David Huzzard: The dilemma of picking MVP between Harper and Turner

David Huzzard: The dilemma of picking MVP between Harper and Turner
I have a bit of a dilemma. It isn't a bad dilemma. It is a situation Nationals fans would be agreeable to and one many would call me an overly bright-eyed optimist for predicting, and it is this: I can't decide who to pick for National League MVP, Bryce Harper or Trea Turner. From all indications, Harper is poised to have a season much like 2015 and Turner is ready to pick up where he left off in 2016. That makes it a hard choice. Is it the shortstop who is likely to hit 20 homers and steal...
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Opposite dugout: Rebuilding Phillies could pose a pesky problem

Opposite dugout: Rebuilding Phillies could pose a pesky problem
Manager: Pete Mackanin (4th season) Record: 1-2 Last 10 games: 1-2 Who to watch: 3B Maikel Franco (25 HR, 88 RBIs), 2B César Hernández (.294/.371/.393 with 17 SB), CF Odúbel Herrera (.296 with 15 HR, 25 SB), 1B Tommy Joseph (21 HR), SS Freddy Galvis (21 HR), RHP Jeremy Hellickson (12-10, 3.71 ERA), RHP Jeanmar Gómez (43 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (5-14 in 2016) Pitching probables: April 7: RHP Max Scherzer (20-7, 2.96 ERA) vs. RHP Vince Velasquez (8-6, 4.12...
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Luke Erickson: The arc of a minor league season

Luke Erickson: The arc of a minor league season
Greetings from the "New Kid on the Block" at MASNsports.com! Well, except I'm not new, I'm not a kid, and my wife is the one from South Boston. What I am is a minor celebrity in the "Natmosphere," as I've been covering the Nationals' farm system for eight seasons at NationalsProspects.com, with the help of some volunteers and some gratuitous use of bulldogs. Tomorrow is opening day for Washington's four full-season affiliates - low Single-A Hagerstown, high Single-A Potomac, Double-A...
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District 34 podcast: Recapping Nats' opening day win

District 34 podcast: Recapping Nats' opening day win
What an exciting opening day at Nats Park on Monday! The new baseball season got off on the right foot for the Nationals as they beat the Marlins 4-2 in front of a sellout home crowd. This opening day had everything a Nats fan could want: fantastic pregame ceremonies, strong starting pitching, home runs, efficient bullpen work and of course a Nationals victory. And an eventful opening day means we have a lot to talk about on the District 34 podcast to get you through the first off-day of the...
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Marty Niland: Three keys to success for the Nationals in 2017

Marty Niland: Three keys to success for the Nationals in 2017
Washington sports fans are a demanding lot. We're not satisfied with merely winning. We are disappointed if our teams don't improve. We're not entitled like New Yorkers, who expect to contend for a championship every year. But neither do we feel cursed, like Cubs fans before their team broke its 107-year record of futility last October. This is city where few living souls can remember its only World Series title, and folks have seen six presidential inaugurations since its last championship...
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District 34 podcast: 2017 Nationals season preview

District 34 podcast: 2017 Nationals season preview
Baseball is back and that means so is the District 34 podcast presented by MASNsports.com! Bobby Blanco and Byron Kerr are back with brand-new episodes all season long to bring you the best Nationals coverage filled with in-depth analysis and behind-the-scenes features for your listening pleasure. When we last left you, the Nationals had just been eliminated from a close matchup with the Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. Now we have an entire offseason's worth of...
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Opposite dugout: Marlins start another season of high expectations in D.C.

Opposite dugout: Marlins start another season of high expectations in D.C.
Manager: Don Mattingly (2nd season) Record: 79-82 (third in NL East in 2016) Last 10 games: Season opener Who to watch: RF Giancarlo Stanton (27 HR, 74 RBIs), CF Marcell Ozuna (23 HR, 76 RBIs), LF Christian Yelich (.298, 21 HR, 98 RBIs), RHP Dan Straily (14-8, 3.76 ERA), AJ Ramos (2.81 ERA with 40 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (9-10 in 2016) Pitching probables: April 3: RHP Edinson Volquez (10-11, 5.37 ERA) vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 3.60 ERA), 1:05 p.m., MASNApril 5:...
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MASN booth gearing up Natstown with giveaways on opening day

MASN booth gearing up Natstown with giveaways on opening day
After almost six cold, baseball-less months, opening day is finally here! The Nationals welcome the Marlins to kick off the 2017 season, and MASN is gearing you up for the new season so you're ready to back the Nats! The MASN booth returns to South Capitol Street on opening day, giving fans the opportunity to take home free gear and show off their Nationals fandom! Get to the ballpark early and come by the booth to enter to win brand-new "Ain't Baseball Great!" T-shirts, #IBackTheNats knit...
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Relive "Nationals Classics": Some baseball to whet your appetite for the regular season

Relive "Nationals Classics": Some baseball to whet your appetite for the regular season
The regular season is so close, you can almost taste the Ben's Chili Bowl half smokes, popcorn and peanuts. It'll be April 3 before you know it. But before the Nationals host the Marlins on South Capitol Street next Monday, there are still a couple of exhibition games left - MASN broadcasts March 28 versus the Fish, then March 31 and April 1 against the Red Sox - and a smattering of "Nationals Classics" that will air in the week leading up to opening day. We've got a nice variety for you -...
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Setting MASNsports.com's guest blogging rotation for 2017

Setting MASNsports.com's guest blogging rotation for 2017
One of the things that sets MASNsports.com apart from its competition is the myriad of voices on the site. It's one thing to have world-class daily Nationals coverage provided by Mark Zuckerman, Byron Kerr and the rest of the site's staff; but it's another to offer a platform for some other dedicated voices to share their diamond knowledge. Once again this season, MASNsports.com will feature the talents of several guest bloggers, writers whose work is familiar to those who pore over the...
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Relive "Nationals Classics": Sweet '16

Relive "Nationals Classics": Sweet '16
The second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament will wrap up today, meaning there will be only 16 teams remaining with national championship hopes. Here's hoping your bracket's not busted. With the Sweet 16 starting on Thursday, MASN is bringing you a couple of sweet Nationals games from 2016 this week. (Friendly reminder that we are also airing two live spring training games this week: Monday, March 20 at 1 p.m. against the Yankees and Thursday, March 23 at 1 p.m. against the...
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Relive "Nationals Classics": Historic Harper and walk-offs galore

Relive "Nationals Classics": Historic Harper and walk-offs galore
Hope you're enjoying our slate of Nationals spring training games so far. Be sure to tune in later today as the Nats host their roommates at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, the Astros, at 1 p.m. on MASN. New catcher Matt Wieters is scheduled to make his Nationals debut. After today's game, the next Nationals spring training broadcast on MASN isn't until Monday, March 20. So to hold you off until then, we've got a great nine-game schedule of "Nationals Classics" airing throughout the...
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Relive "Nationals Classics": Clinchmas 2014 and wild walk-offs

Relive "Nationals Classics": Clinchmas 2014 and wild walk-offs
Isn't it great to have live baseball on your television again? Yeah, agreed, it's the best. Just a reminder that you have two more Nationals spring training games airing live on MASN this week: Tuesday, March 7, against the Red Sox at 1 p.m., and Sunday, March 12, against the neighbor Astros also at 1 p.m. Sprinkled around these live games are a few more "Nationals Classics" airing on MASN to keep feeding your baseball needs. On this week's slate, a memorable clinching of the National...
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A baseball tradition falls victim to spate of online information

A baseball tradition falls victim to spate of online information
My earliest baseball memories involve rushing home from elementary school in first grade in 1966 to see the Orioles shock the Dodgers in the World Series. I remember seeing an airborne Brooks Robinson leap toward catcher Andy Etchebarren and pitcher Dave McNally celebrating a most improbable sweep on a tiny black-and-white television full of snow and static. A print of the iconic moment hangs on the stairway wall in my home. Yes, old memories are great memories. Some baseball memories are...
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Relive "Nationals Classics": Openers and a Strasmas memory

Relive "Nationals Classics": Openers and a Strasmas memory
We're only two days away from the inaugural Nationals game at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The Nationals will host the Astros on MASN on Tuesday at 1 p.m., the first look at the new stadium for many in D.C., where springlike temperatures have only heightened the desire to see baseball again. But here at MASN, we have baseball all winter long, and this week's slate of "Nationals Classics" is perfect for satisfying your need for fastballs, strikeouts and, well, fastballs that become...
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Relive "National Classics": Wild endings leading into spring training games

Relive "National Classics": Wild endings leading into spring training games
The full Nationals squad has reported to The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches and full workouts are underway. All is right in Natstown. Before you know it, we'll have real, live-action baseball games for you fans. To be specific, that comes to you next Tuesday, Feb. 28, when MASN will broadcast the first of seven Nats spring training games this season as the tennants of the new training facility in West Palm Beach go head-to-head. That also means this is the last full week of "Nationals...
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Relive "National Classics": Celebrate start of camp with heroic past efforts

Relive "National Classics": Celebrate start of camp with heroic past efforts
With spring training starting in a few days, it's nearly time for the annual utterance of the four most glorious words in the English language: Pitchers and catchers report. This week's "Nationals Classics" on MASN offer a smattering of game-winning walk-offs, heroic homers and clutch deliveries. It's only a couple of weeks before actual Nationals baseball action begins on MASN, so let these games whet your baseball appetites. Monday, Feb. 13, 1 p.m. - Adam Dunn slugged 76 homers in his...
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Relive "Nationals Classics": Walking off into spring training

Relive "Nationals Classics": Walking off into spring training
It's so close you can almost feel the Florida sun. Spring training - when Nationals pitchers and catchers report to The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach - is nine days away. Meaning, by this time next week, you'll have baseball activities just a couple of sleeps away. Until then, MASN rolls out it's final non-baseball week of "Nationals Classics" to hold you off for these last couple of days of the offseason. This week is jam-packed with walk-off victories and sprinkled with...
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Kolko/Werth bobblehead gets nod in P-Nats fan vote

Kolko/Werth bobblehead gets nod in P-Nats fan vote
Well, the people have spoken. The Single-A Potomac Nationals announced at their Hot Stove Banquet last weekend that the winner of the Loyal Hygiene Solutions Fans' Choice Bobblehead is the duo of MASN on-field reporter Dan Kolko and Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth. The winning entry was submitted by Chris Jackson. The dual bobblehead will be handed out to the first 1,250 fans through the turnstiles at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va., on Saturday, Aug. 26 before the P-Nats host the...
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Relive "Nationals Classics": Slugging your way into February

Relive "Nationals Classics": Slugging your way into February
Well, Nationals fans, we're almost ready to pass through one more hurdle between winter's cold and baseball warmth. By the end of this week, we can utter these words: Spring training starts this month. February never felt so good, did it? As we move closer to the four greatest words in the English language - pitchers and catchers report - you can warm yourself with this week's "Nationals Classics" on MASN. Think of this as your own personal pre-spring training training. Pretty soon,...
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