Nationals Journal

Nationals’ offensive woes, struggles against left-handers, Adam LaRoche’s ‘benching’

James Wagner — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:35:51 GMT

Don’t accuse Nationals Manager Davey Johnson of lacking in confidence. The day after yet another miserable offensive display, Johnson repeated his trust in his hitters and their ability to snap out of the season-long funk that has descended upon nearly … Continue reading →

Why Denard Span keeps fouling balls off his foot

Adam Kilgore — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:09:36 GMT

Denard Span walked through the Nationals’ clubhouse this afternoon, past the lineup card without his name, with black tape wrapped out his right foot. He needed to sit for another game because he had, for the third time this season, … Continue reading →

Nationals at Phillies discussion thread: Game 69

James Wagner — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:05:43 GMT

The Nationals make their first trip to Philadelphia this season and it is, oddly, late in the year. Dan Haren (4-8, 5.70 ERA) starts, hoping again to limit home runs and perform up to the level the Nationals and he … Continue reading →

Bryce Harper cleared to begin walking a week after cortisone shot

Adam Kilgore — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:36:40 GMT

One week after Bryce Harper received a cortisone shot from orthopedic specialist James Andrews to relieve bursitis in his left knee, Nationals team physician Wiemi Douoguih reevaluated Harper today and cleared him to begin walking and jogging. The swelling in … Continue reading →

Denard Span, Adam LaRoche out: Nationals-Phillies lineups

James Wagner — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:33:50 GMT

Denard Span is out the lineup a day after fouling a ball off his right foot for the third time this season. Jeff Kobernus is leading off and playing center field is his place. Anthony Rendon, for the third straight … Continue reading →

Nationals sign 22 of 39 draft picks, including third-rounder Drew Ward

James Wagner — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:11:50 GMT

The Nationals announced Monday the first wave of draft pick signings, agreeing to terms with 22 of their 39 selections in the 2013 draft held on June 8. The Nationals, with baseball’s smallest draft bonus pool allotment of $2.737 million for … Continue reading →

Denard Span: ‘Not where I want to be’ yet with Nationals

James Wagner — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:18:26 GMT

A lot has gone wrong with the Nationals’ offense this season. Bad situational hitting. Poor on-base percentage. Missing fastballs. Pressing to score runs. Not making enough contact. And, quite simply, just plain hitting. So it’s not fair to place on … Continue reading →

Nationals face old friend John Lannan

James Wagner — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:30:26 GMT

If it’s not already painfully clear, baseball and fate work in mysterious ways. On Monday, the second-place Nationals, 3-3 through this nine-game road trip, open a three-game series against the third-place Phillies in Philadelphia. And who is expected to start … Continue reading →

Denard Span fouls ball off right foot again, snaps slump

James Wagner — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:07:21 GMT

In a sixth-inning at-bat on Sunday, Denard Span fouled a ball off his right foot for the third time this season, and second time in a week. Span, 29, has been playing baseball since he was 5 years old and … Continue reading →

Nationals at Indians discussion thread: Game 68

James Wagner — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:50:24 GMT

Stephen Strasburg returns and starts after missing 12 games while on the disabled list with a lat strain. The Nationals starting rotation, after nearly a month of being incomplete, has both Strasburg and Ross Detwiler back now. The late-inning heroes … Continue reading →

Kurt Suzuki’s production since Wilson Ramos’ injury

James Wagner — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:48:11 GMT

Early this season, the Nationals employed a two-tier catching system with Wilson Ramos and Kurt Suzuki alternating games. In that rotation, both players produced well. But since opening day, Ramos has spent most of his time on the disabled list … Continue reading →

Ian Krol continues to impress

James Wagner — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:42:53 GMT

With the score tied at six in the seventh inning of Saturday’s game against the Indians, Nationals Manager Davey Johnson called to the bullpen and asked for Ian Krol. Twelve days prior, 22-year-old Krol was in Class AA Harrisburg, the … Continue reading →

Stephen Strasburg activated from DL: Nationals-Indians lineups

James Wagner — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:42:30 GMT

As expected, the Nationals officially activated Stephen Strasburg from the 15-day disabled list ahead of his Sunday start. Because the Nationals switched the rotation and benefited from rainouts and off days, Strasburg missed only one start. The Nationals’ rotation, after … Continue reading →

Injury notes on Bryce Harper and Wilson Ramos

James Wagner — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 02:01:46 GMT

Bryce Harper performed some range of motion exercises and didn’t have a lot of swelling in his left knee, according to Manager Davey Johnson, but did have “a little puffiness.” Johnson insisted that the Nationals training staff wasn’t overly concerned. … Continue reading →

Anthony Rendon learning and producing

James Wagner — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 23:42:31 GMT

Nationals Manager Davey Johnson has searched for ways to jump-start a sleepy offense and after nearly two and a half months of trying he has turned to this: Rookie Anthony Rendon, with 15 games of major league experience, in the … Continue reading →

Nationals at Indians discussion thread: Game 67

James Wagner — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 23:12:08 GMT

The Nationals are at .500 for the 12th time this season. It’s the middle of June. But they have the perhaps the perfect solution for following a loss: stopper Jordan Zimmermann (9-3, 2.00 ERA). The right-hander has started five times … Continue reading →

Nationals-Indians lineups: Anthony Rendon hitting second

James Wagner — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:39:15 GMT

Anthony Rendon is back in the Nationals lineup and hitting second for the first time season, a spot Manager Davey Johnson said he had thought about hitting Rendon but wanted to keep him lower in the lineup. Rendon is hitting … Continue reading →

Mike Rizzo on the new bullpen and changing roles

James Wagner — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 17:59:24 GMT

The Nationals opened the season with a bullpen that contained only one left-handed reliever. Although Manager Davey Johnson dropped hints that he would have preferred a second left-handed reliever, more suited to the way he manages, he explained the Nationals’ … Continue reading →

Updates on Bryce Harper, Wilson Ramos, Danny Espinosa

James Wagner — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 23:38:54 GMT

Bryce Harper likely will test out his injured left knee while the Nationals are in Philadelphia, perhaps performing baseball activities, according to Manager Davey Johnson. If all goes well, Harper could play in rehab games and rejoin the Nationals after … Continue reading →

Nationals at Indians discussion thread: Game 66

James Wagner — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 22:53:37 GMT

The Nationals have won four of the past five games, riding a series win over the Rockies. They open their three-game series against the Indians on Friday, the second stop of the three-city road trip. Gio Gonzalez (3-3, 3.59 ERA) … Continue reading →

Nationals-Indians lineups; Ryan Zimmerman will DH

James Wagner — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:44:31 GMT

Ryan Zimmerman will serve as the designated hitter for just the fifth time in his career as the Nationals face tough right-hander Justin Masterson and the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on Friday night. Chad Tracy will play third base and Steve Lombardozzi will … Continue reading →

Former Nationals lefty Zach Duke signs with the Reds

James Wagner — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:03:48 GMT

Left-handed pitcher Zach Duke, who the Nationals released earlier this week, inked a deal with the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday and was assigned to their Class AAA affiliate, the Louisville Bats, according to both teams. The Nationals released Duke, 30, … Continue reading →

Does Ian Desmond deserve to be in the All-Star Game?

James Wagner — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:30:44 GMT

In Thursday’s 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies, shortstop Ian Desmond scattered four hits across the field, drove in a run and scored a crucial run in the seventh inning after back-to-back balks. He extended his career-best 15-game hitting streak … Continue reading →

Ross Ohlendorf to move to the overhauled bullpen as long reliever

James Wagner — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:52:20 GMT

After six unexpectedly brilliant innings from right-handed starter Ross Ohlendorf on Wednesday night, the Nationals took another step in the ongoing overhaul of their bullpen. And, in part, further revealing that their decision to open the season with one left-handed … Continue reading →

Stephen Strasburg throws clean bullpen session, cleared by trainers

James Wagner — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:04:17 GMT

Stephen Strasburg threw a clean bullpen session without any issues on Thursday morning in Denver and was cleared by Nationals trainers, according to Manager Davey Johnson. Strasburg is still on track to come off the disabled list on Sunday from … Continue reading →