nationals buzz

Luke Erickson: Who's going to Auburn and West Palm Beach?

June 12, 2017, 12:04pm

Tonight is Day 3 of the First-Year Player Draft and what this means to me is discovering which of the players drafted by the Nationals will be on the rosters of the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals. That's it. I am well aware that this makes me an anomaly among some prospect followers, but consider this: I don't follow college baseball, which to me is like baseball the way 10-pin bowling is like candlepin bowling, nor do I care about the...

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Opposite dugout: Braves starters have struggled but might have turned a corner

June 11, 2017, 3:32pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Braves starters have struggled but might have turned a corner

Manager: Brian Snitker (2nd year) Record: 27-35 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: C Tyler Flowers (.343/.450/.455), LF Matt Kemp (.326/.361/.549, 10 home runs, 31 RBIs), CF Ender Inciarte (.299/.354/.414, 10 stolen bases), RF Nick Markakis (.284/.361/.369, 15 doubles, 32 RBIs), RHP Jim Johnson (4-1, 3.38 ERA, 12 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-4 Pitching probables: June 12: RHP Mike Foltynewicz vs RHP Stephen Strasburg, 7:05 p.m., MASNJune 13: RHP R.A. Dickey vs. RHP Joe Ross, 7:05 p.m.,...

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Marty Niland: Difo's gaffe ranks with the most infamous in Nats history

June 12, 2017, 5:40am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Difo's gaffe ranks with the most infamous in Nats history

The emotional roller coaster that is a Major League Baseball season hit its wildest stretch for Nationals fans over the past week. After the high of winning eight of their previous 10 games came the plummet of a three-game sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers, the franchise that skipped town in 1971, leaving Washington without baseball for 34 seasons. All those emotions were at play in Saturday's 6-3 11-inning loss to Texas. After a fine performance on the mound from Gio Gonzalez, a clutch...

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Opposite dugout: Closer crashing, but Rangers still have the horses to make a run

June 08, 2017, 8:37pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Closer crashing, but Rangers still have the horses to make a run

Manager: Jeff Banister (3rd year) Record: 27-32 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: SS Elvis Andrus (.302/.345/.466, 15 doubles, 14 stolen bases), RF Nomar Mazara (.288/.352/.462, 38 RBIs), 3B Joey Gallo (.200/.300/.516, 17 home runs), LF Delino DeShields (.289/.352/.352, 10 stolen bases), RHP Matt Bush (2.49 ERA, six saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (1-2 in 2014) Pitching probables: June 9: RHP Andrew Cashner vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 7:05 p.m., MASN2June 10: LHP MartÃn PÃ©rez...

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David Huzzard: Looking ahead to free agency after 2018 season

June 08, 2017, 6:33pm

Nationals

David Huzzard: Looking ahead to free agency after 2018 season

There is a lot of talk about where Bryce Harper will land when he becomes a free agent after the 2018 season. There is also a lot of discussion of who else is available and if a Golden State Warriors-like super team could be formed in Major League Baseball. It is perfectly possible. Daniel Murphy and Harper are scheduled to be free agents from the Nats, Manny Machado and Josh Donaldson will both be free agents at third base, Charlie Blackmon and Adam Jones will join Harper as available...

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Opposite dugout: Orioles start eight-game road trip with makeup in D.C.

June 07, 2017, 10:16pm

Nationals Orioles

Opposite dugout: Orioles start eight-game road trip with makeup in D.C.

Manager: Buck Showalter (8th season) Record: 31-26 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 2B Jonathan Schoop (.292 with 10 HR, 31 RBIs), RF Mark Trumbo (.264 with 8 HR, 29 RBIs), CF Adam Jones (.259 with 11 HR, 28 RBIs), RHP Alec Asher (2-3, 3.62 ERA), RHP Brad Brach (3.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 11 saves), RHP Mychal Givens (2.70 ERA, 10 holds) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-1 Pitching probables: June 8: RHP Alec Asher vs. RHP Joe Ross, 7:05 p.m., MASN Inside the Orioles: Before the Orioles head up to New...

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Luke Erickson: Is too much attention being paid to Tebow?

June 05, 2017, 6:56am

Nationals

Luke Erickson: Is too much attention being paid to Tebow?

A lot of attention was paid this past weekend to the 29-year-old left fielder for the visiting Columbia Fireflies in a four-game series at the Nationals' Single-A Hagerstown affiliate, a matchup of the third-place team in the Southern Division against the first-place team in the Northern Division. From a baseball perspective, this is puzzling. After Sunday's game, he had 16 RBIs and 16 walks, 53 strikeouts and 53 total bases in 47 games. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) is .629 - roughly 60...

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District 34 podcast: Nats cruising through West Coast swing

June 06, 2017, 12:07pm

Nationals

District 34 podcast: Nats cruising through West Coast swing

On what is usually considered a dreaded West Coast road trip, the Nationals have cruised to a 6-1 record through the first seven games, allowing us to slide into a new episode of the District 34 podcast. Byron Kerr and I are back to recap the Nats' West Coast swing so far, in which they are outscoring their opponents 44-29 over a three-game sweep of the Giants, winning two out of three against the Athletics and winning the opener versus the Dodgers. The lineup is slugging, the pitchers are...

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Opposite dugout: As weather heats up, so have the Dodgers

June 04, 2017, 6:15pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: As weather heats up, so have the Dodgers

Manager: Dave Roberts (2nd season) Record: 35-23 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: C Yasmani Grandal (.273 average with 6 HR, 24 RBIs); SS Corey Seager (.271 average with 55 hits); LF Cody Bellinger (12 HR, 31 RBIs); LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.28 ERA); RHP Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 3.38 ERA); RHP Kenley Jansen (1.17 ERA with 9 saves). Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (5-1 in 2016) Pitching probables: Monday, June 5: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu, 10:00 p.m., MASNTuesday, June 6:...

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Marty Niland: NL-best Nats should be well represented in All-Star Game

June 04, 2017, 7:35pm

Nationals

Marty Niland: NL-best Nats should be well represented in All-Star Game

These are great days to be a Nationals fan. Once upon a time, Washington was ridiculed as "first in war, first in peace and last in the American League." Now, after winning five of the first six games on their current West Coast road trip, the Nats are first in the National League, and first in just about everything else. At 35-20, the Nats have the edge on the 36-23 Rockies for the league's best record, and that's not all. Who is leading not only the National League but all of baseball in...

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David Huzzard: It's safe to love Zimmerman again

June 02, 2017, 12:30pm

Nationals

David Huzzard: It's safe to love Zimmerman again

Every now and then, my new life in Virginia Beach, Va., takes me down Princess Anne Road to West Neck Road and past Kellam High School. Whenever I drive that way, I think of Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. An autographed picture of him also hangs in my favorite seafood restaurant, Margie and Ray's, and after the last two seasons and before this one, whenever I thought of Zimmerman, I was filled with sadness. As a longtime fan of the Nationals, Zimmerman is a part of many of my best...

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Opposite dugout: Multiple problems have A's bringing up rear in AL West

June 02, 2017, 9:34am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Multiple problems have A's bringing up rear in AL West

Manager: Bob Melvin (7th year) Record: 23-30 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: 2B Jed Lowrie (.290/.360/.404, 16 2B), 1B Yonder Alonso (.285/.384/.642, 31 RBIs), LF Khris Davis (.219/.308/.503, 16 HR), RHP Sonny Gray (2-2, 4.72 ERA, 1.252 WHIP) RHP Santiago Casilla (4.66 ERA, 8 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-0 in 2014) Pitching probables: June 2: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Andrew Triggs, 10:05 p.m., MASN2. June 3: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Daniel Mengden, 4:05 p.m., MASN June...

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Luke Erickson: Looking at the start of short-season ball

May 30, 2017, 4:24pm

Nationals

Luke Erickson: Looking at the start of short-season ball

Now is the time when the Nationals' minor league system starts to expand to its full complement of seven affiliates. It begins with the launch of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League and the DSL Nationals this weekend. They'll be joined by the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League on June 19 and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and GCL Nationals a week later. Coverage in the DSL and GCL is nearly non-existent because of the timing (late-morning to noon...

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Opposite dugout: Struggling Giants find themselves in unfamiliar position

May 27, 2017, 3:51pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Struggling Giants find themselves in unfamiliar position

Manager: Bruce Bochy (11th season) Record: 22-30 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: C Buster Posey (.333 with 7 HR, 11 RBIs), 1B Brandon Belt (10 HR, 22 RBIs), 3B Eduardo NÃºÃ±ez (.283 with 17 RBIs, 13 SB), RHP Matt Cain (3-3, 4.45 ERA), RHP Mark Melancon (2.51 ERA, 10 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-4 in 2016) Pitching probables: May 29: RHP Tanner Roark vs. LHP Matt Moore, 4:05 p.m., MASN2 May 30: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Jeff Samardzija, 10:15 p.m., MASN2 May 31: RHP...

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Marty Niland: Wounded warriors were part of 1945 contenders

May 29, 2017, 5:38am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Wounded warriors were part of 1945 contenders

During every game at Nationals Park, the Nationals and their fans pay tribute to members of the United States military who have recently returned from combat, some who were wounded in the line of duty. The fans seemed especially appreciative of World War II veterans in Sunday's pregame Memorial Day Tribute, giving them a rousing welcome. Imagine then, a Washington team where wounded service members were not only honored, but were an actual part of a ballclub that contended for a pennant....

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Opposite dugout: Scoring struggles and pitching problems plague Padres

May 25, 2017, 9:33am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Scoring struggles and pitching problems plague Padres

Manager: Andy Green (2nd year) Record: 18-31 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 1B Wil Myers (.271/.321/.521 with 11 HR, 29 RBIs), 3B Ryan Schimpf (.163/.399/.422 with 11 HR, 21 RBIs) CF Manuel Margot (.259/.305/.389 with 13 RBIs, 5 SB), RHP Jhoulys Chacin (4-4, 5.74 ERA), RHP Brandon Maurer (6.63 ERA, 1.368 WHIP, 5 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (4-3 in 2016) Pitching probables: May 26: RHP Luis Perdomo vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 7:05 p.m., MASN May 27: LHP Clayton Richard vs....

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Dan Kolko takes over @masnNationals Instagram

May 25, 2017, 5:31pm

Nationals

Whether you know him as "MASN Dan" or "You go, Dan Kolko," you know that MASN on-field reporter Dan Kolko is always bringing you the latest Nats news and behind-the-scenes views. So, when we wanted to show our Instagram followers an insider look of the Nats at the brand-new SunTrust Park, we obviously knew where to turn! MASN Dan Takeover: @dankolko is taking over our Instagram today, live from SunTrust Park! Follow along in our stories and be sure to give him a follow: @dankolko...

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Luke Erickson: Mid-spring malaise in the minors

May 24, 2017, 6:05am

Nationals

Luke Erickson: Mid-spring malaise in the minors

While the parent club is in first place, albeit in the weakest division in the majors, things are not so good down on the farm. As noted last week, the bullpen woes in D.C. extend all the way down the ladder and three of the four affiliates are in last place in their divisions. In Syracuse, which finished with the second-worst record in Triple-A (61-82) last summer, the Chiefs are on pace to win less than 50 games this summer and are already 14 games behind before Memorial Day. Double-A...

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Opposite dugout: Mariners historically don't fare well in rare interleague series vs. Nats

May 22, 2017, 2:29pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Mariners historically don't fare well in rare interleague series vs. Nats

Manager: Scott Servais (2nd season) Record: 20-25 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: DH/OF Nelson Cruz (.301/.383/.564 with 11 HR, 37 RBIs), 2B Robinson CanÃ³ (.296/.362/.533 with 8 HR, 28 RBIs), SS Jean Segura (.336/.379/.476 with 22 RBIs), RHP Christian Bergman (1-1, 2.25 ERA), LHP Marc Rzepczynski (1.54 ERA, 0.86 WHIP) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (1-2 in 2014) Pitching probables: May 23: RHP Christian Bergman vs. RHP Joe Ross, 7:05 p.m., MASN May 24: RHP Sam Gaviglio vs. RHP...

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Marty Niland: Grind of next month will tell us a lot about Nats

May 22, 2017, 6:51am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Grind of next month will tell us a lot about Nats

The Nationals are most likely spending a good bit of quality time with their loved ones on Monday's off-day because they won't be seeing much of each other for the next month. Thanks to the rescheduling of the May 11 rainout against Baltimore, the Nats are scheduled to play every day from Tuesday through June 21. That's 29 straight days, easily their longest stretch of the season without an off-day, including the first of three West Coast road trips this season. This is also a time when fans...