nationals

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

May 12, 2010, 12:13pm

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...

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Storen called up to Nats; Bruney DFA'ed

May 16, 2010, 2:29pm

Nationals

The Nationals have called up pitcher Drew Storen from Triple-A Syracuse and designated reliever Brian Bruney for assignment. Riggleman says Storen has earned the promotion. "We are going to bring Drew Storen up and work him into the mix in the bullpen," Riggleman said. "Anywhere from that sixth inning through the eighth inning. We probably would not use him in real long stints. It will kind of find itself where his innings may be." Riggleman hopes that Bruney clears waivers and...

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2011 in 2010

May 17, 2010, 8:14am

Nationals

The Nationals are going for it. With Drew Storen called up Sunday and Stephen Strasburg starting (most likely) June 4, Mike Rizzo is announcing to the senior circuit that you can't spell National League without the National(s). This was not the case last season (or the year before that, or the....stop!). The Nats would make mistakes or get crushed in the bullpen and nothing would happen. Now, the team is making moves to get the guys on the 25-man who can play and play now. Rizzo told me...

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Clippard helps Balester in reliever transition

May 18, 2010, 9:15am

Nationals

Clippard helps Balester in reliever transition

After he was roughed up in Syracuse to start the season, the Nationals decided to convert right-hander Collin Balester from a starter to a reliever. So they sent Collin to extended spring training in Viera, Florida, where he has faced off against the Astros, Braves and Tigers, among other squads. In his most recent outing, Balester told me he went two innings and allowed no runs. "I felt my changeup was a lot better. The two-seam fastball and curveball were good. This experience will help...

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Lambin stays consistent at Syracuse, hopes for the call

May 19, 2010, 11:16am

Nationals

Lambin stays consistent at Syracuse, hopes for the call

The 30-year old switch-hitting second baseman Chase Lambin from Houston, Texas is having his best season as a minor leaguer for the Syracuse Chiefs. Lambin is batting .311 through 33 games with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers and 18 RBI. He says having Stephen Strasburg in Syracuse has changed the feeling in the stadium and the clubhouse. "When Strasburg pitches there is a whole other buzz to the stadium. It is fun to play in that environment. With a big hit the crowd reacts with a loud...

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Atilano never loses confidence in sinker

May 19, 2010, 2:25pm

Nationals

Atilano never loses confidence in sinker

Nats right-handed starter Luis Atilano (3-0, 3.90) faces Mets right-hander John Maine (1-3, 6.13) in the finale of the two-game set tonight at Nats Park. Atilano is coming off a start against the Colorado Rockies in which he allowed back-to-back homers. He did not have the best control with four walks in five innings and was often behind in the count. A lot of times it was because the sinker was not catching the lower half of the plate. I asked Luis how he adjusts when his sinker...

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Storen and Clippard help Nats close the door on the Mets

May 19, 2010, 7:07pm

Nationals

Storen and Clippard help Nats close the door on the Mets

Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard shut down the Mets in the 7th and 8th innings Wednesday to help the Nats snap a 5-game skid and win 5-3. Storen made his Nats Park debut, getting a nice ovation from the 19,384 as he was introduced following 6 and 1/3rd innings from starter Livan Hernandez. With a man on 2nd, Drew induced Jose Reyes to line out and Luis Castillo to ground out to end the 7th. Clippard had a nice bounce back after allowing the go ahead homer Tuesday in St. Louis by striking out...

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Olsen credits Pudge for best run of career

May 20, 2010, 5:16pm

Nationals

Olsen credits Pudge for best run of career

The Nationals will attempt to stay above .500 as they welcome in the Baltimore Orioles for the start of three at Nats Park. The pitching match-up in game one features left-hander Scott Olsen (2-1, 3.15) against rightie David Hernandez (0-5, 5.84). I caught up with Scott to get a preview of his start against the Birds. He has been lights out recently. In Olsen's last five starts, he has allowed only 4 earned runs in 32 1/3 innings pitched for a 1.12 ERA. Is this your best run of your...

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Dunn knew Feliciano would not give him much to hit

May 20, 2010, 7:52pm

Nationals

Dunn knew Feliciano would not give him much to hit

Down 10-1, the Nats battled back to get within 10-6 and the bases loaded in the 8th. There were two outs for slugger Adam Dunn. 23,612 at Nats Park knew this was the best chance the Nats were going to have to save a miserable night in the field. But Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano did not give Dunn the opportunity to beat him. Dunn flew out to Jason Bay to end the threat. The Mets won the game 10-7. "I have faced Feliciano a lot of times. He is a tough guy to not only get a hit off of...

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McCatty to Stammen: Go to the curve early and often

May 21, 2010, 4:43pm

Nationals

McCatty to Stammen: Go to the curve early and often

Game 2 Saturday afternoon at Nats Park features the Nationals righthander Craig Stammen against the Orioles righthander Brad Bergesen (3-3, 5.45). Stammen is coming off a bad first inning against the Cardinals on Monday night where he allowed four runs, but then he settled down, not allowing another run for his final five innings of work. I asked Craig about how he recovered from that rough start to the game at St. Louis: "Yes, it was one of those innings where I got two quick outs and...

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Batista keeps Nats in game despite little rest

May 21, 2010, 7:59pm

Nationals

Batista keeps Nats in game despite little rest

In a game where the Nats got down early to the Orioles and lost their starter Scott Olsen by the third inning due to injury, 39-year old righthander Miguel Batista kept them in the ball game and gave them a chance to come back. Just like he did Thursday against the Mets, and countless other times in his career. Down 4-0 to Baltimore after three innings and without a hit, Batista extended the game to 8th inning, allowing no runs and only two hits, two walks, and striking out two in four...

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Harper provides spark in NJCAA Western District Tourney

May 22, 2010, 6:36pm

Nationals

Harper provides spark in NJCAA Western District Tourney

Bryce Harper and College of Southern Nevada won the NJCAA Western District Tournament over the weekend in Lamar, Colorado. CSN lost the first game of the championship series Saturday to Central Arizona College 21-14 but then rebounded to crush CAC in the second game 25-11. According to Dan Cabrera from CSNCoyotes on Twitter, Bryce Harper was 6-for-6 with 4 HRs, a double, a triple and 10 RBIs in Game 2. The Coyotes have a week off to prepare for the NJCAA College World Series which begins...

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Bryce Harper's homer: "One of the biggest shots I had ever seen"

May 23, 2010, 6:05pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper's homer: "One of the biggest shots I had ever seen"

Updating Bryce Harper's big weekend, I interviewed Matt Youmans of the Las Vegas Review-Journal on "Nats Insider" on Federal News Radio Sunday. Youmans was at the NJCAA Western District Finals in Lamar, Colorado. Harper's team, the College of Southern Nevada, won the tourney 25-11 Saturday over Central Arizona College. True to form, 17-year-old catcher continued to rewrite the record books for his team, which plays for the JUCO national title starting Saturday in Grand Junction,...

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Strasburg solid in five innings vs. Toledo

May 24, 2010, 7:16pm

Nationals

Strasburg solid in five innings vs. Toledo

Stephen Strasburg went five innings Monday night for Syracuse in the Chiefs 6-3 win over Toledo. He allowed only one earned run (two runs total) on five hits, no walks and five strikeouts. He threw 52 pitches and 36 for strikes which included four groundouts and four flyouts. He left with the game tied 2-2. Strasburg was happy with the work he got in Monday's no-decision. "I tried to stick the with game plan. If they want to swing early they can get themselves out. We were able to...