nationals buzz

David Huzzard: If Matt Williams is fired, who should replace him?

September 10, 2015, 4:51am

Matt Williams is going to be fired and it isn't because he won't use his closer in the ninth inning of a tied road game or that he uses cue cards from the sports guy clichÃ© machine in his postgame press conferences. No, it's because he has no feel for the game. There is a bit of luck involved in every decision a manager makes and when making moves in recent weeks, Matt Williams has had no luck, but he can't recognize when his pitcher is tiring or still going strong or when the opposing...

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Rachel Levitin: Reminiscing the Nats' early days at RFK Stadium

September 09, 2015, 5:38am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Reminiscing the Nats' early days at RFK Stadium

This isn't going to be popular opinion, but I find myself reminiscing of Nationals baseball in the early days at RFK Stadium as of late. RFK was by no means the "right" place to put a brand new baseball team within a city that, up to 2005, hadn't had baseball for so long that they got used to that fact and seemed relatively underwhelmed when it returned to the District of Columbia. What RFK had going for it was that it was grungy, run-down and gritty enough to adopt the Nats and give them a...

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Matt of Matt's Bats: With Nats running out of time, Williams should have pulled Scherzer early

September 08, 2015, 6:02am

Nationals

Matt of Matt's Bats: With Nats running out of time, Williams should have pulled Scherzer early

This has been an unexpected year for the Washington Nationals. They started the year well below expectations until the Braves game on April 28 when Dan Uggla hit a three-run go-ahead home run in extras. Max Scherzer chocolate sauced him, and the Nats flew. In late May, the Nationals were the favorites to win the division, with a 90 percent chance to make the postseason. After mediocre summer and horrible August, their chances have plummeted down to a measly 14 percent. However, that number...

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Opposite dugout: Mets hoping to put distance between themselves and Nats

September 05, 2015, 1:48pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Mets hoping to put distance between themselves and Nats

Manager: Terry Collins (5th season) Record: 75-61 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: LF Yoenis Cespedes (.301 with 12 HR, 29 RBIs), C Travis d'Arnaud (.293 with 10 HR, 35 RBIs), IF Daniel Murphy (.281 with 10 HR, 58 RBIs), RF Curtis Granderson (23 HR, 59 RBIs), RHP Matt Harvey (12-7, 2.60 ERA), RHP Jacob deGrom (12-7, 2.40 RBIs), RHP Jeurys Familia (1.78 ERA, 36 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 7-6 Pitching probables: Sept. 7: LHP Jonathon Neise vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 1:05 p.m., MASN2 Sept. 8:...

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Marty Niland: With the season on the line, who would you rather be?

September 07, 2015, 5:40am

Nationals

Marty Niland: With the season on the line, who would you rather be?

For baseball fans, the season's final weeks can be a manic-depressive time when fortunes turn on a dime. At least that's how it's been for followers of the Washington Nationals. We've gone from hope to despair and back so many times in the past few weeks, it's hard to count. Remember that awful western road trip when the Nats returned with a five-game deficit to the New York Mets? Wasn't the season basically over then? How about last week's trip to St. Louis when the deficit grew to 6...

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Michael A. Taylor comes through in clutch once again

September 04, 2015, 8:41pm

Nationals

Michael A. Taylor comes through in clutch once again

Calm, cool and collected, rookie Michael A. Taylor stepped into the batter's box at Nationals Park for his first at-bat of the game, coming in the 10th inning of a 2-2 game. While the Nationals had jumped out to an early lead in the first thanks to a home run by Bryce Harper, the Braves battled back to tie the game in the second and eventually grab a 2-1 lead in the eighth. Rally time? #TomahawkFlop pic.twitter.com/UcQh5HMSvh -- Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) September 5, 2015 Down to...

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Opposite dugout: Braves still have a part to play in NL East race

September 02, 2015, 5:48pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Braves still have a part to play in NL East race

Manager: Fredi Gonzalez (5th season) Record: 54-79 Last 10 games: 1-9 Who to watch: 1B Freddie Freeman (.280/.359/.478 with 15 HR and 50 RBIs), RF Nick Markakis (.298 with 48 RBIs), CF Cameron Maybin (.267 with 10 HR and 52 RBIs), RHP Shelby Miller (147 strikeouts, 2.59 ERA), RHP Jason Grilli (24 saves, 2.94 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-9 Pitching probables: Sept. 3: RHP Matt Wisler vs. RHP Jordan Zimmermann, 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept. 4: RHP Julio Teheran vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 7:05 p.m.,...

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David Huzzard: The cruelty of baseball

September 03, 2015, 5:11am

Nationals

The Nationals' 2015 season has been a lesson in the cruelty of baseball. Sure they built a roster full of injury-prone players and they had to expect they'd miss time. The ultimate outcome of how many players and how much time affected the Nationals in far more ways than just when those players were out. Clint Robinson, Danny Espinosa and Michael A. Taylor were all admirable fill-ins and helped the Nationals get to nine games over .500 and a lead in the division, but then Anthony Rendon, Ryan...

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Matt of Matt's Bats: Giving thanks for Denard Span

September 01, 2015, 5:33am

Nationals

Matt of Matt's Bats: Giving thanks for Denard Span

Last week, Nationals fans got the disappointing news that center fielder Denard Span, who had just come off the disabled list, needed hip surgery and would be out for the rest of the 2015 season. This is a huge blow for the team and Nats fans. In his three seasons on the Nationals, Span became a fan favorite and a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder. Since he becomes a free agent at the end of this season, and given how Michael A. Taylor has played this year, chances are Span has played his last...

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Opposite dugout: Cardinals heading for third straight division crown as World Series favorites

August 31, 2015, 7:18am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Cardinals heading for third straight division crown as World Series favorites

Manager: Mike Matheny (4th season) Record: 84-46 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: RF Jason Heyward (.291/.349/.442 with 11 HR, 48 RBIs), 1B Matt Carpenter (.262/.361/.467 with 20 HR, 69 RBIs), SS Jhonny Peralta (.276/.335/.429 with 16 HR, 58 RBIs), RHP Michael Wacha (15-4, 2.69 ERA), RHP Trevor Rosenthal (41 saves, 1.52 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-1 Pitching probables: Aug. 31: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP John Lackey, 8:15 p.m., MASN2 Sept. 1: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Carlos Martinez, 8:15...

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Marty Niland: Nats get most from Jayson Werth in the leadoff spot

August 31, 2015, 5:27am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Nats get most from Jayson Werth in the leadoff spot

When the Nationals learned Friday that leadoff man Denard San would have hip surgery and miss the rest of the season, it was certainly discouraging news. Without Span's .365 OPB and base-stealing potential atop the lineup, the team's offense takes a severe hit, and with it, their chances to catch the New York Mets in the National League East. So manager Matt Williams turned to the solution he used when the Nats offense was struggling this season, and the one his predecessor Davey Johnson...

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Opposite dugout: Without Stanton in lineup, Marlins struggle to create offense

August 25, 2015, 6:45pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Without Stanton in lineup, Marlins struggle to create offense

Manager: Dan Jennings (1st season) Record: 51-77 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: 2B Dee Gordon (.333/.358/.417 with 45 SB), SS Adeiny Hechevarria (.280 with 48 RBIs), 1B Justin Bour (12 HR, 42 RBIs), RHP Tom Koehler (8-12, 3.98 ERA), RHP A.J. Ramos (2.80 ERA, 22 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 5-4 Pitching probables: Aug. 28: LHP Adam Conley vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 29: RHP Tom Koehler vs. RHP Jordan Zimmermann, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 30: LHP Brad Hand vs. RHP Stephen...

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David Huzzard: It's time to plan for the offseason

August 27, 2015, 5:55am

Nationals

David Huzzard: It's time to plan for the offseason

With the Nationals' 6-5 loss to the Padres on Wednesday night, the Nats are now 6.5 games back of the Mets, and it might be time to start thinking about next year. The first action that most people are going to want is for Matt Williams to be fired, which could and probably should happen but isn't a big difference-making move. Matt Williams' managing philosophy is to interfere as little as possible with the game on the field. In other words, if the players were playing well then the Nats...

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Opposite dugout: Whether Padres make moves or not, they haven't lived up to expectations

August 24, 2015, 4:45pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Whether Padres make moves or not, they haven't lived up to expectations

Manager: Pat Murphy (1st season) Record: 61-63 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: RF Matt Kemp (.267/.314/.423 with 15 HR, 76 RBIs), LF Justin Upton (.258/.344/.448 with 20 HR, 67 RBIs), 3B Yangervis Solarte (.269/.325/.425 with 10 HR, 49 RBIs), RHP James Shields (9-5, 3.74 ERA), RHP Craig Kimbrel (35 saves, 2.94 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-3 Pitching probables: Aug. 25: RHP James Shields vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 22: RHP Tyson Ross vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m.,...

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Marty Niland: Encouraging signs spark memories of Nats' 2014 run

August 23, 2015, 5:56pm

Nationals

Marty Niland: Encouraging signs spark memories of Nats' 2014 run

Funny how quickly your outlook can change. A week ago, many Nationals fans were calling for manager Matt Williams' firing, for the team to cut bait on Jayson Werth and the $42 million the team still owes him through 2017, and for the benching of Anthony Rendon, who had gone more than two weeks without an extra-base hit or an RBI. But after Williams placed the struggling Werth atop the batting order and Rendon was forced back to his natural third base position because of an injury to Yunel...

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MASN giving fans chance to win Jayson Werth NLDS bobblehead from Great Moments in Nationals History series

August 19, 2015, 11:11am

Nationals

Win or go home. That was the situation the Washington Nationals found themselves in on a cool October afternoon at Nationals Park in 2012. Ater three games of the National League Division Series, they had their backs against the wall, down two games to one against the Cardinals. Heading to the ninth inning in Game 4, both the Nats and their opponent had mustered just one run. With All-Star Lance Lynn on the mound, Jayson Werth stepped in the box for what is now the most well-known at-bat in...

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Opposite dugout: Brewers aiming for culture change while cleaning house and searching for new GM

August 20, 2015, 11:29am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Brewers aiming for culture change while cleaning house and searching for new GM

Manager: Craig Counsell (1st season) Record: 52-70 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: RF Ryan Braun (.276/.345/.499 with 22 HR, 72 RBIs), 1B Adam Lind (.284/.364/.479 with 17 HR, 67 RBIs), LF Khris Davis (14 HR, 41 RBIs), RHP Taylor Jungmann (7-4, 2.23 ERA), RHP Francisco Rodriquez (30 saves, 2.06 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-2 Pitching probables: Aug. 21: RHP Jimmy Nelson vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASN2 Aug. 22: RHP Taylor Jungmann vs. TBA, 7:05 p.m., MASN2 Aug. 23: RHP Matt Garza...

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David Huzzard: Nationals need a hot streak

August 20, 2015, 6:59am

Nationals

With the Nationals' 4-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday evening, they won back-to-back games for the first time since July 29 and 30. It was also the first series that the Nats have won in the month of August. The Nats' recent cold stretch has put them in an unfamiliar position. In 2012 and 2014, I wrote this same column about what it would take to overtake the Nationals, and now the Nats are the team hoping to overtake the Mets. The good thing for the Nationals is that the...

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Max Scherzer to host fantasy football draft, launch Big League Impact DC

August 17, 2015, 7:51am

Nationals

Max Scherzer to host fantasy football draft, launch Big League Impact DC

Are you ready for some football? While the Nationals have 44 baseball games left to play, pitcher Max Scherzer and some of his teammates are preparing for the upcoming National Football League season like the rest of us by holding a fantasy football draft. But this isn't just for a cash prize, a little trophy or bragging rights among friends. This type of fantasy football has a much bigger impact. Scherzer has joined Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright's Big League Impact charity to launch Big...

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Rachel Levitin: Nats' expectations clashing with stark reality

August 19, 2015, 5:46am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Nats' expectations clashing with stark reality

When it comes to professional sports, looking good on paper can be deceiving when weighed against the actions of a team in any given season. This is what seems to be plaguing the Nationals in 2015. Two division titles in three years and the Nats are struggling to paw their way back to the top of the National League East and dethrone the New York Mets before time runs out on the regular season. And while wins like last night's 15-6 blowout victory against the Rockies in Colorado are nice to see...