By Elaine Donnelly
Extending sexual misconduct to combat units
Tyler Moore hit a three-run homer and Danny Espinosa homered and drove in three runs, leading the Washington Nationals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 Sunday.
Stephen Strasburg struck out eight in seven innings and the Washington Nationals won a game he started for the first time since Opening Day by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 Saturday.
"I met a guy today who had been through 49 surgeries," said Chad Tracy. "I've been through four of five myself, just to imagine a guy going through almost 50 surgeries, to see he was still a driven, confident, leader of a man really touched me."
On a team with a lineup that requires few pinch hitters and even fewer defensive replacements, the Nationals' bench players, Chad Tracy, Steve Lombardozzi, Tyler Moore and Roger Bernadina, are faced with a difficult transition.
The grease boards, as he calls them, are stored in Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo's office. The markers he uses on them have been worn out, replaced, and worn out again.
A mini-kerfuffle unfolded between the Nationals and Phillies on Wednesday after Stephen Strasburg hit Chase Utley's back ankle with an errant fastball.
Lannan holds no grudges against the Nationals and insists baseball decisions can't be taken personally. Time has made those words easier.
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.
It was about a year ago that Micah Owings decided to ask the question. The thought had been in his mind for some time. It'd crop up, perhaps, with every well-struck line drive, or double, or home run -- of which there were nine — he'd hit as a starting pitcher in the major leagues.
Once again, it's to check off some items on my "TIDU List" — Things I Don't Understand:
Even before the Washington Nationals' contingent had arrived at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel on Sunday afternoon, the question was being bandied about by members of the baseball community: What will the Nationals do next?
The Washington Nationals filled one of their longest-standing needs Thursday and, in turn, opened up a litany of options as they build their roster for the 2013 season.
It was three weeks ago, a month removed from one of the most gut-wrenching nights of his career as a general manager, that Mike Rizzo reflected on the Washington Nationals' playoff exit.
Five questions that will be addressed in the offseason for the Nationals
In the corner of the press box stood a familiar face. It was the face of a man brought to the brink of tears in June 2011 as he said his farewell to the Washington Nationals. The face of a man who'd helped steward the Washington Nationals through a turbulent time — from Jim Riggleman to Davey Johnson — in one wild weekend in Chicago.
"It fires you up," Moore said. "I would have done the same thing."
Tyler Moore, Danny Espinosa hit home runs to help Nationals overcome Bryce Harper's ejection →
"I struggled early, didn't have many at-bats," Moore said. "I talked to a lot of guys, started getting comfortable and I really felt like I grew into a role on this team."
