Overview
I am a former writer for "The Nats Blog," one of the most popular blogs about the Washington Nationals baseball team. The Nats Blog is one of the only blogs that receives press credentials for Nationals games. For the site I write game recaps and opinion pieces.
I am a former writer for "The Nats Blog," one of the most popular blogs about the Washington Nationals baseball team. The Nats Blog is one of the only blogs that receives press credentials for Nationals games. For the site I write game recaps and opinion pieces.
NATS LOOK EVEN WORSE IN 10-2 LOSS TO ATLANTA
Posted by Nick Fineman on Apr 13, 2014 17:36
With two outs in the bottom of the second inning Braves’ first basement Freddie Freeman lifted a towering ball off of Gio Gonzalez toward the right field foul pole. On most days, or perhaps against another team this ball would have gone foul, but in this case the wind blew the ball fair for a homer giving the Braves a 6-0 lead.
Freeman’s homer along with myriad errors, injuries, and blown opportunities encapsulates the Washington National’s experience against their rivals in the National League East so far this season. The Braves have beaten the Nats five out of the first six times they have faced them to begin the year. Furthermore the Braves are the only team to defeat the Nats in 2014.
A key to the Braves’ success in this series was their ability to put runs on the board early, and today was no different. In the top of the first, Gio walked Jason Heyward to start the game. Then on an attempted B.J. Upton sacrifice Gio threw the ball away sending Heyward to third and Upton to second. Justin Upton followed his brother with a homer to center giving the Braves a 3-0 lead after one inning.
In the bottom of the second the Braves struck again. Tyler Pastornicky tripled and then Heyward doubled him home. Freeman followed with a homer to right to give the Braves a 6-0 lead and crush the Nationals’ hope of taking one of three games from the Braves in the series.
The Nationals had relatively little success at the plate during the game. In the fifth the team was able to get a little bit of a rally going. First, Kevin Frandsen doubled to center. Then Danny Espinosa bunted a single over the pitchers head (actually) moving Frandsen to third. Jose Lobaton grounded out to second base, but Frandsen was able to score on the play. The Nats second and final run of the game came on a meaningless home run from Adam LaRoche in the top of the ninth inning.
Overall the Nats played a lackluster series again the Braves. The series did longer term damage to the team as well, asRyan Zimmerman will be out four to six weeks with a broken thumb. The bottom line is that if that Nationals want to contend this year they will need to learn how to beat the Braves sooner rather than later.
Notes:
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nats-look-even-worse-in-10-2-loss-to-atlanta.html
Posted by Nick Fineman on Apr 13, 2014 17:36
With two outs in the bottom of the second inning Braves’ first basement Freddie Freeman lifted a towering ball off of Gio Gonzalez toward the right field foul pole. On most days, or perhaps against another team this ball would have gone foul, but in this case the wind blew the ball fair for a homer giving the Braves a 6-0 lead.
Freeman’s homer along with myriad errors, injuries, and blown opportunities encapsulates the Washington National’s experience against their rivals in the National League East so far this season. The Braves have beaten the Nats five out of the first six times they have faced them to begin the year. Furthermore the Braves are the only team to defeat the Nats in 2014.
A key to the Braves’ success in this series was their ability to put runs on the board early, and today was no different. In the top of the first, Gio walked Jason Heyward to start the game. Then on an attempted B.J. Upton sacrifice Gio threw the ball away sending Heyward to third and Upton to second. Justin Upton followed his brother with a homer to center giving the Braves a 3-0 lead after one inning.
In the bottom of the second the Braves struck again. Tyler Pastornicky tripled and then Heyward doubled him home. Freeman followed with a homer to right to give the Braves a 6-0 lead and crush the Nationals’ hope of taking one of three games from the Braves in the series.
The Nationals had relatively little success at the plate during the game. In the fifth the team was able to get a little bit of a rally going. First, Kevin Frandsen doubled to center. Then Danny Espinosa bunted a single over the pitchers head (actually) moving Frandsen to third. Jose Lobaton grounded out to second base, but Frandsen was able to score on the play. The Nats second and final run of the game came on a meaningless home run from Adam LaRoche in the top of the ninth inning.
Overall the Nats played a lackluster series again the Braves. The series did longer term damage to the team as well, asRyan Zimmerman will be out four to six weeks with a broken thumb. The bottom line is that if that Nationals want to contend this year they will need to learn how to beat the Braves sooner rather than later.
Notes:
- Kevin Frandsen has been playing well as a replacement for injured players so far this season. He is hitting .467 on the year and was 2-4 today with a run scored. The Nationals will need him to play well to help replace Zimmerman’s bat while he is on the DL.
- Bryce Harper went two for two today with a pair of walks. Though he is hitting a little better he needs to slow down a little on the field. I love his “hustle always personality,” but today he overran a ball in center field and was thrown out at second base on a pitch in the dirt. It is great when Bryce puts pressure on the other team, but he needs to make sure not to hurt his own team in the process.
- The Nationals won’t return to Atlanta to play the Braves until August. Hopefully that is enough time to figure out how to play there.
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nats-look-even-worse-in-10-2-loss-to-atlanta.html
NATIONALS BLANK MARLINS BEHIND GONZALEZ’S STRONG START
Posted by Nick Fineman on Apr 8, 2014 22:39
Gio Gonzalez threw six shutout innings and Adam LaRoche went 3-3 with an RBI and a walk as the Washington Nationals (5-2) took game one of their three-game series, 5-0, against the Miami Marlins (5-3).
Gonzalez looked strong in his second start of the season. The southpaw threw six scoreless innings while allowing three hits and striking out five. Gonzalez did not go deeper into the game because he started the game a little wild and his pitch count was over 100 after six innings of work.
Luckily, the Nats strong offense and bullpen allowed Gonzalez to not have to go deeper into the game to earn the win. The Nats scored five runs, on eight hits while walking three times, and their bullpen did not allow a run in three innings of relief.
The team was able to start fast and jump on the board in the first inning. After Denard Span and Bryce Harper groundouts, Jayson Werth followed with the first hit of the game. Werth smoked a double to the left field gap to put himself in scoring position. LaRoche followed with a single to bring him home. Unfortunately, LaRoche was caught trying to advance to second on the throw home to stop the rally and end the inning.
The Nats offense was quiet until the sixth inning when they struck again. First, Harper singled to break his 0 for 8 slump. Then, after a Werth fly-out, LaRoche singled to center sending Harper to third. That is when things got a little crazy. With Ian Desmond at the plate, Henderson Alvarez threw a pitch in the dirt that bounced away from catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. LaRoche took off for second, and second baseman Jeff Baker dropped Saltalamacchia’s throw allowing Harper to score from third. Alvarez then walked Desmond and threw a wild pitch in the process, advancing LaRoche to third. From there,Anthony Rendon singled him home to give the Nats a 3-0 lead.
The Nationals added two more runs on a Rendon double in the eighth to make the final score 5-0.
The team takes on the Marlins for game two of the series tomorrow evening at Nationals Park.
Notes
- Gonzalez looked solid in six innings of work, but threw too many pitches early in the game. If he can keep his walks down, Gonzalez looks to be in for a very solid year. He is 2-0 so far through 12 innings of work and has only allowed one earned run.
- Rendon started at third base this evening, and we may have seen the beginning of a changing of the guard at the hot corner for the Nats. Ryan Zimmerman worked out before the game and his shoulder is feeling better, but Rendon fulfilled all duties that the team has come to expect from Zim. Rendon went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and even made a Zimmerman-esque play in the seventh. Reed Johnson bunted a ball down the line with two men on, and Rendon made a spectacular barehanded pickup and throw to first base to nail Johnson and prevent a bases loaded situation.
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nationals-blank-marlins-behind-gonzalezs-strong-start.html
Posted by Nick Fineman on Apr 8, 2014 22:39
Gio Gonzalez threw six shutout innings and Adam LaRoche went 3-3 with an RBI and a walk as the Washington Nationals (5-2) took game one of their three-game series, 5-0, against the Miami Marlins (5-3).
Gonzalez looked strong in his second start of the season. The southpaw threw six scoreless innings while allowing three hits and striking out five. Gonzalez did not go deeper into the game because he started the game a little wild and his pitch count was over 100 after six innings of work.
Luckily, the Nats strong offense and bullpen allowed Gonzalez to not have to go deeper into the game to earn the win. The Nats scored five runs, on eight hits while walking three times, and their bullpen did not allow a run in three innings of relief.
The team was able to start fast and jump on the board in the first inning. After Denard Span and Bryce Harper groundouts, Jayson Werth followed with the first hit of the game. Werth smoked a double to the left field gap to put himself in scoring position. LaRoche followed with a single to bring him home. Unfortunately, LaRoche was caught trying to advance to second on the throw home to stop the rally and end the inning.
The Nats offense was quiet until the sixth inning when they struck again. First, Harper singled to break his 0 for 8 slump. Then, after a Werth fly-out, LaRoche singled to center sending Harper to third. That is when things got a little crazy. With Ian Desmond at the plate, Henderson Alvarez threw a pitch in the dirt that bounced away from catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. LaRoche took off for second, and second baseman Jeff Baker dropped Saltalamacchia’s throw allowing Harper to score from third. Alvarez then walked Desmond and threw a wild pitch in the process, advancing LaRoche to third. From there,Anthony Rendon singled him home to give the Nats a 3-0 lead.
The Nationals added two more runs on a Rendon double in the eighth to make the final score 5-0.
The team takes on the Marlins for game two of the series tomorrow evening at Nationals Park.
Notes
- Gonzalez looked solid in six innings of work, but threw too many pitches early in the game. If he can keep his walks down, Gonzalez looks to be in for a very solid year. He is 2-0 so far through 12 innings of work and has only allowed one earned run.
- Rendon started at third base this evening, and we may have seen the beginning of a changing of the guard at the hot corner for the Nats. Ryan Zimmerman worked out before the game and his shoulder is feeling better, but Rendon fulfilled all duties that the team has come to expect from Zim. Rendon went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and even made a Zimmerman-esque play in the seventh. Reed Johnson bunted a ball down the line with two men on, and Rendon made a spectacular barehanded pickup and throw to first base to nail Johnson and prevent a bases loaded situation.
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nationals-blank-marlins-behind-gonzalezs-strong-start.html
NATIONALS SWEEP METS WITH 8-2 VICTORY
Posted by Nick Fineman on Apr 3, 2014 16:43
Tanner Roark looked strong in his season debut, and Ryan Zimmerman had four hits including a homer as the Washington Nationals swept the New York Mets to complete their opening series in New York City.
Jordan Zimmermann, who was supposed to start today, was a late scratch with flu-like symptoms. Roark was informed he would be starting this morning and came out of the gate slow. In the bottom of the first, Daniel Murphy and David Wright both singled. Curtis Granderson then doubled to right scoring Murphy and sending Wright to third. After a Lucas Duda walk, Juan Lagaras lifted a sacrifice fly to Denard Span that allowed David Wright to score. Roark got Travis d’Arnaud to fly out to right to stop the bleeding with the score Mets 2, Nats 0.
After the rocky start Roark settled down and did not allow another run. Overall, this was an incredibly strong first start for Roark. After the first, he was able to locate his curveball and fastball, and the Mets could not get anything started off of him. He threw six innings and allowed two earned runs on six hits, three of which came in the first inning, with five strikeouts. Roark seemed to get stronger as the game went on and he struck out the final four batters he faced.
The Nationals offense continued their robust start to the season as the team scored 14 runs in its first two games. Today was no different.
Zimmerman led off the top of the second inning with a homer to left making the score 2-1. The Nats then tied the game in the fifth. Sandy Leon, who was making his first start of 2014 at catcher, walked and was sacrificed to second by Roark. Span singled him home to tie the game and then moved up on the throw home. After a Bryce Harper fly out, Jayson Werth singled to score Span and give the Nats a 3-2 lead.
From there, the Nationals kept their foot on the gas pedal. In the seventh, Scott Hairston and Bryce Harper singled to start the inning. After a pitching change, Werth walked to load the bases. Adam LaRoche then broke the game open with a two-RBI single. Zimmerman then singled scoring another. LaRoche made it home on a throwing error by Daniel Murphy giving the Nats a 7-2 lead after seven innings.
The Nats added another run in the eighth to make the final score 8-2. The team will host the Atlanta Braves tomorrow afternoon for their home opener at Nationals Park.
Notes:
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nationals-sweep-mets-with-8-2-victory.html
Posted by Nick Fineman on Apr 3, 2014 16:43
Tanner Roark looked strong in his season debut, and Ryan Zimmerman had four hits including a homer as the Washington Nationals swept the New York Mets to complete their opening series in New York City.
Jordan Zimmermann, who was supposed to start today, was a late scratch with flu-like symptoms. Roark was informed he would be starting this morning and came out of the gate slow. In the bottom of the first, Daniel Murphy and David Wright both singled. Curtis Granderson then doubled to right scoring Murphy and sending Wright to third. After a Lucas Duda walk, Juan Lagaras lifted a sacrifice fly to Denard Span that allowed David Wright to score. Roark got Travis d’Arnaud to fly out to right to stop the bleeding with the score Mets 2, Nats 0.
After the rocky start Roark settled down and did not allow another run. Overall, this was an incredibly strong first start for Roark. After the first, he was able to locate his curveball and fastball, and the Mets could not get anything started off of him. He threw six innings and allowed two earned runs on six hits, three of which came in the first inning, with five strikeouts. Roark seemed to get stronger as the game went on and he struck out the final four batters he faced.
The Nationals offense continued their robust start to the season as the team scored 14 runs in its first two games. Today was no different.
Zimmerman led off the top of the second inning with a homer to left making the score 2-1. The Nats then tied the game in the fifth. Sandy Leon, who was making his first start of 2014 at catcher, walked and was sacrificed to second by Roark. Span singled him home to tie the game and then moved up on the throw home. After a Bryce Harper fly out, Jayson Werth singled to score Span and give the Nats a 3-2 lead.
From there, the Nationals kept their foot on the gas pedal. In the seventh, Scott Hairston and Bryce Harper singled to start the inning. After a pitching change, Werth walked to load the bases. Adam LaRoche then broke the game open with a two-RBI single. Zimmerman then singled scoring another. LaRoche made it home on a throwing error by Daniel Murphy giving the Nats a 7-2 lead after seven innings.
The Nats added another run in the eighth to make the final score 8-2. The team will host the Atlanta Braves tomorrow afternoon for their home opener at Nationals Park.
Notes:
- Bryce Harper has looked shaky to begin the year. He is currently hitting .154 with six strikeouts in 13 at bats. Part of his struggle could be attributed to his fluctuation in the batting order. Manager Matt Williams has hit him in the five, six, and second spots in the first three games of the year. He strengths as a hitter and a base runner seem to make either the second or fifth spots a logical place for him in the order. Either way it will be something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
- The Nats starting pitchers have let up a run in the first inning of every game so far this season. Though this can fly against a team like the Mets, they cannot afford to keep this streak going with the Braves coming to town.
- Danny Espinosa got the start today at second base and he looked solid. He looked relaxed at the plate compared to his hectic season last year and it seemed to pay off with two doubles. The better he hits this year, the more options the Nats will have off of the bench.
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nationals-sweep-mets-with-8-2-victory.html
NATIONALS DEFEAT METS 4-0 IN FINAL FLORIDA SPRING TRAINING GAME
Posted by Nick Fineman on Mar 27, 2014 14:40
Jordan Zimmermann pitched five scoreless innings and added an RBI of his own as the Nats shut out the Mets in their final game before moving up north.
Zimmermann allowed only four hits and struck out three batters in his five innings of work. In the second inning, he even helped his own cause. After Wilson Ramos and Adam LaRoche singled, Danny Espinosa walked to load the bases. Zimmermann then came to the plate and hit a slow dribbler that was just far enough out of reach for Zimmermann to beat out for an infield hit. Wilson Ramos scored on the play.
The Nats did not score again until the top of the eighth inning. Denard Span singled to center field. New National Kevin Frandsen then doubled to advance Span to third. Next, Jose Lobaton hit a rocket to the right-center gap. Mets center fielder Juan Lagaras made an outstanding diving catch, but Span tagged up from third and scored. Bryce Harper then singled to center field to bring home Frandsen and make the score 3-0.
In the ninth, the Nationals extended their lead again. Nate McLouth, who entered the game as part of a double switch in the sixth inning, doubled. Denard Span then singled to advance McLouth to third. He scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-0. The Nationals play their final exhibition game of the season this Saturday against the Detroit Tiger at Nationals Park.
Notes:
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nationals-defeat-mets-4-0-in-final-florida-spring-training-game.html
Posted by Nick Fineman on Mar 27, 2014 14:40
Jordan Zimmermann pitched five scoreless innings and added an RBI of his own as the Nats shut out the Mets in their final game before moving up north.
Zimmermann allowed only four hits and struck out three batters in his five innings of work. In the second inning, he even helped his own cause. After Wilson Ramos and Adam LaRoche singled, Danny Espinosa walked to load the bases. Zimmermann then came to the plate and hit a slow dribbler that was just far enough out of reach for Zimmermann to beat out for an infield hit. Wilson Ramos scored on the play.
The Nats did not score again until the top of the eighth inning. Denard Span singled to center field. New National Kevin Frandsen then doubled to advance Span to third. Next, Jose Lobaton hit a rocket to the right-center gap. Mets center fielder Juan Lagaras made an outstanding diving catch, but Span tagged up from third and scored. Bryce Harper then singled to center field to bring home Frandsen and make the score 3-0.
In the ninth, the Nationals extended their lead again. Nate McLouth, who entered the game as part of a double switch in the sixth inning, doubled. Denard Span then singled to advance McLouth to third. He scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-0. The Nationals play their final exhibition game of the season this Saturday against the Detroit Tiger at Nationals Park.
Notes:
- Jordan Zimmermann rounded out a very solid spring today. He has looked sharp all of March and hopefully he can carry this momentum into the regular season.
- Bryce Harper again produced an RBI while batting fifth in the order. No one knows for sure what the Nationals exact batting order will be, but I am hoping that he stays in the five-hole as I believe he will be the most effective there.
- Doug Fister made a minor league start this morning, but left in the first inning with right lat strain. He will reportedly fly with the team back to DC to be evaluated and then make one more trip back to Florida for another minor league start. If this happens he will miss his first major league start of the year for the Nats. Also, if this scenario is true, both Tanner Roark and Taylor Jordan will make the opening day roster.
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nationals-defeat-mets-4-0-in-final-florida-spring-training-game.html
NATS WIN BEHIND STRONG PERFORMANCES FROM STRASBURG, ZIMMERMAN, HARPER
Posted by Nick Fineman on Mar 26, 2014 00:30
With the regular season just around the corner, theWashington Nationals' stars are beginning to perform like it’s the real deal.
Stephen Strasburg pitched his final spring training tune up, and though there were some hiccups, he did a solid job overall. Strasburg sailed threw the New York Mets' order with relative ease during the first two innings, but ran into some trouble in the third. Tras d’Arnaud led off and lifted a fly ball to left field that was carried by the wind over the wall for a home run. After striking out the next batter, Strasburg walked Ruben Tejada. He then gave up a triple to Eric Young, who was singled home by David Wright to give the Mets a 3-0 lead in the middle of the third inning. The lead would not last long, however.
In the bottom of the third, the Nationals' bats came alive. First Denard Span and Anthony Rendon singled. Then, after a Jayson Werth walk, Ryan Zimmerman singled to score Span and Rendon. Bryce Harper then cleared the bases with a homer, making the score Nationals 5, Mets 3.
The Nats scored another run on in the bottom of the fifth on a single by Jose Lobaton, and Zimmerman put the icing on the cake with a homer in the eighth off of Mets closer Bobby Parnell, sealing the Nationals 7-3 victory. Zimmerman finished the game 2-4 with three RBIs and a walk.
Overall, the Nationals looked like a team that is ready for the season today. The top of their lineup: Span (CF), Rendon (2B), Werth (RF), Zimmerman (3B), and Harper (LF), could very well be their opening day order and it showed with Zimmerman and Harper driving in six of the team's seven runs.
Notes:
-Strasburg gave up five hits and three earned runs over five and two-third innings. He looked solid, however, and struck out seven batters. Strasburg will open the regular season against this Mets team.
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nats-win-behind-strong-performances-from-strasburg-zimmerman-harper.html
Posted by Nick Fineman on Mar 26, 2014 00:30
With the regular season just around the corner, theWashington Nationals' stars are beginning to perform like it’s the real deal.
Stephen Strasburg pitched his final spring training tune up, and though there were some hiccups, he did a solid job overall. Strasburg sailed threw the New York Mets' order with relative ease during the first two innings, but ran into some trouble in the third. Tras d’Arnaud led off and lifted a fly ball to left field that was carried by the wind over the wall for a home run. After striking out the next batter, Strasburg walked Ruben Tejada. He then gave up a triple to Eric Young, who was singled home by David Wright to give the Mets a 3-0 lead in the middle of the third inning. The lead would not last long, however.
In the bottom of the third, the Nationals' bats came alive. First Denard Span and Anthony Rendon singled. Then, after a Jayson Werth walk, Ryan Zimmerman singled to score Span and Rendon. Bryce Harper then cleared the bases with a homer, making the score Nationals 5, Mets 3.
The Nats scored another run on in the bottom of the fifth on a single by Jose Lobaton, and Zimmerman put the icing on the cake with a homer in the eighth off of Mets closer Bobby Parnell, sealing the Nationals 7-3 victory. Zimmerman finished the game 2-4 with three RBIs and a walk.
Overall, the Nationals looked like a team that is ready for the season today. The top of their lineup: Span (CF), Rendon (2B), Werth (RF), Zimmerman (3B), and Harper (LF), could very well be their opening day order and it showed with Zimmerman and Harper driving in six of the team's seven runs.
Notes:
-Strasburg gave up five hits and three earned runs over five and two-third innings. He looked solid, however, and struck out seven batters. Strasburg will open the regular season against this Mets team.
URL: http://thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/nats-win-behind-strong-performances-from-strasburg-zimmerman-harper.html
ROARK LOOKS STRONG IN NATIONALS 3-1 LOSS TO THE METS
Written by Nick Fineman on Sunday, 23 March 2014 13:38.
Tanner Roark made a strong case for the fifth and final spot in the Nationals rotation yesterday afternoon. He threw five and two-thirds innings and struck out five while allowing just one run, on two hits and a walk. Roark was feeling so strong that even after 73 pitches in the game he went and threw a bullpen session. Taylor Jordan is scheduled to pitch on Monday, and he will need a strong performance to match Roark.
Off of the mound the Nats struggled to get their bats going. In the top of the first inning, Bryce Harper singled and then stole second. Interestingly, the play, which was originally called an out, was reviewed and overturned using the new replay system. After a Jayson Werth fly out to center, Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia threw a wild pitch advancing Bryce to third. From there Ryan Zimmermansingled him home for the Nats first and only run of the ball game. The Nats only managed five hits in the game and struck out seven times.
Even with their lack of success in the batters box, the Nats managed to hang around in the game. With the score 1-1 Drew Storen entered the game and immediately ran into trouble. After walking David Wright to start the inning, Storen gave up a bomb to Curtis Granderson. The homer made the score 3-1 and put the game out of reach.
Notes:
- Drew Storen was hit hard again today. Storen has had a tough spring to follow up on his tough 2013 campaign. It looks like he will still make the opening day roster, but if he is hit like he was today I will not be surprised if he spends some time at AAA-Syracuse.
- Matt Williams won his first challenge as the manager of the Nationals. Though this is a good trial for the upcoming season there are some issues with the system. Personally, I’m already annoyed with the extra time it adds to games. Baseball is an imperfect-human game and that is what makes it beautiful. I am all in favor of getting the call correct, but the new rules make it feel artificial in some way. That being said, it is here to stay so I guess I will have to get used to it.
- John Lannan pitched a scoreless inning for the Mets. It is always weird to see him in another uniform.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/march/roark-looks-strong-in-nationals-3-1-loss-to-the-mets.html
Written by Nick Fineman on Sunday, 23 March 2014 13:38.
Tanner Roark made a strong case for the fifth and final spot in the Nationals rotation yesterday afternoon. He threw five and two-thirds innings and struck out five while allowing just one run, on two hits and a walk. Roark was feeling so strong that even after 73 pitches in the game he went and threw a bullpen session. Taylor Jordan is scheduled to pitch on Monday, and he will need a strong performance to match Roark.
Off of the mound the Nats struggled to get their bats going. In the top of the first inning, Bryce Harper singled and then stole second. Interestingly, the play, which was originally called an out, was reviewed and overturned using the new replay system. After a Jayson Werth fly out to center, Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia threw a wild pitch advancing Bryce to third. From there Ryan Zimmermansingled him home for the Nats first and only run of the ball game. The Nats only managed five hits in the game and struck out seven times.
Even with their lack of success in the batters box, the Nats managed to hang around in the game. With the score 1-1 Drew Storen entered the game and immediately ran into trouble. After walking David Wright to start the inning, Storen gave up a bomb to Curtis Granderson. The homer made the score 3-1 and put the game out of reach.
Notes:
- Drew Storen was hit hard again today. Storen has had a tough spring to follow up on his tough 2013 campaign. It looks like he will still make the opening day roster, but if he is hit like he was today I will not be surprised if he spends some time at AAA-Syracuse.
- Matt Williams won his first challenge as the manager of the Nationals. Though this is a good trial for the upcoming season there are some issues with the system. Personally, I’m already annoyed with the extra time it adds to games. Baseball is an imperfect-human game and that is what makes it beautiful. I am all in favor of getting the call correct, but the new rules make it feel artificial in some way. That being said, it is here to stay so I guess I will have to get used to it.
- John Lannan pitched a scoreless inning for the Mets. It is always weird to see him in another uniform.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/march/roark-looks-strong-in-nationals-3-1-loss-to-the-mets.html
DANNY ESPINOSA’S WALK OFF HOMER LIFTS NATS OVER MARLINS 6-5
Written by Nick Fineman on Saturday, 22 March 2014 21:44.
Danny Espinosa homered twice and Doug Fister looked solid in his return from elbow inflammation as the Nationals continued their march towards the regular season.
Fister, who missed the past couple of weeks with an inflamed elbow, looked solid in his return. The righty threw three and two-thirds innings and allowed two hits while striking out four. Fister, a key offseason acquisition, is expected to help the Nats have one of the best rotations in baseball.
This was only Fister’s second start of the spring, however, and the team does not want to rush him as the season approaches. Fister is scheduled to pitch again next Thursday in the Nats final exhibition game in Florida. The team plans to evaluate him after that start and determine if he will miss any regular season starts.
Another important story line of today’s game was Danny Espinosa’s strong showing. The Nats started almost their entire projected opening day lineup, but substituted Espinosa for Anthony Rendon at second base. Espinosa took advantage of the opportunity going 2-for-4 with two home runs. His second home run was a solo walk-off in the ninth inning with the score tied at five.
It will be interesting to see how much playing time Espinosa receives during the season. Rendon is almost definitely going to start at second base, but if Espinosa can prove that he has remembered how to hit major league pitching, Matt Williams may find a way to get him into the lineup. This could include a lineup with Ryan Zimmerman at first base, Rendon at third, and Espinosa at second. He also has the potential to be traded because of his versatility in the field that allows him to play second, shortstop, and third.
Adam LaRoche also had a solid game today. He went 2-for-3 with a homer and a double. LaRoche needs a strong start to the season as he has been dropped to seventh in the batting order and there have been questions about his ability to hit left-handed pitching. Where he ends up batting and how much he plays is a story line to watch as the season begins.
Notes:
- The Nats put on a defensive shift multiple times in the game. Look for this often during the regular season, as Matt Williams is a much bigger fan of shifts than Davey Johnson was.
- Ross Detwiler allowed three earned runs in one inning today to continue his disappointing spring.
- Rafael Soriano struck out two, but allowed a home run in his one inning of work. He continues to progress towards regular season strength.
- Bryce Harper went 2-4 with a double and a run scored. He has had a slow spring so far, but hopefully is beginning to heat up.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/march/danny-espinosa-s-walk-off-homer-lifts-nats-over-marlins-6-5.html
Written by Nick Fineman on Saturday, 22 March 2014 21:44.
Danny Espinosa homered twice and Doug Fister looked solid in his return from elbow inflammation as the Nationals continued their march towards the regular season.
Fister, who missed the past couple of weeks with an inflamed elbow, looked solid in his return. The righty threw three and two-thirds innings and allowed two hits while striking out four. Fister, a key offseason acquisition, is expected to help the Nats have one of the best rotations in baseball.
This was only Fister’s second start of the spring, however, and the team does not want to rush him as the season approaches. Fister is scheduled to pitch again next Thursday in the Nats final exhibition game in Florida. The team plans to evaluate him after that start and determine if he will miss any regular season starts.
Another important story line of today’s game was Danny Espinosa’s strong showing. The Nats started almost their entire projected opening day lineup, but substituted Espinosa for Anthony Rendon at second base. Espinosa took advantage of the opportunity going 2-for-4 with two home runs. His second home run was a solo walk-off in the ninth inning with the score tied at five.
It will be interesting to see how much playing time Espinosa receives during the season. Rendon is almost definitely going to start at second base, but if Espinosa can prove that he has remembered how to hit major league pitching, Matt Williams may find a way to get him into the lineup. This could include a lineup with Ryan Zimmerman at first base, Rendon at third, and Espinosa at second. He also has the potential to be traded because of his versatility in the field that allows him to play second, shortstop, and third.
Adam LaRoche also had a solid game today. He went 2-for-3 with a homer and a double. LaRoche needs a strong start to the season as he has been dropped to seventh in the batting order and there have been questions about his ability to hit left-handed pitching. Where he ends up batting and how much he plays is a story line to watch as the season begins.
Notes:
- The Nats put on a defensive shift multiple times in the game. Look for this often during the regular season, as Matt Williams is a much bigger fan of shifts than Davey Johnson was.
- Ross Detwiler allowed three earned runs in one inning today to continue his disappointing spring.
- Rafael Soriano struck out two, but allowed a home run in his one inning of work. He continues to progress towards regular season strength.
- Bryce Harper went 2-4 with a double and a run scored. He has had a slow spring so far, but hopefully is beginning to heat up.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/march/danny-espinosa-s-walk-off-homer-lifts-nats-over-marlins-6-5.html
NATIONALS BEAT ASTROS 8-5 BEHIND HOMERS FROM HARPER AND RAMOS
Written by Nick Fineman on Friday, 07 March 2014 21:49.
The Nats came to play today with seven of their projected regular season starters in the starting lineup. The experience showed early as the Nats put six on the board in the bottom of the first. Denard Span started the inning with a single to right. Ian Desmond followed with a double sending Span to third. After a Jayson Werth pop up, Astros’ starter Brett Oberholtzer threw a wild pitch scoring Span. Bryce Harper then homered to right field on a full count giving the Nats a 3-0 lead. The inning only got worse for Oberholtzer, however, as Ryan Zimmerman then reached on an error, Adam LaRoche singled, and Wilson Ramos brought them both home with a bomb to left field.
Doug Fister was supposed to make his second start of the spring Friday, but was scratched due to right elbow inflammation. Manager Matt Williams said that he will rest for a couple of days, but his health is something to keep an eye on.
Tanner Roark started in place of Fister and performed admirably. Roark gave up one run in 2 and 2/3 innings of work, allowing four hits and a home run while striking out three. Roark, who is competing for the fifth and final spot in the Nationals rotation, has looked solid throughout the spring so far boasting a 1.93 ERA.
Christian Garcia replaced Roark in the third. Garcia pitched decently well, but received little help from his defense as Denard Span made an error in center field. The error seemed to fluster Garcia, who then walked Carlos Corporan and gave up a couple of hits allowing two Astros to score. Garcia pitched 1 and 1/3 innings with two unearned runs and three strikeouts.
Rafael Soriano replaced Garcia at the top of the fifth with the score 6-4 Nats. The Nats closer was hit hard giving up three hits and a run to the first five batters he faced. Soriano needs to be dominant this year for the Nats and this was not a good showing. Hopefully he can rebound from this shaky outing moving forward.
After the sixth inning and with a 6-5 lead, the Nationals took out the majority of their starters. A notable entry, Zach Walters, came in for Desmond and continued to make a strong case for making the roster. Walters singled home Will Rhymes and Jeff Kobernus to give the Nationals an 8-5 lead.
Jerry Blevins and Luis Ayala both pitched solidly today as well. Blevins, a crucial lefty in the Nats bullpen this upcoming season, pitched 1 and 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. Ayala followed Blevins with a solid 1 1/3 innings himself, allowing no runs and no hits. Tyler Robertson closed out the game and the Nationals defeated the Astros 8-5 for their fourth win of Spring Training.
Observations:
- The Nationals are hoping for breakout years from both Bryce Harper and Ramos. The two have been injury prone in previous years, but if they can stay healthy and provide the power that they did today the future looks promising.
- Soriano made his Spring Training debut today and looked out of place. He came into camp after working hard this offseason to lose weight in an attempt gain velocity on his fastball. The Nats need him to be a more dominant closer this year than he was last year (he blew six saves) and this was not a good start. Hopefully, Soriano just needs to get into the swing of things and then he will be back to his old ways.
- Walters and Roark both have made strong showings in Spring Training so far. Ross Detweiler and Danny Espinosa better be looking in their rear view mirrors.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/march/nationals-beat-astros-8-5-behind-homers-from-harper-and-ramos.html
Written by Nick Fineman on Friday, 07 March 2014 21:49.
The Nats came to play today with seven of their projected regular season starters in the starting lineup. The experience showed early as the Nats put six on the board in the bottom of the first. Denard Span started the inning with a single to right. Ian Desmond followed with a double sending Span to third. After a Jayson Werth pop up, Astros’ starter Brett Oberholtzer threw a wild pitch scoring Span. Bryce Harper then homered to right field on a full count giving the Nats a 3-0 lead. The inning only got worse for Oberholtzer, however, as Ryan Zimmerman then reached on an error, Adam LaRoche singled, and Wilson Ramos brought them both home with a bomb to left field.
Doug Fister was supposed to make his second start of the spring Friday, but was scratched due to right elbow inflammation. Manager Matt Williams said that he will rest for a couple of days, but his health is something to keep an eye on.
Tanner Roark started in place of Fister and performed admirably. Roark gave up one run in 2 and 2/3 innings of work, allowing four hits and a home run while striking out three. Roark, who is competing for the fifth and final spot in the Nationals rotation, has looked solid throughout the spring so far boasting a 1.93 ERA.
Christian Garcia replaced Roark in the third. Garcia pitched decently well, but received little help from his defense as Denard Span made an error in center field. The error seemed to fluster Garcia, who then walked Carlos Corporan and gave up a couple of hits allowing two Astros to score. Garcia pitched 1 and 1/3 innings with two unearned runs and three strikeouts.
Rafael Soriano replaced Garcia at the top of the fifth with the score 6-4 Nats. The Nats closer was hit hard giving up three hits and a run to the first five batters he faced. Soriano needs to be dominant this year for the Nats and this was not a good showing. Hopefully he can rebound from this shaky outing moving forward.
After the sixth inning and with a 6-5 lead, the Nationals took out the majority of their starters. A notable entry, Zach Walters, came in for Desmond and continued to make a strong case for making the roster. Walters singled home Will Rhymes and Jeff Kobernus to give the Nationals an 8-5 lead.
Jerry Blevins and Luis Ayala both pitched solidly today as well. Blevins, a crucial lefty in the Nats bullpen this upcoming season, pitched 1 and 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. Ayala followed Blevins with a solid 1 1/3 innings himself, allowing no runs and no hits. Tyler Robertson closed out the game and the Nationals defeated the Astros 8-5 for their fourth win of Spring Training.
Observations:
- The Nationals are hoping for breakout years from both Bryce Harper and Ramos. The two have been injury prone in previous years, but if they can stay healthy and provide the power that they did today the future looks promising.
- Soriano made his Spring Training debut today and looked out of place. He came into camp after working hard this offseason to lose weight in an attempt gain velocity on his fastball. The Nats need him to be a more dominant closer this year than he was last year (he blew six saves) and this was not a good start. Hopefully, Soriano just needs to get into the swing of things and then he will be back to his old ways.
- Walters and Roark both have made strong showings in Spring Training so far. Ross Detweiler and Danny Espinosa better be looking in their rear view mirrors.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/march/nationals-beat-astros-8-5-behind-homers-from-harper-and-ramos.html
DETWILER HIT HARD AS NATIONALS FALL TO YANKEES
Written by Nick Fineman on Monday, 03 March 2014 21:57.
The Nationals took on the New York Yankees this afternoon at the Yankees’ Spring Training. home. In true New York fashion, the stars came out to see this one as Hall of Fame quarterback “Broadway” Joe Namath and Jets head coach Rex Ryan were looking on. The two liked what they saw as the Yankees never trailed.
For the Nats, an important aspect of this Spring Training matchup was the fight over the fifth and final spot in the rotation. The competition was in full swing on Monday with both Ross Detwiler and Tanner Roark in action. The Nats were able to see both pitchers against the same lineup in the hope of making a distinction between the two.
Ross Detwiler, the game's starter and favorite to win the final spot in the Nationals’ rotation in 2014, was making his spring training debut. Needless to say, it did not go as planed. Detwiler started strong by striking out two of the first three batters he faced, but the second inning was a different story. Detwiler gave up three straight hits to start the inning—all on fastballs left up in the zone. The fourth batter, Ichiro Suzuki, grounded to short, but Zach Walters threw it away allowing two runs to score. Zoilo Almonte followed with a ground rule double off yet another missed fastball spot by Detwiler, scoring two more and giving the Yankees a 4-0 lead. Detwiler struck out Brett Gardner for the first out of the inning, but Nationals skipper Matt Williams had seen enough and brought in Danny Rosenbaum out of the bullpen. Rosenbaum was able to get Derek Jeter to ground into a double play to get the Nats out of the inning.
Tanner Roark replaced Rosenbaum in the third and looked solid. Roark let up a single to Brian McCann to start, but got himself out of trouble by getting Brian Roberts to fly out and then forcing Francisco Cervelli to rollover a double play ball. The next inning, Roark mowed down the first two Yankees he faced, and Tyler Moore made a nice play on an Almonte potential double down the line by throwing out the Yankee at second base and sending the Nats back to the dugout. All in all, Roark looked calm and collected. If he continues to pitch like he did today, Roark will stay in the conversation for a starting role when the season begins.
Outside of the battle on the mound, the rest of the Nationals were unable to get much going. Denard Span was the only projected Nats starter to play in this game, and it showed as the Nats struck out eight times in the game, while only managing four hits and leaving fourteen runners on base.
Zach Walters injected some life into the offense in the fifth inning with a bomb off of Shawn Kelley that marked the Nats’ first hit and first run of the game making the score 4-1. The Nats kept the momentum going in the sixth. Eury Perez singled and Span followed that up with a single of his own sending Perez to third. Next, Danny Espinosa hit a would-be double play ball, but Derek Jeter bobbled it allowing Espinosa to reach safely and Perez to score from third making it 4-2 Yankees. The rally fizzled, however, when Tyler Moore hit into a double play.
With that the starters were done for the day and their exit marked the end of the Nationals’ offensive momentum. Xavier Cedeño, Christian Garcia, Aaron Barret, and Manny Delcarmen pitched four solid innings to keep the game within reach, but the Nats were unable to capitalize as The Yankees finished out the game 4-2.
Notes
-Jose Lobaton started his first game of the spring and looked comfortable behind the plate.
-Tyler Moore started in left field and not at first base. Though it is still early in the spring this could be a significant sign that Ryan Zimmerman, not Moore, will get playing time at first against tough lefties. This is surely something to watch as Spring Training progresses.
-Detwiler looked flustered under pressure and was missing spots badly. It is still early in the spring, but can he afford another bad start after the one today? Another story line to look after.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/march/detwiler-hit-hard-as-nationals-fall-to-yankees.html
Written by Nick Fineman on Monday, 03 March 2014 21:57.
The Nationals took on the New York Yankees this afternoon at the Yankees’ Spring Training. home. In true New York fashion, the stars came out to see this one as Hall of Fame quarterback “Broadway” Joe Namath and Jets head coach Rex Ryan were looking on. The two liked what they saw as the Yankees never trailed.
For the Nats, an important aspect of this Spring Training matchup was the fight over the fifth and final spot in the rotation. The competition was in full swing on Monday with both Ross Detwiler and Tanner Roark in action. The Nats were able to see both pitchers against the same lineup in the hope of making a distinction between the two.
Ross Detwiler, the game's starter and favorite to win the final spot in the Nationals’ rotation in 2014, was making his spring training debut. Needless to say, it did not go as planed. Detwiler started strong by striking out two of the first three batters he faced, but the second inning was a different story. Detwiler gave up three straight hits to start the inning—all on fastballs left up in the zone. The fourth batter, Ichiro Suzuki, grounded to short, but Zach Walters threw it away allowing two runs to score. Zoilo Almonte followed with a ground rule double off yet another missed fastball spot by Detwiler, scoring two more and giving the Yankees a 4-0 lead. Detwiler struck out Brett Gardner for the first out of the inning, but Nationals skipper Matt Williams had seen enough and brought in Danny Rosenbaum out of the bullpen. Rosenbaum was able to get Derek Jeter to ground into a double play to get the Nats out of the inning.
Tanner Roark replaced Rosenbaum in the third and looked solid. Roark let up a single to Brian McCann to start, but got himself out of trouble by getting Brian Roberts to fly out and then forcing Francisco Cervelli to rollover a double play ball. The next inning, Roark mowed down the first two Yankees he faced, and Tyler Moore made a nice play on an Almonte potential double down the line by throwing out the Yankee at second base and sending the Nats back to the dugout. All in all, Roark looked calm and collected. If he continues to pitch like he did today, Roark will stay in the conversation for a starting role when the season begins.
Outside of the battle on the mound, the rest of the Nationals were unable to get much going. Denard Span was the only projected Nats starter to play in this game, and it showed as the Nats struck out eight times in the game, while only managing four hits and leaving fourteen runners on base.
Zach Walters injected some life into the offense in the fifth inning with a bomb off of Shawn Kelley that marked the Nats’ first hit and first run of the game making the score 4-1. The Nats kept the momentum going in the sixth. Eury Perez singled and Span followed that up with a single of his own sending Perez to third. Next, Danny Espinosa hit a would-be double play ball, but Derek Jeter bobbled it allowing Espinosa to reach safely and Perez to score from third making it 4-2 Yankees. The rally fizzled, however, when Tyler Moore hit into a double play.
With that the starters were done for the day and their exit marked the end of the Nationals’ offensive momentum. Xavier Cedeño, Christian Garcia, Aaron Barret, and Manny Delcarmen pitched four solid innings to keep the game within reach, but the Nats were unable to capitalize as The Yankees finished out the game 4-2.
Notes
-Jose Lobaton started his first game of the spring and looked comfortable behind the plate.
-Tyler Moore started in left field and not at first base. Though it is still early in the spring this could be a significant sign that Ryan Zimmerman, not Moore, will get playing time at first against tough lefties. This is surely something to watch as Spring Training progresses.
-Detwiler looked flustered under pressure and was missing spots badly. It is still early in the spring, but can he afford another bad start after the one today? Another story line to look after.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/march/detwiler-hit-hard-as-nationals-fall-to-yankees.html
TOP FIVE MOVES OF THE NATIONALS' OFFSEASON
Written by Nick Fineman on Thursday, 27 February 2014 14:49
The Washington Nationals—under the direction of General Manager Mike Rizzo—had another strong offseason in 2013-2014. As the team gears up for the 2014 campaign, here are the top five moves the team made this offseason and how they will affect the Nats in the upcoming season.
5. The Hiring of Manager Matt Williams:
Last year the Nationals underachieved in Manager Davey Johnson’s final season as skipper for the club. Johnson—who was known for his laid back nature—has been replaced by Matt Williams, a man with a different mantra. Williams is known for his organizational skills, his intensity, and his ability to connect with players. A five time all-star during his playing days at third base, Williams understands the trials and tribulations of a Major League Baseball season. Last year, Williams worked as the Third Base Coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Interestingly, Mike Rizzo and Williams know each other from when Rizzo was the Director of Scouting for the Diamondbacks and therefore have a strong working relationship. Camp under Williams has already taken on a more organized form than Johnson’s last year, and this new philosophy will hopefully help the Nationals start the year fast, which is something they were unable to do last year.
4. Trading for Left-Handed Reliever Jerry Blevins
A major hole in last year’s Nationals team was a lack of a reliable left-handed reliever. This is an important role in any major league bullpen because of the prominence of power hitting lefty sluggers in the league. A manager needs to be able to have a solid lefty in the bullpen to get a much needed out late in games. The Nationals went through a slew of mediocre southpaws in 2013 including the likes of Zach Duke, Ian Krol, and Fernando Abad. Rizzo addressed this flaw by trading speedy prospect Billy Burns to the Oakland Athletics for lefty reliever Jerry Blevins. In his six-year major league career, Blevins has held left-handed batters to a .224 average. Blevins joins former University of Dayton teammate Craig Stammen in a Nationals bullpen that looks to be stout in the upcoming season.
3. Trading for Catcher Jose Lobaton
From the beginning of the off-season Rizzo made it a point to find a solid back-up catcher to play behind starter Wilson Ramos. Ramos’ health is a concern, as he has never played more than 108 games at catcher in a season. Kurt Suzuki—last year’s back up—was traded away at the end of last season. Therefore, finding a solid backup for Ramos was an emphasis of the Nats offseason. After signing a couple of veterans in an attempt to fill the void, Rizzo traded relief pitcher Nate Karns to the Tampa Bay Rays for catcher Jose Lobaton. Lobaton has been the backup catcher for the Rays for three seasons and is an upgrade for Suzuki in many ways. Suzuki hit .232/.290/.337 in 285 at bats last year. Lobaton on the other hand, hit .249/.320/.395 in 277 at bats for the Rays and provides a better bat for both backup and pinch hitting situations. Furthermore, Rizzo believes that Lobaton has above average metrics on defense. If he can stay healthy—look for a breakout year from Wilson Ramos—but if he is unable to, the Nats are in good hands with Jose Lobaton behind the plate.
2. The Signing of Outfielder Nate McLouth
Last year, the Nationals were plagued by injuries to their starting corner outfielders and their lack of depth became apparent as a result. Bryce Harper played in only 118 games in 2013 and Jayson Werth logged 129. Last year’s fourth outfielder to start the year was Roger Bernadina, but he hit an abysmal .178/.247/.270 and was released by the team mid-year. Furthermore, the Nats lacked depth on their bench when it came to pinch hitters. Because of these issues, the Nats signed Nate McLouth to a two-year deal this offseason in a significant move to bolster their ranks. The 32-year-old McLouth hit .258/.329/.399 in 531 at bats last season for the Orioles. McLouth can also play all three outfield positions and is a solid pinch runner. He will be used to fill in for injuries and to give Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth, and Denard Span breaks to keep them fresh throughout the year.
1. Trading for Starting Pitcher Doug Fister
In 2013, the Nationals had one of the best pitching staffs in baseball—finishing in the top 10 in ERA, Saves, and WHIP. Despite their statistical success, the teams 4th starter entering the year—Dan Haren—could not regain previous all-star form and was seen as a disappointment. In response, the Nationals traded two left handed pitchers and utility infielder Steve Lombardozzi for Doug Fister, a stalwart of the Detroit Tigers pitching staff. Fister—one of the top 10 starting pitchers in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) according to Fangraphs.com—is a huge upgrade in the Nationals rotation from Haren and still has two years left on his contract. In the past three years, Fister has the 20th best ERA in Major League Baseball. This gives the Nats four of the top 20 ERA pitchers in that time span. Unlike the other top starters in the Nats rotation, Fister does not throw hard, and his fastball averaged 88.8 mph last year. Fister is effective because of his control, curveball, and changeup. It will be interesting to see what he does in his first year in Washington with a solid defensive team behind him.
These moves don’t necessarily mean that the Nationals will be the team that won 98 games and the NL East crown 2 years ago. It does, however, put the team in a solid place for the beginning of the year. We will find out as we move through the year how much these moves will fully impact the team.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/february/top-five-moves-of-the-nationals-offseason.html
Written by Nick Fineman on Thursday, 27 February 2014 14:49
The Washington Nationals—under the direction of General Manager Mike Rizzo—had another strong offseason in 2013-2014. As the team gears up for the 2014 campaign, here are the top five moves the team made this offseason and how they will affect the Nats in the upcoming season.
5. The Hiring of Manager Matt Williams:
Last year the Nationals underachieved in Manager Davey Johnson’s final season as skipper for the club. Johnson—who was known for his laid back nature—has been replaced by Matt Williams, a man with a different mantra. Williams is known for his organizational skills, his intensity, and his ability to connect with players. A five time all-star during his playing days at third base, Williams understands the trials and tribulations of a Major League Baseball season. Last year, Williams worked as the Third Base Coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Interestingly, Mike Rizzo and Williams know each other from when Rizzo was the Director of Scouting for the Diamondbacks and therefore have a strong working relationship. Camp under Williams has already taken on a more organized form than Johnson’s last year, and this new philosophy will hopefully help the Nationals start the year fast, which is something they were unable to do last year.
4. Trading for Left-Handed Reliever Jerry Blevins
A major hole in last year’s Nationals team was a lack of a reliable left-handed reliever. This is an important role in any major league bullpen because of the prominence of power hitting lefty sluggers in the league. A manager needs to be able to have a solid lefty in the bullpen to get a much needed out late in games. The Nationals went through a slew of mediocre southpaws in 2013 including the likes of Zach Duke, Ian Krol, and Fernando Abad. Rizzo addressed this flaw by trading speedy prospect Billy Burns to the Oakland Athletics for lefty reliever Jerry Blevins. In his six-year major league career, Blevins has held left-handed batters to a .224 average. Blevins joins former University of Dayton teammate Craig Stammen in a Nationals bullpen that looks to be stout in the upcoming season.
3. Trading for Catcher Jose Lobaton
From the beginning of the off-season Rizzo made it a point to find a solid back-up catcher to play behind starter Wilson Ramos. Ramos’ health is a concern, as he has never played more than 108 games at catcher in a season. Kurt Suzuki—last year’s back up—was traded away at the end of last season. Therefore, finding a solid backup for Ramos was an emphasis of the Nats offseason. After signing a couple of veterans in an attempt to fill the void, Rizzo traded relief pitcher Nate Karns to the Tampa Bay Rays for catcher Jose Lobaton. Lobaton has been the backup catcher for the Rays for three seasons and is an upgrade for Suzuki in many ways. Suzuki hit .232/.290/.337 in 285 at bats last year. Lobaton on the other hand, hit .249/.320/.395 in 277 at bats for the Rays and provides a better bat for both backup and pinch hitting situations. Furthermore, Rizzo believes that Lobaton has above average metrics on defense. If he can stay healthy—look for a breakout year from Wilson Ramos—but if he is unable to, the Nats are in good hands with Jose Lobaton behind the plate.
2. The Signing of Outfielder Nate McLouth
Last year, the Nationals were plagued by injuries to their starting corner outfielders and their lack of depth became apparent as a result. Bryce Harper played in only 118 games in 2013 and Jayson Werth logged 129. Last year’s fourth outfielder to start the year was Roger Bernadina, but he hit an abysmal .178/.247/.270 and was released by the team mid-year. Furthermore, the Nats lacked depth on their bench when it came to pinch hitters. Because of these issues, the Nats signed Nate McLouth to a two-year deal this offseason in a significant move to bolster their ranks. The 32-year-old McLouth hit .258/.329/.399 in 531 at bats last season for the Orioles. McLouth can also play all three outfield positions and is a solid pinch runner. He will be used to fill in for injuries and to give Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth, and Denard Span breaks to keep them fresh throughout the year.
1. Trading for Starting Pitcher Doug Fister
In 2013, the Nationals had one of the best pitching staffs in baseball—finishing in the top 10 in ERA, Saves, and WHIP. Despite their statistical success, the teams 4th starter entering the year—Dan Haren—could not regain previous all-star form and was seen as a disappointment. In response, the Nationals traded two left handed pitchers and utility infielder Steve Lombardozzi for Doug Fister, a stalwart of the Detroit Tigers pitching staff. Fister—one of the top 10 starting pitchers in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) according to Fangraphs.com—is a huge upgrade in the Nationals rotation from Haren and still has two years left on his contract. In the past three years, Fister has the 20th best ERA in Major League Baseball. This gives the Nats four of the top 20 ERA pitchers in that time span. Unlike the other top starters in the Nats rotation, Fister does not throw hard, and his fastball averaged 88.8 mph last year. Fister is effective because of his control, curveball, and changeup. It will be interesting to see what he does in his first year in Washington with a solid defensive team behind him.
These moves don’t necessarily mean that the Nationals will be the team that won 98 games and the NL East crown 2 years ago. It does, however, put the team in a solid place for the beginning of the year. We will find out as we move through the year how much these moves will fully impact the team.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/february/top-five-moves-of-the-nationals-offseason.html
THE IMPORTANCE OF DANNY ESPINOSA
Written by Nick Fineman on Wednesday, 19 February 2014 17:12.
In 2011, it appeared that Danny Espinosa was the future at second base for the Washington Nationals. Espinosa started at second base for the club and the switch-hitting rookie hit .236/.323/.414 with 21 home runs in 500+ at bats. His future looked bright, and things looked promising for the Nats middle infield.
Fast forward to the present and what was once a promising future has turned into uncertainty. Espinosa began last year as the team’s starting second baseman, but he suffered an early season wrist injury and was eventually dropped to Triple-A after posting a .158/.193/.272 line in 158 at bats. Rookie Anthony Rendon—who was forced to leave his natural third base position in order to address the team’s glaring need—replaced him and had a strong second half campaign.
Despite his tough 2013 season, Espinosa has another shot this spring to prove his worth to the Nationals. New manager Matt Williams has promised Espinosa a fair shot at the starting second base job and, at the very least, a backup role as a utility infielder.
Regardless of which player wins the second base battle this spring, the Nats will be a better team if Espinosa is able to resurrect his MLB career. Espinosa qualifies for the important backup infielder role because of a combination of his above average defense and the departure of the Nationals’ ‘jack-of-all-trades’ Steve Lombardozzi this offseason. Last season, the Nationals were hurt by a serious lack of depth and though they have improved their outfield depth by signing Nate McLouth, their infield depth is lackluster. Espinosa—who has a strong arm—started his career as a shortstop, has played over 300 games at second base in the major leagues, and will be taking some reps at third base this spring.
Espinosa could also serve as an important chess piece in the potential move of Ryan Zimmerman to first base. Zimmerman’s throwing arm and accuracy are a major question going into the 2014 season. If he cannot sort out his throwing issues, there is a chance that the Nationals will try to move their star to first base to keep his bat in the lineup. If this were to happen, it would open the door for Rendon to move back to his natural third base, and leave the second base starting job vacant for Espinosa.
Finally, if Espinosa performs well in Spring Training, he could be a potential trade piece for General Manager Mike Rizzo. The Nationals have given up multiple young pitching prospects in trades over the last couple of offseasons, and Espinosa could be a solid trade chip if used to replenish the farm system.
For these reasons, the Nationals would greatly benefit from a strong spring showing for Espinosa. Whether he is a starter, a backup, or a potential trade piece, Danny Espinosa is an important ‘behind-the-scenes’ part of the Nationals’ goal to make the playoffs and more in 2014.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/february/the-importance-of-danny-espinosa.html
Written by Nick Fineman on Wednesday, 19 February 2014 17:12.
In 2011, it appeared that Danny Espinosa was the future at second base for the Washington Nationals. Espinosa started at second base for the club and the switch-hitting rookie hit .236/.323/.414 with 21 home runs in 500+ at bats. His future looked bright, and things looked promising for the Nats middle infield.
Fast forward to the present and what was once a promising future has turned into uncertainty. Espinosa began last year as the team’s starting second baseman, but he suffered an early season wrist injury and was eventually dropped to Triple-A after posting a .158/.193/.272 line in 158 at bats. Rookie Anthony Rendon—who was forced to leave his natural third base position in order to address the team’s glaring need—replaced him and had a strong second half campaign.
Despite his tough 2013 season, Espinosa has another shot this spring to prove his worth to the Nationals. New manager Matt Williams has promised Espinosa a fair shot at the starting second base job and, at the very least, a backup role as a utility infielder.
Regardless of which player wins the second base battle this spring, the Nats will be a better team if Espinosa is able to resurrect his MLB career. Espinosa qualifies for the important backup infielder role because of a combination of his above average defense and the departure of the Nationals’ ‘jack-of-all-trades’ Steve Lombardozzi this offseason. Last season, the Nationals were hurt by a serious lack of depth and though they have improved their outfield depth by signing Nate McLouth, their infield depth is lackluster. Espinosa—who has a strong arm—started his career as a shortstop, has played over 300 games at second base in the major leagues, and will be taking some reps at third base this spring.
Espinosa could also serve as an important chess piece in the potential move of Ryan Zimmerman to first base. Zimmerman’s throwing arm and accuracy are a major question going into the 2014 season. If he cannot sort out his throwing issues, there is a chance that the Nationals will try to move their star to first base to keep his bat in the lineup. If this were to happen, it would open the door for Rendon to move back to his natural third base, and leave the second base starting job vacant for Espinosa.
Finally, if Espinosa performs well in Spring Training, he could be a potential trade piece for General Manager Mike Rizzo. The Nationals have given up multiple young pitching prospects in trades over the last couple of offseasons, and Espinosa could be a solid trade chip if used to replenish the farm system.
For these reasons, the Nationals would greatly benefit from a strong spring showing for Espinosa. Whether he is a starter, a backup, or a potential trade piece, Danny Espinosa is an important ‘behind-the-scenes’ part of the Nationals’ goal to make the playoffs and more in 2014.
URL: http://www.thenatsblog.com/2014-articles/february/the-importance-of-danny-espinosa.html