VIERA, Fla. - Nationals fans, please give a warm welcome to MASN's newest color analyst, F.P. Santangelo. The energetic young broadcaster shared his thoughts in this Q&A with Nats Buzz at Space Coast Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
What are your thoughts about the Nationals heading into this season?
"Well, I just think they are playing really good baseball. I don't really want to get caught up in wins and losses in spring training, but I think when you are coming off of a tough year, it's...
VIERA, Fla. - Want to win eight front row tickets to watch the Nationals beat the World Series champion Giants this April?
Venga, a new website and mobile phone application, is running a contest to generate buzz about their new platform. The program will allow users to track happy hours, social events and special deals in restaurants, bars and music venues with a custom-built mobile application for iPhone and Android.
"It's built so you get just the information you want, and only when you...
VIERA, Fla. - It's official. Fans can now follow two of the Nationals' brightest stars on the popular social networking platform, Twitter.
Stephen Strasburg will be tweeting from @stras37. Bryce Harper's @BHarp34 account has also been confirmed by the Nationals.
In addition, fans can follow newcomer Todd Coffey (@ToddCoffey60).
Other tweeting Nationals players include Drew Storen, Craig Stammen, John Lannan and Collin Balester.
VIERA, Fla. - In the wake of the news that Atlanta Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar was struck by a foul ball and hospitalized on Wednesday, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman reflected Thursday on the many hazards of baseball.
Several baseball-related accidents in recent years have created a greater awareness about the safety hazards - for both team personnel and fans sitting close to the action.
"You're not going to a game thinking about a foul ball," Riggleman said. "It almost...
Many Nationals fans managed to save some hard earned-cash by skipping the box office premiere of "How Do You Know" last fall. The the motion picture flop featured Owen Wilson as a Nationals pitcher along Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Jack Nicholson.
For those of you who missed it in theatres, the romantic comedy is set to be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on March 22.
If you're still not inclined to spend money on this one, at least rent it from Netflix or Blockbuster. Despite the poor...
A quick update for our Nats Buzz readers. I landed in Melbourne, Fla., this afternoon along with nearly a dozen Nationals fans (including this guy) just in time to hear Shuttle Discovery's final sonic boom.
Starting tomorrow, I'll be at Space Coast Stadium all week to bring you Nats Buzz, off-the-field type updates as often as I can. If you have any questions or topics you'd like me to explore, leave your suggestions in the comments.
If you're down in Viera this week or for the Yankees...
For some, the best sign of spring is the president of the United States throwing the first pitch at a Nationals game. Or Ryan Zimmerman's first home run of the season. Or simply the sound of "Play Ball" echoing through the ballpark.
For others, it's not spring until the beautiful cherry blossoms bloom around the District and tourists from all over the world travel to the tidal basin en mass with their best photographic equipment.
Ah, the joys of spring in the nation's capital.
On...
Opening day 2010 remains one of the worst, most painful memories for Nationals fans in this team's brief history. When thousands upon thousands of Phillies fans marched into Nationals Park last April and declared it their southern headquarters, Nationals fans were outraged.
Phillies fans were unapologetic about their stunt, suggesting that if Nationals fans truly cared about their team, they'd show up night after night.
This season, Nationals fans have an opportunity to drown out those...
Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard has taken to Twitter to poll fans on his entrance song for this season. Though Clippard hasn't started tweeting yet, teammate Drew Storen is spreading the word on his Twitter account and encouraging fans to vote in the poll.
Your choices:
The beloved "Peaches" tune by Presidents of the U.S.A., which Clippard used last season, or The Fugees' classic, "Ready Or Not."
Fans can vote here.
In the past few years, I've posted my recommendations for travelers heading to sunny Viera, Fla. More recently, MASNsports.com's Ben Goessling offered his suggestions, too (good reading because he's the spring training pro).
But I want to hear from you. Many of you have been to Nationals spring training many times. Some of you have already returned from your first trip this season.
Where do you like to go? What are your favorite restaurants? Are there any can't-miss attractions that we...
A full season of summer friends, peanuts and Cracker Jacks and the highs and lows of Nationals baseball is now upon us. Whether you're excited, optimistic or cautious about the season, we can all agree that it's time to get rolling and start playing real, live Nationals baseball games.
With that in mind, here's a list of television games for the Nationals this spring, including tonight's tape delayed game on MLB Network.
Monday, February 28 @ 9:30 p.m. on MLB Network
Sunday, March 6 @ 1...
It was a dream that always seemed far off into the future - an obscure plan to host an urban youth baseball development academy in the nation's capital.
That day is arriving, or will be arriving soon, and the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation is busy moving forward at a frenzied pace after overcoming complex bureaucratic obstacles. It's something the Lerner family has poured its hearts into since assuming ownership of the team in 2006.
And this past winter, the final piece fell into...
On Friday, the Nationals released a list of new promotions for the 2011 season. Of course, the most exciting additions are Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond collectible bobbleheads.
Werth will be honored with his very first Nationals bobblehead on Saturday, July 30, against the Mets. Desmond's first bobblehead will be given out on Saturday, Aug. 20 against the Phillies. The bobbleheads are a PNC Bank promotion for the first 15,000 fans at each of those games.
There will also be another Fan's...
The Nationals have now officially announced that NatsFest will take place between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on March 30.
Fans will have an opportunity to watch the Nationals practice, meet players and coaches, take photos with Ryan Zimmerman's Silver Slugger award, visit MASN's interactive area and race against the GEICO Racing Presidents.
There will also be a special Kids Zone with a bounce house, interactive games, face painters and balloon artists.
Of course, the team store and concession...
Do you know a woman who has gone to bat against breast cancer?
Major League Baseball and Susan G. Komen for the Cure are again teaming up to honor and celebrate extraordinary women across the country who have battled breast cancer.
To enter, fans can submit stories about how they've battled or overcome breast cancer. You can also sort through the inspiring stories and vote for your favorite candidates.
The winners will serve as honorary bat girls during Major League Baseball's Mother's...
What could be better than winning round-trip airfare and a two-night hotel stay to catch Nationals spring training in Viera, Fla.?
What if you also won a behind-the-scenes tour, a meet-and-greet with Nationals players and an opportunity to take on-field batting practice?
DC101 and Miller Lite have teamed up to send one lucky Nationals fan on a VIP trip to Florida from March 25-27.
To win, listen to Elliot in the Morning on DC101. He'll be giving away tickets to opening day on March 31 and...
If full season or half season plans are too much, but you still want guaranteed tickets for a few Nationals games this season, the Nationals have more options available.
In addition to the three mini-plans released last week, the Nationals will now offer five Grand Slam Flex Plans for the 2011 season. These packages, which start at $60, allow fans to select four games from one of five plans and receive a fifth game free.
Fans can choose from Screech's Curly "W" Plan, the Double Play Promo...
The Nationals have announced a new lineup of ticket mini-plans for fans to purchase this season. Each plan features one free game.
The brand new Manager's Plan offers 15 games for the price of 14. The best part is that fans can create their own lineup of favorite games through this plan, which includes opening day, interleague games and games against National League East rivals.
Ivan Rodriguez is not yet a member of baseball's Hall of Fame, but according to the Nationals, fans can watch him...
It's time for the main event - the Geico Presidents Race.
The Nationals are now accepting applicants for Racing Presidents for the 2011 season. Auditions will occur, appropriately enough, over President's Day Weekend.
To be eligible, applicants must fulfill the following requirements:
* Measure between 5-foot-7 and 6-foot-6 in height
* Possess the ability to run from center field to home plate (approximately 200 yards) in 40 seconds
* Be able to wear a costume weighing approximately 45...
"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too," a child once said.
Does your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife or partner love baseball?
If so, surprise your beloved this Valentine's Day with a special visit from Nationals mascot Screech or the Single-A Potomac Nationals' Uncle Slam.
Screech is available for a five minute surprise appearance in which he'll deliver a Valentine's Day card along with a balloon and a box of chocolates. The cost is...
