nationals

Has rest of NL East gained any ground on Nats this winter?

January 27, 2018, 7:50pm

The Nationals' offseason to date has not included any real additions, only the re-signing of free agents Howie Kendrick, Brandon Kintzler and Edwin Jackson, plus the swapping of Adam Lind for Matt Adams. There's still plenty of time and, more importantly, plenty of available players to make some significant transactions that will dramatically alter things. But for now, the 2018 Nationals look a whole lot like the 2017 Nationals. That's not a bad thing, mind you, considering the 2017...

Comments

Tags:

atlanta braves mark zuckerman miami marlins nationals nationals pastime new york mets nl east philadelphia phillies featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Is Realmuto next man up in Marlins fire sale?

January 25, 2018, 7:50pm

Nationals

Is Realmuto next man up in Marlins fire sale?

Giancarlo Stanton was traded to the Yankees in mid-December. Marcell Ozuna went to the Cardinals a few days later. Christian Yelich was dealt to the Brewers last night, as the Marlins completed a stunning dump of their entire starting outfield - a really good one, too - in the span of six weeks. Which leaves one remaining question down in Miami: Is J.T. Realmuto next? Realmuto, the last remaining player of any real consequence on the Marlins roster, had already expressed his desire to get out...

Comments

Tags:

j.t. realmuto mark zuckerman miami marlins mike rizzo nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

MASN to broadcast seven Nats spring training games

January 25, 2018, 9:00am

Nationals

MASN to broadcast seven Nats spring training games

Seven of the Nationals' Grapefruit League games this spring will be broadcast on MASN, the network announced today. The slate begins Feb. 25 when the Nationals host the Braves at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, which will be the site of all of the televised games this year. Three of the Nationals' games against the Astros, their fellow ballpark residents - and the defending World Series champs - will be televised: March 6, March 21 and March 23. Two games against the Cardinals (March 11,...

Comments

Tags:

mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime spring training featured_sidebar masn frontstory_nationals3

#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Jackson helps Nats salvage nightcap of doubleheader

January 24, 2018, 7:33am

Nationals

The major league hot stove has been ice cold so far this offseason. There are still plenty of big-name free agents available on the board with spring training less than three weeks away. Although the Nationals never figured to play a huge role in the free agent market this offseason, they have made a couple of re-signings to at least make this winter not completely uneventful. They re-signed Brandon Kintzler to a one-year deal to keep the Law Firm bullpen intact. Matt Adams was signed to a...

Comments

Tags:

bob carpenter bobby blanco edwin jackson howie kendrick masn max scherzer michael a. taylor nationals nationals buzz nationals classics stephen strasburg tbt throwback thursday trea turner

Thursday morning Hall of Fame (and Nats) Q&A

January 24, 2018, 3:20pm

Nationals

Thursday morning Hall of Fame (and Nats) Q&A

The hot stove league paused yesterday - though I suppose you could argue it has been stuck on pause all winter - so the Hall of Fame election announcement could take center stage. And that was a good thing, because there was a whole lot to discuss with this year's vote. It's not simply the four players who were voted in (Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, Trevor Hoffman) but also those who just missed (Edgar Martinez), those who gained significant ground (Mike Mussina) and those who...

Comments

Tags:

hall of fame mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime q&a featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nationals announce spring training television broadcast schedule

January 25, 2018, 10:11am

Nationals

Single game tickets are on sale now for the second season of Nationals Spring Training at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches! For fans who are not able to make it to West Palm Beach, the Nationals television broadcast partner, the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), will broadcast a total of seven Nationals Spring Training matchups in 2018. In addition, the March 21 game against the Houston Astros will be televised nationally on ESPN. The complete MASN spring training schedule for the Nationals...

Comments

Tags:

nationals Nationals News Release

Notes on the newest Hall of Fame class and voting

January 25, 2018, 3:30am

Nationals Orioles

Notes on the newest Hall of Fame class and voting

The Baseball Writers' Association of America did a pretty good job with their latest Hall of Fame ballot. They elected Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman and Chipper Jones, and held off Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. They could have done better by electing Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Omar Vizquel - and even long shot Fred McGriff - but maybe those guys will make it on another ballot. Mussina is on the ballot another five years. Before we get too far into the Hall of Fame analysis,...

Comments

My 2018 Hall of Fame ballot

January 24, 2018, 9:41am

Nationals

You can call the system flawed, you can argue whether steroids users should be in or out, you can debate whether it's more important to have been a consistent performer for 15 years or an elite performer for eight years, you can complain about who gets a vote and who doesn't get a vote. Here's what you can't argue, though: The Baseball Hall of Fame matters. It matters to so many people, from the players themselves to those who work in the game to those who are entrusted to submit ballots to...

Comments

Tags:

barry bonds chipper jones edgar martinez hall of fame jim thome mark zuckerman mike mussina nationals nationals pastime roger clemens trevor hoffman vladimir guerrero featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Can the Nats improve on a 50 road-win season?

January 23, 2018, 7:12pm

Nationals

Can the Nats improve on a 50 road-win season?

It is pretty amazing to look back at how dominant a team the Nationals were on the road in 2017. They went 50-31 away from home, far and away the best road record in the National League. Only the Indians and Astros had better road records (53-28) in all of baseball. The 50-31 record on the road for the Nats was five games better than their 45-36 road record in 2016. The Nats even won two out of three games in late August at Houston, the eventual World Series champions. In 2012, the Nats went...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr dave martinez nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2 johnny holliday masn phil wood

What to watch for on Hall of Fame election night

January 23, 2018, 12:21pm

Nationals

What to watch for on Hall of Fame election night

It's Hall of Fame announcement day, which means two things: Several of the greatest players in baseball history are about to become immortalized forever, and far more attention will be paid to those very good-to-great players who aren't elected this year, for a variety of reasons. Personally, I think it's a real shame that we spend way more time and energy arguing over who didn't get in than celebrating who did get in. But that's the world we live in today. Why celebrate positives when we...

Comments

Nats are one of few MLB clubs actually trying to win in 2018

January 21, 2018, 8:53am

Nationals

Nats are one of few MLB clubs actually trying to win in 2018

Everyone has his or her own theory to explain why this offseason has been so slow across baseball. Is it collusion among the owners? Is it analytical evidence that suggests it's not wise to spend big bucks on free agents? Is it Scott Boras? Here's another theory I've seen floated from several others, and I do believe this one has some merit: There simply aren't that many teams actually trying to win big this season. Think about it. How many clubs right now would you say are guaranteed to be...

Comments

Tags:

mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

For first time in six years, Nats lacking top 100 pitching prospect

January 22, 2018, 6:27pm

Nationals

For first time in six years, Nats lacking top 100 pitching prospect

Monday's release of Baseball America's top 100 prospects list for 2018 was notable, from the Nationals' perspective, for two reasons: Victor Robles' ascension into one of the sport's best prospects is complete, given his No. 5 overall ranking, and for the first time in a long time, the Nats have no pitching prospects on the list. Nope, no pitchers. Robles and fellow outfielder Juan Soto (ranked 56th) are the only Nationals in this year's top 100 at all. And that's quite unusual for this...

Comments

Tags:

baseball america erick fedde lucas giolito mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime reynaldo lopez seth romero featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Why a pitch clock probably would make a difference

January 20, 2018, 7:03pm

Nationals

Why a pitch clock probably would make a difference

There's been a lot of talk in recent days about the threat of Major League Baseball implementing a 20-second pitch clock this season without the approval of the Major League Baseball Players Association, the two sides having gotten nowhere during joint discussions about ways to improve the sport's pace of play. Whether the pitch clock happens this year or not, it is going to happen at some point. It's already been in use in the minor leagues and has mostly received positive reviews. And...

Comments

Tags:

mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime pitch clock rob manfred featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Robles No. 5, Soto No. 56 on Baseball America top 100 (plus note on Garcia)

January 22, 2018, 4:27am

Nationals

Robles No. 5, Soto No. 56 on Baseball America top 100 (plus note on Garcia)

Here are some final insights from Double-A Harrisburg pitching coach Michael Tejera about three top Nationals prospects he has coached or seen play over the last few seasons. Center fielder Victor Robles is such an elite prospect he earned a spot on the Nationals' postseason roster. He also was named the MVP at the Fall Stars Game in the Arizona Fall League. Robles is mentioned in every trade discussion with the Nats. The club doesn't want to give him up in a trade because of his tremendous...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr juan soto luis garcia michael tejera nationals victor robles baseball america frontstory_nationals2 nationals farm report

Knorr returns to the dugout after a two-year break

January 19, 2018, 7:09pm

Nationals

Knorr returns to the dugout after a two-year break

A change of managers at the Triple-A level may not sound like a big deal. And from a pure baseball standpoint, it's probably not. Still, the news that Randy Knorr will be managing the Nationals' top minor league affiliate - news that had been reported 2 1/2 months ago but was officially announced by the club on Friday - is significant for many people within the organization. An organization that doesn't have very many remaining links to its pre-Washington days has an especially popular one...

Comments

Tags:

mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime randy knorr syracuse chiefs featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nats fans' guide to spring training: The town

January 18, 2018, 7:01pm

Nationals

Nats fans' guide to spring training: The town

The primary purpose of any trip to spring training is to, you know, watch baseball players doing baseball things on baseball fields, all while soaking up the warm South Florida sun while all your friends back north are wearing parkas and shoveling snow. But there is more to a spring training trip than baseball. After all, you do have to eat. And baseball only takes up a portion of your day. So today we offer Part 2 of our Nats Fans' Guide to Spring Training, focusing on everything outside The...

Comments

Tags:

mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime spring training guide ballpark of the palm beaches featured_sidebar spring training frontstory_nationals3

Nats announce minor league staff, Knorr to manage Syracuse

January 19, 2018, 11:50am

Nationals

Nats announce minor league staff, Knorr to manage Syracuse

The Nationals have announced their minor league staff for 2018, highlighted by the return of Randy Knorr to the dugout as manager of the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, a post he last held in 2011. The past two seasons Knorr was the senior advisor to Mike Rizzo. Matt LeCroy remains as Double-A Harrisburg manager and Tripp Keister continues as skipper for high Single-A Potomac. Patrick Anderson holds down the fort again as manager of the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns. Former Syracuse manager Billy...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr michael tejera nationals randy knorr auburn doubledays billy gardner jr. brad holman domincan summer league nationals featured_sidebar franklin bravo freddy guzman gary thurman gulf coast league nationals hagerstown suns harrisburg senators jerad head larry pardo mario lisson matt lecroy michael barrett patrick anderson paul menhart potomac nationals sam narron sandy martinez spin williams syracuse chiefs tim redding tommy shields tripp keister troy gingrich frontstory_nationals2

Nationals announce 2018 minor league staff

January 19, 2018, 12:21pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals announced their Minor League managers, coaches and coordinators for the 2018 season on Friday. Nationals Vice President and Senior Advisor to the General Manager Bob Boone, Assistant General Manager and Vice President, Player Personnel Doug Harris and Director of Player Development Mark Scialabba made the joint announcement. * Randy Knorr returns to the dugout after spending the previous two seasons (2016-17) as a Senior Advisor to President of Baseball Operations and...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

Nats fans' guide to spring training: The complex

January 17, 2018, 7:19pm

Nationals

Nats fans' guide to spring training: The complex

It may be tough to envision right now, what with white stuff coating the ground and wind chills still in the teens this morning, but spring training is fast approaching. In fact, it's only four weeks away. Yes, in a mere 29 days there will be actual Nationals pitchers and actual Nationals catchers wearing actual practice uniforms and participating in actual drills in West Palm Beach, Fla., the first official workout of 2018. I'll be there, obviously. But I know some of you plan to be there as...

Comments

Tags:

mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime spring training guide ballpark of the palm beaches featured_sidebar spring training frontstory_nationals3

Mark Zuckerman named D.C. Sportswriter of the Year

January 17, 2018, 6:12am

Nationals

Mark Zuckerman named D.C. Sportswriter of the Year

MASNsports.com Nationals beat writer Mark Zuckerman has been named as the Sportswriter of the Year for Washington, D.C., by the National Sports Media Association. Zuckerman, who joined MASNsports.com in 2016, will be honored at the 59th annual NSMA Awards Weekend in Winston-Salem, N.C., from June 23-25. He's a first-time winner of the award, which is voted on by other D.C.-based sportswriters. "This is definitely unexpected," Zuckerman said. "There are tons of really talented sportswriters...