Williams discusses Nats' 4-2 loss to Brewers

Williams discusses Nats' 4-2 loss to Brewers
This was a bit of a strange ballgame from the get-go. We had a weird umpire ruling in the bottom of the first when Denard Span was called out for unintentional defensive interference and Anthony Rendon was allowed to take first base despite being thrown out on the play. We had two Nationals relievers get the laces dangling off the gloves trimmed by head trainer Lee Kuntz at the directive of the umpires. We had Stephen Strasburg striking out nine and walking just one, but still allowing seven...
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Nats lineup for opener against Brewers (Aug. 10 time change)

Nats lineup for opener against Brewers (Aug. 10 time change)
Right-hander Stephen Strasburg gets the nod tonight as the Nationals open a three-game series against the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers. For the NationalsCF Denard Span 2B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche 3B Ryan Zimmerman LF Bryce Harper SS Ian Desmond C Wilson Ramos RHP Stephen Strasburg Note: The time for the Nats' game in Atlanta on Sunday, Aug. 10 has been changed. Originally scheduled for 1:35 p.m., the game will now be broadcast nationwide on "Sunday...
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Back at it

Back at it
Boy, that break seemed to go quickly. Four days off in the middle of the season is always welcome. Heck, I know I needed it, and all I do is put on a suit and talk about baseball on television and do some writing for this here Web site. I can't imagine how needed the break was for the players who are going through all the physical rigors every day or the coaches who are putting in all the prep work and grinding it out with their guys in the clubhouse. But now we're all back at it, ready to...
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Who's your first-half Most Valuable National?

Who's your first-half Most Valuable National?
OK, we'll make this nice and simple on the final day of the All-Star break. Who are you choosing as your first-half Most Valuable National? This is a tough question to answer, of course, because there have been a number of steady contributors to this team. Only two Nationals made the All-Star team - Jordan Zimmermann and Tyler Clippard - and neither had other-worldly first halves. The Nats were a pretty balanced team before the break, getting contributions from throughout their roster. I've...
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Looking ahead to the second half

Looking ahead to the second half
If the Nationals are going to win the World Series, they'll have to take at least one game on the road. Getting a little ahead of ourselves here? Yup. But hey, there's nothing else going on in the sports world today. The American League representative in the World Series will hold home field advantage this year, after the AL All-Star squad earned a 5-3 win in last night's Midsummer Classic. The last five World Series champions have all held home field advantage. Only one of those times was a...
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On the Home Run Derby and the much-needed break

On the Home Run Derby and the much-needed break
Is the Home Run Derby still going on? I half-expected to wake up this morning and still see some sort of swing-off or bonus round going on at Target Field in Minnesota. The hour-long rain delay before the Derby didn't help matters last night, but my goodness, does that event seem to go on forever. They might have cut down the number of outs in each round from 10 to seven, but that still didn't seem to help much. There are just too many participants, in my opinion, and too many players advance...
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All things considered, Nats pleased with their first half

All things considered, Nats pleased with their first half
93 games have been played. 69 remain. You can call the All-Star break the end of the first half of the season if you'd like, but frankly, we're nearly 60 percent of the way through the 2014 campaign. And given all that's happened prior to the break, the Nationals are in pretty good shape as we enter this four-day breather. The Nats are the owners of a 51-42 record. They hold a share of first place in the National League East, percentage points above the Braves, who have played two more...
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Williams on Nats' 10-3 win, Clippard's All-Star selection and second-half rotation

Williams on Nats' 10-3 win, Clippard's All-Star selection and second-half rotation
PHILADELPHIA - A handful of topics were discussed in Matt Williams' press conference following today's 10-3 win over the Phillies. You can find all of those topics here. Here's Williams after the win, which leaves the Nats 51-42 and with a share of first place in the National League East going into the All-Star break. On the offensive explosion today: "Momentum early for us with Jayson (Werth) hitting the homer. It set the tone real well for Tanner (Roark). He pitched well again for us....
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Clippard on All-Star selection: "I'm honored to do it"

Clippard on All-Star selection: "I'm honored to do it"
PHILADELPHIA - Tyler Clippard had planned to spend his All-Star break relaxing at his home in Florida, playing lots of golf and maybe spending a day at the beach. Now Clippard is heading to Minneapolis. The golf will have to wait. The temperature might max out in the 70s, as compared to the 90s. But Clippard will get to be a part of his second All-Star Game, after being selected as a late addition to the National League roster. He replaces Braves starter Julio Teheran, who started today and...
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Nationals lineup for series finale vs. Phillies

Nationals lineup for series finale vs. Phillies
PHILADELPHIA - As the Nationals get ready to play their final game before the All-Star break, Tanner Roark will be making his first start since July 4. Roark was supposed to start Tuesday's game against the Orioles, but the game was postponed due to rain. Manager Matt Williams decided to skip Roark's spot in the rotation and instead opted to start Doug Fister on regular rest. Roark will face Phillies right-hander Kyle Kendrick. For the Nationals CF Denard Span 2B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson...
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Waiting on a Zimmermann update (Alvarez named his All-Star replacement)

Waiting on a Zimmermann update (Alvarez named his All-Star replacement)
PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals are optimistic that Jordan Zimmermann's injury is nothing serious. Zimmermann has been through a serious elbow injury before, and he seems confident that this isn't a similar type of situation. Still, until the MRI on Zimmermann's right arm comes back today, Nats fans have a right to be nervous. The Nats hoped for the best with Wilson Ramos on opening day, when initial X-rays didn't show the broken hamate bone. It wasn't announced that Bryce Harper had torn a...
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Clubhouse reactions to Zimmermann's injury and Nats' 6-2 loss

Clubhouse reactions to Zimmermann's injury and Nats' 6-2 loss
PHILADELPHIA - Tonight's 6-2 loss to the Phillies stings because the Nationals missed an opportunity to move back to a game ahead of the Braves in the National League East. But the bigger issue at this point is the injury to Jordan Zimmermann. Zimmermann and Matt Williams indicated after the game that they're fairly confident that the biceps cramp that Zimmermann felt tonight isn't an indication that there is any structural issue with the right-hander's elbow or shoulder, but an MRI...
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Biceps cramp knocks Zimmermann from start vs. Phillies, MRI tomorrow

Biceps cramp knocks Zimmermann from start vs. Phillies, MRI tomorrow
PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have dealt with a slew of injuries this season. Now they have to hope Jordan Zimmermann's injury won't knock him out of action for a long period of time. Zimmermann left tonight's game in the fourth inning with what the Nationals are calling a right biceps cramp. An MRI is scheduled for tomorrow to get a better idea of what the issue is. "Doc checked him out," manager Matt Williams said after the Nats' 6-2 loss to the Phillies. "Doesn't seem to be an issue...
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Desmond out of Nats lineup, Espinosa at short

Desmond out of Nats lineup, Espinosa at short
PHILADELPHIA - Ian Desmond is out of the Nationals' lineup today, a day after getting hit by a pitch on the right hand. Desmond left yesterday's game against the Orioles in the eighth inning after a Darren O'Day fastball drilled him near the thumb on his right hand, on the palm side. Desmond initially stayed in the game and tried to play through the discomfort, but after airmailing a warmup throw prior to the bottom of the eighth, he trotted off. X-rays after the game came back negative,...
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On to Philly

On to Philly
The first half of the Nationals' season will end in Philadelphia, with three games against the Phillies serving as the only separation between the Nats and the All-Star break. As of now, Jordan Zimmermann is still the only Nats player heading to Minneapolis nearly next week for the Midsummer Classic. Anthony Rendon came in fourth place in the National League Final Vote competition, the league announced yesterday, with Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs taking the final spot on the NL roster. It's...
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X-rays on Desmond's hand come back negative, plus more from 4-3 loss

X-rays on Desmond's hand come back negative, plus more from 4-3 loss
BALTIMORE - It appears the Nationals dodged a bullet in regard to Ian Desmond's health. Desmond needed to leave tonight's game in the eighth inning shortly after taking a Darren O'Day fastball off the right hand, but Nats manager Matt Williams said after the game that X-rays on Desmond's hand came back negative. That's the good news. The bad is that the Nats dropped tonight's ballgame to the Orioles 4-3, and had two players dealing with various bumps and bruises suffered in the loss. In...
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Frandsen playing second, Zimmerman DHing, Espinosa sits

Frandsen playing second, Zimmerman DHing, Espinosa sits
BALTIMORE - While the Orioles are throwing left-hander Wei-Yin Chen tonight and that would seemingly be a chance to get Danny Espinosa - who hits lefties well - another start, manager Matt Williams is going another route. Kevin Frandsen will start at second base today, with Espinosa returning to the bench after getting the start last night. Ryan Zimmerman will again DH tonight, and Anthony Rendon will play third base for the second straight game. Gio Gonzalez gets the ball for the Nats,...
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Sitting all alone in first place in the NL East

Sitting all alone in first place in the NL East
The Nationals won last night. The Braves didn't. As a result, the Nats find themselves alone in first place in the National League East as of this morning, a game up on Atlanta with two games in hand. The Nats have now won eight of their last 10. They've won 12 of their last 17. And they're continuing to build some momentum as the All-Star break approaches. "That's where we want to be," Jayson Werth said, after slugging his ninth homer of the season in last night's 6-2 Nationals win...
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Williams discusses Nats' 6-2 win over Orioles

Williams discusses Nats' 6-2 win over Orioles
BALTIMORE - Even though the Nationals were eight games over .500 and tied for first place in their division coming into tonight's action, their power potential really hasn't been realized to this point. A large part of that is due to injuries, certainly. But there haven't been many games this season where the Nats slugged their way to a win. They did to an extent tonight, crushing three home runs and taking the first of two games at Camden Yards by a 6-2 final. Wilson Ramos, Ian Desmond and...
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Zimmerman DHing, Espinosa back at second base

Zimmerman DHing, Espinosa back at second base
BALTIMORE - Here's one way to get Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon and Danny Espinosa all in the lineup on the same day: Play in an American League park. Nationals manager Matt Williams has the luxury of the designated hitter today, and he'll use it by having Zimmerman DH and moving Rendon over to third base. That allows Espinosa to make his first start since June 27. He'll play second. Jose Lobaton had been scheduled to start behind the plate and catch Doug Fister last night,...
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