nationals

Nationals announce additions to major league coaching staff

November 09, 2017, 8:31am

The Washington Nationals announced the majority of manager Dave Martinez's coaching staff on Thursday, making the additions of bench coach Chip Hale, pitching coach Derek Lilliquist, hitting coach Kevin Long, first base coach Tim Bogar, third base coach Bobby Henley, and assistant hitting coach Joe Dillon official. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Hale, 52, joins the Nationals staff after serving as the Oakland Athletics third...

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Hale joining Martinez's staff as bench coach (plus awards note)

November 08, 2017, 5:06pm

Nationals

Hale joining Martinez's staff as bench coach (plus awards note)

Former Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale will join new Nationals manager Dave Martinez's staff as bench coach, according to multiple published reports. Hale, 52, skippered the D-backs in 2015 and 2016, compiling a 148-176 record (.457) but never finishing higher than third in the National League West in his rookie season. He spent last season as the bench coach on manager Bob Melvin's A's staff and was that club's third base coach for the three seasons before he was hired to pilot the...

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#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Kendrick's walk-off grand slam lifts Nats

November 08, 2017, 8:28am

Nationals

The Nationals were busy at the non-waiver trade deadline this season. Even with a double-digit lead in the National League East, general manager Mike Rizzo still needed to make moves to set the team up for the postseason. Obviously, the bullpen needed reinforcements, so Rizzo acquired Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson immediately after the All-Star break, and then also Brandon Kintzler right at the July 31 deadline. But while Nationals fans were clamoring for new relief arms, Rizzo made another...

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Nationals, baseball remember Roy Halladay

November 08, 2017, 2:14am

Nationals

A ton of remembrances today for the passing of two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay, who died tragically in a plane crash in the Gulf of Mexico near St. Petersburg, Fla., on Tuesday. Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer remembered being motivated by watching how hard Halladay worked in spring training. My deepest condolences to the Halladay family during this difficult time. The world lost a great one too early today #RIP34 pic.twitter.com/njBOuXZ9FW -- Max Scherzer (@Max_Scherzer)...

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Baseball America: Nationals system strong at catcher and shortstop

November 08, 2017, 2:11am

Nationals

It's that time of year. Getting ready for Thanksgiving and then the holidays before New Year's Day as the weather turns colder and the days shorter. At least Daylight Savings Time has kicked in so the kids don't have to walk to the school bus stop in the dark. It's also time to get ready for our annual Nats Top 10 countdown via the expertise of Baseball America. Click here to review last week's Nationals top 10 prospects, as ranked by Baseball America. Carlos Collazo, national writer at...

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Who is your all-time favorite National?

November 06, 2017, 8:45am

Nationals

As part of his "10 questions for fans" series, my MASNsports.com colleague Steve Melewski recently asked his readers who is their all-time favorite Oriole, and I thought to myself, "Hey, this would also be a good question to pose to Nationals fans, too!" There is obviously a major historical difference in terms of longevity between the two franchises - the Orioles have called Baltimore home since 1954 and the Nationals have only called Washington, D.C., home since 2005 - but I think that...

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Rendon and Taylor come up short for first Gold Gloves

November 07, 2017, 4:30pm

Nationals

Rendon and Taylor come up short for first Gold Gloves

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon did not win the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for his work on defense in 2017. The Rockies' Nolan Arenado took the honor, winning his fifth Gold Glove on Tuesday night. Rendon did win a Silver Slugger Award in 2014. Rendon still improved on his fielding percentage by three points in 2017, getting to .979. He committed only seven errors in 334 chances. Nationals center fielder Michael A. Taylor came up short as well in his nomination for a Gold Glove. Taylor...

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Scherzer, Strasburg highlight finalists for NL Cy Young Award

November 06, 2017, 1:47pm

Nationals

Scherzer, Strasburg highlight finalists for NL Cy Young Award

The Nationals raced out to a big lead in the National League East and secured the division with outstanding starting pitching throughout the season. The leaders in the starting rotation for the Nats were Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg. The pair has been rewarded as finalists for the NL Cy Young Award, announced tonight by the Baseball Writers' Association of America on MLB Network. But Dusty Baker was left out of the top three for NL Manager of the Year. Scherzer won the Cy Young last...

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Strasburg's Cy Young consideration a significant milestone

November 07, 2017, 2:33am

Nationals

Strasburg's Cy Young consideration a significant milestone

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg took a significant step forward in 2017. The Baseball Writers' Association of America agreed it was, and arguably could be, the best season of his career. On Monday night, Strasburg was named one of three finalists for the NL Cy Young Award, alongside Nationals teammate Max Scherzer and Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw. The winners will be announced Nov. 15. Strasburg received consideration for the honor in 2014, finishing ninth in the balloting, but never has...

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Wieters exercises $10.5 million option, will return to Nationals

November 05, 2017, 5:19am

Nationals

Matt Wieters will remain with the Nationals for a second season. The veteran catcher has exercised his $10.5 million player option, a source familiar with the decision confirmed, ensuring he'll remain a member of the Nationals for 2018 on the heels of a disappointing debut season in Washington. Wieters' decision, which had to be made over the weekend, had become expected in recent weeks. When he initially signed with the Nationals a week into spring training, he was hoping to re-establish his...

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Victor Robles MVP of Fall Stars Game (plus AFL update)

November 06, 2017, 4:31am

Nationals

Victor Robles MVP of Fall Stars Game (plus AFL update)

Outfielder Victor Robles continues to impress in different settings, demonstrating his advanced skill set during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Saturday night Robles won MVP honors in lifting the East past the West All-Stars 4-2 at Salt River Fields. He went 1-for-3 with a walk, stolen base, two runs scored and an RBI. Robles opened the game in the bottom of the first with a walk and a stolen base. Down 2-1, his RBI single in the eighth brought home the tying...

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Doolittle seized closer's role and now expects to keep it long-term

November 03, 2017, 1:09pm

Nationals

Doolittle seized closer's role and now expects to keep it long-term

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Sean Doolittle, who was acquired in July to help fix the Nats bullpen and wound up excelling as closer. PLAYER REVIEW: SEAN DOOLITTLE Age on opening day 2018: 31 How acquired: Traded from Athletics with Ryan Madson for Blake Treinen, Jesus Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse MLB service time: 5 years, 122 days 2017 salary: $2.63 million Contract status: Signed for $4.38...

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How will Roark bounce back from an erratic season?

November 03, 2017, 7:54am

Nationals

How will Roark bounce back from an erratic season?

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Tanner Roark, who labored throughout the first half of the season but then found himself again down the stretch. PLAYER REVIEW: TANNER ROARK Age on opening day 2018: 31 How acquired: Acquired from Rangers with Ryan Tatusko for Cristian Guzman, July 2010 MLB service time: 4 years, 55 days 2017 salary: $4.315 million Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2018,...

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Does Martinez hiring signal an analytical shift for Nationals?

November 02, 2017, 10:17pm

Nationals

The Nationals have never been confused for a progressive, analytics-first organization. These aren't the Astros or the Dodgers or the Cubs or the Rays. But neither have the Nats been stuck in old-school ways. They may have taken the slow-and-steady route over nearly a decade, but they do utilize numbers and have implemented them into their daily and long-term decisions. General manager Mike Rizzo, a scout's scout if ever there was one, is just as quick nowadays to mention a player's WAR,...

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Minor meeting turned into major moment for Martinez

November 04, 2017, 3:46am

Nationals

Minor meeting turned into major moment for Martinez

New Nationals manager Dave Martinez played in the major leagues for 16 seasons. But the man that he worked with for 12 seasons saw him in the minor leagues for the first time some 34 years ago when Martinez was just 18. Current Cubs manager Joe Maddon had spotted Martinez when the outfielder began his minor league career playing for the short-season Single-A Geneva Cubs. Maddon managed in the Angels farm system from 1981 to 1986. "The first time I ever met Joe was in 1983 in instructional...

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Nationals hire well-regarded hitting coach Kevin Long

November 02, 2017, 2:23pm

Nationals

Dave Martinez's inaugural staff with the Nationals will include at least one experienced, well-regarded coach. Kevin Long, who has a long list of supporters after a decade with the Yankees and Mets, has been hired as the Nationals' new hitting coach, the club announced this evening. Long, 50, becomes the first member of Martinez's staff, bringing instant credibility and experience to the first-time manager's coaching roster, with other key positions expected to be filled over the next week...

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New managers bring change to National League East landscape

November 03, 2017, 12:07pm

Nationals

New managers bring change to National League East landscape

The National League East has three rookie managers - Dave Martinez in Washington, Gabe Kapler in Philadelphia and Mickey Callaway in New York - and here's a look at what the NL East teams will be up to this offseason: Atlanta: The Braves are looking for a replacement to make the roster decisions with general manager John Coppolella leaving because of a controversy involving international signing rules. ... The Braves need to fortify their bullpen and find a power bat. ... Their rebuilding...

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Four years later, Nats hand over the reins to Dave Martinez

November 02, 2017, 11:45am

Nationals

Four years later, Nats hand over the reins to Dave Martinez

Mike Rizzo had the opportunity to hire Dave Martinez four years ago. The Nationals needed a new manager following Davey Johnson's planned departure, and the former major league outfielder - at that point still bench coach for the Rays - was among the candidates Rizzo interviewed before selecting Matt Williams. Rizzo again had the opportunity to hire Martinez two years ago. The Nationals again needed a new manager following Williams' firing, and Martinez now had the experience of helping lead...

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Nats "optimistic" Murphy will be healthy by opening day (updated)

November 02, 2017, 10:36am

Nationals

Nats "optimistic" Murphy will be healthy by opening day (updated)

Buried amid the Nationals' latest managerial change was the news that one of the club's most important players - Daniel Murphy - needed significant knee surgery at season's end. And though team officials believe the All-Star second baseman will be fully healed well before the start of the 2018 season, they can't definitively say that just yet. Murphy had debridement and microfracture surgery two weeks ago to repair damage to the articular cartilage in his right knee. The procedure, which...

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Great in regular season, Gonzalez hit familiar bump in October

November 01, 2017, 1:00pm

Nationals

Great in regular season, Gonzalez hit familiar bump in October

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Gio Gonzalez, who enjoyed perhaps the best regular season of his career but once again struggled in October. PLAYER REVIEW: GIO GONZALEZ Age on opening day 2018: 32 How acquired: Traded from Athletics with Robert Gilliam for A.J. Cole, Tommy Milone, Derek Norris and Brad Peacock, December 2011 MLB service time: 8 years, 162 days 2017 salary: $12 million Contract...