nationals buzz

Another homestand means more offers for fans

August 15, 2011, 8:49am

It's hard to believe it's already mid-August, but here we are, with the Nationals set to begin another lengthy homestand. This 10-game stand will welcome the Reds, Phillies and Diamondbacks to our nation's capital and, as usual, there are plenty of offers and events for fans to enjoy at the ballpark. On Tuesday, as the Nationals open a three-game series with Cincinnati, the Nats will honor local military veterans as part of the "Give a Veteran a Piece of the High Life" program. The...

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Jenn Jenson: How's your team doing?

August 12, 2011, 4:57am

Nationals

Earlier this week it occurred to me that I didn't know the Nationals' record. It felt like we were a bit under .500, but before looking it up, I couldn't tell you if we were two games under .500, five games under, or worse. I also didn't know if the team was again in last place in the National League East, or instead in next-to-last or maybe even within sight of third place behind the Phillies and the Braves. It's not a good sign when I don't know where my Nationals stand because it...

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Jenn Jenson: Trade deadline highlights Nats fans' passion for their team

August 05, 2011, 8:57am

Nationals

Jenn Jenson: Trade deadline highlights Nats fans' passion for their team

The non-waiver trade deadline has come and gone and I think it's fair to say the most drama centered around whether Nationals' closer Drew Storen would stay with the team or be traded with who knows who else to the Minnesota Twins for center fielder Denard Span. Oversimplifying a bit, the debate in NatsTown about this potential transaction boiled down to: "Of course you should trade Storen for the right return"; versus "Oh no! Don't trade Drew. He's a talented, homegrown closer and a...

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Dave Nichols: Signing day brings intrigue to Nationals Park

August 15, 2011, 4:53am

Nationals

The deadline to sign draft picks from June's First-Year Player Draft is midnight tonight. As of this post, the Washington Nationals still have not signed their top five picks from this year's draft. It's not an unusual scenario, due to Major League Baseball's antiquated rules governing the draft and the slotting system the league recommends for draft pick bonuses. Even though it's a yearly ritual by now, it still brings hand-wringing and hair-pulling until the clock strikes midnight and...

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Ted Youngling: Trying times bring out the true fan in all of us

August 11, 2011, 6:59am

Nationals

Ted Youngling: Trying times bring out the true fan in all of us

The dog days of summer are upon us. Pennant races are heating up. Contenders are separating themselves from the pretenders, and unfortunately that means another finish in the bottom half of the division for the Washington Nationals. The Nationals are 56-60 and 20.5 games out of first place; anyone who thinks this team has a miracle run to the playoffs in them is downright crazy. This reality raises a simple question that may be hard for some to answer - why do you continue to watch the...

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Rachel Levitin: Musical traditions at Nats Park still being crafted

August 10, 2011, 5:42am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Musical traditions at Nats Park still being crafted

There was a time, long before Nationals Park was constructed, when I could hear AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" and not think of baseball. Those days are gone. That first song off AC/DC's 1990 album "The Razors Edge" still pumps me up in the gym or gets my head banging at a bar on the weekend but now, whenever I hear the song, I think of the Nationals. Lead guitarist Angus Young's guitar riff is etched into the minds of Nationals game-goers as the tune and anthem that Washington's boys of...

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Dave Nichols: The second coming of Stephen Strasburg

August 07, 2011, 6:25pm

Nationals

Dave Nichols: The second coming of Stephen Strasburg

Washington Nationals right-handed starter Stephen Strasburg, dubbed "Baseball Jesus" by a teammate last season during spring training, made his much-anticipated return to a baseball field facing batters paid to beat him Sunday, as he took the mound for the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (no joke) in his first minor league rehab appearance, as he continues his recovery from ligament replacement surgery. The appearance comes two weeks less than one calendar...

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All you really need is heart

May 05, 2011, 12:29pm

Nationals

Pete Kerzel, our wonderful editor here at MASNsports.com, pointed out that 56 years ago today, Damn Yankees opened on Broadway. On May 5, 1955, fans watched as slugger "Shoeless" Joe Hardy joined the Washington Senators to help the struggling franchise win the pennant. Damn Yankees earned a number of Tony Awards in 1956 and stayed on Broadway for 1019 productions. In 1994, the revival at Marquis Theatre brought the classic back to life. The Nationals played the musical's signature piece...

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Mark Hornbaker: Can Morse stay in "Beast Mode" long enough to win batting title?

August 08, 2011, 4:43pm

Nationals

Mark Hornbaker: Can Morse stay in "Beast Mode" long enough to win batting title?

The Washington Nationals' first baseman Michael Morse, is putting up some offensive numbers Washington baseball fans haven't seen in nearly a half century. The 29-year-old Morse has a legitimate shot at winning the 2011 National League batting title. Currently Morse is third in the NL with a batting average of .324 and trails only Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers who has an average of .326 and league leading Jose Reyes of the New York Mets who is batting .336 in 98 games. If Morse does...

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Ted Youngling: Espinosa a special player, but a work in progress

August 03, 2011, 4:32pm

Nationals

Ted Youngling: Espinosa a special player, but a work in progress

If you want to find the front-runners of the National League Rookie of the Year race, look no further than the NL East. Danny Espinosa of the Washington Nationals, along with Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrel of the Atlanta Braves, make up the trio of youngsters looking to take home the crown. If I had a vote, I would go Kimbrel, Freeman and then Espinosa. I believe the fact that the Braves are contenders and their rookies are largely the reason for their success is something that should not...

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Rachel Levitin: Do you root for the name on the front or the back of the jersey?

August 03, 2011, 5:18am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Do you root for the name on the front or the back of the jersey?

The wild and crazy weekend of trade rumors and moves has passed. Before (and after) 4 p.m. Sunday, fans took to Twitter to express their concern about whether or not Drew Storen would stay on the Nationals' roster. With all of that hoopla over a singular player, a thought arose: Is it better to devote one's unconditional fandom to an individual player or to a team? There are pros and cons to measure both claims. To keep it simple, though, I've narrowed it down to a rubric of five items:...

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Mark Hornbaker: You never know what will happen at a game

August 02, 2011, 10:45am

Nationals

Mark Hornbaker: You never know what will happen at a game

Like most Washington Nationals fans, I also get a little frustrated when the Nats struggle to win ballgames. I actually have friends that don't quite understand why I keep renewing my season tickets year after year. When they ask me why I keep doing it, I answer quickly: I do it because you never know when you may witness a little bit of D.C. baseball history. I believe the ballgame is more than just the winning and losing of the game. It is more about what you may see at the game. You never...

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Dave Nichols: Strange weekend answers some questions, leaves others open

July 31, 2011, 3:39pm

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Strange weekend answers some questions, leaves others open

With the major league trade deadline at 4 p.m. Sunday, fans and media were already on the edges of their seats even before Sunday's game with the New York Mets started. So of course it would turn out to be a tense, nerve-wracking affair - scoreless until the fifth inning - adding to what was an already drama-filled day. When the dust settled, the Washington Nationals had earned their 51st victory of the season and everyone that started the game on the roster remained there. The Nats might be...

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Jenn Jenson: Ready or not, here comes Wang

July 29, 2011, 5:38am

Nationals

Jenn Jenson: Ready or not, here comes Wang

If you squint, Chien-Ming Wang's story looks unremarkable. As a pitching prospect, Wang worked his way through the New York Yankees' minor league system from 2000-2005, playing low Single-A ball in 2000 and 2002, Double-A in 2003 and 2004, and Triple-A in 2004 and 2005. In 2001, he did not play because he was recovering from shoulder surgery. Wang made his big league debut with the Yankees on April 30, 2005, pitched a lot of games in 2006 and 2007, and missed parts of the 2008 and 2009...

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Come support the red, white and green?

July 27, 2011, 5:30pm

Nationals

This Friday, fans looking to do their part for Mother Earth can sign up as volunteers as part of the third annual Green-Up Day. The event, hosted by the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation and the Earth Conservation Corps and Rebuilding Together DC, will ask volunteers to remove trash and debris from the wetland area along the Anacostia River at sites directly across the street from Nationals Park in Diamond Teague Park and Kenilworth Recreation Park in northeast D.C. It's a chance for...

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Ted Youngling: Frustration grows with Nationals' lackluster play

July 28, 2011, 4:46am

Nationals

If a win/loss record is the true indication of a team's success, then the Nationals front office should take serious consideration in bringing back Jim Riggleman to manage this team next season. Don't worry, I'm only being facetious, but let's not overlook the fact that ever since Riggleman bailed on his team they simply haven't been the same. In fact, it's been getting so bad that the Nats are currently battling the Florida Marlins for fourth place in the division. Hard to believe that...

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Lottery winner to be announced

July 27, 2011, 3:39pm

Nationals

Would you like to win the lottery? Well, Nationals fans, I can't promise you a lifetime of riches, but I can offer the next best thing. Fans who attend the game on Friday, July 29 will be in for a special treat. In addition to seeing the Nationals take on the New York Mets, the Nationals will announce the identity of the recipient of a $1 million lottery prize. The winning ticket was reportedly purchased at Nationals Park on Tuesday, July 5, when the Nationals joined forces with First Lady...

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Rachel Levitin: What's in a name? For Metro, a challenge

July 27, 2011, 5:14am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: What's in a name? For Metro, a challenge

While most people in D.C. find themselves in a verbal squabbling match with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) on a daily basis - even if the conversation is more of a soliloquy-type scenario rather than a dialogue - I, too, have an issue with the system. It has nothing to do with its inability to run an efficient system but rather its inability to get the name of the Nationals' ballpark correct upon arrival. Here's my pet peeve: None of the train conductors seem to...

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Dave Nichols: Nats both buyers and sellers at trade deadline

July 23, 2011, 10:30pm

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Nats both buyers and sellers at trade deadline

The non-waiver trade deadline is July 31, a mere six days away. As with every year since their inaugural season in D.C., the Washington Nationals - despite the protestations of Jayson Werth - are destined to be on the outside looking in once the playoff seeds are settled, especially considering the recently concluded 3-6 road trip. But contrary to years past, the organization - and Nats fans - can see brighter days ahead. The Nats have a lot of pieces in place already, and with a few key moves,...

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Plenty of offers on upcoming homestand

July 24, 2011, 10:21am

Nationals

If it seems like it's been forever since the Nationals have played a home game, well, it has. The Nationals haven't been home since July 10, a span that will reach 25 days when the Marlins come to town Tuesday. In between the homestands, however, there's been plenty of action. Tyler Clippard picked up the win at the All-Star Game before a nine-game road trip has seen the Nationals slip back under .500 at 49-51. Needless to say, it's the perfect time to get back to our nation's capital...