Would Gerardo Parra be a good fit to lead off for Nationals in 2016?

Would Gerardo Parra be a good fit to lead off for Nationals in 2016?
The Nationals' search for a leadoff hitter could once again turn toward the possibility of signing free agent Gerardo Parra, a left-handed hitter that president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo has had a good relationship with since his days with the Diamondbacks. MLB.com wrote about the Nationals' possible intent to acquire Parra way back in 2012. The Nationals currently have five outfielders on their 40-man roster, headlined by Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth. Michael A....
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Nationals finalize minor league staff for 2016

Nationals finalize minor league staff for 2016
The Nationals officially released their minor league coaching staffs and coordinators for 2016 this afternoon, with former bench coach Randy Knorr named senior adviser to general manager Mike Rizzo. Knorr had been the bench coach the past four seasons and is highly regarded in the organization, since he also managed in the system from 2005-2011. Remaining on staff was Brian Daubach, who moves to hitting coach at Triple-A Syracuse. He was the Double-A Harrisburg manager last season. Matt LeCroy,...
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Stammen on lost 2015 season: "We've got to be a better team"

Stammen on lost 2015 season: "We've got to be a better team"
Right-hander Craig Stammen has made excellent progress in his return from a torn flexor tendon that ended his 2015 campaign in mid-April. He credits the ability to stay with the Nationals training staff throughout the season as one reason for his on time recovery. "The rehab went great throughout the year," Stammen said. "The team was nice enough to let me stick (in) Washington, D.C., and be with the team when they were home and see physical therapist, (Dr.) Liz Wheeler, and then train with...
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Goodwin, Ballou and Bautista updates from winter ball are all positive

Goodwin, Ballou and Bautista updates from winter ball are all positive
I am getting more positive updates from the winter leagues on some of the Nationals' outfield prospects. Center fielder Brian Goodwin is now ranked second in team batting for Margarita in the Venezuelan Winter League. His slash line is .356/.444/.535 with a .979 OPS and seven doubles, three homers, 16 RBIs, 16 walks and only 18 strikeouts in 101 at-bats over 27 games. He has been on a tear the last 10 games, hitting .543 (19-for-35) with four doubles, two homers and a 1.000 OPS. Nationals...
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Who will take Zimmermann's innings in the Nationals rotation?

Who will take Zimmermann's innings in the Nationals rotation?
Now that right-hander Jordan Zimmermann has moved on to the Detroit Tigers, the Nationals must figure out how they will replace the coveted starter. Zimmermann tossed 201 2/3 innings in 2015, compiling a 13-10 record with a 3.66 ERA. He matched Max Scherzer with 33 starts and was second on the team for innings pitched, 27 innings less than Scherzer. With right-hander Doug Fister also not returning, the Nationals must look to find a pair of starters. Right-hander Joe Ross would be the most...
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Nats prospect watch: Erick Fedde

Nats prospect watch: Erick Fedde
We are continuing our focus on news from the fall instructional league at the Nationals training facility in Viera, Fla. The first two capsules were on hitters Blake Perkins and Victor Robles. We will volley back and forth now between hitting and pitching and turn our attention to 2014 first round selection Erick Fedde. Fedde, at 6-foot-4 and 180 lbs., pitched a total of 64 innings between short-season Single-A Auburn and low Single-A Hagerstown. He moved to Hagerstown on Aug. 11. In his final...
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Nats prospect watch: Victor Robles

Nats prospect watch: Victor Robles
Outfielder Victor Robles continues to progress well after fall instructional league last month in Florida. I got an update on one of the more talked about Dominican prospects in the Nationals system this week. The 18-year-old Robles has displayed advanced batting skills at a young age. Nationals minor league hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich was impressed with Robles from the first time he saw the youngster swing. "The first time I saw him was two years ago at the (Nationals) Dominican...
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Bostick finishes Arizona campaign rolling, Salt River earns second spot in division

Bostick finishes Arizona campaign rolling, Salt River earns second spot in division
The Salt River Rafters did well in Arizona Fall League play, finishing second to eventual champion Scottsdale. At 16-13, the Rafters were 1 1/2 games back of the Scorpions in the East Division. Second baseman Chris Bostick had the best surge to finish the fall season. He had nine hits in his final six games, including three doubles, a triple and a home run. It was a whirlwind 2015 season for Bostick. Last season, he was with high Single-A Myrtle Beach and then traded to the Nationals. He played...
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Nats prospect watch: Blake Perkins

Nats prospect watch: Blake Perkins
The Nationals' 2015 draft class hit the ground running this past summer and into fall instructs in Viera, Fla. I will profile some of these outstanding hitters in the system for the next few weeks. Outfielder Blake Perkins is one of the many prospects on the roster that showed very well last month, drawing the attention of the coaches. The just-turned 19-year-old (September 10) was a second round selection out of Verrado High School in Buckeye, Ariz., in June. He has shown that he is advanced...
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Bostick and Simms shine again for Salt River in Arizona Fall League play

Bostick and Simms shine again for Salt River in Arizona Fall League play
Chris Bostick unleashed another outstanding game Tuesday as Salt River defeated Mesa 4-2 in Arizona Fall League play. The second baseman went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, three runs scored and two RBIs. It was Bostick's fourth double and fourth homer of the AFL season. Bostick hit out of the No. 2 hole and cranked a solo shot in the third inning off of Mesa starter Rob Zastryzny. Bostick raised his average to .275. Right-hander John Simms started and went three innings for the win,...
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Notes on Kieboom, Simms, Bacus, Goodwin, Severino and Bautista

Notes on Kieboom, Simms, Bacus, Goodwin, Severino and Bautista
Catcher Spencer Kieboom had two homers this season for high Single-A Potomac. He now has two homers in Arizona Fall League play after cranking a three-run shot in the first inning Friday night. Salt River dropped Surprise 5-3. He also crushed three-run homer Oct. 27 in a 9-4 win over Scottsdale. Kieboom is hitting .257 and has a .395 on-base percentage in his last 10 games with two homers, seven RBIs and seven free passes. Right-hander Dakota Bacus has a 1.29 ERA in seven appearances with one...
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John Simms mixing pitches well, keeping ball down to find Arizona success

John Simms mixing pitches well, keeping ball down to find Arizona success
Right-hander John Simms has impressed in his first month in the Arizona Fall League. Simms came into his first game after the starter and a reliever had completed four innings. Salt River trailed 4-3 when he arrived, but the game was tied 5-5 when he departed. He earned the win after pitching three innings and allowing just one run in a 9-7 Rafters comeback victory. After that initial appearance, Simms (3-0) has been tremendously consistent, starting four straight games, tossing 18 innings and...
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Purke on list of minor league free agents; De Los Santos update from Arizona

Purke on list of minor league free agents; De Los Santos update from Arizona
The list of minor league free agents from 2015 has been revealed by Baseball America, and the most notable names on the Nationals list include former 2011 third-round selection left-hander Matt Purke, as well as southpaw Richard Bleier. Purke was drafted with a lot of promise, but has been saddled with various injuries during his career. He returned to reach Double-A Harrisburg this year and finished the season allowing three runs in his final six appearances out of the bullpen. Bleier had a...
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Kieboom, Bautista, Simms and Bacus shining in winter play

Kieboom, Bautista, Simms and Bacus shining in winter play
Right-hander Abel del los Santos took the loss in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game on Saturday night as the West beat the East 8-3. With the game tied at 2-2 in the fifth inning,, de los Santos allowed a couple of hits, a wild pitch, a passed ball and a sacrifice fly. He did finish the inning, allowing only the one run. The Salt River Rafters (12-8) are one game back of Scottsdale for first place in the East Division as the second half begins in AFL play. The Rafters have lost two in a...
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Baker on his style and how important listening to Nats players will be

Baker on his style and how important listening to Nats players will be
New Nationals manager Dusty Baker gave us a clue about his possible managing style at Thursday's news conference when he talked about being aggressive on the base paths. "We're going to run the bases," Baker said. "I think that's something that's probably last on the list on a lot of teams. Baserunning is probably the most overlooked part of baseball." It might be a welcome change from the Nationals' recent offensive style, where they waited for the three-run homer more times than they...
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Baker, Rizzo understand the benefits revamped training system could have for Nats

Baker, Rizzo understand the benefits revamped training system could have for Nats
After the season was completed, the Nationals announced they had dismissed their athletic training staff including head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz, assistant trainer Steve Gober, and strength and conditioning coach John Philbin. New manager Dusty Baker was asked in his introductory news conference about the Nationals' issues with injuries to key players last season. He was very concerned about the situation. "That's a big point," Baker said. "I've always said if I can keep my frontline...
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Baker and Rizzo on Maddux, Lopes and Bonds

Baker and Rizzo on Maddux, Lopes and Bonds
New Nationals manager Dusty Baker was thrilled to be able to add former Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux his staff. Baker said he was able to talk to Maddux when the Rangers played a game at Oakland two years ago and Baker's son wanted to watch right fielder Shin-Soo Choo play for the Rangers. "I've been knowing Mike a long time and his brother Greg played for me in Chicago," Baker said. "I had a conversation with Mike at that time. He said, 'Hey I would like to be on your staff at some...
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Dusty Baker says he's "ready to do more with more"

Dusty Baker says he's "ready to do more with more"
The Nationals introduced Dusty Baker as their new manager at a news conference Thursday morning at Nationals Park. Baker becomes the seventh manager in the club's history since arriving in D.C. in 2005. "This is a big occasion in my life and in my family's life," Baker said. "My son and daughter and wife are very, very excited. It was my wife and my son that really helped me make up my mind to accept and take this job because I had their total blessing. "They know that I had a burning...
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Mike Maddux named Nationals pitching coach

Mike Maddux named Nationals pitching coach
The Nationals have agreed to terms with Mike Maddux to be their pitching coach and he will reportedly be introduced alongside new manager Dusty Baker on Thursday morning at Nationals Park, according to a team release. The club announced thatterms of the deal were agreed upon on Tuesday night. Maddux is considered to be one of the top pitching coaches in the major leagues, turning around a Texas Rangers staff that had had several seasons of plus-5.00 team ERAs prior to his arrival. During his...
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De Los Santos to AFL Fall Stars Game; McLouth and Janssen not returning

De Los Santos to AFL Fall Stars Game; McLouth and Janssen not returning
The Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game is Saturday at Salt River Fields and high Single-A Potomac manager Tripp Keister will manage the East Division All-Stars. Keister has guided the Salt River Rafters (10-6) to a first-place showing to begin the fall campaign. He will be joined by right-hander Abel De Los Santos, who will represent the Nationals on the East squad. Anthony Rendon, Brian Goodwin, Bryce Harper, Derek Norris, Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen have represented the Nationals in...
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