston tomorrow in Game 2 of the instructional league schedule. A.J. Cole will pitch one inning in that game. The Nats are throwing nine pitchers in each game, one for each inning.

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A day in the life at Nats instructional league

September 22, 2010, 7:26am

Nationals

A day in the life at Nats instructional league

Nationals prospects are busy from the early morning hours this week as they get ready to take on the Atlanta Braves in game one of the instructional league schedule on Thursday. Nationals hitting instructor Rick Schu says they are in the batting cage at 7:00 a.m. every morning. They then get on the field to work on defensive drills. The guys have workouts with individual coaches based on pre-camp evaluations of each players' specific areas of need. "These players are special guys. These...