nationals buzz

That's a wrap: One last look at NatsFest

January 28, 2014, 9:44am

NatsFest on Saturday was a blast. We had so much fun meeting Nationals fans at the MASN booth, where we had photo shoots with players, trivia sessions and prize giveaways. By the time more than 8,400 Nats fans left the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, we had given away signed gear from Gio Gonzalez, Ryan Zimmerman, Denard Span and Drew Storen. We also awarded fans with posters, Nats bags and shirts, and we even hooked up some lucky fans with suite tickets. For a full recap,...

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Hernandez hoping Nats extend a job offer

January 25, 2014, 10:11am

Nationals

Hernandez hoping Nats extend a job offer

Even before his Nationals career was over, Livan Hernandez was talking about how he'd like to return to the organization once he had thrown his last pitch. He wanted to be able to work with young pitchers, impart the knowledge that helped him forge a 17-year major league career, five of those seasons spent in a Washington uniform (and two before that north of the border with the Expos). Now it appears that dream may become a reality. Appearing at NatsFest on Saturday, the 38-year-old...

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Any role Nats throw at him is fine for Roark

January 25, 2014, 9:18am

Nationals

Any role Nats throw at him is fine for Roark

Whatever the Nationals want him to do is just fine with Tanner Roark. "If they want me to throw one pitch to one guy, I'll do it," he said. "Anything to help out the team. It's a different mindset. Starting, you've got four days to prepare yourself. Relieving, you flip that switch right away once you hear that phone ring. Everybody looks back to see who's name will be called. But I like starting, I guess." Coming off a spectacular 2013 campaign where he went 7-1 with a 1.51 ERA in 14...

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Clippard mum on how he'll fare in arbitration

January 25, 2014, 7:59am

Nationals

Clippard mum on how he'll fare in arbitration

If Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard has a sense of how his impending run through the arbitration process will unfold, he's keeping it close to the vest. "I don't know, we'll see how it all plays out," the veteran right-hander said when asked if he expected to go to an arbitration hearing with the Nats. Clippard has filed for arbitration and, since he wasn't able to reach an agreement with the Nationals, he and his representatives have exchanged proposed salary figures with the...

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Rendon knows Williams, still working on footwork at second

January 25, 2014, 7:33am

Nationals

Rendon knows Williams, still working on footwork at second

Anthony Rendon won't have to worry about switching between positions in spring training. No more grounders at third base, followed by intensive footwork sessions at second, then back to the hot corner. He goes into camp at the incumbent second baseman and thinks that comfort level will be a plus. "I think that will help me tremendously," he said at NatsFest. "I think that will be a positive that I can stay in one area, continue to work on my footwork, continue to learn the position as much...

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Hairston likes Williams' approach, how Nats have beefed up bench

January 25, 2014, 5:32am

Nationals

Hairston likes Williams' approach, how Nats have beefed up bench

For a change, Nationals outfielder Scott Hairston didn't go into an offseason wondering where he'd be playing the following campaign. He's got a new manager to get used to, and a new spring training base to acquaint himself with in a couple of weeks, but he knows his team and his role entering the 2014 season. "I think it takes a toll psychologically when you're not sure where you're going to be," Hairston said while meeting with reporters at NatsFest at the Gaylord Resort and...

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Trade rumors don't bother determined Storen

January 25, 2014, 6:56am

Nationals

Trade rumors don't bother determined Storen

Right-hander Drew Storen has had a busy offseason while training in Indianapolis. He's already thrown off a mound a few times and he's added about 15 lbs. as a cushion for the expected warmer weather he'll encounter once the Nationals convene in Viera, Fla., for spring training. Amid all the hard work, he's again been the subject of trade rumors. At NatsFest, Storen made it clear he wants to remain a National and hopes none of the incessant chatter about deals comes to fruition. "You...

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Welcome to NatsFest!

January 25, 2014, 4:55am

Nationals

Welcome to NatsFest! The gates were supposed to open for season ticket holders at 10 a.m., but they seem to have gotten a head start and are queuing up at the autograph station already. Guess you can't keep a good Nats fan down (or out). If you're one of the throngs of Nationals fans invading the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center today for the annual mid-winter event, enjoy it to the max. If you happen to see me - I'm in the red MASN jacket, probably the size of a Kolko and a half,...

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Weekly Wrap: Avoiding arbitration and preparing for NatsFest

January 23, 2014, 3:51pm

Nationals

Weekly Wrap: Avoiding arbitration and preparing for NatsFest

Who's ready for NatsFest tomorrow? I am so excited! Tomorrow will mark my first NatsFest, and I can't wait! After I write this, I'm heading down to D.C. to scout out the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center to scope out the area and start to set up the MASN booth. We'll have autographed Nats gear, photo opportunities and more to give away, so be sure to stop by and say hi! This week, the Nats avoided arbitration with multiple players. Ross Detwiler, Jordan Zimmermann, Drew...

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More information on 2014 NatsFest

January 20, 2014, 5:30am

Nationals

Saturday is just a few days away, and it's officially the week of NatsFest! The event will be held at a new location this year, but Nationals fans can still expect to be treated to question-and-answer sessions with players, photo sessions with your favorite Nats, live demonstrations, games and more. From 11 a.m.-3 p.m., (season ticket holders get in an hour early at 10 a.m.,) the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center will host fans, manager Matt Williams and a variety of players,...

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Weekly Wrap: Early moves make for slow start to 2014

January 16, 2014, 12:22pm

Nationals

Weekly Wrap: Early moves make for slow start to 2014

Nationals fans: You've had plenty to be pleased with this offseason. While other major league rosters and rotations are still completely up in the air, the Nats have been receiving national praise for their offseason moves, most of which came very early in the offseason. As we look toward NatsFest (Look for me at the MASN booth!), at which many players will make an appearance, the biggest question for the Nats is who the fifth starter will be. The question is certainly not a bad one to have,...

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NatsFest set for Jan. 25, event moving to Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center

December 11, 2013, 12:40pm

Nationals

NatsFest set for Jan. 25, event moving to Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Mark your calendars for Jan. 25 - that's when the Nationals will hold NatsFest, which is moving this year to the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. According to team officials, the Nationals worked diligently to hold the event again at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, but could not because of limited date availability at that facility. Tickets will be available for purchase online at nationals.com/natsfest starting tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 12 at...

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Former National Alex Cora thriving in role as winter league GM

January 10, 2014, 7:58pm

Nationals

Former National Alex Cora thriving in role as winter league GM

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico - Thirty minutes before first pitch at Estadio Yldefonso Sola Morales, Alex Cora is working the rail at the home dugout on the third base side like it's a receiving line at a wedding reception. He stops and greets every player on Los Criollos de Caguas, shaking hands, slapping palms and offering encouragement. If not for the fact that he's in a short-sleeved plaid shirt with a backpack slung over his shoulder, you'd think the smiling 38-year-old was one of the...

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Weekly Wrap: Is it spring training yet?

January 09, 2014, 5:04pm

Nationals

It seems as if I have been asking myself if it's baseball season almost every day this offseason. Since the Nationals took care of filling the holes on their roster early, this past month has seemed even more slow-paced than the rest of the offseason. But now, instead of me rumbling and grumbling about how far away baseball is, we can officially count down the days until spring training. This week, the Nationals stated that pitchers and catchers would report to Viera, Fla., on Feb. 13. In...

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Bryce Harper named to Forbes' "30 Under 30"

January 08, 2014, 11:58am

Nationals

Bryce Harper named to Forbes' "30 Under 30"

For the third straight year, Forbes has compiled its list of the top "30 Under 30," highlighting some of the best names in 15 different fields, such as art, education, technology and sports. This year, 21-year-old Bryce Harper found himself on the list of the top names in sports, along with other well-known names such as tennis star Maria Sharapova and the Penguins' Sidney Crosby. Since making his major league debut on April 28, 2012, Harper has garnered national attention for his...

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Nationals Chatter: Harper bulks up, Stammen goes back to school

January 07, 2014, 10:35am

Nationals

Most people kick off the New Year vowing to lose weight. Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper wants to gain weight. Don't panic, it's purely muscle. But Harper sparked national debate among media outlets over his desirable target weight. Last Friday, ESPN ran a story with a quote from Harper saying he wanted to get "as big as a house." As Dan Kolko explained on Saturday, Harper will enter spring training around 245 pounds to make up for the weight loss that occurs during the grind of the...

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Weekly Wrap: Charging into 2014

January 02, 2014, 10:52am

Nationals

Happy New Year, Nats nation. With 2013 gone and 2014 under way, we can now officially start counting down the days until opening day, right? While we're still a few more months away from baseball in D.C., the Nationals answered many questions very early in the offseason, acquiring Doug Fister, signing Nate McLouth and more. So, while my 2014 started off with a bang, we may find the Nationals' somewhat slow. As we begin the new year, let's look at some predictions for the Nationals and some...

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Looking back at our favorite Nats memories through Instagram

December 31, 2013, 6:57am

Nationals

Looking back at our favorite Nats memories through Instagram

The 2013 season was another fantastic year at Nats Park. Some of my best memories of the summer are Nationals-inspired, including working events with contest winners and Ryan Zimmerman, watching Jordan Zimmermann retire batter after batter and just taking in a packed Nats Park on a Friday night. On our Instagram feed, we asked you to post your favorite memories of 2013 with #masnNationals. We got a great response, with people sharing pictures of their favorite players, photos of a beautiful...

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Defensively speaking, where do Nats rank in NL East?

December 30, 2013, 7:18am

Nationals

Defensively speaking, where do Nats rank in NL East?

Defense is the Rodney Dangerfield of baseball statistics, never garnering the respect it deserves. Chicks dig the longball, people oooh and ahhh over Web Gems on ESPN, but what about the workaholic day-to-day types who turn hard-hit ground balls and fly balls to the gaps into outs, the first baseman whose steady glovework saves his infielders from errors and the catcher whose ability to block pitches in the dirt prevents runners from advancing or scoring? The little things, unfortunately,...

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Spring training will change under Williams (Rhymes re-signs)

December 29, 2013, 12:20pm

Nationals

Spring training will change under Williams (Rhymes re-signs)

Usually, sometime after the first of a new year, two things used to happen: The Nationals announce a list of players signed to minor league contracts who are getting invitations to spring training, and the postal carrier shoves a couple of tax forms in among the bills and junk mail. Well, looks like the Nats' list of non-roster invitees will go the way of the tax form booklets, which have all but disappeared now that most of the country files online. Oh, the Nats will still have some...