Solo HRs by Jayson Werth and Mark DeRosa coupled with solid relief pitching paced the Nats past the Braves for a 5-2 win this afternoon. Gio Gonzalez turned in three scoreless innings in his spring debut, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out two. Michael Morse was a lat(e) scratch, which gave …
In a game that featured a lot of hustle, but not much flow, the Nats made just a few more plays than the Mets for a 3-1 win tonight. The two teams combined for eight stolen base attempts, multiple hit-and-run plays, and players trying to extend singles into doubles. Despite all the running, just four …
The Astros lit up Tom Gorzelanny with a pair of three-run HRs as Houston sent the Nationals to their second loss in Grapefruit League play by a 10-2 count. Gorzelanny was charged with seven earned runs while retiring three batters over the third and fourth innings, letting in an inherited run, hitting a batter, and …
The Nationals PR staff touted the 8-5 margin in the “H” column, but the Astros took the “R” column by a 3-1 count in the 2012 Grapefruit League opener. Like yesterday, just one National was successful with a man on second or third, as Jesus Flores followed Roger Bernadina’s leadoff double with one of his …
Five Nationals pitchers combined to shut out the Georgetown Hoyas for a 3-0 win this afternoon. None of the Nats runs were earned, as the Nationals pushed across runs in the first, fourth and sixth innings but only drove in one via a base hit. Brett Carroll got the Homer Simpson RBI with a HBP …
It’s a shame that today’s game, albeit an exhibition against a NCAA D-I powderpuff, isn’t broadcast on radio or TV because it’s right in our sweet spot, a lineup of minor-leaguers and non-roster invitees:
Lombardozzi, 2B Paul, LF Moore, 1B Harper, RF Carroll, DH
Rendon, 3B Brown, CF Blanco, SS Leon, C
LHP Matt Purke is slated to start, followed by Austin Bibens-Dirkx, Rafael Martin, Waldis Joaquin, Jeff Fulchino and Atahualpa Severino (not necessarily in that order).
Bill “The Rocket” Ladson is reporting that Justin Bloxom, Destin Hood, Jeff Kobernus, Michael Taylor, and Zach Walters will come off the bench.
For the real geeks diehards, check to see if MLB will be warming up its interns with a GameDay broadcast at noon. As mentioned in the comments, @NatsJack will be tweeting from the game, which should include some pics.
As predicted, MLB Network has picked up some of Nationals games in its broadcast schedule. Most, however, are rebroadcasts of the MASN feed, some live, some tape delayed. Three road games have been added, with one live (at Atlanta on March 14) and two tape-delayed (at St. Louis on March 22, at Mets on March …
With the long-term extension of Ryan Zimmerman’s contract, the landscape for Nationals prospects has changed. Things just got a little tougher for infielders in particular. The current starters at second, short, and third are now under team control through 2016, 2015, and 2019 respectively. They will be 28, 30, and 31 by the end of …
I keep waiting for the weekly dispatch from BA to have something new on the Nationals but for the second week in a row it’s been empty.
A couple notes on some former Nats minor-leaguers over the past two weeks:
The last notable minor-league signing noted was for Mitch Atkins, a 26-year-old RHP that started 23 games in the Baltimore system, compiling a 4-10 record overall and a 3-7 mark with a 5.44 ERA in his 17 starts for AAA Norfolk. If he sticks, he’s most likely competing for the fifth starter/long reliever spot in Harrisburg.
This is the pitching staff to watch this season because it’s likely to have the youngest starter in full-season ball, two Top 15 prospects (per BA), and the bulk of the 2011 pitching draftees. The X factor of course is whether or not the Washington Nationals plan to shorten the workload (and avoid the coldest …