Dan Kolko

Things getting interesting in the NL East

Things getting interesting in the NL East
I'd imagine there aren't many baseball fans who would object to me saying that not much is being expected of the Miami Marlins or New York Mets this season. The Marlins, who downright stunk last year, traded away the vast majority of their established major leaguers, and while there is buzz around the league that the Mets could be major players for free agent center fielder Michael Bourn, they dealt Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey this offseason and are coming off a second half of the...
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Dan Kolko

A chance for Moore to do more

A chance for Moore to do more
Ladies and gentlemen,
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Dan Kolko

The science of team chemistry

The science of team chemistry
Essentially, the Nationals' five-man bench was finalized months ago. Chad Tracy signed a one-year extension covering the 2013 season during the Nationals' postseason run last year, keeping him a part of the Goon Squad, which will also contain Steve Lombardozzi, Tyler Moore, Roger Bernadina and whichever catcher doesn't start that particular day - Kurt Suzuki or Wilson Ramos. That five-man group didn't really leave room for Mark DeRosa, so even though manager Davey Johnson hoped to bring...
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Dan Kolko

Random news and notes, including some Detwiler talk (DeRosa signs with Toronto)

Random news and notes, including some Detwiler talk (DeRosa signs with Toronto)
The Nationals had been considered one of the favorites to host the 2015 All-Star Game. That won't be happening, however. The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Reds will be given the Midsummer Classic in 2015, likely leaving D.C. out of the All-Star Game picture until at least 2017. The league office prefers that the All-Star Game alternates between American League and National League cities on a year-to-year basis. The Mets will host this year's All-Star Game at Citi Field, the 2014...
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Dan Kolko

Soriano move affects other bullpen arms

Soriano move affects other bullpen arms
Before I delve into some Nationals talk, indulge me as I drop a quick Ravens statistic for anyone who might have followed me over from that beat last year. Joe Flacco has thrown for 853 yards with eight touchdowns and zero interceptions in the postseason. He's outplayed Peyton Manning and Tom Brady the last two weeks, and this is the second season in a row in which he's gone into Gillette Stadium and played well enough to get his team to the Super Bowl. Pay the man. Sorry, had to get that...
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Dan Kolko

Managing the expectations

Managing the expectations
Davey Johnson and Bryce Harper were in New York last night to receive some hardware. Back in the U.S. after a lengthy trip to Africa with his wife, Johnson was presented with his National League Manager of the Year award, and Harper was given his NL Rookie of the Year at the New York Baseball Writers' Association Dinner. Here are the dapper Harper making their acceptance speeches. Harper sure can rock a tux. I wrote a few weeks ago about how the Nationals will have to adjust to being the...
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Dan Kolko

Davey Johnson comments on the passing of Earl Weaver

Davey Johnson comments on the passing of Earl Weaver
Nationals manager Davey Johnson played under legendary Orioles manager Earl Weaver for four years from 1968-72, making three All-Star games in that time. Last night, Weaver passed away at 82. Weaver was beloved not only by fans in Baltimore, but by those who suited up for him, as well. Johnson has said in the past that Weaver was a mentor of sorts to him, and he had a close relationship with the former Orioles skipper. "I grew up in the minor leagues with Earl Weaver and we proceeded to...
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Dan Kolko

Breaking down why the Nats remain high on A.J. Cole

Breaking down why the Nats remain high on A.J. Cole
At Thursday's press conference at Nationals Park, Nats general manager Mike Rizzo said he feels "very fortunate" to have gotten the package that he did in return for Michael Morse, who was under contract for only one more season. That package consisted of right-handed prospects A.J. Cole and Blake Treinen, and a player to be named later, who will be selected from a list of a couple of guys the Nationals and Athletics agreed upon. Cole is the big name in the group acquired from the A's, a...
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Dan Kolko

Nats avoid arbitration with five players, swap salary figures with Zimmermann

Nats avoid arbitration with five players, swap salary figures with Zimmermann
The Nationals have avoided arbitration with left-hander Ross Detwiler, as the two sides agreed to terms on a $2.3375 million deal with performance bonuses for the 2013 season. Detwiler will earn $25,000 if he reaches 200 innings pitched this season, according to CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman. Detwiler's agency, CAA Sports, announced the terms of the deal. Another CAA client up for arbitration, Drew Storen, agreed to a $2.5 million contract with the Nats that includes performance bonuses...
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Dan Kolko

Storen's roller-coaster ride of a career continues

Storen's roller-coaster ride of a career continues
Sixteen months ago, Drew Storen was putting the finishing touches on a 43-save season which, in the eyes of many, made him one of the top young closers in baseball. Today, Storen finds himself a set-up guy, a pitcher who had hoped to put a crushing blown save behind him and prove he could still close at an elite level, but instead will be primarily working the eighth inning this season in front of the Nationals' new $28 million man, Rafael Soriano. Storen has been on quite a professional...
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Dan Kolko

Espinosa added to Mexico's provisional roster for WBC (Storen avoids arbitration)

Espinosa added to Mexico's provisional roster for WBC (Storen avoids arbitration)
Major League Baseball announced its provisional rosters for the World Baseball Classic this afternoon, and two guys on the Nationals' 40-man roster are in line to participate in the event. Danny Espinosa is on the roster for Team Mexico. Espinosa was born in Santa Ana, Calif., but his father is Mexican. Nats outfielder Roger Bernadina is also set to participate in the WBC; the 28-year-old is on the Netherlands' provisional roster. Team USA's roster does not have any Nats players. Another...
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Dan Kolko

Rizzo: Soriano will close, Nats still confident in Storen

Rizzo: Soriano will close, Nats still confident in Storen
The Nationals introduced their new right-handed reliever, Rafael Soriano, at Nats Park this evening, and while general manager Mike Rizzo was quick to say that he still thinks highly of Drew Storen, he left no doubt as to who the Nats plan on utilizing as their closer. "Suffice it to say, Raffy is here to pitch the ninth," Rizzo said. "He has done it successfully everywhere he has been and we expect him to continue that." The Nats agreed to terms Tuesday with Soriano to a two-year, $28...
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Dan Kolko

Morse, Nats both benefited from slugger's time in D.C. (programming update)

Morse, Nats both benefited from slugger's time in D.C. (programming update)
Michael Morse joined the Nationals organization on June 28, 2009, coming over from the Mariners in return for outfielder Ryan Langerhans. At the time, Morse had just 300 major league at-bats under his belt, having struck out 65 times and had hit just three home runs and in his brief big league tenure. He was a 27-year-old without a set position, a guy who broke into the major leagues as a shortstop despite the fact that he was 6-foot-5 and didn't have great quickness. Morse leaves the...
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Dan Kolko

Morse traded to Mariners in three-team deal (with multiple updates)

Morse traded to Mariners in three-team deal (with multiple updates)
The Nationals have found a new home for Michael Morse, shipping the power-hitting outfielder/first baseman to the Mariners in a three-team deal that also involves the Athletics, according to an industry source. In return for the 30-year-old Morse, the Nationals will get minor league pitcher A.J. Cole, who the Nats traded to the A's in the Gio Gonzalez deal last winter. Washington will also get another prospect and a player to be named, according to the source. The Mariners will give up...
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Dan Kolko

Examining all aspects of the Soriano signing

Examining all aspects of the Soriano signing
If you missed Bryce Harper's appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last night, you also missed Kimmel's first "clown question" reference coming four seconds after Harper walked out on stage. No, seriously. I'm not kidding. Kimmel's according to former Nats general manager Jim Bowden) to bring in a guy who doesn't fulfill a specific need for you? And why do it when it didn't appear that Boras, Soriano's über-confident agent, had many other teams interested in the 33-year-old...
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Dan Kolko

Nats sign reliever Rafael Soriano (another update)

Nats sign reliever Rafael Soriano (another update)
Another Scott Boras client is coming to the nation's capital. The Nationals have signed right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano to a two-year, $28 million deal with a vesting option for a third year, according to Yahoo! Sports. Update: A source confirms the report. The terms listed above are accurate. Soriano's third-year option, worth $14 million, vests if he finishes 120 games over the next two seasons. By signing Soriano, 33, the Nationals will forfeit their first-round pick (No. 29...
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Dan Kolko

Looking at where Harper will hit in 2013

Looking at where Harper will hit in 2013
If you don't mind staying up close to or past midnight tonight, you'll find the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year making an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," a late-night talk show on ABC. Bryce Harper will be swinging by the set for an interview with Kimmel, whose show starts at 11:35 p.m. It's too bad Harper hasn't been able to have any cool things happen to him prior to turning 21. Just a shame. By the way, I'm setting the over/under at the first "That's a clown question,...
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Dan Kolko

To tinker or not to tinker? That's the question

To tinker or not to tinker? That's the question
Given the state of the Nationals' roster going into this offseason, general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Johnson could have essentially run out pretty much the exact same team in 2013. They could have left Bryce Harper in center field and put Michael Morse in left. They could have kept Jayson Werth as their leadoff hitter, given the high on-base percentage Werth put up last season in that spot. They could have offered Edwin Jackson a qualifying offer or made an effort to re-up the...
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Dan Kolko

Do you want Nats players suiting up for the World Baseball Classic?

Do you want Nats players suiting up for the World Baseball Classic?
Despite lots of Twitter campaigning this past week, Bryce Harper came up short in the voting for the cover of MLB '13 The Show. Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen will grace the video game's cover after receiving over 108,000 votes via Facebook and Twitter. Harper received 42,542 votes and finished fifth in voting that also contained CC Sabathia, Miguel Cabrera, Matt Kemp, Buster Posey and Ryan Braun. We know that Harper will not be participating in the World Baseball Classic this...
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Dan Kolko

Examining the Morse market

Examining the Morse market
The Tampa Bay Rays have been mentioned around baseball as one team that could look to make a deal for Nationals left fielder/first baseman Michael Morse. Joe Maddon's team is still looking for more offense, and the Rays have pitching that could be dealt in order to bring in a middle-of-the-order bat. The Baltimore Orioles seem to make a lot of sense for Morse, as well, given their needs, and could potentially make a run at the 30-year-old slugger. The New York Yankees are reportedly...
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