It has at times been easy to overlook, because the group collectively continues to produce, but the Nationals do miss their injured position players. How could any lineup not miss Jayson Werth, Trea Turner and Michael A. Taylor, who progressively have gone on the disabled list over the last six weeks? "Do you want all your guys healthy? I think, of course," first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said after Tuesday night's 8-0 drubbing at the hands of the Brewers. "You look at the teams at the end of...

When the Nationals suddenly found themselves in need of a No. 5 starter during the All-Star break, they turned to an old friend. Edwin Jackson, who had recently returned to the organization for which he pitched five years earlier, was performing well at Triple-A Syracuse and was a logical replacement for the injured Joe Ross. And when Jackson proceeded to dominate the Angels over seven sparkling innings last week in Anaheim, the Nationals might have tempted to believe their back-of-the-rotation...

Offensively, it just wasn't the Nationals' night in an 8-0 setback to the visiting Brewers. The Nats went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and managed only five hits. They left eight men on base. Only one of their three doubles came with a runner on base. Bryce Harper's double with two outs and Stephen Drew on first in the eighth was their best chance to put multiple runs on the board. A Ryan Zimmerman grounder ended that threat. Drew reached second base in the first and Anthony...

Camus was a French philosopher, author and journalist who lived from 1913 to 1960. His search was for a meaning to life, which in many ways he found to be absurd. Thus, he is sometimes referred to as the father of absurdism. The problem of defining Camus is he constantly would seemingly support two sides of a position in the same work or discussion. He found life absurd, but said there were still reasons to live, still matters of value. That seems to be the gravamen for this work. Rather than...

Dusty Baker mentioned this afternoon he wanted to see the Nationals start playing better at home, noting in particular his team's struggles when it returns from the West Coast. Tonight's performance in an 8-0 loss to the Brewers didn't do anything to allay Baker's fears. It only underscored his point. Some sloppy defense, some poor hitting with runners in scoring position and a ragged start from Edwin Jackson all contributed to a lopsided loss to open this six-game homestand against teams...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Wade Miley retired the side in order in the first inning tonight on only nine pitches. He made two-out walks insignificant in the third and fourth, and did the same with a one-out walk and hit batter in the fifth. No one reached in the sixth. No hits were surrendered, and most important, no runs. There are no do-overs or mulligans, however, and Miley is stuck with the second inning. It ruined his night and again slowed the Orioles' momentum. Miley allowed five runs, the...

Edwin Jackson got into a heavy pitch count in the first inning thanks to a pair of two-out walks to the Brewers' Travis Shaw and Domingo Santana. A called third strike to Eric Thames prevented damage, but Jackson had to spend 29 pitches to end the frame. In the second inning, Manny Piña and Brett Phillips started a rally with back-to-back singles. A Zach Davies sacrifice back to Jackson plated Piña from third because the throw from Jackson to catcher Matt Wieters was late. The Brewers...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter isn't certain whether first baseman Chris Davis will stay at Tropicana Field for tonight's game or head back to the team hotel, as he did last night because of a stomach virus. "Still weak," Showalter said. "It was a lot better today. Hopefully, he'll be able to start tomorrow. "He's lost a lot of fluids. You can read between the lines. Different ways to lose fluids. But I talked to him today. They think he's past the contagious...

Besides an update on right-hander Stephen Strasburg, manager Dusty Baker also had updates on other injured or excused Nationals players. * Shortstop Trea Turner (right wrist fracture, June 30, 18 games missed): "Trea is getting an X-ray and follow-up this afternoon," Baker said. "I talked to him. He says he's feeling pretty good, but he's also in the hands of the doctor and the X-ray machine to see how he's coming along." During batting practice, Turner was fielding grounders with his...

The forearm discomfort that caused Stephen Strasburg to depart Sunday's start after only two innings was the result of nerve impingement, which has since been alleviated according to the Nationals, allowing the club to remain optimistic the right-hander will make his next scheduled start. Strasburg played long-toss catch in the outfield at Nationals Park this afternoon, his typical routine four days before a start, further evidence neither he nor the team believes his ailment is serious. "He...