nationals

Strasburg lights out against Gwinnett

May 07, 2010, 8:19pm

Syracuse Chiefs starter Stephen Strasburg rolled past the Gwinnett Braves in his Triple-A debut from a sold out Alliance Bank Stadium. Strasburg continued to hit 96-99 miles per hour on his fastball, a drop off the table curve ball and an assortment of off-speed stuff that confused the G-Braves hitters. Strasburg also added 2 RBI as Syracuse led 3-0 when he left the game. He had run scoring single in the 2nd inning and a perfect bunt in the 4th that scored the 3rd Chiefs run. His line was...

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Rizzo and 33 days

May 09, 2010, 7:20pm

Nationals

With the Nationals' victory over the Florida Marlins 3-2 Sunday, the Nats are 17-14 and won their 17th game of the season 33 days faster than last year's pace. The Nats did not secure the team's 17th win until June 11 last season and by then the Nats were close to 20 games out of first place. I caught up with Nats General Manager Mike Rizzo during the game and we reflected on the Nats great start and how he played it in spring training. He said he told the team to do three things this...

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Looking closer at the Adam Jones enigma

May 10, 2010, 7:09pm

Nationals Orioles

O's outfielder Adam Jones is struggling at bat, and the worry for fans - and for team officials as well - is that this could be more than just a slump. It hasn't been only a series, road trip or month where Jones has been not great at bat, but all season, and his struggles date back well into last year. This time in 2009, Jones was looking great at the plate, just like the All-Star he would soon be. But the story has been different since the first of June last season, after Jones' torrid...

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Bryce and Bruney

May 10, 2010, 7:26pm

Nationals

Just so you have them when the Nats pick Bryce Harper with the number one overall selection, here are his stats: Bryce finished his first collegiate regular season with a .417 batting average, 71 runs, 17 doubles, 2 triples, 23 homers, 68 RBI, .917 slugging percentage, .509 on-base percentage, grounded into only 2 double plays, 16-20 stolen bases, .982 fielding percentage, 165 total bases in 55 games. The College of Southern Nevada finished 43-13 and won the Scenic West Conference. The...

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MASN To Televise Strasburg's Second Triple-A Start

May 10, 2010, 7:50pm

Nationals

MASN To Televise Strasburg's Second Triple-A Start

MASN will televise Stephen Strasburg's second Triple-A start, as the Norfolk Tides visit the Syracuse Chiefs on Wednesday May 12th. MASN will show the Strasburg game via tape delay starting at about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday night, following the Orioles-Mariners tilt at 7:00 p.m. Last Friday, in Strasburg's first game with the Chiefs, the highly touted prospect allowed just one hit and no runs through six innings. In the stellar outing, which was also televised on MASN, Strasburg struck out...

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Posting some stats before the start of O's vs. M's

May 10, 2010, 8:05pm

Nationals Orioles

Posting some stats before the start of O's vs. M's

Checking on some O's and Mariners stats as those teams begin a three-game series tonight at Camden Yards. The Orioles scored just one run and hit .161 (10 for 62) in losing the last two games of the Minnesota series. The Birds have scored two runs or less in five of the last seven games. The Orioles have gone without a hit with runners in scoring position in six of their last seven games. They went 8 for 16 with RISP in the other game which was the first game of Saturday's...

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Trying to lower the Cliff bar

May 11, 2010, 4:00am

Nationals Orioles

Cliff Lee vs. David Hernandez. Lee: 0-1, 2.40 ERA. Hernandez: 0-4, 5.74 ERA. Lee: no walks, 13 strikeouts in 15 innings. Hernandez: 19 walks, 20 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings. Lee: 3-0, 2.70 ERA lifetime vs. the Orioles. Hernandez: 0-2, 5.09 ERA lifetime vs. the Mariners. Don't worry. Patterns are made to be broken. The Mariners lost eight in a row before ending the streak on Sunday. They fired their hitting coach (yeah, yeah, I know). There's growing speculation that Ken Griffey Jr. will...

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Minor notes

May 11, 2010, 12:38pm

Nationals

The rough early season for the Harrisburg Senators offense is starting to show with the moves the team is making. Unfortunately, the Nats have given up on outfielder Michael Daniel. Daniel batted only .182 with no homers and just 2 RBI in 19 games. The University of North Carolina product was a seventh round selection in the 2005 first year player draft. Bill Rhinehart has been transferred to Potomac after batting .196 in 28 games. Pedro Lopez has been promoted to Syracuse, but he is...

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Growing concerns over Reimold

May 11, 2010, 6:12pm

Nationals Orioles

Nolan Reimold had one of the Orioles' eight hits tonight, so perhaps he should be honored with a parade down Pratt St. Unfortunately for Reimold, that single was the only positive aspect of tonight's game. He went 1-for-4 to leave his average at .205. (It actually went up two points. Cue the band.) He also committed an error in left field and still seems to have some trouble judging balls. I thought it was telling that manager Dave Trembley, when asked during his post-game session with the...

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For Hernandez, it starts well, but didn't end that way

May 11, 2010, 6:30pm

Nationals Orioles

For Hernandez, it starts well, but didn't end that way

O's starter David Hernandez must be wondering what he has to do to get a win. He began tonight with some of the best stuff he's had all year, at times dominating stuff. But he couldn't keep it going and, as usual when he pitches, there were not many runs to work with either. He remains winless on the year as the Orioles lost 5-1 to Seattle to begin an eight-game homestand. "I just talked to Matt (Wieters) right now and he said 'that's the best stuff you've had in the first four...

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Wigginton and Reimold on another night with little offense

May 11, 2010, 6:58pm

Nationals Orioles

Wigginton and Reimold on another night with little offense

For the Orioles hitters, it was another night getting asked about the lack of offense the team is producing and another night to talk about a loss. The O's offense has produced just two runs and 18 hits and a batting average of just .188 over the past three games after losing 5-1 to Seattle on Tuesday night in front of 12,614 at Camden Yards. Ty Wigginton was asked how hard it is to try and stay confident and upbeat as the losses mount and the runs are not coming. "I think right after a...

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A weakness exposed?

May 11, 2010, 7:40pm

Nationals

The Mets got to Brian Bruney and Tyler Clippard Tuesday as New York erupted for six runs in the eighth inning that turned a 6-1 lead into an 8-6 loss. Bruney did not record an out but allowed 3 runs, 2 earned on 2 hits in the eighth. Clippard recorded only a strikeout to Jeff Francoeur in his worst outing of the season, giving up 4 hits and 3 earned runs. It seems recently that the Nats have been getting away with problems in the seventh inning because the starters have been able to get to...

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This and that

May 12, 2010, 7:18am

Nationals

A few quick hit notes to finish out the evening... Jason Marquis struggled in his rehab start in Woodbridge as Potomac fell to Winston-Salem 8-5. Marquis allowed 6 hits and 3 earned runs over 3 2/3. Jason threw 54 pitches and 36 for strikes. Marquis has been on the disabled list since April with bone chips in his elbow. Former National Ryan Langerhans hit a homer for the Mariners at Camden Yards in their 5-1 win over the Orioles. Nationals starter Craig Stammen told me he will try to...

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Marquis: "I will be out 8-10 weeks"

May 12, 2010, 12:13pm

Nationals

Potomac Nationals pitching coach Paul Menhart gave me some quick insight on veteran Nats pitcher Jason Marquis and his outing Tuesday in Woodbridge. Jason told the media today it is a strong possibility he will need surgery to clean up bone chips in his elbow. He said he felt a lot of pain this morning and expects to be out 8 to 10 weeks. Menhart on Jason Marquis' pitching Tuesday in Woodbridge: "His velocity was not quite there from what I remembered from the past. He told me he...

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P-Nats progress for Fabian and Frias

May 12, 2010, 12:34pm

Nationals

I had a chance to visit with Potomac Nationals pitching coach Paul Menhart and we talked about a few of his pitchers this season and how they are doing. Menhart, as you know, was the pitching coach for Stephen Strasburg during the Arizona Fall League and has been working with the Nats younger pitchers for years. We began with a focus on a pair of Dominican righthanders: Robinson Fabian and Marcos Frias. 21-year old Frias is a 6'2", 190 pound right hander out of Los Llanos, Dominican...

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Your P-Nats fix: Norris, Peacock, Morris and scoreboard news

May 14, 2010, 11:34am

Nationals

Your P-Nats fix: Norris, Peacock, Morris and scoreboard news

I got to sit down and grab some more knowledge from Paul Menhart, pitching coach for the Potomac Nationals regarding their roster this year. We already talked about Fabian and Frias, and it was a big week for the P-Nats with the return of Derek Norris, who is back in the lineup in Potomac after getting over a hamate injury. "He is still trying to get back to 100 percent and he looks good behind the plate. He is blocking the ball well and is happy to be back playing healthy." With the...

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Nats vs. Rockies postponed; split doubleheader Saturday

May 14, 2010, 3:30pm

Nationals

Nats vs. Rockies postponed; split doubleheader Saturday

The Rockies have announced Friday's game at Coors Field between the Nationals and the Rockies has been postponed due to inclement weather. The game has been rescheduled as part of a split doubleheader on Saturday. Scheduled starters for the Nats remain as expected. Game 1, Livan Hernandez vs. Ubaldo Jimenez. Game 2, Luis Atilano vs. Jason Hammel, Hammel is returning from the disabled list and a groin injury to be activated for the start. First game scheduled first pitch at 2:10 p.m....

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Rockies late surge downs Nats in Game 1

May 15, 2010, 10:32am

Nationals

Livan Hernandez and Ubaldo Jimenez did not disappoint, dueling into the late innings, as the Colorado Rockies blew open a close game with three runs in the eighth Saturday afternoon, downing the Washington Nationals 6-2 in the first game of a doubleheader from Coors Field in Denver. Unfortunately for the Nats, most will remember Brian Bruney's struggles in the Rockies last at bat. Ian Stewart's RBI double off of Bruney, followed by Clint Barmes 2-run single, turned a tight 3-2 Colorado lead...

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Nats swept in Denver, fall 4-3 to Rockies

May 15, 2010, 4:19pm

Nationals

Nats swept in Denver, fall 4-3 to Rockies

Colorado Rockies swept a day-night doubleheader from the Washington Nationals on Saturday, 4-3. The Rockies got to Luis Atilano with a pair of homers in the third inning, and a costly error by Ian Desmond (that could have been charged to Adam Dunn for not handling the throw) in the seventh gave Colorado the 4-3 lead that would hold. Manager Jim Riggleman on Atilano's outing: "Luis did a good job. A couple of times he walked some guys. He was behind a lot of guys, whether he walked them...

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Nats look to leave Denver with win behind Olsen Sunday

May 15, 2010, 7:27pm

Nationals

Nats look to leave Denver with win behind Olsen Sunday

The Nationals will attempt to even up the four-game set with the Rockies in the final game of the series Sunday at Coors Field in Denver. With a win, the Nats would be 4-3 on the nine-game road trip. Two wins in both New York and Denver would be big before a pair in St. Louis to wrap up the trip. This is another opportunity for the Nats to separate themselves from 2009. But they need to get some early offense against the Rockies today, who have pretty much shut down the Nats since...