Syracuse and Hagerstown rosters announced for 2015

Syracuse and Hagerstown rosters announced for 2015
The Syracuse Chiefs, the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate, have set their roster for 2015 and it includes several players worth watching. Tony Gwynn Jr., Ian Stewart and Kila Ka'aihue are among the former major league position players on the club while top prospect A.J. Cole will pitch for the Chiefs. Here's the full roster: Pitchers (13)Bruce Billings A.J. ColeManny DelcarmenEric FornataroMatt GraceTaylor HillTaylor JordanMitch LivelyRich HillRafael MartinScott McGregor Evan MeekFelipe...
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Giolito and Lopez continue throwing in Florida, will head north in late April (with P-Nats roster)

Giolito and Lopez continue throwing in Florida, will head north in late April (with P-Nats roster)
The Nationals released rosters for their minor league affiliates Tuesday. Noticeably absent from the high Single-A Potomac Nationals are top pitching prospects Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. The pair has remained in Viera, Fla., at the Nationals training facility and are in good health, just a couple of weeks behind their teammates. They have been working on a throwing program since their arrival in Florida in February, according to Nationals assistant general manager and vice president...
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Harrisburg Senators announce 2015 roster, which includes Ross and Voth

Harrisburg Senators announce 2015 roster, which includes Ross and Voth
The Double-A Harrisburg Senators announced their 2015 team roster on Tuesday. The roster is highlighted by a pair of MLB.com Nationals top 10 prospects in pitchers Joe Ross (No. 5) and Austin Voth (No. 10). The other notable top prospects include catcher Pedro Severino, outfielder Drew Vettleson, infielder Matt Skole, infielder Tony Renda and pitcher Abel De Los Santos. The Senators open at home April 9 against the Altoona Curve. Pitchers (13)Tim Alderson Robert Benincasa Robert Bleier Abel De...
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More on Taylor, plus hearing from Uggla and Ramos on opener

More on Taylor, plus hearing from Uggla and Ramos on opener
Nationals manager Matt Williams spoke after the opening day loss to the Mets on Michael A. Taylor's first game and the play at the right-center field wall when he got very close to making a huge catch late in the game. "Yeah, almost made that play up against the wall," Williams said. "Mike's got lots of talent. He's dynamic in every aspect. He can run. He plays good defense. He's got power. The key for him is to swing at strikes and get in good hitting counts and let his bat go to...
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Desmond, Uggla and Williams react to dropped pop-up in loss to Mets

Desmond, Uggla and Williams react to dropped pop-up in loss to Mets
A pair of miscues by Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond overshadowed an impressive debut for Max Scherzer in Monday's 3-1 opening day loss to the Mets. The first fielding mistake cost Scherzer a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning. With two outs and a runner on first, David Wright's pop-up behind second base was dropped by Desmond and the Mets were in business with runners on second and third. Second baseman Dan Uggla appeared early on to have a good beat on the pop up, waving away the other fielders,...
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Updates on Jayson Werth, Denard Span and Anthony Rendon

Updates on Jayson Werth, Denard Span and Anthony Rendon
The Nationals open today against the New York Mets without three important players on offense. Left fielder Jayson Werth (right AC joint surgery), center fielder Denard Span (right core muscle surgery) and third baseman Anthony Rendon (sprained left knee) were placed on the disabled list to begin the season. The earliest they are eligible to return is April 11. Manager Matt Williams, who sounded like he was battling a little bit of a cold himself, spoke about each player's current status...
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Fister ready for season to start after six strong innings in spring finale

Fister ready for season to start after six strong innings in spring finale
Nationals right-hander Doug Fister tossed six innings Saturday in his final start of spring training. He allowed four hits, the lone blemish a two-run homer by Stephen Drew that got the Yankees on the board in the fifth. But Fister started very well, retiring the first nine New York batters he faced. Jacob Ellsbury was hit by pitch to start the fourth and Brett Gardner followed with a single. But Fister induced a 4-6-3 Mark Teixeira double play grounder to end the threat. Brian McCann doubled...
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Update on Storen, plus what role will Blake Treinen take on this season?

Update on Storen, plus what role will Blake Treinen take on this season?
Manager Matt Williams said the Nationals will get closer Drew Storen into today's exhibition game against the Yankees. Storen has been recovering from a blister on right foot. "He's available to pitch today," Williams said. "We plan on him pitching. He threw yesterday. They wrapped him up pretty good. He's got a good callous over the blister. So the anticipation today is to get him in there. We need to get him in there. It's part of his progression. We'll keep going with that." With...
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With new locker location, Desmond ready for opening day

With new locker location, Desmond ready for opening day
To begin 2015, there are some subtle changes to the makeup of the Nationals and the way things look in the clubhouse. First baseman Adam LaRoche has moved on to the Chicago White Sox. Sporting a new haircut and thicker goatee, veteran shortstop Ian Desmond has moved his clubhouse locker location over to the stall previously occupied by LaRoche. He is now right next to Tyler Moore and closer to Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman. Bryce Harper's locker is now to his right. Desmond remembers when he...
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Nats look to help improve Wi-Fi connections in Nationals Park

Nats look to help improve Wi-Fi connections in Nationals Park
Fan experience is important to the Nationals, especially in this day and age of mobile phone use, Wi-Fi connections and connectivity levels at the stadium. Some fans have been concerned about getting good levels on their Wi-Fi connections throughout the stadium. I had some questions on Twitter about Wi-Fi at Nationals Park. @masnKerr did they do anything to improve the wifi at the park cc @NLBeastNats -- MicheleS (@aNatsFan) April 1, 2015 I posed the concern to Nationals chief revenue and...
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New items at Nats Park in 2015 centered around 10th anniversary celebration

New items at Nats Park in 2015 centered around 10th anniversary celebration
The Nationals announced new concessions, menu items, enhanced spaces for fans called Club 24, a Baseball Americana exhibit, a new main clubhouse team store, promotional items, historic home run commemoration, theme nights, giveaways and much more during a media tour of Nationals Park on Wednesday. Several of the newest enhancements are related to the 10th anniversary of baseball's return to D.C. "We've been planning for a really long time this celebration, really since the last pitch of last...
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Nats' spring numbers reveal which super subs may play key roles in April

Nats' spring numbers reveal which super subs may play key roles in April
Only three spring training games remain for the Nationals in Florida before they pack up and head north for Saturday's exhibition game against the Yankees at Nats Park. Injuries to third baseman Anthony Rendon and outfielders Jayson Werth, Denard Span and Nate McLouth will certainly adjust how the 25-man roster will look come April 6. The organization added outfielders Matt den Dekker and Reed Johnson on Monday. The Nats like den Dekker's lefty bat and speed to provide depth in the outfield....
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Clint Robinson is an intriguing choice as backup first baseman

Clint Robinson is an intriguing choice as backup first baseman
With veteran first baseman Adam LaRoche moving on as a free agent over the offseason, it was no secret that the Nationals were looking to add some left-handed power in 2015. You can see it at third base, with the possibility that the left-handed hitting Ian Stewart could get a shot because of the knee injury to Anthony Rendon. Stewart has done pretty well in spring training, batting .270 in 18 games with three homers and four RBIs. He has played most of his career with the Rockies, and last...
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Nationals early camp roster capsule: Difo, Bautista, Abreu

Nationals early camp roster capsule: Difo, Bautista, Abreu
Notes on a couple of more players that low Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson has worked with in the past and at this year's early camp in Florida. A pair of workhorses from last season, Rafael Bautista and Wilmer Difo, have been able to show their talents in Viera again. Center fielder Bautista played in three spring training games with the Nationals and went 1-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. The 22-year-old hit .290 in 134 games last season with 20 doubles, five triples, five...
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Meaningful home runs will be commemorated at Nationals Park

Meaningful home runs will be commemorated at Nationals Park
The Nationals will commemorate memorable home runs at Nationals Park, similar to the way Frank Howard's mammoth blasts to the upper deck at RFK Stadium were signified by seats painted white where the ball hit, according to those attending an invitation-only event at Nationals Park on Tuesday night. There will be five initial dramatic home runs that will be honored with specially painted seats in the Nationals Park outfield. They are: * March 30, 2008 - Ryan Zimmerman walk-off home run * July...
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Nationals early camp capsule: Jakson Reetz and Jorge Tillero

Nationals early camp capsule: Jakson Reetz and Jorge Tillero
Let's check up on a couple of catchers from the Nationals' early camp. Today, we will focus on 2014 third-round selection Jakson Reetz and undrafted free agent Jorge Tillero. The 19-year-old Reetz is from Hickman, Neb., (population 1,657) and is showing a power bat in spring training as he did last season for the Gulf Coast League Nats. He attended Norris High School. Hickman is 15 minutes south of Lincoln and a 73-minute drive southwest of Omaha. Reetz hit .274 in 43 games in the GCL, with...
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Nationals Park adds metal detectors for all events beginning April 4

Nationals Park adds metal detectors for all events beginning April 4
In conjunction with Major League baseball requirements, the Nationals have installed metal detectors at all gates at Nationals Park for the 2015 season. The new screening program will officially begin April 4 for the exhibition game against the Yankees. Prior to entering the ballpark, fans will have their bags checked and will then proceed through a metal detector. If metal is detected, there will be a secondary screening with a handheld wand-type metal detection device. Following the bag check...
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Drew Ward makes first major league spring start at third base today for Nats

Drew Ward makes first major league spring start at third base today for Nats
Every day is special for prospects who get to work with the big leaguers at spring training. Today is an even bigger day for 20-year-old third baseman Drew Ward, who makes his first start in spring training with the major league club as the Nationals take on the Yankees. The game will be aired on MASN HD at 1 p.m. "It's a big deal," low Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson said. News of Ward's first start today was big news at his church, not to mention the entire small town of...
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Nationals minor league affiliates primer: Potomac and Harrisburg open at home (updated)

Nationals minor league affiliates primer: Potomac and Harrisburg open at home (updated)
Opening day for the Nationals is April 6. The minor league affiliates also begin that week with all starting April 9, except for short-season Single-A Auburn, which begins in late June. Here are thumbnail primers for each of the minor league clubs as they get ready to begin their 2015 campaigns: Short-season Single-A Auburn DoubledaysSchedule: http://www.milb.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t458 Home: Falcon Park II, Auburn, N.Y. Distance from Nationals Park: 383 milesSeason opener: June 19 at...
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Reynaldo Lopez's ability to maintain velocity built during offseason program

Reynaldo Lopez's ability to maintain velocity built during offseason program
Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez took a major step forward in July and August last season. After some early struggles at low Single-A Hagerstown, Lopez went to short-season Single-A Auburn and was able to make a mechanical adjustment in his throwing motion that turned his season around. Nationals minor league pitching coordinator Paul Menhart, along with current senior baseball advisor Spin Williams and pitching coaches Tim Redding and Sam Narron, worked with Lopez to adjust his release point. Lopez...
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