Washington Nationals @ Bare Baseball - Baseball MLB Blog

Nats stymied by Sanchez, Marlins

2006-07-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

07/19/2006
MIAMI -- Ramon Ortiz had one word to describe his reaction to what had transpired in his latest outing on Wednesday afternoon.
"It's unbelievable," Ortiz said. "It was a crazy game. Unbelievable."
'Unbelievable' seems to be an apt word to describe an outing in which Ortiz allowed just one run on six hits over seven innings and ended up taking the loss, as the Nationals fell, 1-0, to the Marlins on Wednesday.
"This might be his best outing, period," Nationals manager Frank Robinson said. "He had a very good ballgame and we just let it get away."
The only major blemish on Ortiz's outing was a solo home run he gave up to Cody Ross in the second inning.
With the loss, the Marlins took the series and the Nationals lost for the seventh time in their past nine games.
The Nationals' only hits were a pair of singles by Austin Kearns and Alex Escobar in the third and ninth innings, respectively. Anibal Sanchez (3-0) shut out the Nationals over seven-plus innings with five strikeouts and four walks to get the win. Relievers Taylor Tankersley and Joe Borowski picked up where Sanchez left off in the final two innings to seal the victory.
"The results weren't there. [There were] opportunities you've got to take advantage of," Robinson said.
With the loss, Ortiz has now dropped five of his last six starts despite tying for his longest outing of the season on Wednesday.
Ortiz felt good afterwards about his performance on the mound, but it was an empty feeling as it wasn't backed up with a victory.
"I threw good, but I'd feel good with a win," Ortiz said. "Doesn't matter how good I throw, I don't feel good."
Ortiz, unfortunately, ran into one of the hottest young pitchers in the league on Wednesday. Sanchez, who was coming off a win against Roger Clemens and the Astros in his last outing, was making just his fifth career start, but the young righty was extremely effective on the mound.
"[Ortiz] got ahead of guys and was real aggressive," Brian Schneider said. "[But Sanchez] did a good job, too. He was tough today."
Kearns said the most difficult thing was being able to get a read on the pitches Sanchez was throwing.
"I just thought he was a little deceptive with his delivery," Kearns said. "That was the biggest thing from my point of view."
Despite only tallying two hits, the Nationals had several opportunities to put runs on the board. Kearns opened the third inning with a single to center field. Then, following groundouts by Schneider and Ortiz, Kearns advanced to third with two outs. Sanchez got out of the jam, though, when Alfonso Soriano flew out to left field.
Sanchez then opened the fifth with a back-to-back walks to Marlon Anderson and Kearns, but he came away unscathed when Schneider grounded into a double play and Ortiz went down swinging.
In the ninth, with Marlins closer Joe Borowski on the mound, Ryan Zimmerman flew out to center field, snapping a 17-game hitting streak. With one out, Borowski then walked Nick Johnson and gave up a single to Escobar, putting runners on the corners.
The Nationals were unable to come through as Anderson struck out and Kearns flew out to center field for the final two outs.
"[It's] unacceptable, Major League hitters [that] can't get people in from third base," Robinson said. "That situation, you don't try to do nothing but get a good pitch and put a good swing on it. We just don't do what the situation calls for."
Robinson's frustration was clearly mirrored after the game by the Nationals hitters who can't seem to find their groove, though they're remaining optimistic.
"It's always frustrating when you're not playing well, [but] it's a long season and you just try to be as consistent as possible," Kearns said.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Nationals unveil RFK changes

2006-07-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

07/20/2006
WASHINGTON -- Trying to spread the word about the "Grand Re-opening" of Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, the Washington Nationals hosted roughly 30 members of the media as they offered a tour around their newly improved ballpark.
Nationals vice president of communications Chartese Burnett opened the tour standing on one of the changes that the Lerner Group has implemented in hopes of improving fan experience at the 45-year-old stadium. A freshly installed section of red carpet led up to the main gate and, Burnett says, along with other improvements, shows the importance the new owners place on the club's fans and their experience at RFK.
"This is the first step, right out of the gate," Burnett said. "Showing the commitment to Washington Nationals fans, and we're excited about it."
Burnett and Greg Costa, Aramark general manager at RFK, led the media group past the old food stands and through the concourse of the park, hitting the high points of what changes the Nationals hope will increase fan involvement and improve the fan experience at home games.
Starting Friday, there will be a new Red Hot and Blue stand, along with a Papa John's Pizza stand, on the 500 level. On the 200 level, a new Glatt Kosher stand will appear on the third-base side. That will open Sunday.
On the whole, 100 new concession points of sale will open for permanent use at RFK. But the largest single change is on the mezzanine level of the stadium, where the Terrace View Food Court will open. It will feature five new vendors from the D.C. area, including: Capital Q, ARs, Cluck University Chicken, Cantina Marina and Hard Times Cafe.
The five vendors were chosen from a pool of 25, and even with construction noise in the background as the tour was ongoing, Costa said they will be ready for Friday's game.
"It's a work in progress," Costa said. "There are still some TVs and things like that to go out here, but we'll be ready tomorrow."
Costa said that he had heard some criticism regarding the ballpark last year and believes that the Lerner Group and Aramark are headed in the right direction.
"I think the criticism has been reduced dramatically this year over last year," Costa said. "With that being said, there was a call for adding additional variety. Again we started the beginning of the year with Red Hot and Blue and Papa John's, and this is building upon that foundation."
Not all of the changes are designed to keep the fans well-fed. A new "Fan Zone" will open Friday on the 300 level, featuring a pitching area, a photo station, a virtual swing-away batting station and XBOX 2K6 station.
The fans will also be able to participate in giveaways, but not just those that were announced previously. Team president Stan Kasten had announced at an earlier press conference that red hats, t-shirts and rally towels would be given away for all three games, and Burnett said that the gestures to fans would expand over the three-game series with the Cubs.
"Starting this weekend, we're going to be giving away gifts to entire rows and sections as well as individuals," said Burnett, outlining what the Nationals are calling "Random Acts of Kindness."
But the changes aren't limited to those paying to get into the ballpark. Those who are paid for their time on the field are also seeing a few perks. The Nationals' clubhouse has also undergone a face-lift, with the comfort of the players in mind.
New, blue carpet has been installed and new furniture adorns the clubhouse, which is now revolving around a recently purchased 42-inch plasma screen TV.
"We want the players to be comfortable," Burnett said. "And that improves everything."
The players, as well as the Lerner group, will meet the fans face-to-face this weekend. They will greet fans entering RFK before all three games in an effort to bring the players closer to the fans and the community.
As for the red carpet outside the stadium, it will only last through the weekend before being removed. But Burnett and the rest of the organization hopes the fans that come this weekend will become fixtures at the ballpark, even if they aren't baseball fanatics.
"We want to reach moms, we want to reach women," Burnett said. "We want to reach people that aren't sitting in their seats watching the game with a scorecard."

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Q&A with Stan Kasten

2006-07-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

07/20/2006
The Nationals have a slogan for the three-game series against the Cubs this weekend: "Painting the Town Red." It's the Nationals' way of showing the new changes at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, which includes improvements to the stadium's exterior landscaping, enhancing the cleanliness of the building and better food service.
One thing that hasn't changed is the play of the Nationals on the field. The are 40-56 and in fifth place in the National League East.
MLB.com caught up with incoming team president Stan Kasten recently to talk about the special weekend and how the fans should react to the team's play on the field.
MLB.com: You always wanted to give the fans more than just a baseball game. What brought this on?
Stan Kasten: When I worked at an old stadium before -- Fulton County Stadium -- there was nothing to do if you got to the game beforehand. People would just go to the game and go to their seats. They didn't have any reason to come early -- they would just be milling around. In our business, milling is bad and buying is good, because what we have learned in this business is that people don't mind spending money if you give them a good reason to. That's our job: to give them good things to be entertained by, give them good food alternatives, give them good merchandise alternatives. If you satisfy them that way, two things happen: No. 1, they are more satisfied; and you make more money. It's a win-win.
MLB.com: Before the 1990s, going to a baseball game was good enough. What changed?
Kasten: The economics of the sport changed and the need to drive greater and greater revenue. In the 1950s, you could get by on a million tickets a year. Nowadays, you can't pay the bills on a million tickets a year. You need 2 million or 2 1/2 million or 3 million. You need to bring in money from ancillary sources like food, merchandise and sponsorship -- all of the that.
MLB.com: Starting Friday, the Nationals will give the fans more than just a baseball game. What do you think they will like the most?
Kasten: I have to tell you, I just had lunch at our new food court, which was not good, not great, it was spectacular. Someone had a brisket sandwich from the Capital Q and immediately declared that you couldn't get a better brisket sandwich anywhere in the city. I don't know what was my favorite. The chili, which was outstanding, the fish and chips, the chicken wings, french fries. It was sensational, and everyone is going to love it.
MLB.com: Are we expecting to see any more surprises at RFK?
Kasten: We are still at RFK. We understand that we do have the physical limitations. I think you will see some things change. You will see that we have spent a lot of time and money on the food court. Clearly, that will be a new constructed element. Everything else just fits into the space that we have. The most important thing from this weekend is, this ownership really cares about [the fans'] experience. We really thought about making it better for them. I think if they come out with that message, they will start to adopt all of our programs, which includes the patience that you need for player development, getting on board early so you can get your seats at the new stadium. They should be convinced that when we get to a new ballpark, where we will really have room, it should be even better.
MLB.com: Although you are giving the fans something new, the team is struggling. Do you think the fans will understand what you are doing?
Kasten: I think some fans don't want to wait. I think some fans will. All we can do is continue to push our message -- always deliver what you say, what you are going to do. The day we took over this team, we have made a commitment about player development, fan experience and community relations. We have made real progress in all of these fronts -- and that's before we have taken over the team. That's what I hope the fans will come to appreciate about this ownership group. We will make lofty promises, and we'll deliver what we say we will deliver.
MLB.com: From 1987 to 1990, how did the Braves make the fans understand to be patient?
Kasten: The Braves were so bad for so long that it was much harder. We were stuck in an older stadium without the prospects of a new ballpark. So we didn't have the advantages that we have in Washington. So for the first three or four years, we struggled. It wasn't until we delivered [on the field that] the fans came.
I think it's a little different in Washington because we do have a new ballpark around the corner. We have been so upfront with our plan -- player development, fan experience, community relations. I think they will understand better than maybe the Braves fans in the middle '80s. The Braves fans were beaten up years because of substandard performances. I think we have a little bit more of a chance here to make a go of it right away.
MLB.com: There are some positives. You have Ryan Zimmerman and Nick Johnson. How much can those players bring in the fans?
Kasten: Even though it's a team sport, everyone likes to gravitate to those players who are likeable and they can adopt as their own. Those are some great names that you mentioned. Clearly, we love to have all of them here and they may be part of the future and they may all be here when our team is a winner, which I hope isn't too far off.
MLB.com: Alfonso Soriano has become a popular person in Washington. If he is traded, how can you convince the fans you are doing the best for the future?
Kasten: I'm going to have to pass on anything that has the word "if" in it, because if that ever happens, I'll have an answer for you then.
MLB.com: What do you like about the team right now?
Kasten: I like all the potential for the future. I really like that we do have a foundation that we can build both in terms of the team and in terms of the fan base that has already adopted this team. We love the turnout that we had last year, so we know that the interest in this club is here. We just have to take it and build on it.
MLB.com: What don't you like about the team?
Kasten: It's not a world champion yet, and that's my only goal. Until we get there, I will not be satisfied.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Notes: Guillen placed on DL

2006-07-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

07/20/2006
WASHINGTON -- The Nationals placed right fielder Jose Guillen on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow soreness Thursday, a problem he has had for several weeks. The move was made retroactive to July 18.
Guillen will have his right elbow examined by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. on Monday, and the team hopes he does not need elbow reconstruction. Guillen, who is likely the trade block, last played on Tuesday against the Marlins and left the game in the second inning after swelling occurred in the elbow.
Guillen, 30, was hitting .216 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 69 games with Washington this season.
It marks the second time Guillen has gone on the DL. He missed two weeks earlier because of a left hamstring strain.
The Nationals are expected to purchase the contract of utility infielder Melvin Dorta from Double-A Harrisburg. He was hitting .277 with four home runs and 24 RBIs.
The Nationals need a backup infielder after placing Damian Jackson on the DL because of esophageal spasms and with Jose Vidro suffering from a strained left hamstring.
Last weekend, manager Frank Robinson talked about how he couldn't make defensive switches because Jackson was not available. It became a worse situation after Vidro's injury.
Not as bad as they thought: Right-handed pitcher John Patterson had successful exploratory surgery on his right forearm Thursday. During the 75-minute procedure, Patterson's lacertus fibrosis was released and the median nerve was explored and decompressed. Several areas of constriction within the nerve were released, thus leaving the nerve healthy and free of compression.
Patterson, 28, will be in a splint for one week, at which time he will begin range-of-motion and strength exercises. He is expected to be out approximately four to six weeks.
General manager Jim Bowden was relieved to know that Patterson is not out for the season -- as was originally reported -- and that the injury is not as serious.
"He has a chance to come back," Bowden said. "The elbow was in good shape and the ligament was very strong. The decompression of the nerve helped him get the feeling back, and he can be what he was. For the long term, there's no reason why John Patterson can't become the 15- to 20-game winner he was supposed to be."
So long: The Nationals granted catcher/first baseman Matthew LeCroy his unconditional release. The club had designated LeCroy for assignment on Monday and had 10 days to trade, release or assign him to the Minor Leagues. But it decided to give LeCroy his walking papers earlier than expected because no other teams in the league were interested in him.
"There's no need to wait if there's no interest," Bowden said.
LeCroy, 30, batted .239 (16-for-77) with two home runs and nine RBIs in 39 games for the Nationals.
Stumbling block: According to The Washington Post, Major League Baseball sent city officials from The District of Columbia a letter stating they have not met several deadlines in the agreement for a new Nationals baseball stadium.
The Post obtained the letter, and MLB attorney Tom Ostertag said the city did meet certain provisions.
"[T]his letter constitutes formal written notice of the Commission's failure to specifically perform or comply with the enumerated provisions," Ostertag writes in the letter. "The team hereby demands that these failures be corrected."
The lease gives the city 30 days to respond to baseball's notice and resolve the issues, or MLB could pursue legal action.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Traber impressive in Nationals' loss

2006-03-26T05:03:00.000-08:00

03/09/2006
Indians at the plate: The big hits came raining down in the sixth inning, as the Indians batted around and put nine runs on the board. Grady Sizemore had an RBI single, Jason Michaels had a two-run single and a one-run double, Ben Broussard had an RBI single, Franklin Gutierrez knocked in a run with a single and Einar Diaz drove in two runs with a double to dead center.
Nationals at the plate: Marlon Anderson went deep with a solo shot off right-hander Jason Johnson in the third. Damian Jackson came through with a pair of RBIs early, including a run-scoring single in the first. Brendan Harris added an RBI single in the first.
Indians on the mound: Johnson walked the first batter he faced, and his day didn't get much better from there. He gave up four runs on nine hits in his three innings of work. Left-hander Jason Stanford, vying for consideration as the sixth spot starter this season, pitched two scoreless innings.
Nationals on the mound: Left-hander Billy Traber looked pretty good against his former organization, as he held the Indians to one hit in his four scoreless innings of work. Right-hander Jason Bergmann pitched a scoreless fifth inning, but right-hander Travis Hughes and left-hander Bill Bray got rocked in the sixth, combining to give up nine runs on seven hits.
Grapefruit League records: Indians 7-3; Nationals 1-7.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Nats give Bowden, Siegle extensions

2006-03-26T05:01:00.000-08:00

03/09/2006
VIERA, Fla. -- The Nationals extended the contracts of general manager Jim Bowden and assistant GM Tony Siegle through the completion of the 2006 season on Thursday.
A deal has been in the works for Bowden, 44, for several weeks, but team president Tony Tavares said he had to wait and get approval from Major League Baseball.
"I just needed a green light," Tavares said. "It got delayed because people [in Major League Baseball] had pressing issues that were more important. I'm sure Jim didn't feel that way. I think any new owner is crazy to try to change the general manager in the middle of the season. I put all my rationale together of why I thought it made sense to keep the GM here through the season. [MLB president and chief operating officer] Bob DuPuy is the one that got back to me and said, 'Fine. Go ahead.'"
Bowden, who was not available for comment, was working on a six-month contract, which was going to expire on April 30. Bowden is entering his second season with the club. Since becoming the GM on Nov. 2, 2004, Bowden's contract has been extended three times.
In his first season, the Nationals went 81-81 and won 14 more games than the previous season, when they were still playing on Montreal. The 14-game improvement matched the Brewers for the third largest in baseball.
Bowden also oversaw the drafting of third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who joined Washington just 11 weeks after being selected fourth overall in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Virginia; Zimmerman was the first position player from the 2005 draft to reach the big leagues.
Bowden spent this past offseason trying to improve the club with a limited budget. He addressed the Nationals' immediate need for offense by acquiring second baseman Alfonso Soriano in December. He also remedied the lack of bench depth by adding pinch-hitting specialist Marlon Anderson, catcher/first baseman Matthew LeCroy, shortstop Royce Clayton, outfielder Michael Tucker and infielder Damian Jackson.
Now in his fourth decade in baseball, Siegle is widely viewed as a specialist in rules interpretation, contract negotiations and big-league administration. Including Bowden and Frank Robinson, Siegle has worked with 23 general managers and 22 managers.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Schneider: Classic lessons learned

2006-03-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

03/10/2006
I don't think any of us realized at the time how important it was for us to come back and score those six runs in the fifth inning against the Canadian team. Even though we lost the game, that grand slam by Jason Varitek turned out to be a key moment for us in the first round.
Because of the way the tie-breaker worked -- runs against divided by innings played on defense -- that big inning added enough runs to the total against Canada so that Mexico only had to score three runs against them the following night to get us back into position to advance to Round Two.
It was an uncomfortable feeling having to hope for Mexico to score those three runs. I watched the play-by-play of the Canada-Mexico game on my laptop and I was tremendously relieved once Mexico scored those four runs in the first inning. Of course, we still had to go out and win against South Africa, but at least at that point our fate was back in our control.
We learned a valuable lesson about tournament play in the first round. We found out how important each game and each run is in a tournament like this. We realize that we can't afford to play mediocre; we have to bring our "A" game every time we step out on the field, score as many runs as possible and give our pitching staff some breaks.
We got a reprieve. Mexico helped us out and we took care of business against South Africa.
Now we don't want to get ourselves into a position where we have to rely on someone else again. We need to do whatever we can to control our own destiny. We have a second chance, and hopefully we can take advantage of the opportunity in the second round.
International baseball is a different kind of game with the tie breakers and all of the other things that can come into play. But if you go out and do what we need to do -- which is score runs, pitch well and win -- we can control our own destiny and hopefully make our way to San Diego.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Notes: Guzman undergoes MRI

2006-03-26T04:45:00.000-08:00

03/10/2006
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Shortstop Cristian Guzman had an MRI on his right shoulder on Friday morning, and it was revealed by Drs. Bruce Thomas and Wiemi Douiguih that the shortstop has inflammation and bursitis. Guzman was given a cortisone injection and will be out of action for five to seven days.
Guzman has had shoulder problems for several days. He started on Wednesday and Thursday, against the Cardinals and Marlins, respectively, and saw only one at-bat in each game. The shoulder started to get worse in the bottom of the second inning of Thursday's game.
In the top of that inning, with two outs, Marlins right fielder Mark Little hit a sharp grounder to Guzman, who backhanded the ball. He had plenty of time to get Little, but there wasn't any zip to his throw. The ball hit the ground and went past first baseman Nick Johnson for an error.
Guzman has underachieved since he signed a four-year, $16.8 million contract with the Nationals during the 2004 offseason. He spent most of the 2005 season batting below .200, and it took a .325 batting average during the month of September to get it up to .219 for the season.
One source familiar with the Nationals' thinking said that the team is not overly concerned if Guzman is lost for a long period of time, because Royce Clayton would be the starting shortstop, with Damian Jackson as the backup.
"If Guzman was hurt last year, [the Nationals] would be worried because that would have meant that Jamey Carroll would have been the starting shortstop," said the source.
Clayton, 36, was solid last year, hitting .270 with two home runs and 44 RBIs for the Diamondbacks. He signed a Minor League contract with the Nationals in February, believing all along that he could be the starting shortstop. This spring, Clayton has seen a lot of action, and is 4-for-21 (.190) with one RBI.
"I don't go by stats," said Clayton. "I'm getting my timing down on the field. I'm getting a little better at the plate. All the aches and pains are starting to leave. It's still pretty early, but I feel pretty good."
Not bad, but ... Outfielder Brandon Watson had his best game of the spring on Friday, going 3-for-5 with a run scored against the Astros to raise his Spring Training batting average to .375.
But manager Frank Robinson was not happy that Watson swung at the first pitch and flied out to left field in the fifth inning. And after he singled in the seventh, he didn't attempt to steal a base with Jose Vidro at the plate. Vidro then hit into a double play to end the inning.
"We'll take a little step at a time," said Robinson. "I see good things happening with him. We'll talk about it, and we'll keep getting him to think about those things. He's starting to get it together. If he leaves with us, he'll have it down pretty good."
Watson acknowledged that he should have been more patient at plate in the fifth inning but that he went back to his old style of being too aggressive. He also said that he should have made an attempt to steal.
"I should have been more patient in terms of taking pitches," said Watson. "I should have made the pitchers work a little bit. I saw a good pitch, put a swing on it. It doesn't matter what you do with that pitch. It's about doing what you are supposed to do. I'm going to have to fix that.
"As far as running, I slipped a couple of times and shut it down. But I should have been more aggressive, like Frank told me to be."
The Vidro report: The veteran second baseman participated in his third consecutive game, going 1-for-4 and playing six-plus innings, and said that his right knee, which has hampered him since the second half of 2003, was pain-free.
Batting left-handed, Vidro did something in the first inning he hasn't done since the first half of 2003 -- hit the ball to the opposite field with power. He ended up with a double in that inning.
"Everything is good," said Vidro. "I'm feeling great. I noticed a big difference in this second set of three games compared to the first set of three games. My legs are in great shape. I'm almost there."
Vidro is taking Saturday off and then plans to play three consecutive games, starting Sunday against the Marlins.
The big man: Right-hander Jon Rauch had his worst outing of the spring, giving up five runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings. Four of those runs came on a grand slam by Charlton Jimerson in the top of the fourth inning.
Rauch said that he'd run out of gas by the time he entered the fourth inning.
"It has been months since I went more than three innings," said Rauch. "It showed with my pitching. The ball stayed up in the zone, and I couldn't locate anymore."
At this stage, Rauch considers himself to be a long reliever, but the Nationals are using him as a starter this spring.
"Right now, I would like to think of myself as a reliever and think I'm in the long spot. But if I keep pitching like this, who knows what's going to happen," said Rauch, who is out of Minor League options.
Despite the outing, Robinson liked what he saw during the first three innings of the game.
"He had good velocity on his fastball," said Robinson. "He had some good sliders. That's what I'm looking at right now. If he continues to throw the ball like that, he's going to be all right, because he will locate the ball a little bit better as he gets sharper."

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Starter Rauch hit hard by Astros

2006-03-26T04:41:00.000-08:00

03/10/2006
Nationals at the plate: Center fielder Brandon Watson and catcher Matt LeCroy both had a pair of hits for the Nationals, a team still looking for its second victory in the Grapefruit League.
Astros at the plate: Filling in for Preston Wilson, center fielder Charlton Jimerson hit a grand slam in the fourth inning. Jeff Bagwell contributed a double. He also walked in his two at-bats. In the fifth, Jason Lane hit a two-run homer. It was Lane's third homer in the Grapefruit League. In the seventh, catcher Humberto Quintero hit a solo homer.
Nationals on the mound: Jon Rauch had a tough time finding the strike zone. He threw 62 pitches, but just 37 of them were strikes. In 3 1/3 innings, Rauch walked three, struck out three and gave up five runs -- all earned.
Astros on the mound: After a rough first inning, Steve Sparks settled in well. He went four innings, gave up five hits and two runs. Sparks is trying to win a roster spot with the Astros.
Grapefruit League records: Astros 3-5; Nationals 1-8

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Nationals rally for late victory

2006-03-26T04:40:00.000-08:00

03/11/2006
Dodgers at the plate: With Joe Horgan on the mound, Andy LaRoche drove in the first run of the game with a single to left field to drive in James Loney and give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. Outfielder Joel Guzman had two hits for the Dodgers.
Nationals at the plate: Tyrell Godwin scored the game-winning run on a single by Kenny Kelly. With John Meloan on the mound, Brandon Watson scored from second base on a blooper hit by Bernie Castro in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the score at 1. Marlon Byrd, Mike DiFelice and Ryan Zimmerman had two hits apiece. The Nationals had the bases loaded in the eighth inning off Danys Baez, but they were unable to score.
Dodgers on the mound: Right-hander Aaron Sele pitched four shutout innings and gave up four hits. He struck out two and walked none. Lance Carter pitched two shutout innings.
Nationals on the mound: John Patterson pitched four shutout innings and gave up two hits. He struck out four batters and hit another. Steve Watkins didn't allow a run in two innings.
Grapefruit League records: Dodgers 6-3-1; Nationals 1-10-1.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Nats ink Johnson to extension

2006-03-26T04:39:00.000-08:00

03/11/2006
VIERA, Fla. -- The Nationals signed first baseman Nick Johnson to a three-year, $16.5 million extension on Saturday morning.
Johnson was scheduled to become a free agent after the 2006 season and will earn $3.2 million, plus incentives based on playing time, this year. The 27-year-old has spent time on the disabled list in each of the past six seasons during his professional baseball career, the last five of which have been in the Majors with the Yankees and Expos/Nats.
General manager Jim Bowden said that the team getting a new stadium lease deal and is also getting close to naming an owner had nothing to do with signing Johnson quickly. Bowden, however, received permission from team president Tony Tavares to get the deal done. The Nationals are owned by Major League Baseball.
"Until all those situations are resolved, we are doing the best we can for this franchise and making the best long-term decisions we can," Bowden said. "That's what we are trying to do. I called Tony Tavares and I told him we had the opportunity to do this deal. I gave him the reasons why. He approved it and we went forward."
Said Tavares, "It was a choice of trading Nick or signing him. We thought he was worth re-signing. He is one of the best first basemen around."
Johnson becomes the second player in the organization to sign an extension before Opening Day. Catcher Brian Schneider signed a four-year, $16 million deal on Jan. 17.
If Johnson is traded prior to the 2008 season, the last year of the deal becomes a player option.
The Nationals and Johnson's agent, Rex Gary, have been negotiating since last June, and it became serious once Johnson signed his one-year deal this offseason.
"Before we bring other people in, you have to care of your own people first, and these guys are winning players," Bowden said. "We want them to be represented in that clubhouse and in the community. We didn't want to lose Nick to free agency."
Johnson said he understands why his new deal is for an average of $5.5 million per season instead of the $10 million he could have possibly earned annually if he had stayed healthy during his career.
"It's not a secret that I've been injured six years in a row," Johnson said. "Even though some of them were freak injuries, they put me on the DL."
Last year was no different. Even though Johnson is coming off his best season, in which he hit .289 with 15 home runs and 74 RBIs in 131 games, he spent a month on the disabled list because of a right heel contusion.
Washington's next priority is to sign outfielder Jose Guillen and second baseman Alfonso Soriano, who are free agents after this season. Bowden said multiyear offers have been made to those players.
Guillen declined to comment on his contract situation, but a baseball source said that Guillen is not willing to take a discount like Johnson.
"I'm happy for Nick. He is a great player," Guillen said. "That means a lot to this organization. I see they really care about putting a good product on the field. Nick is one of the key players on the team."
Before they can even think about signing Soriano long term, the Nationals have to convince him that he belongs in the outfield. So far, Soriano has declined to make such a switch.
With Johnson signed long term, it also means that Larry Broadway may not get a chance to play with the Nationals. Broadway has been one of the organization's top prospects since being drafted in 2002. He missed most of last season because of a knee injury.
Bowden acknowledged that the Johnson's extension is a setback for Broadway, but the GM didn't rule out Broadway being a backup first baseman for the club, or promoted to the big leagues if Johnson were to go on the disabled list or being traded for pitching.
"Broadway needs a year in Triple-A anyway," Bowden said. "By next year, he could be ready. I also believe in depth. If Nick goes down, I want to have Broadway. I've been criticized for having too many infielders and too many outfielders. That's fine, because when I have an injury, I can still play and compete.
"I love Larry Broadway. He can help our organization. You don't always become a regular as soon as you want to in the big leagues. We made a commitment to Nick and we stand behind that commitment."

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Broadway focused on strong season

2006-03-26T04:38:00.000-08:00

03/12/2006
VIERA, Fla. -- Going into the 2006 season, Larry Broadway was considered the Nationals' first baseman of the future, but that all changed on Saturday morning when Nick Johnson signed a three-year extension to stay with the team through 2009 season.
Broadway, 25, received word of Johnson's signing on Saturday night and acknowledged that he was disappointed, but Broadway still feels he has a future in the Major Leagues. He will start the season with Triple-A New Orleans.
"Injuries could happen anytime, I may get traded, Nick may get traded. The game is so unpredictable," said Broadway, who was drafted by the Expos in the second round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft. "I try not to speculate any more. I'm going to have the best year I can in Triple-A and force the organization to make a decision. That's the only thing I can do."
In 2005, Broadway had a season to forget. He entered the season as the organization's top hitting prospect, but that label soon faded.
Broadway got off to an 11-for-57 (.193) start with no home runs with New Orleans. It didn't help that he was playing with a sore right groin, which he'd hurt while running the bases on opening night against Memphis. He would miss five games before returning to action.
But that injury was minor compared with what happened to him in late April. Broadway partially tore his right tibial collateral ligament while diving for a ball down the first-base line at Zephyrs Stadium.
Broadway would go on to miss 2 1/2 months of the season. During his time off, Broadway put on weight to hit for more power. He went from 220 pounds to 240. The weight gain paid off once he was activated from the disabled list.
Broadway was sent down to Double-A Harrisburg and hit .269 with 12 home runs and 24 RBIs in 186 at-bats. Broadway continued to make up for lost time by hitting .339 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 19 games in the Arizona Fall League.
"I really can't get down on myself," Broadway said. "I went out this offseason and played in the [Arizona] Fall League, I rehabbed my knee, so there is really no issue with that at all. I put on a little weight to help the power numbers and the overall durability to play 160-game season.
"I think I'm going to have a strong year. By the end of the year, I'll force management to make a decision whether they want me in the big leagues or [if they] think I'm valuable enough to trade."
General manager Jim Bowden has already said that he wouldn't be afraid to bring up Broadway sometime this season.
"Larry is a guy that could help us this year," Bowden said. "I want him to play every day and get his at-bats because he is going to be a good player. He has made a lot of progress and I think he will continue to make progress."
On the move: Outfielder George Lombard will be the first to tell you that his baseball skills weren't up to par after the Braves drafted him in the second round of the 1994 First-Year Player draft. He spent most of his high school years playing football.
"I was really raw coming out. I didn't play enough baseball," Lombard said.
Known to strikeout frequently, and for his speed on the bases, Lombard, 30, spent eight-plus years in the Braves organization and had only three brief stints at the Major League level. By the end of the 2005 season, Lombard was with three different organizations -- Devil Rays, Tigers and Red Sox.
Lombard became a free agent after the '05 season and signed a Minor League contract with the Nationals. He is a long shot to make the team, but he is learning to become better with the bat by listening to hitting coach Mitchell Page. If he is called up one day, Lombard will be looked upon as a pinch runner.
"Page has said a few things to me and has taught me to get ready for everything. The one thing I want to do is get myself in the best position to make a good contact on every pitch," Lombard said.
Name in the game: Former outfielder Jose Cardenal, one of the best baserunners during the 1960s and '70s, is in his second season as a special advisor to the general manager. This spring, he has tutored the outfielders and has become a father figure in the many of the Latin players on the team.
Cardenal is also a talent evaluator. Last year, Cardenal was the first person in the organization to tell Bowden to keep his eyes on Brandon Watson, who is a candidate to be one of the starting outfielders. While in New Orleans, Cardenal watched Watson run the bases very well, steal bases, bunt for base hits and play good defense.
"He still has a long way to go, but you could tell that the product is there. I think he is going to help this team," Cardenal said of Watson.
While he likes players such as outfielders Tyrell Godwin and Alex Escobar, Cardenal said the organization should watch outfielder Cristian Guerrero closely. Cardenal feels he is two to three years away from making an impact in the big-leagues.
"That kid is coming along pretty good. He runs pretty well for his size. He has a good arm. He is going to improve in the outfield," Cardenal said. "You'll be surprised. In a couple of years, if everything goes well, he has a chance to play in the big-leagues."
They're No. 1: Although rookie Bill Bray is off to a slow start, bullpen coach John Wetteland likes what he sees from the left-hander. Besides liking what Bray throws on the mound, Wetteland said Bray displays a lot of confidence.
"He has no problem attacking the hitters. The opposing team can put anybody up there, and he gives the impression that he is not going to back down," Wetteland said. "That's something that can be learned, but it takes a long time."
Class of '05: Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is hitting .267 with a team-leading two home runs and four RBIs.
What they are saying: "I've liked what I've seen. He has picked it up here lately . We'll continue to look at him, as long as we can without taking innings from the other guys." -- Manager Frank Robinson on left-hander Billy Traber

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Notes: Ortiz still trying to find groove

2006-03-26T04:37:00.000-08:00

03/12/2006
JUPITER, Fla. -- Ramon Ortiz pitched in his third game of the spring on Sunday, giving up three runs in three innings against the Marlins. He has now allowed a team-high 11 runs in eight innings.
Ortiz was often behind in the count and walked three batters in the process. The Marlins took advantage of Ortiz's ineffectiveness by scoring a run in the first inning and two more in the third.
The right-hander didn't seem too worried about his outing because he is trying to perfect his backdoor slider and changeup, new pitches added to his repertoire. The slider was taught to him by Jose Rijo, the special assistant to the general manager, while pitching coach Randy St. Claire is helping Ortiz with the changeup.
"I'm working on [those two pitches] right now. But I have to keep it going and throw them in different situations," Ortiz said. "I know I didn't throw very well in the last two games. I'm not worried about walks, hits or runs. I'm worried about my pitches -- my changeup and slider."
St. Claire didn't seem overly concerned either, but he said Ortiz needs to be more aggressive in the strike zone. The pitching coach will not worry about results until later in the spring.
"His stuff is good. He is doing a lot of work. We changed some stuff with his delivery, where I sped him up a little bit," St. Claire said.
Injury report: Outfielder Jose Guillen took 30 swings off a tee on Sunday and didn't feel any pain in his left wrist. It's the first time the right-handed hitter has participated in baseball activities since being diagnosed with fluid and inflammation in the wrist.
"This is just the first step. I'm really happy," Guillen said.
Guillen hopes to take more swings off the tee later in the week and then take light batting practice with his teammates by early next week.
Joey Eischen threw batting practice without any problems on Sunday and is expected to pitch in a game this week. The left-hander hasn't played in a Spring Training game because of shoulder tendinitis. ...
Ryan Drese is working slowly to get back on the mound, and St. Claire hopes that the right-hander can pitch in a game toward the end of Spring Training.
Drese missed most of September because of a slap tear in the shoulder.
Behind the plate: Manager Frank Robinson said on Sunday that he looks at Robert Fick and Matt LeCroy as the emergency catchers and Mike DiFelice, Wiki Gonzalez and Alberto Castillo competing to be Brian Schneider's backup catcher.
Fick and LeCroy are considered below-average behind the plate. Fick hasn't played a Grapefruit League game because of an elbow operation and LeCroy has had serious problems throwing runners out and catching routine popups. Both players can play other positions. They will spell Nick Johnson at first base, while Fick can play the corner outfield spots.
DiFelice and Gonzalez had a chance to compete in the World Baseball Classic for Italy and Venezuela, respectively, but they decided to stay with the Nationals throughout the spring. Castillo, on the other hand, is playing for the Dominican Republic.
DiFelice and Gonzalez are having good springs with the bat. DiFelice is hitting .421 (8-for-19), while Gonzalez is 4-for-12 (.333).
"I'm having good at-bats at the plate. I'm trying to get my timing down and go up there have a pretty good idea of what I want to do at the plate," DiFelice said. "It's no secret that we are out here to compete, so we are trying to get that energy level up."
The first game: Robinson and St. Claire have talked about the possibility of John Patterson pitching on Opening Day against the Mets at Shea Stadium.
The game plan is in place in case Livan Hernandez doesn't make his first two starts of the spring. Hernandez, who is recovering from right knee surgery, already made his Spring Training debut on March 9 and is planning to pitch again on March 14 against the Marlins.
Error of their ways: The Nationals have made 16 errors in their last seven games, and it concerns Robinson that his players can't make routine plays.
On Sunday, the Nationals made three errors against the Marlins. One of those miscues was made by LeCroy at first base. He let a ball go through his legs late in the game.
"It becomes like anything else -- it becomes habit forming. You just don't want to see sloppy play. We are not playing good sharp baseball in every aspect of the game," Robinson said.
Around the horn: Kenny Kelly is 6-for-18 (.333) with two RBIs. ... Pitchers Saul Ramirez and Steve Watkins are the only Nationals with victories this spring. ... Travis Hughes has given up 10 runs in 3 2/3 innings. ... Second baseman Jose Vidro went 1-for-3 with an RBI on Sunday. ... The Nationals are 1-10-1 this spring.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Nationals break through, but fall to Fish

2006-03-26T04:36:00.000-08:00

03/12/2006
Marlins at the plate: Hanley Ramirez had another big day, belting two home runs. Ramirez led off the first inning with a home run to left field. In a two-run third inning, Josh Willingham had an RBI double, scoring Dan Uggla, who singled. Willingham scored on Wes Helms' sacrifice fly. Ramirez added a second solo shot off former Marlin Valerio De Los Santos. Robert Andino added an RBI single in the seventh.
Nationals at the plate: Held hitless for four innings, the Nationals scored two runs, with one unearned, in the fifth inning. After Marlon Anderson walked, Wiki Gonzalez singled. Brandon Watson had a sacrifice fly and Jose Vidro laced an RBI single.
Marlins on the mound: Josh Johnson held the Nationals without a hit over four scoreless innings. Jesus Delgado allowed two runs, one earned, in two-thirds of an inning. Joe Borowski tossed a scoreless inning, striking out three while giving up one hit.
Nationals on the mound: Starter Ramon Ortiz gave up three runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in three innings. The right-hander tossed 63 pitches and surrendered one home run.
Grapefruit League records: Marlins 9-2-1; Nationals 2-10.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Notes: Guillen continues to progress

2006-03-26T04:35:00.000-08:00

03/13/2006
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Outfielder Jose Guillen continued to make progress on Monday afternoon. He took 30 swings apiece off a tee and from soft-tossing without feeling any pain in his left wrist. It's the second day in a row in which Guillen swung the bat.
Prior to Sunday, Guillen had not participated in any baseball activities for 10 days because of fluid and inflammation in the wrist.
Guillen will have similar batting practice on Tuesday and hopes to participate in live batting practice by the end of the week. He then expects to play in a game by next week.
While he wants to be cautious when it comes to Guillen's well being, manager Frank Robinson realizes that it's hard to hold his outfielder back from overdoing rehab work.
"[Guillen is] like Joey Eischen. You can't hold those guys back. They are going to do what they want to do in the first place. They know only one thing and that's all-out," Robinson said. "Jose has a mind-set of his own. He wants to be on the field and help the team. I don't mind that."
While his wrist has dominated the headlines, Guillen said that his left shoulder, which was surgically repaired during the offseason, is close to being 100 percent and it will not prevent him from playing the against the Mets on Opening Day.
"The shoulder feels great. I don't have any more soreness. It doesn't feel weak. My main concern has been my wrist," Guillen said. "I have been doing light work of the shoulder, which is fine. The way I have been swinging, the shoulder has not been a problem. We are in the right direction."
Can't win without them: The loss of pitchers Tony Armas Jr., Luis Ayala, Chad Cordero, and Gary Majewski and catcher Brian Schneider to the World Baseball Classic have been felt in the Nationals organization. Entering Tuesday's action, Washington is 2-11-1 this spring.
"It's hard for Frank to manage a game. It's hard for us to compete when you are sitting there without Cordero, Majewski and Ayala," said general manager Jim Bowden. "They are supposed to pitch every other day. Your catcher, who handles your entire pitching staff, isn't here. It's like the Indianapolis Colts without Peyton Manning. It's hard, but every team is going through the same thing."
In the dark: In the top of the seventh inning, with Nationals first baseman Matt LeCroy at the plate and Mets reliever Yusaku Iriki on the mound, some of the lights at Tradition Field went off at 9:14 p.m. ET. The game was canceled 14 minutes later with the Mets winning the game 10-4. Robinson was told it would have taken about 40 minutes for the lights to be restored.
"It's not that they couldn't get them back on. It was when they were going to get them on," Robinson said. "You are sitting around in Spring Training and the [pitchers] sit and wait. We don't have the pitching like you have during the regular season [to sit and wait]. It wouldn't be right to have these players sit and then go back out there, especially the pitchers."
The lights were eventually restored at 10:31 p.m.
About the game: During the first three innings, the Nationals and Mets were in a slugfest and were tied at 4-4. Robinson thought his team played a good game up to that point as he watched shortstop Royce Clayton make two great plays at shortstop.
But Washington unraveled as New York scored five runs in the fifth inning and another run in the sixth. And the errors continued to mount, as Damian Jackson made two miscues at second base. In the last eight games, Washington has made 18 errors.
"I thought we were playing a good ballgame, but all of a sudden we made two simple errors, silly errors that shouldn't be made. It has to stop," Robinson said.
On the mound: Pedro Astacio pitched his second game of the spring and gave up two runs in three innings. He gave up four hits and walked one batter. Astacio couldn't throw another inning because he already reached his 60-pitch limit.
Astacio is concerned about giving up runs in just his second start because Opening Day is a little more than two weeks away.
"I have to worry about it because it's my job. You have to go there and pitch. You have big-league hitters you have to get out," Astacio said. "I'll continue to work and hope to get better and better."
Robinson was not concerned that Astacio gave up runs. The skipper was pleased was that the right-hander threw strikes.
"He was around the plate, which I liked," Robinson said. "He hung a couple of pitches but I don't mind that. I liked what I saw."
Around the horn: Second baseman Jose Vidro was scheduled to play against the Mets, but he couldn't make it because of a family obligation. He will play three straight games starting Tuesday against the Marlins. ... Eischen is scheduled to play his first game of the spring against the Mets on Wednesday. The reliever has yet to pitch a game because of shoulder tendinitis. ... After signing his contract extension on Saturday, first baseman Nick Johnson missed the last two games because of a stomach virus. Washington hopes that he can return to action on Tuesday against Florida. ... Bowden said that right-hander Ryan Drese most likely will start the season on the disabled list. While he is having bullpen sessions, Drese, who had shoulder surgery in September, has yet to pitch in a game and that will not happen until the end of the exhibition season. ... Bowden expects the Nationals to make more cuts this week.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Byrd, Harris homer in Nats loss

2006-03-26T04:34:00.000-08:00

03/13/2006
Nationals at the plate: Marlon Byrd and Brendan Harris hit home runs on successive pitches from Tom Glavine in the second inning. The Nationals had four other hits in the abridged game. Some of the stadium lights went out in the seventh inning, and after a wait of nearly 20 minutes, the game was called. The cause of the power problem was outside the ballpark.
Mets at the plate: Kaz Matsui had three singles and drove in three runs. Julio Franco had a three-run double in the Mets five-run fifth inning. David Wright led off the inning with a double and finished the game with his average up to .200. But the hit of the night -- the hit of the spring -- was the monster home run Xavier Nady hit in the third inning off Kyle Denney. Nady's second home run of the spring cleared the 40-foot tall hitter's backdrop in dead center field. The dimension of the Tradition Field are identical to those of Shea Stadium. Nady is batting .481 with 11 RBIs in 27 at-bats.
Nationals on the mound: Denney allowed six hits and six runs in three innings after former Mets right-hander Pedro Astacio allowed three runs in the first two innings.
Mets on the mound: Glavine allowed two runs in the second and third innings of his four-inning start. Yusaku Iriki pitched two hitless innings. Play was suspended while he was pitching in the seventh.
Grapefruit League records: Nationals 2-11; Mets 7-6.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Mailbag: Will Nick Johnson break out?

2006-03-26T04:33:00.000-08:00

03/13/2006
How does Nick Johnson look this spring? There is a lot of talk about who will be the club's second baseman, Jose Guillen's shoulder, Ryan Zimmerman and the World Baseball Classic. Does Johnson look healthy and is he ready to go? -- Garin S., Avon, Ind.
Johnson looks healthy and has played a lot of innings this spring. He told me that his right heel, which he injured last June, is close to 100 percent. If he stays healthy, I think Johnson will drive in 100 runs and steal 15 bases this season.
If Brandon Watson continues to impress in Spring Training, is he likely to beat out Ryan Church for the job in center field? -- Dustin C., Nova Scotia, Canada
I don't think it's that cut and dry, Dustin. By the end of the spring, general manager Jim Bowden, manager Frank Robinson, assistant general manger Bob Boone and the coaching staff will get together and determine who will be the center fielder. There are some people in the organization who are Church fans and other who are in Watson's corner. This will be a huge debate by the end of the spring. I think the decision will be made on gut feelings, not so much numbers.
How does the Nationals' farm system look this year?-- Scott R., New Orleans
Bowden will be the first to tell you that it's dry, but there's some talent in the system. Larry Broadway, Kory Casto, Ian Desmond, Collin Balester, Frank Diaz, Bill Bray, Michael Hinckley and Clint Everts are players that come to mind.
Of the eight, Broadway is the closest to being ready for the big leagues. But whether he will play for the Nationals is another story considering that Johnson recently signed a long-term deal. If Broadway gets off to a good start for Triple-A New Orleans, I could see him getting traded for pitching.
How is Livan Hernandez's health? Do you believe that he can get 20 wins this year? -- Albert V. Miami
Hernandez's knee is close to 100 percent. However, he is still having problems running for slow rollers and running to first base. I don't know if Hernandez will win 20 games this year. While he is a talented pitcher, he may not have the hitting support to win that many games.
How is the backup catcher situation looking? I just watched the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic and I was quite impressed by Alberto Castillo. But looking at spring numbers, it looks like Wiki Gonzalez has a decent shot, too. So who would get the nod? -- Rob T., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
It's too early to tell. At least there is a clearer picture. Robinson announced on Sunday that he looks at Robert Fick and Matt LeCroy as the emergency catchers and Mike DiFelice, Gonzalez and Castillo competing to be Brian Schneider's backup catcher.
DiFelice and Gonzalez had a chance to compete in the World Baseball Classic for Italy and Venezuela, respectively, but they decided to stay with the Nationals throughout the spring. DiFelice and Gonzalez are having good springs with the bat. DiFelice is hitting .421 (8-for-19), while Gonzalez is 4-for-12 (.333).
Should we expect Dana Brown and his staff to draft heavily for left-handed pitching? -- Jeff E., W. Lafayette, In.
Jeff, the Nationals need so many things, like quality catchers, outfielders and infielders. But to answer your question, I expect Brown and his staff to go after the best available pitcher whether he's left-handed or right-handed.
Can the Nationals trade one of their many second basemen like Damian Jackson or Bernie Castro and get some prospects in return? -- Paul E., Alexandria, Va.
It's going to be hard, because none of the players you mentioned are in their prime. They are fringe players.
What do you think the starting rotation will look like by Opening Day? -- Matt D., Montreal
I think the rotation will look like this:Hernandez John Patterson Tony Armas, Jr. Ramon Ortiz Pedro Astacio
Look for Ryan Drese to be part of the rotation by the middle of April if Armas, Ortiz or Astacio falters. The Nationals are taking their time with Drese, who is coming off shoulder surgery. I expect him to be ready by mid-April.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Notes: Hernandez in midseason form

2006-03-26T04:32:00.000-08:00

03/14/2006
VIERA, Fla. -- Right-hander Livan Hernandez looked like he was in midseason form on Tuesday afternoon as he pitched five shutout innings in a 2-1 loss to the Marlins. He gave up four hits, struck out four and didn't issue a walk. Hernandez threw 70 pitches, 45 for strikes.
Hernandez said his right knee, which was surgically repaired this past offseason, is close to being 100 percent. During the outing, Hernandez was able to push off his back leg while making his pitches and covering first base on a groundout.
With two outs in the fourth, Marlins outfielder Chris Ashby hit a slow roller to second baseman Jose Vidro. First baseman Daryle Ward went too far to his right on the play and was unable to go back to the bag. But Hernandez went to cover first base and took the throw to retire Ashby and end the inning.
"I covered first base perfect ... so the knee feels better every day," Hernandez said. "I think I can run perfectly now, but I don't want to push it too much. The mechanics are better, because the knee feels better than last year."
During Spring Training, most pitchers work slowly to get to the 100-pitch plateau for the regular season. But manager Frank Robinson isn't surprised that Hernandez was able to pitched five innings in only his second outing of the spring.
"He is one of those unique individuals and there's no way to explain it. ... I'm not saying he is a throwback, but he knows himself," Robinson said. "He knows his body, his arm and he understands what he is able to do or not do."
Hernandez is slated to pitch on Opening Day against the Mets at Shea Stadium on April 3.
Injury report: Shorstop Cristian Guzman is scheduled to see Dr. Tim Kremchek, the club's senior consultant, in Cincinnati this week about his ailing right shoulder. Guzman has missed five consecutive days because of inflammation and bursitis in the shoulder. The switch-hitter is unable to throw and hit right-handed.
Guzman saw Dr. Bruce Thomas, the team's primary sports medicine physician, on Tuesday and received a second injection in the shoulder. It was Guzman's second injection in five days.
In the meantime, Royce Clayton will continue to be the starting shortstop. He has made spectacular plays at the position, but he is hitting .194 in 11 games.
Jose Guillen continues to show progress. He took 30 swings apiece off a tee and from soft-tossing without feeling any pain in his left wrist. It's the third day in a row Guillen swung the bat.
Guillen said he hopes to take batting practice with his teammates on Wednesday and play a simulated game later in the week. If things go well, Guillen said he expects to play against the Dodgers on Sunday afternoon in Vero Beach.
Guillen had missed 10 days of baseball activities because of fluid and inflammation in his left wrist.
Sent down: The Nationals reassigned outfielders Mike Vento and Alex Escobar to Minor League camp, while optioning infielder Tony Blanco to Class A Potomac.
Both Escobar and Blanco missed part of Spring Training because of injuries. Blanco is still recovering from a right shoulder injury he suffered in the Dominican Winter League and Escobar had serious problems with his right hip and quadriceps during the spring.
Blanco was a Rule 5 Draft pick in December 2004 and was with the Major League club for most of last season. But he appeared to be overmatched at the plate and was below average with the glove during most of his time with the Nationals.
The Nationals paid $50,000 to get Blanco and he had to stay on the Major League roster for the entire 2005 season or be offered back to the Reds for half of the original fee.
"I don't know if [staying in the Major Leagues] hurt his development, but it certainly didn't help his development," Robinson said. "He would have benefited much more if he played a full year in the Minor League level."
Robinson said he like liked what he saw from Vento, who went 1-for-3 with an RBI on Tuesday.
"He thanked us for the opportunity and he told us to keep him in mind," the skipper said. "We told him that we saw some things that we liked."
Around the horn: The Nationals announced that they have promoted Joe Hickey to vice president of corporate alliances. Hickey, who most recently served as the Nationals' director of corporate sales, will be responsible for developing, implementing and managing corporate partnerships in his expanded role. ... Left-hander Bill Bray, the team's first round pick in 2004, gave up two runs in two innings against the Marlins and now has an 13.50 ERA this spring. ... Shortstop Ian Desmond went 2-for-4 on Tuesday to lift spring average to .333. ... Steve Watkins continues to impress. He pitched two shutout innings against the Marlins and has given up one earned in 11 innings this spring.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Hernandez excels in Nationals' loss

2006-03-26T04:31:00.000-08:00

03/14/2006
Marlins at the plate: Eric Reed drove in the game-winning run in the ninth inning with a double off right-hander Saul Rivera that scored Frank Moore. Florida tied the score at 1 in the top of the eighth inning when Brad McCann drove in Drew Niles with a single to right field off Kevin Gryboski.
Nationals at the plate: Marlon Byrd hit a home run in the sixth inning off Jose Garcia to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. It was Byrd's second home run in two days.
Marlins on the mound: Right-hander Ricky Nolassco pitched four shutout innings and gave up two hits. He struck out one batter and walked two.
Nationals on the mound: Right-hander Livan Hernandez pitched five shutout innings, giving up four hits, striking out four and walking none. Mike Stanton also pitched an inning without giving up a hit.
Grapefruit League records: Marlins 10-4-1; Nationals 3-12-1.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Traber, Nats shut down Marlins

2006-03-26T04:30:00.001-08:00

03/14/2006
Marlins at the plate: Miguel Olivo deposited his second home run, a towering drive to left field in the fifth inning. Mark Little had two singles and Jai Miller, brought in from Minor League camp to provide depth, doubled.
Nationals at the plate: George Lombard connected on his first home run of the spring, belting a solo shot off Scott Olsen in the second inning. In the fourth, the lead was pushed to 2-0 on Michael Tucker's sacrifice fly. After Damian Jackson walked and went to third on Marlon Anderson's single, Tucker lifted a fly to right. A three-run fifth inning made it 5-0. Frank Diaz ripped an RBI double down the third-base line, scoring Lombard, who had walked. Jackson had an RBI single in the inning, and Diaz scored on a balk by reliever Taylor Tankersley. After the balk, Marlins manager Joe Girardi was ejected by home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez. Diaz and Ian Desmond each had an RBI single in a three-run sixth inning. Diaz added a home run in the ninth.
Marlins on the mound: In 4 1/3 innings, Olsen gave up five runs on four hits, walking two and striking out four. In relief, left-hander Renyel Pinto tossed two innings, allowing three unearned runs.
Nationals on the mound: Left-hander Billy Traber yielded one run in five innings, striking out three and scattering three hits. Steve Watkins tossed two scoreless innings, striking out two while walking one.
Grapefruit League records: Marlins 10-4-1; Nationals 3-12-1.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

New ballpark design unveiled

2006-03-26T04:30:00.000-08:00

03/14/2006
WASHINGTON -- Mayor Anthony Williams, the D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission and the Washington Nationals unveiled plans for a 41,000-seat state-of-the-art baseball stadium during a press conference Tuesday at the Washington Convention Center.
Williams and DCSEC officials are planning on having the ballpark ready for the 2008 season. The budget is scheduled to be $611 million in District funds, and the stadium is going to be located in southeast Washington along the Anacostia River waterfront. It should catch the attention of many fans, thanks to the way glass, steel, stone and concrete will be used on the outside of a building that will be a little different from recent ballparks but very much representative of the District.
"There was a lot of [talking], there was a lot of discussion, there was a lot of debate," said DCSEC chairman Mark H. Tuohey, III. "It will be ready by 2008. Our plan is to get it ready for Opening Day."
The stadium was designed by District-based Devrouax & Purnell Architects in a joint venture with the sports division of Kansas City-based Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, Inc. -- also known as HOK Sport -- and known throughout sports for its designs of athletic facilities.
The stadium will be located along the Anacostia River bounded by South Capitol Street to the west, M Street to the north, First Street to the east and Potomac Avenue to the south.
Included in the ballpark's configuration are approximately 22,000 seats in the lower bowl, 12,100 in the upper seating bowl, from where fans can see the U.S. Capitol building, 2,500 club seats, 1,112 suite seats, a 500-seat founder's club with indoor dining and a 1,300-seat diamond club with indoor dining.
Getting the politicians to agree on the financial details proved to be a nearly back-breaking chore for the Mayor, who constantly worked behind the scenes with the D.C. Council -- whose changes of direction often confused many and appeared at times to be blocking the project.
The project took about a year-and-a-half to come to fruition, and was finally approved by Major League Baseball and the D.C. Council last week after a long and difficult negotiating process. Clark Construction Group, along with the Hunt Construction Group and Smoot Construction, will build the ballpark over the next two years.
"It's kind of ironic," said D.C. Council member Jack Evans, one of the stadium's most ardent supporters. "It was harder to keep baseball than it was to get baseball."
Working out the financial caps and limits proved to be a political football for several months before a deal came together in recent weeks.
"We see baseball as part of an overall Anacostia River vision, not the other way around," Williams said. "We're going to have a better situation. We're going to have a better deal. The dream, the flame, was kept alive."
Statistics about the drawings and the ballpark show that it will be very similar to new stadiums built in recent years, including the one opening in St. Louis this season. Seating capacity, total gross area, space for team facilities all will be on a par with ballparks in Philadelphia, San Diego, Cincinnati, San Francisco and St. Louis.
Nationals president Tony Tavares said he anticipates it will be more of a pitcher's park, and the proposed dimensions seem to back that up. It will be 332 feet to the left-field foul pole and 335 to right. In addition, it will be 409 to dead center field, 370 to the power alley in right-center and 377 to the alley in left-center.
But Tavares said those distances can be changed if it is an issue after the team's owner is named. The Nationals are currently operated by Major League Baseball.
"We wanted flexibility," Tavares said. "But just getting this done is [great]. It's been arduous to say the least."
Local officials are hoping the ballpark will not only be something that serves as a cornerstone for the new Anacostia River waterfront entertainment district but also be looked at as something special in terms of sports architecture.
The exterior design includes a lot of glass, similar to the Washington Convention Center, which several people on this project also worked on. Tavares said the amount of glass surprised him a bit, but he liked the drawings.
More than anything, Tavares said he was glad to have the long process finished.
"It feels like being cured after having a long illness," Tavares said. "The good thing is we're healthy again."
Tavares said the new stadium has similarities to Turner Field in Atlanta because about 70 percent of the fans will have to enter through outfield gates.
When the team moved to the District, it was with the understanding that it would play at RFK Stadium for the first three years. Groundbreaking will commence at some point this month or next.
"We're forging forward now," said Allen Y. Lew, the DCSEC's chief executive officer.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Concern grows for ailing Guzman

2006-03-26T04:29:00.000-08:00

03/15/2006
VIERA, Fla. -- Nationals shortstop Cristian Guzman left Space Coast Stadium late Wednesday morning and flew to Cincinnati to see Dr. Tim Kremchek, the team's senior medical consultant, for an examination of his ailing right shoulder.
Guzman has missed six consecutive days because of inflammation and bursitis. Guzman saw Dr. Bruce Thomas, the team's primary sports medicine physician, on Tuesday and received a second injection in the shoulder in five days. But the injections don't seem to cure the shoulder problem.
Guzman's agent, Stanley King, said that the injury could be much worse. Guzman told his representative that he hears something inside the shoulder every time he tries to throw the ball. Besides having difficulties throwing the ball, the switch-hitting Guzman has a tough time swinging right-handed.
"The MRI showed something inside the shoulder, but [the Nationals] don't want to draw any conclusions until after he goes to Cincinnati," King said.
The shoulder started to get worse in the bottom of the second inning of last Thursday's game against the Marlins.
In the top of that inning, with two outs, Marlins right fielder Mark Little hit a sharp grounder to Guzman, who backhanded the ball. He had plenty of time to get Little, but there wasn't any zip on his throw. The ball hit the ground and went past first baseman Nick Johnson for an error.
"I want Kremchek to read the MRI," general manager Jim Bowden said. "I'm not a doctor. He is not responding to the shots. We want a second opinion."
Guzman has underachieved since he signed a four-year, $16.8 million contract with the Nationals during the 2004 offseason. He spent most of the 2005 season batting below .200, but ended up at .219 for the season.
If Guzman is out for a long time, Royce Clayton will be the starting shortstop. Clayton signed a Minor League contract last February with a promise that he would compete against Guzman for the starting job.
Clayton also promised Bowden that he would accept being a backup to Guzman and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.
Clayton is coming off a season in which he hit .270 with two home runs and 44 RBIs with the Diamondbacks. The Nationals are Clayton's fifth team in five years. He has spent most of the last two years batting second, and he was hitting in that slot on Wednesday afternoon against the Mets and went 1-for-3.
If he makes the roster, Clayton will get a salary of $1 million. Clayton said on Wednesday that the Nationals have not approached him about turning his Minor League deal to a Major League contract.
This spring, Clayton, 36, has made several sparkling plays at shortstop, but he is hitting .206. Told of the possibility that Guzman would miss time, Clayton said that he came to camp believing all along that he would be the starting shortstop.
"My approach hasn't changed in 15 years. It's not about to change now," Clayton said. "I'm healthy. That is the most important thing. I feel good out on the field. My legs are under me. I worked out all my aches and pains. Actually, I couldn't ask for a better spring."
Before this season, the only other time Clayton had to compete for a starting job was in 1996 when he was a member of the Cardinals. His competition was Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith. Clayton won the job and was productive, hitting .277 with two home runs and 36 RBIs in 129 games. That competition with Smith taught Clayton to be ready for anything.
"I'm going to be prepared every day," Clayton said. "St. Louis was my big lesson as far as experiencing splitting time with Ozzie. I found out that I couldn't go home and relax and say, 'I'm not playing tomorrow.' I had to eventually prepare myself to be ready to play. And this year is no different. I'm prepared to play every day."

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Notes: Guillen takes batting practice

2006-03-26T04:28:00.000-08:00

03/15/2006
VIERA, Fla. -- Jose Guillen took live batting practice with his teammates on Wednesday for the first time since having his left wrist examined two weeks ago. The Nationals outfielder took 40 swings and didn't feel any pain.
Guillen is planning to take another 40 swings on Thursday morning. If Guillen continues to feel good, he will play his first Spring Training game on Monday against Dodgers at Space Coast Stadium. Guillen said he will get two or three at-bats, play the outfield and try not to take any days off.
"If there was pain, I would have stopped because I have to be smart," Guillen said.
Guillen had missed 10 days because of fluid and inflammation in his left wrist. Before that injury, he was recovering from offseason left shoulder surgery, and Guillen said the shoulder is close to 100 percent.
The game plan: With right-hander Tony Armas Jr. back from the World Baseball Classic due to Venezuela's elimination on Tuesday, pitching coach Randy St. Claire said on Wednesday that Armas has to start throwing on the mound right away, so he can be ready for Opening Day. Armas threw only 18 pitches in the Classic, a fact that has St. Claire concerned.
Armas most likely will pitch in an intrasquad Minor League game sometime this week. Armas will throw no more than 45 pitches and then pitch another Minor League game on four days' rest.
"I don't like going on four days' [rest], but (time is running out in Spring Training)," St. Claire said.
St. Claire said he is not concerned about relievers Chad Cordero and Gary Majewski, because they have pitched frequently for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. However, reliever Luis Ayala most likely will have to be rushed because he has pitched just one-third of an inning for Mexico in the Classic.
Asked why Ayala hasn't pitched that much in the World Baseball Classic, St. Claire said, "[Mexico] is trying to win and they are using their guys as they see fit to win."
St. Claire said the World Baseball Classic did bring one positive thing to the Nationals this spring: The absence of several members of the pitching staff allowed the team to see hurlers such as Steve Watkins, Saul Rivera and Billy Traber. All three have been outstanding.
"Normally, they would see one inning or two innings during Spring Training, but they got eight, nine, 10 innings of work," St. Claire said.
That's better: Right-hander Jon Rauch had his best outing of the spring, giving up one run in five innings against the Mets. He struck out six batters and walked one. The outing was the antithesis of his previous start last Friday, in which ran out of gas and gave up five runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings against the Astros.
In the Astros game, Rauch said he mentally wore himself out. He was thinking too much about his mechanics on the mound. But in Wednesday's game, he thought about getting hitters out.
"I changed my outlook, prepared myself for the game," Rauch said. "At the same time, I ironed out some more mechanical issues. Everything seemed to click today."
He's back: Joey Eischen pitched in his first spring game of the season on Wednesday, pitching one shutout inning against the Mets. He has missed most of the spring because of left shoulder tendinitis.
"I felt a lot better than I expected," Eischen said. "I threw a lot of strikes. I thought I would be a little more wild and try to do too much. I'm probably about 75 percent, maybe 80 percent. I still have some of that tendinitis in my shoulder, but I can go out and pitch like I'm feeling now."
Around the horn: Potential owner Stan Kasten was at Wednesday's game against the Mets. He declined to talk about his possible involvement with the Nationals. ... Nick Johnson still hasn't played a game this week because of a stomach virus. Ryan Church and Ryan Zimmerman caught the same virus and did not play on Wednesday against the Mets. ... Tyrell Godwin went 2-for-3 with home run against the Mets. ... Daryle Ward is hitting .233 this spring. ... Right-hander Ryan Drese threw live batting practice on Tuesday, firing 30 pitches without pain.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Rauch strong in Nationals loss

2006-03-26T04:27:00.000-08:00

03/15/2006
Mets at the plate: New York scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning off right-hander Anastacio Martinez. Chris Basak drove in two runs with a double, and he came home on a Corey Ragsdale groundout. Sandy Martinez added a two-run home run. Basak drove in another run with a double in the ninth inning. The Mets scored their first run in the top of the second inning on a home run by Victor Diaz. Todd Self plated another run when he stole home in the seventh inning.
Nationals at the plate: Outfielder Tyrell Godwin tied the score at 1 in the bottom of the fifth inning with a homer off Juan Perez. Daryle Ward tied the score at 2 with a home run off Henry Owens in the bottom of the seventh. Brendan Harris hit a two-run single off Mitch Wylie in the bottom of the ninth inning. Washington scored its fifth run of the game on a Michael Tucker sacrifice fly.
Mets on the mound: Right-hander Aaron Heilman gave up three hits in four shutout innings. Heilman struck out three batters while not issuing a walk.
Nationals on the mound: Right-hander Jon Rauch had his best outing of the spring, giving up one run in five innings. He struck out six batters and walked one. Joey Eischen pitched one shutout inning in his first appearance of the spring.
Grapefruit League records: Mets 9-6; Nationals 3-13-1.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/

Notes: Armas happy to be back

2006-03-26T04:26:00.000-08:00

03/16/2006
VIERA, Fla. -- Tony Armas Jr. said on Thursday that he was disappointed that he pitched only 1 2/3 innings for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. The Nationals right-hander felt he was led to believe that he would be part of a rotation, where the team would use two starters per game. In reality, most of Armas' throwing work came during bullpen sessions.
Armas said had Venezuela advanced in the World Baseball Classic, he would have opted to return to the Nationals' Spring Training facility. But the team was eliminated with a loss to the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.
"I didn't get a chance to pitch, and I need to start pitching with a little more than two weeks to go," Armas said. "I was a little disappointed."
Armas was able to pitch in a Minor League intrasquad game on Thursday. Playing for Triple-A New Orleans, Armas pitched three shutout innings against Double-A Harrisburg. He threw 41 pitches and 22 of them went for strikes. His fastball was consistently clocked in the 94 mph range.
"He threw the ball extremely well, considering he has pitched one game in Spring Training," pitching coach Randy St. Claire said.
St. Claire said that Armas is scheduled to pitch on three days' rest against the Dodgers on Monday.
Let's talk: Manager Frank Robinson had a meeting with his players on Thursday morning. It was similar to the first meeting last Thursday, where he told his players that they were not playing fundamentally-sound baseball. Entering Thursday's action, the Nationals were 3-13-1. Many of those losses could be attributed to defensive miscues and pitchers and catchers that have been unable to call the right pitches to throw to hitters.
"I didn't yell, but firmly, I said 'Come on, guys. It's time to put it together. It 's time to tighten it up,'" Robinson said.
Robinson also spent most of the meeting going over signs with the players. According to two sources, the players were very confused about third-base coach Tony Beasly's signals.
Looking good: Outfielder Jose Guillen said he felt much better taking 40 swings in batting practice on Thursday than he did the previous day. He didn't feel any pain in his left wrist or shoulder.
Guillen is planning to take batting practice again on Friday and then get in some swings against Nationals pitchers on Saturday and Sunday. If things go according to plan, Guillen will play his first exhibition game against the Dodgers at Space Coast Stadium on Monday.
Get a grip: Ryan Church had a tough time holding onto the bat on Thursday against the Tigers. He let the bat slip from his hands twice and into the stands at Space Coast Stadium. No spectators were injured. Church said he had a tough time gripping the bat because of new batting gloves he recently purchased.
"I was trying them out and they looked good," Church said. "I won't use them again. Not after that [stuff]."
This is not the first time Church let the bat leave his hands. His bat went into the stands against the Pirates on March 2.
The Big Nasty: John Patterson continues to flourish on the mound. On Thursday, Patterson pitched five shutout inning against the Tigers. He gave up four hits, struck out six batters and walked two.
Patterson had a four-pitch walk to shortstop Tony Giarratano to start the game, but then settled down.
"I threw the ball real well warming up in the bullpen," Patterson said. "And then I go to the mound, I lost all feel [for the ball]. It was terrible. I don't know what that was. It was bad."
Patterson said he is anxious to get catcher Brian Schneider back behind the plate. The two have a good working relationship. Most of this spring, Patterson has had to work with different catchers because Schneider is at the World Baseball Classic with Team USA. On Thursday, it took catcher Wiki Gonzalez a few innings to get on the same page with Patterson.
"You get into a rhythm with Schneider because he knows me," Patterson said. "He knows what I want to do. He knows what I like to pitch, where these other catchers are learning. ... That's good, but it's hard to get into a rhythm that way when you are shaking [off a pitch] five times."
Around the horn: Nick Johnson played in his first game in almost a week and went 1-for-4, including a wind-aided home run. He is now hitting .171 (4-for-24) this spring. Johnson was out of commission because of a stomach virus. ... Gonzalez went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a walk. He is 6-for-16 (.375) with three RBIs this spring.

Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/