Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman will take a significant step in his return from abdominal surgery when he plays several innings in an extended spring training game on Wednesday. Published May 31 2011
With the Nationals facing left-hander Cliff Lee on a hot, steamy D.C. night tonight, manager Jim Riggleman's running out yet another lineup combination in the hopes that his team will be able to continue the small offensive progression they've made the past week or so. Published May 31 2011
I'm sure Cliff Lee and Jason Marquis weren't the only ones who were glad that tonight's game is being played at night. Temperatures were already hovering around 100 degrees by early afternoon and it should be an extremely hot batting practice. Gametime is at 7:10 and perhaps it will have cooled a few degrees by then. All that said, it likely won't make Lee any easier for the Nationals hitters. Published May 31 2011
Over the course of the last two days, days that included two more brutal one-run losses for the Nationals, the question has been posed several times to Nationals players and coaches. Seven of their last 11 games have been decided by one run. They've lost six of them. Published May 31 2011
Sean Burnett stood in front of his locker Monday afternoon and classified his season -- or at least the last five weeks or so of it -- as "terrible." From a promising start, a spotless spring training and use in save situations early this season, Burnett has take a tumble. He'll be the first to admit it. "I feel good, I feel strong, but I've just been terrible," he said. "No way to explain it, just flat out terrible." Published May 30 2011
Nationals manager Jim Riggleman has a predicament. He has three left-handed hitting outfielders and only two spots. He has a guy in Laynce Nix who's been his team's most consistent hitter -- and a middle-of-the-order bat who's been irreplaceable, a young outfielder who needs a chance to play consistently in Roger Bernadina and the team's opening day center fielder in Rick Ankiel trying to find his way back into the lineup after an injury. It's going to cause some lineup shuffling. Published May 30 2011
Roger Bernadina and Ian Desmond are both getting the day off with Rick Ankiel playing center and sliding into the leadoff spot and Danny Espinosa moving up to No. 2 in the lineup. Alex Cora will take Desmond's place at shortstop and bat eighth. Published May 30 2011
Three straight one-run games -- two of them losses -- and the Nationals are in dire need of a Baltimore-esque blowout. The only bad news is that their opponent today is Roy Halladay. Tomorrow it's Cliff Lee and Wednesday it's Roy Oswalt. Their numbers vs. Halladay: Published May 30 2011
When the Washington Nationals signed Cuban right-hander Yunesky Maya to a four-year, $6 million major league deal last summer, they saw him as a part of their future rotation. A “battle-tested” veteran with four pitches who “knew his craft,” as general manager Mike Rizzo said at the time. But since officially joining the Nationals and the major leagues, Maya's not been the pitcher the Nationals hoped for. He displays solid control and has good movement on his pitches – tools that helped him set down nine of the first 10 Padres he faced Sunday afternoon in his first major league start of the season. He also has a penchant for the big inning, and struggles after the first time through a batting order – issues that also were showcased in the Nationals 5-4 loss to the Padres as he made the trip from Syracuse and stepped in for the injured Tom Gorzelanny but couldn't get out of the fifth inning. Published May 29 2011
Major League Baseball has fined and suspended Nationals third baseman Jerry Hairstion Jr. for one game following his ejection from Friday night's game and what MLB termed "his aggressive actions, which included making contact with umpire Ed Hickox." Published May 29 2011
It'll be Yunesky Maya and Dustin Moseley on the mound for the Nationals and Padres, respectively, this afternoon with Maya making his first major league start of the season. As for the lineup behind him, it'll be a pretty standard Nationals lineup minus Danny Espinosa who looks to be getting a routine day off. Alex Cora will get the start at second base in his place. Published May 29 2011
The Nationals officially recalled Yunesky Maya from Triple-A Syracuse this morning to start this afternoon in the series finale against the San Diego Padres. Published May 29 2011
When San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey broke his leg blocking the plate Wednesday night, one of the first names mentioned as a possible replacement for the young phenom was Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez. The Nationals, who are one of few teams with exceptional depth at the catcher position between Wilson Ramos, Rodriguez and Jesus Flores at Triple-A Syracuse, have reportedly been trying to move Rodriguez for the right package since spring training and were immediately linked as a potential trade partner for the Giants. So far though, all it's been is rumors. On Friday, Giants general manager Brian Sabean told reporters that he had not contacted a single team about a trade for a catcher, and that they planned to allow Eli Whiteside to get an opportunity for the time being. As far as the rumors go, none of them reached Rodriguez. Published May 28 2011
Nationals left-hander Tom Gorzelanny had an MRI on his left elbow Friday night and while it did reveal some inflammation, it didn't show any structural damage or anything more than the inflammation that has been causing him some pain since his last start. Published May 28 2011
The Nationals are expected to make a roster move later this morning to fill the spot vacated by Tom Gorzelanny and they could choose to fill that spot with a starter for Sunday or take the one day and call up a reliever or a position player before optioning them back down following today's game. As for today's game, it's a good pitching matchup with Tim Stauffer going against Jordan Zimmermann. Here are the lineups, with Rick Ankiel leading off in place of Roger Bernadina, who has played every game since getting called up on May 7. Published May 28 2011
With the Nationals placing left-hander Tom Gorzelanny on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation late Friday night (we'll find out more about this tomorrow), they now need a starter for Sunday's series finale with the San Diego Padres. Here's a quick look at their possible options: Published May 28 2011
After Friday's game, Jayson Werth responded to the furor over comments he made earlier this week. The short version: Werth claims he was misunderstood. Published May 28 2011
Manager Jim Riggleman spoke to Jayson Werth Friday about the right fielder's comments following the Nationals' loss to the Brewers Wednesday. Published May 27 2011
Here are the Nationals career numbers against left-hander Clayton Richard, including good numbers for both Michael Morse and Ian Desmond, albeit limited sample sizes: Published May 27 2011
Things are bad for the Nationals right now, yes. Things are worse for the San Diego Padres, the Nationals opponent as they begin a six-game homestand tonight at Nationals Park. Published May 27 2011
By Rand Paul
Obama acts as though we no longer have a Constitution
