nationals buzz

Nats, O's Rivalry? Not yet, but someday

May 20, 2011, 2:37pm

BALTIMORE - As the Nationals travel to Baltimore for their first interleague series of the season, players still struggle to see a real rivalry between the two teams. There are many factors why that might be the case. The two teams share a television network and a Major League Baseball designated television territory. For years, fans in Washington traveled up Interstate 95 to watch baseball until they were granted a team of their own in 2005. Moreover, both teams have yet to play a...

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Battle of the Beltways by the numbers

May 20, 2011, 7:03am

Nationals

The Nationals head to Baltimore this weekend to kick of their 2011 interleague play. As always, many fans in Washington will make the trip up Interstate 95 to support the Nationals. Here's a look at the Battle of the Beltways by the numbers: Since baseball returned to Washington in 2005, the Nationals trail the Orioles 16-14. If you add in the Expos' history, the all-time series is 23-22 in Washington's favor. At Camden Yards, however, the Nationals are just 9-15. And, of the 30 Battle...

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Will Yoder: Checking in on the top Nats' picks not named Bryce Harper from the 2010 draft

May 20, 2011, 3:24am

Nationals

Will Yoder: Checking in on the top Nats' picks not named Bryce Harper from the 2010 draft

We have all seen the incredible success Bryce Harper has had thus far at Single-A Hagerstown. It hasn't just been the talk of the town, it's been national news, and will continue to be as he makes his march to Washington, D.C. We saw the same phenomenon occur with Stephen Strasburg last season. One problem, though, is that when you draft superstars first overall in back-to-back seasons, you can lose focus on the other 50-plus selections that you took in that same draft. While Harper and...

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Will Yoder: Where are the Jim Bowden gambles of 2008 now?

May 15, 2011, 7:16pm

Nationals

Will Yoder: Where are the Jim Bowden gambles of 2008 now?

Former Nationals general manager Jim Bowden was well-known for his ability to buy really cheap talent and sell it as gold. Not sell it to opposing franchises in transactions, mind you, but to the fan base. Year after year, fans were convinced that Bowden had found a good group of diamonds in the rough, and that given the right opportunity in Washington, we could help tap into their true talent. It wasn't until Bowden was gone that we realized he had us looking through rose-colored glasses....

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Will Yoder: Rizzo nixes Harper in D.C. this season, but why?

May 19, 2011, 3:21am

Nationals

Will Yoder: Rizzo nixes Harper in D.C. this season, but why?

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told ESPN 980 yesterday that mega-prospect Bryce Harper would not play in the major leagues this year, despite the fact that he is currently playing well above the level of the league he is currently in. Through 37 games, Harper is hitting .366/.448/.657 with nine home runs and 31 RBI,s which leads all Nationals minor leaguers in just about every important offensive category. Still, Rizzo remains steadfast in his assertion that Harper, under no...

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Younging/Yoder: Mourning the passing of Harmon Killebrew

May 18, 2011, 6:59am

Nationals

Younging/Yoder: Mourning the passing of Harmon Killebrew

The baseball world is mourning the death of Harmon Clayton Killebrew, who died Tuesday at the age of 74. As such, it would seem unfitting to blog about anything else this morning. The 13-time All-Star, 1969 American League Most Valuable Player and 1984 Hall of Fame inductee played 22 seasons in the majors, collecting 2,086 hits, 573 home runs and 1,584 RBIs. "It's a sad day. We lost an icon. We lost Paul Bunyan," former Minnesota Twins star Kent Hrbek said Tuesday, speaking about...

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GroupOn discount for Nats games

May 17, 2011, 4:40am

Nationals

On Tuesday, GroupOn DC has a special discount for Nationals fans. The deal works for three different games (Padres on Friday, May 27; Padres on Saturday, May 28; Cardinals on Wednesday, June 15). There is a 12-purchase limit. The costs and discounts are as follows: For $23, an LF/RF-Corner ticket (a $34 value), plus a $10 concession credit For $16, an Outfield Reserved ticket (a $22 value), plus a $6 concession credit For $8, an Upper-Infield Gallery ticket (a $17 value) Also, Nats News...

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Will Yoder: For slump busters, Monday's win a welcome relief

May 17, 2011, 3:17am

Nationals

Will Yoder: For slump busters, Monday's win a welcome relief

The Nationals won a 4-2 decision last night over the Pittsburgh Pirates to help them get within one game of .500. It was their second win in a row, after dropping their three previous games by a combined three runs. It has clearly been an up-and-down few weeks for the club, but for some it had been more down than up lately. One such player was Danny Espinosa. There was a time when he was the only hitter in the Nats lineup manager Jim Riggleman could rely on, but the rookie second baseman had...

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Rachel Levitin: Horning in on an unsound change of plans

May 13, 2011, 5:22am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Horning in on an unsound change of plans

It's Friday night in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are in town to start a series against the Florida Marlins. If this was 2010, there would be fireworks to look forward to. But in 2011, there are no more fireworks at Nationals Park. In April, fans found out about the change. According to Dan Steinberg at the DC Sports Bog, there had been some complaints from neighbors about the noise and some fans said their children were scared by the noise. Nationals Chief Operating Officer Andy Feffer...

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Rachel Levitin: Would Veeck's wacky promotion play at Nationals Park?

May 12, 2011, 5:34am

Nationals

It was August 24, 1951 when the St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck Jr. decided to host Grandstand Manager's Day. This ballpark promotion had fans sending in a newspaper form that allowed them to set the last-place Browns' lineup against the Athletics, in addition to getting free admission the special Grandstand Managers Section at Sportsman's Park. When a decision from the manager was necessary, a sign was raised over the Browns dubout asking the fans sitting in the Grandstand Managers...

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Zimmerman's Night at the Park fundraiser set for June 30

May 11, 2011, 5:44pm

Nationals

Zimmerman's Night at the Park fundraiser set for June 30

Ryan Zimmerman's second annual Night at the Park fundraiser will take place Thursday, June 30 at Nationals Park. As always, the event will benefit the ziMS Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding multiple sclerosis treatment and research programs. Last year's event raised over $200,000 for the ziMS Foundation, a cause close to Zimmerman's heart. Though the ziMS Foundation hasn't announced the talent or celebrity lineup yet, the ziMS Foundation website mentions that...

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Nix getting more playing time

May 11, 2011, 2:25pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - Laynce Nix will make his sixth consecutive start for the Nationals tonight in left field. Before the game, manager Jim Riggleman explained that his decision to use Nix has more to do with Nix's recent success than the lingering knee injury to Michael Morse. "Basically, I'm just choosing to play (Laynce) Nix, but Mike (Morse) can play. He's just not going to move around as good as maybe he would if he was 100 percent," Riggleman said. "Nix is a strong guy. He's got power....

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Riggleman wants Ramos to play more back-to-back games

May 11, 2011, 2:10pm

Nationals

Riggleman wants Ramos to play more back-to-back games

ATLANTA - According to Nationals manager Jim Riggleman, catcher Wilson Ramos performs better when he plays in back-to-back games. As a result, Riggleman plans to utilize Ramos in two or three game stretches moving forward. "Wilson (Ramos) just plays better when he plays more," said Riggleman. "He showed us that in spring training. The games that he's played this year, whenever I get him two or three days in a row, he just seems to produce more." Ramos went 5-for-11 during his only...

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Georgia on my mind

May 11, 2011, 3:51am

Nationals

I'm off to Atlanta this morning - land of peaches, CNN, Coca-Cola and Braves baseball. I thought I would check in quickly from Dulles airport to mention a few odds and ends for the Nationals' next homestand. I'll be at the Turner Field on Wednesday and Thursday, so check back for more updates. And make sure to follow Matthew Kaminski, the Braves' organist, on Twitter. Kaminski asks fans for suggestions on songs played for visiting team at bats. Other news: * The Nationals recently...

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Rachel Levitin: Learning to cope without Zimmerman's impact

May 11, 2011, 4:59am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Learning to cope without Zimmerman's impact

John Feinstein of The Washington Post once wrote that anyone playing one of the major sports "knows that the way to make the highlight shows isn't to hit a jump shot or a home run, it is to dunk and dance; score a touchdown and salute; or hit a home run and pose." Ryan Zimmerman, 26, is a poser - and not the bad kind. Since it was first announced April 11 that Zimmerman would be heading to the disabled list for the longest stint of his young career, the Nationals have been playing in a...

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Rachel Levitin: Giving thanks for endearing features at Nationals Park

May 10, 2011, 5:31am

Nationals

Last Wednesday marked the five-year anniversary of the groundbreaking at Nationals Park. Since then, there hasn't been too much activity around the Navy Yard, minus the days the Nats are in town. To celebrate, I took a few minutes to remind myself why Nationals Park is a treasured entity over the Nats old home, RFK Stadium. It's not RFK: Here's the thing - I'm a baseball traditionalist. If it's got a Monument Park or ivy, I'll jump on it like Ryan Zimmerman hitting a walk-off to win it....

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Rachel Levitin: Fans often forget that baseball's still a difficult job

May 09, 2011, 5:25am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Fans often forget that baseball's still a difficult job

A couple weeks ago when the Giants were in town, I got to talking with Orioles Buzz guest blogger Anthony Amobi of Oriole Post. Pitchers Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson of the world champion San Francisco squad were the topics of conversation. We threw around ideas of what it would be like to hang out with those guys, even if just for a few minutes. I wondered, "Gee, I bet that Lincecum fella is a hoot to be around." As for Brian Wilson, well, I still haven't figured that one out, but I'm...

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Esperanza Hairston, the heart of baseball's storied family

May 07, 2011, 9:51pm

Nationals

Esperanza Hairston, the heart of baseball's storied family

Nationals utility man Jerry Hairston Jr. answers a lot questions about his father, Jerry Sr., and grandfather, Sam - a pinch hitter extraordinaire in the 1970s and Negro League player, respectively. One of four three-generation baseball families, the Hairstons are proud of their storied baseball history and multi-generational accomplishments. Certainly, Sam and Jerry Sr. taught their children about life and baseball - passing on their talent and advice. But that's not the whole story. At...

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Dave Nichols: The only game in town

May 05, 2011, 10:59pm

Nationals

The Caps were swept in four games by a division rival after another first-place season. Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams shockingly retired, while his best player last year declared for the NBA draft. The Wizards recently completed a thoroughly uninteresting season. The lockout and subsequent lawsuits put the NFL season in jeopardy. Even if they do play, the Redskins went 6-10 last season and might start with John Beck as the quarterback. It's enough to make a D.C. sports fan...

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Dave Nichols: Is Jason Marquis a key to Nats' future success?

May 05, 2011, 6:27am

Nationals

Dave Nichols: Is Jason Marquis a key to Nats' future success?

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jason Marquis had a rough outing last night against the Philadelphia Phillies, getting knocked around in the fifth and sixth innings, leading to another loss against the bullies of the National League East. The loss drops the Nats' record for the season to 14-16 through 30 games. Two losses to start this 10-day, nine-game road trip, with the prospect of facing Roy Halladay tonight, is probably a bad omen if you believe in those things. But in the bigger...