Washington Nationals @ Bare Baseball - Baseball MLB Blog

Nats stymied by Sanchez, Marlins

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 19:06:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 19:05:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 19:04:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 19:02:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 13:03:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 13:01:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 13:00:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:45:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:41:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:40:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:39:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:38:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:37:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:36:00 +0000

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

b2blog@gmail.com (David) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:35:00 +0000

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/