'Your papers, please' must never be heard in America
Forty-four games into the 2013 campaign, the Nationals have never overcome more than a two-run deficit. As the Padres' assault continued to mount on Sunday, the Nationals needed plenty more than two.
Bryce Harper has left the game in the fifth inning after the Washington Nationals star ran full-on into the scoreboard in right field at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.
As blood dripped down his neck and head trainer Lee Kuntz examined him Monday night, Harper tried to convince manager Davey Johnson that he could stay in the game. That wasn't happening.
Saturday, the old Haren was more in evidence. He kept a scuffling Reds lineup off balance throughout a season-best six-inning performance, leading the Nats to a 6-3 win and at last feeling like a real contributor.
Over the course of the three-game sweep, the Nationals were outscored 18-5. In the series' final 26 innings, they mustered a single, solitary run.
Friday evening, as the clock ticks just past 7 p.m. at Nationals Park and the Washington Nationals meet the Atlanta Braves for the first of 19 times this season, Denard Span and B.J. Upton will patrol the same outfield.
His range in center has a ripple effect on the Nationals' corner outfielders, allowing Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth to play closer to the foul lines, if they desire, without worrying they need to shade one way or the other based on their fellow outfielders.
Harper homered in his first two at-bats to account for the only scoring and Strasburg pitched seven shutout innings as the defending NL East champs opened their 2013 campaign.
White cinder block walls lead the way. Past the security guard in need of a cup of coffee just after 8 a.m. on a cool March morning. Through the makeshift clubhouse kitchen at Space Coast Stadium where three plug-in griddles serve up pancakes and eggs with toppings stored in plastic containers.
When the Nationals outfielder got involved with a charity, he remembered all the time his mom Wanda Wilson, a single mother, had spent raising two boys and decided to try to help women in similar situations.
During the offseason, the Nationals played the same game of roster roulette as every other team. As the wheel spun, Moore's name came up often.
Two years ago, Span was an on-the-rise member of the Minnesota Twins. He gave a lot of thought to his body and taking care of it. He never gave much thought to his head. His life changed on June 3, 2011.
As the rain pounded on the field at Space Coast Stadium Sunday afternoon, Rendon looked around the dugout. His eyes followed Davey Johnson as the Nationals' 70-year-old manager told starter after starter their day was done, shortened by the delay. Rendon quietly hoped he wouldn't get to him.
Until last week, the Washington Nationals were set to decamp next month to the master-planned communities and chain restaurants of Viera, Fla., for spring training with a startling absence of dramatics. Enter Rafael Soriano.
A few minutes after Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo sat before a room full of media and team employees to introduce his new closer Thursday, he stood to the side and challenged the idea that Washington' latest moves should be interpreted as the team announcing it is "all-in" for the 2013 season.
"We could've won three out of four (against the Padres)," said center fielder Denard Span. "This is a series we could've won. We let (Saturday) go. (Sunday) they came out swinging. Just one of those days where their bats were hot. It's not the end of the world to split, but we feel like we could've got three out of four."
"They came in and gave a good, old-fashioned kick in the butt," center fielder Denard Span said.
