Dan Kolko

Danny Espinosa could hit leadoff full-time in the near future

Danny Espinosa could hit leadoff full-time in the near future
For the last couple months, Davey Johnson has gone with a platoon at the leadoff spot. Danny Espinosa gets the start atop the order against left-handed starters, as is the case tonight with the Nationals facing Rockies lefty Drew Pomeranz, while Steve Lombardozzi hits first when the Nationals are facing a righty. Once Jayson Werth returns, however, Johnson will need to switch things up. Werth will take over in right field, moving Michael Morse to left and cutting down on Lombardozzi's...
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Dan Kolko

Pregame nuggets from the Nationals' skipper

Pregame nuggets from the Nationals' skipper
How will the Nationals prepare for the heat and humidity which figures to affect their starters to at least some extent over the next couple days? Manager Davey Johnson said - apparently half-joking, half-serious - that the fire department is on site at Nationals Park tonight. "We're contemplating IVs today," Johnson said. "Stay tuned." Braves starter Tim Hudson normally gets a bag of IV fluids on the day that he starts in order to fend off dehydration, something which Johnson was...
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Dan Kolko

Nats lineup vs. Rockies, Pomeranz

Nats lineup vs. Rockies, Pomeranz
Stephen Strasburg will oppose Drew Pomeranz tonight at Nationals Park in the opener of a three-game set between the Nats and Rockies. Pomeranz hasn't notched a win in six major league outings this season, but he did deliver a strong start his last time out, allowing just an unearned run on two hits over six innings. That was his first start back in the big leagues after a stint at Triple-A. They're calling for 97-degree temperatures at first pitch tonight, so it will be interesting to see...
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Dan Kolko

Getting a little distance within the division

Getting a little distance within the division
As Giants first baseman Brandon Belt failed to secure a low, skipping throw and Adam LaRoche crossed first base safely in the ninth inning of last night's game, plating the game-winning run for the Nationals, a group of ballplayers about 650 miles away let out a frustrated groan. According to reporters in Atlanta, Braves players watching the end of last night's Nationals game on a clubhouse TV made a loud, exasperated noise and dropped a few expletives when it became clear the Nats had...
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Dan Kolko

Looking back on a convincing three-game sweep

Looking back on a convincing three-game sweep
The Giants entered their three-game series with the Nationals holding the National League's second-best record. They were throwing a two-time Cy Young award winner and the top two starters in their rotation, both of whom entered the series with at least nine wins and a sub-2.90 ERA. San Francisco had gone 74-1 in its last 75 games in which it had held at least a three-run lead. The Giants left the nation's capital last night having dropped three straight to the Nats and no longer occupying...
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Dan Kolko

Harper's prediction, LaRoche's speed and an awesome celebration

Harper's prediction, LaRoche's speed and an awesome celebration
When Ian Desmond hit his solo home run off Matt Cain in the seventh inning, cutting the Giants' lead to 5-2, Bryce Harper turned to Adam LaRoche, who was seated next to him on the bench. "We're going to win this game," Harper said. "Just be ready for it." If Harper finds himself out of a job anytime soon, he could replace Miss Cleo. Danny Espinosa immediately followed Desmond's homer with one of his own, and by the time the seventh inning ended, Cain was out of the game and the...
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Dan Kolko

Johnson discusses Nats' 6-5 walk-off win

Johnson discusses Nats' 6-5 walk-off win
Over the first six innings of tonight's ballgame, the Nationals managed just one run and four hits. Over the final three frames, they put up five runs on eight hits. There was a clear shift in the seventh inning, when Matt Cain began to tire. With his pitch count rising and the muggy conditions possibly beginning to wear on him, Cain served up back-to-back homers to Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa in the seventh. Pinch hitter Mark DeRosa then doubled, and he came around to score on Bryce...
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Dan Kolko

Detwiler gets smacked around (Nats walk off with 6-5 win)

Detwiler gets smacked around (Nats walk off with 6-5 win)
In five innings of work, Ross Detwiler allowed 11 hits and two walks. Yep, 13 baserunners in five innings. Somehow, despite all the grey, pinstriped players moving around the bases so far tonight, Detwiler managed to hold the Giants to just three runs. I'm not entirely sure how the Nationals lefty did it. He did benefit from a slick 5-4 double play in the fourth and has twice struck out Giants pitcher Matt Cain to end an inning. Still, he's incredibly lucky to be trailing just 3-1 as we...
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Dan Kolko

How will Storen be used upon his return?

How will Storen be used upon his return?
Wondering how Drew Storen will be used once he's back from his lengthy rehab from elbow surgery? If so, this entry's for you. Manager Davey Johnson said again today that Tyler Clippard will remain his closer once Storen is back with the Nationals, which the team expects to be just after the All-Star break. Johnson feels Clippard is closing as well as anyone in the league right now, and the numbers back him up on that. So with Clippard in the ninth-inning role and Sean Burnett proving to be...
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Dan Kolko

Your latest Jayson Werth update

Your latest Jayson Werth update
The last couple days, Jayson Werth has been back in his familiar spot in right field. OK, it's only been during batting practice, as Werth has been shagging fly balls of the bats of his teammates. But still, Werth has at least started to return to baseball activities more than eight weeks after breaking his left wrist in a game against the Phillies. Werth still feels a little discomfort in his wrist when he extends it in a hitting motion, so the team won't have him start swinging a bat just...
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Dan Kolko

Freese wins NL Final Vote, Harper gets a breather

Freese wins NL Final Vote, Harper gets a breather
Instead of heading to Kansas City over the All-Star break, Bryce Harper will be going to Las Vegas. Despite plenty of fan support in the voting on MLB.com and on Twitter, Harper came up short in a bid to earn the final spot on the National League All-Star team. Cardinals third baseman David Freese won the NL portion of the Final Vote, while Rangers starter Yu Darvish was the American League choice. Harper ended up coming in third in the NL voting, behind Freese and Atlanta's Michael Bourn....
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Dan Kolko

Harper's patient approach has returned (plus lineups)

Harper's patient approach has returned (plus lineups)
When Bryce Harper first got brought up to the big leagues, it was his patience at the plate which impressed me maybe more than anything else. Yes, he was athletic and had a smooth swing and played the game hard. But we knew he'd bring all that to the table. We didn't know that the 19-year-old with massive power and a desire to prove he was a big leaguer would be able to lay off tough pitches out of the zone and wait for something over the fat part of the plate. A couple weeks ago, however,...
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Dan Kolko

Despite first-half success, Nats still feel best is yet to come

Despite first-half success, Nats still feel best is yet to come
Hope everyone enjoyed their Fourth of July festivities yesterday, even if the fireworks show you witnessed wasn't nearly as robust as the one that happened in San Diego. I like San Diego's style on this one. Why wait and save the "grand finale" for the end of a 15-20 minute show? Why not just make it the entire show? Today is now July 5, which means it's the last day for fans to cast their votes to determine who will earn the final spot on the two All-Star Game rosters. With a bit more...
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Dan Kolko

Postgame thoughts from Zimmerman, Solano, Jackson

Postgame thoughts from Zimmerman, Solano, Jackson
The cortisone shot continues to work wonders for Ryan Zimmerman. Since getting a pain-killing injection in his inflamed right shoulder 10 days ago, Zimmerman is batting .369 with four home runs, five doubles and 16 RBIs. Today, he notched a run-scoring double in the third and a two-run homer in the fifth, a ball which was absolutely smoked over the right-center field fence. Is it fair to assume the cortisone shot is the lone reason for this dramatic increase in production of late? "It was...
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Dan Kolko

Johnson talks after Nats' 9-4 win

Johnson talks after Nats' 9-4 win
Following today's game, Davey Johnson found his team 15 games above .500, matching their season-high. That gave him plenty to smile about while meeting with reporters. But Johnson isn't satisfied yet. Not by a longshot. His team is now 47-32 on the season, but he's already picked out his next goal - 20 games above .500. "I like to go by fives," Johnson said. "We got to 15 before and we dropped back. I like to progress. The next number I like to get is 20 games over. I always go by...
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Dan Kolko

Another offensive explosion nets Nats 9-4 win

Another offensive explosion nets Nats 9-4 win
Remember that scene in "When Harry Met Sally," when Meg Ryan is slapping the table and the random lady nearby turns to the waitress and says, "I'll have what she's having"? The rest of the league wants whatever the Nationals have been having over their last eight games. Was that a bit of a reach? OK, my bad. Since last Tuesday, the Nats have averaged 8.6 runs per game, which is remarkable, given they hadn't scored eight runs in any of their 25 contests prior to this streak...
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Dan Kolko

Jackson settles down, and the laser show continues (and continues)

Jackson settles down, and the laser show continues (and continues)
For whatever reason, Edwin Jackson stinks it up in the first inning nearly every time he takes the mound. Then, almost without fail, he gets into a groove and dominates the rest of the way out. That pattern has held true today, as Jackson gave up three Giants runs in the first inning, putting the Nationals in an early 3-0 hole. He has settled into a groove since then, however, facing just one over the minimum from innings 2-4. Jackson now has 9.56 ERA in the first inning this season, and a...
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Dan Kolko

Espinosa improving from the left side

Espinosa improving from the left side
Of all the positives to come out of last night's dominating win over the National League West-leading Giants - and there were many to choose from - the thing that Davey Johnson was most pleased with was the performance of his second baseman. Danny Espinosa went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI last night, with all three hits coming from the left side, a troublesome side of the plate for Espinosa this season. "I was really pleased to see Espinosa," Johnson said last night. "He's been...
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Dan Kolko

Your Fourth of July lineups

Your Fourth of July lineups
The Nationals will wear their normal red hats for this afternoon's 11:05 a.m. start, with a patriotic twist: The curly W will be camouflage. Trust me when I say that the special July 4 hats look pretty sweet. Happy Fourth of July to everyone out there. Hope your BBQs are fun, the fireworks shine brightly tonight and we get some good baseball this morning, even if it's far too early for me to be at the stadium. I'll be hitting up the press box coffee machine quite a few times over the...
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Dan Kolko

Johnson on roster move, Zimmermann on his consistency

Johnson on roster move, Zimmermann on his consistency
As if the later part of tonight wasn't crazy enough, with an 85-minute rain delay which only saw about 15 minutes of rain and a 12-hour turnaround until first-pitch tomorrow, the Nationals had some theatrics go on before the game, as well. This afternoon, while throwing a bullpen session, Chien-Ming Wang felt a little something in his hip. He was checked out by Nationals' doctors, who determined that Wang had a hip strain and needed to be placed on the disabled list. That meant, in order to...
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