Strasburg gets his work in, Doolittle works on his off-speed stuff

Strasburg gets his work in, Doolittle works on his off-speed stuff
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The day began with Stephen Strasburg on the mound for the first time against an opponent this spring. And Strasburg's outing - two innings of one-run ball, plus another 20 pitches in the bullpen afterward - was important, in that he needed to make his first start of the spring at some point and begin the process of ramping up before the season begins. These days, though, there's not that much new for Strasburg to do in spring training. After several years of tinkering,...
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Verlander outdoes Strasburg in spring matchup (Nats win 8-1)

Verlander outdoes Strasburg in spring matchup (Nats win 8-1)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It lasted all of 2 1/2 innings, but at this time of the spring, we'll all take as much of a Stephen Strasburg-Justin Verlander pitching matchup as we can get. The two right-handers didn't disappoint in their head-to-head showdown today at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Strasburg allowed one run over two innings but consistently hit 97-98 mph with his fastball. Verlander, meanwhile, tossed three scoreless innings and struck out five before calling it a...
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Martinez meets with Torre, learns more about pace of play

Martinez meets with Torre, learns more about pace of play
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Davey Martinez had sat through meetings with Joe Torre before, but only as a bench coach to Joe Maddon, and thus not as the primary point of contact between Torre (Major League Baseball's chief baseball officer) and his club. This morning's session at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, then, represented a new dynamic for Martinez, who was responsible for digesting everything Torre revealed regarding MLB's new pace of play rules and making sure any pertinent...
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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - I know none of you up north want to hear about the weather down here right now, but it has cooled off considerably across Florida, with the same cold front that has caused so much havoc back home swooping through this state as well. The wind has picked up and the temperatures have dropped - I know, I know, it's still going to be 75 degrees this afternoon - for the first time all spring. With the wind blowing in, it should be a good day to be a pitcher. Not that either...
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Zimmerman happy with first two at-bats of the spring

Zimmerman happy with first two at-bats of the spring
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - There was no real drama to it, just a couple of at-bats in a Grapefruit League game against a couple of pitchers who may or may not make the Mets' opening day roster. But it was the first time Ryan Zimmerman had done any of that in a game this spring, so the simple fact he did get two at-bats yesterday in the Nationals' 2-1 victory was newsworthy. "Always good to get in there," the veteran first baseman said. "Two good at-bats, two good swings. I guess that's as...
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Amid Tebow circus, Scherzer gets down to business

Amid Tebow circus, Scherzer gets down to business
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - From Max Scherzer's perspective, it was just a guy standing at the plate wearing a No. 83 Mets jersey. The name on the back, or the hoopla that comes with it, mattered little. "No, I'm out there trying to get him out," the Nationals ace said. "I'm working on my instincts, what I think I need to do to get him out. Just working with (Matt) Wieters going over different things we're trying to accomplish today." Scherzer, of course, knew the guy's name. How could he...
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Harper to return Saturday, Lind to Yanks (Nats win 2-1)

Harper to return Saturday, Lind to Yanks (Nats win 2-1)
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Bryce Harper is scheduled to return to action Saturday, his toe having healed from a minor surgical procedure to remove an ingrown nail. Harper was originally due to play Wednesday, but had to be scratched after he reported the toenail problem. He had it removed later that day, then sat out Thursday while healing. Though he's not playing in today's game against the Mets, Harper was due to participate in the Nationals' workout in Port St. Lucie. Assuming all goes well,...
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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in Port St. Lucie

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Mets in Port St. Lucie
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Finally, some big names on the field for an exhibition game. Though it should be noted that "big names" doesn't necessarily mean "good baseball players" in every case. When the Nationals take the field this afternoon to face a Mets split-squad, he'll be going up against some experienced major leaguers like José Reyes, Jay Bruce and Adrián González. He'll also be going up against cleanup hitter Tim Tebow. Yes, Tim Tebow is batting cleanup today. Against Max...
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De Aza returns to Nationals on minor league deal

De Aza returns to Nationals on minor league deal
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla - Alejandro De Aza has returned to the Nationals, though not to the big league roster. The Nats have signed De Aza to a minor league contract, the club announced. The veteran outfielder did not receive an invitation to major league camp, but he will be in uniform and available to play off the bench for today's game against the Mets. De Aza, 33, played in 28 games for the Nationals late last season, hitting .194 with nine RBIs over 70 plate appearances and filling in at a...
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Big names should finally be in action this weekend

Big names should finally be in action this weekend
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The first week of Grapefruit League play has featured minimal action by the Nationals' biggest names, but that may finally change this weekend. For starters, Max Scherzer will be on the mound today in Port St. Lucie to face the Mets, his second start of the spring. And Stephen Strasburg will make his long-awaited debut Saturday in West Palm Beach against the Astros, who are scheduled to send Justin Verlander to the mound for a high-profile pitching matchup. So that...
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Cole makes first case for fifth starter's job

Cole makes first case for fifth starter's job
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - There may be nobody else in Nationals camp with a status quite like A.J. Cole. He doesn't have the track record to suggest he's assured of a spot on the opening day roster, but club officials willingly admit he's the likely No. 5 starter. He's out of options, so he'll have to make the team somehow or else be placed on waivers. And none of this may matter if the Nats decide to go for broke and just sign Jake Arrieta or one of the other established free agents still...
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Harper has minor surgery for ingrown toenail (Nats win 6-2)

Harper has minor surgery for ingrown toenail (Nats win 6-2)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Bryce Harper had a minor surgical procedure Wednesday to remove an ingrown toenail, something the Nationals expect will allow their star right fielder to return to the field ASAP. Harper had to be scratched from Wednesday's lineup against the Marlins after he informed manager Davey Martinez of his ailment. He wouldn't have been able to play today against the Braves, either, but he wasn't scheduled to make the long, 2 1/2-hour trip to Lake Buena Vista...
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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Braves in Lake Buena Vista

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Braves in Lake Buena Vista
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Good morning from Walt Disney World. If it feels like we were just here ... well, we were. The Nationals played the Braves in this ballpark three days ago. Now they're back after another 2 1/2-hour drive up Florida's Turnpike. On the bright side, the club has only one more road trip longer than 45 minutes the rest of the spring (one game in Lakeland against the Tigers) so it won't be facing this situation much more. Because it's another one of these long trips, the...
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Runs have been scarce so far this spring for Nationals

Runs have been scarce so far this spring for Nationals
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - If you have been paying attention to the Grapefruit League scoreboard - and, truth be told, you probably shouldn't be paying that much attention to it - you've no doubt noticed the Nationals exhibition season isn't off to a rousing start. The Nats have played six games to date, going 1-4-1 overall. (Ties are allowed in the spring, cause who really wants to watch extra innings in February and March?) They've also scored only 17 runs, and nine of those came in...
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Taylor's leaping catch highlights otherwise sleepy Nats loss

Taylor's leaping catch highlights otherwise sleepy Nats loss
JUPITER, Fla. - On a day when hits were scarce and runs were even scarcer, the most attention-grabbing moment of the Nationals' 3-1 loss to the Marlins came via Michael A. Taylor's legs and outstretched left arm. Retreating to the center field wall on Derek Dietrich's third-inning drive, Taylor perfectly timed his leap and robbed the Marlins cleanup hitter of a likely home run. The sleepy Roger Dean Stadium crowd of 1,987 oohed and aahed and then applauded as Taylor trotted back to the...
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Harper scratched from lineup with ingrown toenail (Nats lose 3-1)

Harper scratched from lineup with ingrown toenail (Nats lose 3-1)
JUPITER, Fla. - Originally scheduled to play back-to-back days for the first time this spring, Bryce Harper wound up not being able to play today's game at all. Harper was scratched from the lineup with an ingrown toenail, a seemingly insignificant ailment but one that has been a problem for the star outfielder before. Harper had to miss two games in May 2013 after suffering from an ingrown toenail that was so bad it had to be surgically removed. No word yet how much time the 25-year-old...
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Hump day: Martinez opens morning workout with live camels

Hump day: Martinez opens morning workout with live camels
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The daily Circle of Trust meeting began just any other. As players gathered around the Nationals logo at the center of their athletic turf field outside FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, bench coach Chip Hale went over the good and the bad from yesterday's exhibition game, then detailed the plan for this morning's workout. And then things got a little weird. A recording was played of third base coach Bob Henley, frequently the most boisterous speaker at these...
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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter (Harper scratched)

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter (Harper scratched)
JUPITER, Fla. - Well, it's been quite a morning already in Nationals camp. The day began with a surprise twist to the club's morning "Circle of Trust" meeting: Coaches Bob Henley and Tim Bogar rode in on camels, yelling out "Hump Day!" and eventually making all the players walk through the tunnel they created to symbolize how the Nationals are trying to get over the proverbial hump this season. This was all concocted by manager Davey Martinez, and I'll have plenty more on all this a...
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Adams sidelined, Zimmerman still waiting, Grace avoids injury

Adams sidelined, Zimmerman still waiting, Grace avoids injury
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - With Ryan Zimmerman being held back until the calendar at least reads March, Matt Adams was in position to get a bunch of playing time at first base early this spring. The offseason addition, though, was scratched from yesterday's lineup and is expected to miss a couple more days with a blister that developed on his right foot. Adams reported the issue yesterday morning and showed the blister to manager Davey Martinez. He was immediately scratched from the lineup and...
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Durable as ever, Gonzalez starts seventh year in D.C. on right foot

Durable as ever, Gonzalez starts seventh year in D.C. on right foot
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The good news: Gio Gonzalez looked a lot like his 2017 version in his first inning of 2018. The bad news: That meant the Nationals left-hander was pitching out of the stretch with runners on base, forced to battle his way out of a jam. At this point, the Nats know that's simply what they're going to get from Gonzalez, who managed to walk the tightrope all last season and emerge unscathed the vast majority of the time. "He knows for him it's (important) to avoid that...
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