Harper credits Desmond, Werth after winning MVP (plus Sizemore note)

Harper credits Desmond, Werth after winning MVP (plus Sizemore note)
Bryce Harper was clearly humbled by winning his first National League Most Valuable Player award last night. Watching the broadcast on MLB Network, Harper was emotional while speaking with his family surrounding him. He talked of how much hard work he put in, not just over his first four years in the majors, but since childhood with his mom and dad. Harper was also quick to credit his Nationals teammates, specifically Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond, for helping him develop on and off the field....
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Bryce Harper on the possibility of becoming a National for life: "We'll see"

Bryce Harper on the possibility of becoming a National for life: "We'll see"
Bryce Harper became the fourth-youngest player in baseball history to win a Most Valuable Player award when he received the National League's highest honor earlier tonight. The slugger is the first member of the Nationals/Expos to win the award, and Harper joins Hall of Famer Walter Johnson (1913 and 1924) and Roger Peckinpaugh (1925) of the American League's Washington Senators as D.C. MVP honorees. Harper's rookie contract keeps him under the Nationals' control through the 2018 season....
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Bryce Harper wins first NL MVP in a landslide

Bryce Harper wins first NL MVP in a landslide
Bryce Harper has been named the National League Most Valuable Player in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The announcement was made live on MLB Network tonight. Harper was a unanimous selection, easily beating the other two finalists, first basemen Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks and Joey Votto of the Reds. Goldschmidt finished second. The complete balloting results are available here. Harper is the youngest unanimous MVP in baseball history. Harper is the...
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Nationals release 2016 Grapefruit League schedule

Nationals release 2016 Grapefruit League schedule
There are many looking forward to tonight's expected announcement of Bryce Harper as National League Most Valuable Player to wash away some of the disappointments from last season. With a just few short hours before that honor is revealed, the Nationals allowed fans to look to the promise of 2016 with the release of their 29-game spring training schedule. The Nats will open Grapefruit League play on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Park in Port Charlotte, Fla., on March 2. It...
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It's Bryce Harper Day

It's Bryce Harper Day
The day has finally arrived for Nationals slugger Bryce Harper. Somewhere between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern time tonight, the Baseball Writers' Association of America is expected to honor Harper with the National League's Most Valuable Player Award. The phenom is the overwhelming favorite to win over finalists Joey Votto from the Reds and Paul Goldschmidt from the Diamondbacks. Harper showed up at spring training brimming with confidence and vowing to stay healthy. He wasted no time getting...
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Max Scherzer finishes fifth in NL Cy Young Award race

Max Scherzer finishes fifth in NL Cy Young Award race
In his first year in Washington, ace Max Scherzer finished fifth in the National League Cy Young Award race as Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta won the trophy for the first time. Dodgers stud pitchers Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw followed Arrieta in the voting, with Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole finishing just ahead of Scherzer. Arrieta steadily improved as a starter since the Cubs acquired him from the Orioles two seasons ago. In 2015, he transformed into one of the game's dominant...
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David Carpenter elects free agency after Nats outright him off 40-man roster

David Carpenter elects free agency after Nats outright him off 40-man roster
The Nationals announced this afternoon that right-hander David Carpenter elected for free agency after the team outrighted him off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Syracuse. Carpenter is now open to sign with another team after making just eight appearances in a Nationals uniform. Carpenter was acquired from the Yankees for minor league infielder Tony Renda on June 11. But the veteran reliever pitched only six innings, allowing just one run on a homer before landing on the disabled list with...
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Rizzo updates Nats' offseason: "A million moving pieces that we're thinking about"

Rizzo updates Nats' offseason: "A million moving pieces that we're thinking about"
After introducing the Nationals' new medical structure at an afternoon press conference, general manager Mike Rizzo provided an update on where the team is at with the Winter Meetings approaching in three weeks. "I think we're on schedule," Rizzo said. "We've had a busy offseason. We've done a lot. We've revamped our medical staff. We've revamped our manager's position. We've revamped our major league coaching staff. So we've done a lot. The general managers meetings is usually the...
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#TBT: Steve Pearce homers off 2015 Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel

#TBT: Steve Pearce homers off 2015 Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel
As shown by yesterday's Cy Young awards, Houston's Dallas Keuchel was the most dominant pitcher in the American League this season. The lefty took home the hardware last night after pitching to a 20-8 record and a 2.48 ERA. A perfect 15-0 at home, his eight losses came on the road, and the first one came at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles on Memorial Day. However, the All-Star lefty battled. He pitched a complete game, but took the loss as the Orioles chalked up four earned runs against...
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#TBT: NL MVP favorite Bryce Harper hits walk-off homer against Braves

#TBT: NL MVP favorite Bryce Harper hits walk-off homer against Braves
With Bryce Harper the heavy favorite to be named by the Baseball Writers' Association of America as National League Most Valuable Player tonight, here's another reminder of just how remarkable his 2015 season was. He had the third-best batting average in the majors at .330, tied for most homers in the NL with 42 and led the majors in on-base percentage at .460. And that slugging percentage! He dominated the majors by slugging .649 this season. The second-best slugging percentage? Mike Trout,...
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At one point, it looked like Max Scherzer's Cy Young to lose

At one point, it looked like Max Scherzer's Cy Young to lose
Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer won't win the National League Cy Young Award tonight. When balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America is announced on MLB Network, that honor is likely to go to Cubs ace Jake Arrieta or Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke. But for the first half of the season, Scherzer seemed to be the clear-cut frontrunner to claim the second Cy Young of his eight-year career. After inking a record seven-year, $210 deal for a right-hander in January, Scherzer...
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After an injury-filled year, Nationals announce changes to medical structure

After an injury-filled year, Nationals announce changes to medical structure
Following a season that was wrecked by numerous injuries, the Nationals have overhauled their training staff and developed a new approach to their medical system. "In an innovative shift, the Nationals are transitioning their medical department to one that utilizes a proactive model, with significant analytic input," the Nationals said in a team-issued release. "This will allow the Nationals to hone in on predictive factors to thwart potential injurious situations, and increase performance,...
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Who was the 2015 Nationals' top rookie?

Who was the 2015 Nationals' top rookie?
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was the unanimous choice for National League Rookie of the Year last night. Bryant, who played youth baseball with Bryce Harper, smacked 26 homers and drove in 99 runs after making his major league debut in mid-April. Astros shortstop Carlos Correa took home the honors in the American League after slashing .279/.345/.512 with 22 homers and 68 RBIs. The 21-year-old did all his damage in only 99 games after debuting in early June. Who was the Nationals' top...
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Reed Johnson and Sean Burnett heading back to Nats spring training

Reed Johnson and Sean Burnett heading back to Nats spring training
The Nationals announced this afternoon that they agreed to terms on minor league contracts with invitations to MLB spring training with left-hander Sean Burnett and outfielder Reed Johnson. Burnett didn't pitch in 2015 after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. Elbow injuries interfered with his previous two seasons in Anaheim where Burnett only made 16 appearances with a 1.74 ERA. Before that, Burnett spent four years with the Nationals from 2009-2012, going 8-15 with a 2.81 ERA in 245...
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Dusty Baker has a list of reasons for wanting to win a World Series

Dusty Baker has a list of reasons for wanting to win a World Series
Two weeks ago, when Dusty Baker was hired as Nationals manager, he talked about the special significance of taking the job in the nation's capital. "You know something? That was a factor, too," Baker told NBC4's Carol Maloney. "I said, 'Wouldn't that be ironic to win in Washington, during the president's last term?' Because I was here during the inauguration, when it was like, freezing. Oh, man, it was cold. So now, yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing him again." Sure, Baker...
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Identifying a leadoff hitter is among issues Dusty Baker faces

Identifying a leadoff hitter is among issues Dusty Baker faces
One of the Nationals' major deficiencies last season was the lack of a consistent offensive presence at the top of their lineup. Multiple injuries limited Denard Span, their normal table setter, to only 61 games before his season ended in late August. In Span's absence, former manager Matt Williams scrambled to find a leadoff man, using rookie Michael A. Taylor, Jayson Werth, Yunel Escobar and Anthony Rendon. With Span hitting the free agent market last week and unlikely to return to...
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Dusty Baker still working to fill out coaching staff

Dusty Baker still working to fill out coaching staff
Dusty Baker's work continues to fill out his coaching staff with a few important openings remaining. Shortly after the Nationals hired Baker as manager on Nov. 3, the team announced Mike Maddux as new pitching coach and baserunning expert Davey Lopes as new first base coach. On Friday, Baker was asked on SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio about other coaches he plans to add to his staff in Washington. "I really can't let the cat out of bag," Baker joked with hosts Casey Stern and Jim Bowden....
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As expected, Jordan Zimmermann passes on qualifying offer

As expected, Jordan Zimmermann passes on qualifying offer
To no one's surprise, Jordan Zimmermann this afternoon passed on the $15.8 million qualifying offer extended by the Nationals. The right-hander now becomes one of the most sought-after starting pitchers in free agency. The Cubs, Giants, Red Sox and Cardinals are just a few of the teams rumored to have interest in Zimmermann join their rotation. The Nationals drafted Zimmermann in the second round in 2007 out of the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point. He made his major league debut with...
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Ian Desmond rejects qualifying offer

Ian Desmond rejects qualifying offer
Ian Desmond won't play for the Nationals next year. The 30-year-old, who was drafted by the Expos and has played his entire career in Washington, declined the club's $15.8 million qualifying offer today. The Nationals are still waiting on right-hander Jordan Zimmermann to decide on his qualifying offer. The deadline is 5 p.m. today. Desmond enters the free agent market for the first time and is expected to command a multi-year deal worth at least $75 million. The Mets, Padres, Diamondbacks...
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Notes on Zimmermann, Desmond and Williams

Notes on Zimmermann, Desmond and Williams
The qualifying offers the Nationals extended to right-hander Jordan Zimmermann and shortstop Ian Desmond last Friday expire at 5 p.m. today. Both players are expected to reject the one-year, $15.8 million deal and enter the free agent market for the first time in their careers. Reports from the general managers meetings had the Cubs beginning preliminary discussions with Zimmermann's camp. The Giants, Red Sox and Astros are a few of the other teams reportedly pursuing the 29-year-old. The...
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