Nats continue pursuit of new spring home in Palm Beach County

Nats continue pursuit of new spring home in Palm Beach County
The Nationals are continuing their efforts to move their spring training headquarters to Palm Beach County, and they may not be the only team exiting Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Fla. The Single-A Brevard County Manatees, a Brewers affiliate that plays in the Florida State League are listening to a pitch from Winter Park, Fla., near Orlando, where a new $30 million stadium would be built on a site owned by Rollins College. News of the Manatees' proposed move came on the same day that...
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Opposite dugout: Feldman faces former team as Astros come to Baltimore

Opposite dugout: Feldman faces former team as Astros come to Baltimore
Manager: Bo Porter, second year Record: 11-24 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: SS Jonathan Villar (.240/.301/.490, 5 HR, 13 RBIs, 8 SB); 2B Jose Altuve (.271/.323/.375, 12 XBH, 12 RBIs, 11 SB); RHP Scott Feldman (2-1, 1.69 ERA, .176 BAA); RHP Collin McHugh (2-1, 2.79 ERA, 0.88 WHIP) Season series vs. O's: 2-4, 30 runs scored, 24 runs allowed Pitching probables May 9: Scott Feldman vs. Wei-Yin Chen, 7 p.m., MASN HD May 10: Collin McHugh vs. Miguel Gonzalez, 7 p.m., MASN HD May 11: Jarred...
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Opposite dugout: Springer, powerful Astros looking to launch

Opposite dugout: Springer, powerful Astros looking to launch
Manager: Bo Porter, second year Record: 9-17 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: SS Jonathan Villar (.234/.289/.468, 11 XBH, 8 RBIs, 4 SB); C Jason Castro (.221/.322/.429, 4 HR, 13 RBIs); RF George Springer (.170/.264/.213, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs); LHP Brett Oberholtzer (0-4, 4.61 ERA, 22 K) Season series vs. Nats (2013): Did not play Pitching probables April 29: Jarred Cosart vs. Gio Gonzalez, 8 p.m., MASN2 HD April 30: Brett Oberholtzer vs. Jordan Zimmermann, 8 p.m., MASN2 HD Series breakdown The...
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Report: Nationals interested in Palm Beach County for new spring HQ

Report: Nationals interested in Palm Beach County for new spring HQ
The Nationals' search for a new spring training facility has led them to a new locale. According to this tweet from MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, the Astros have met with the Nationals about the possibility of sharing a new two-team spring training facility in Palm Beach County. This isn't the first time the Astros and Nationals have been linked as possible partners in a new spring headquarters. The teams were interested in working together on a facility that would have been based in...
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Nats-Astros lineups and a few notes

Nats-Astros lineups and a few notes
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Kyle Lohse finally has a team. I guess his days of throwing simulated games against community college squads are over. Lohse agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal with the Brewers, according to reports. He'll now have a solid week to get to know his teammates before opening day. Former Nats starter John Lannan got smacked around a bit today. The Phillies lefty gave up 12 runs on 14 hits over four innings today in a game against the Blue Jays. I guess he was just working...
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Rendon among Nats' cuts (updated with more cuts)

Rendon among Nats' cuts (updated with more cuts)
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals sent four more players over to minor league camp this morning, according to a team source: infielders Anthony Rendon and Matt Skole, right-hander Nathan Karns and left-hander Pat McCoy. Update: In addition to the four players listed above, infielder Will Rhymes, catcher Sandy Leon and outfielder Eury Perez have also been sent to minor league camp, manager Davey Johnson announced. Rendon, Karns and Leon were optioned to Double-A Harrisburg, Perez was optioned to...
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Nats-Astros lineups as Gonzalez makes final pre-WBC start

Nats-Astros lineups as Gonzalez makes final pre-WBC start
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Jayson Werth chose not to get into the Nationals-Phillies fray this morning. I swung by the Nationals complex at Space Coast Stadium before making the drive here for this afternoon's game against the Astros, and checked in with Werth to see if he had anything to offer after yesterday's incident involving Stephen Strasburg, Chase Utley, Roy Halladay and Tyler Moore. Werth, who spent four years with the Phillies before joining the Nats in 2011, opted to stay out of it all,...
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Haren and Ramos both look sharp vs. Astros

Haren and Ramos both look sharp vs. Astros
VIERA, Fla. - Dan Haren worked both sides of the plate, mixed in some sharp off-speed stuff and cut his way through the Astros' lineup through his first two innings of work this afternoon. Haren retired the first six Astros hitters he faced, not letting a ball out of the infield in that time, before hitting a bit of a bump in the third. The veteran righty allowed a run on two hits and a walk in that third inning, but he'll likely leave Space Coast Stadium today pleased with his...
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Bo Porter is back

Bo Porter is back
VIERA, Fla. - Bo Porter spent much of the late morning walking around the field inside Space Coast Stadium, giving friendly handshakes and dishing out big hugs. The Astros' new manager, who spent the last two years with the Nationals as the team's third base coach, is back in Viera today to play his former team. As the Nats took batting practice, Porter weaved his way behind the batting cage, having lengthy chats with Nationals owner Mark Lerner, manager Davey Johnson and many of his former...
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Soriano makes his debut today, Ramos behind the plate (with lineups)

Soriano makes his debut today, Ramos behind the plate (with lineups)
VIERA, Fla. - Nationals manager Davey Johnson used yesterday's off-day the same way many of use spend our days away from the job: He got stuff done around the house. Johnson went back to his home in the Orlando area and took care of a couple "dangerous jobs," including replacing a handful of light bulbs that were 24 feet off the ground. He got through the tasks just fine, then took a playful jab at Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who broke his leg while skydiving yesterday. "I...
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Updates on Walters, Tatusko and Lozada for Leones de Ponce

Updates on Walters, Tatusko and Lozada for Leones de Ponce
Here are some updates on Leones de Ponce in the Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (offseason league) this past week and how the Nationals' prospects are faring. Third baseman Zach Walters has put together four multi-hit games in his last nine contests, with 10 hits since Dec. 6. He had three hits on Dec. 6 and Dec. 16, plus a pair of base knocks on Dec. 7 and Dec. 14. Over his last 10 games, he is hitting .270 and his overall average is .260 overall with eight doubles and 13 RBIs...
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Harper getting a mental break (with lineups)

Harper getting a mental break (with lineups)
Davey Johnson suggested last night that he would probably give Bryce Harper a day off today, and that's what he's done. Mired in a slump, which has seen him hit just .176 since the All-Star break, Harper is not in the Nationals lineup today. The rookie outfielder also made an ill-advised throw in the ninth inning last night, allowing the Astros to put the potential game-winning run in scoring position. It was after that play that Johnson said he decided Harper could use a breather, or a...
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The series just keeps getting weirder (Gonzalez carries Nats to 4-3 win)

The series just keeps getting weirder (Gonzalez carries Nats to 4-3 win)
We've had a sacrifice bunt which scored a runner from first and left the bunter standing on third base. We've had a leaping catch against the wall in left-center which was one of the best grabs you'll see all season. We've had a sacrifice fly called back because the pitcher was called for a balk, scoring a run. We've had two extra-inning games in consecutive nights played between the best team in the majors and the worst team in the majors. Now, we have Gio Gonzalez crushing a two-run,...
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Reliving Bernadina's 12th-inning heroics

Reliving Bernadina's 12th-inning heroics
Tyler Clippard owes Roger Bernadina a big, juicy steak. Or 12. If not for Bernadina's dazzling defense, we'd be talking about how Clippard had blown four saves since the All-Star break, including two in as many nights. Instead, Clippard gets his 23rd save of the season thanks to a scoreless 12th inning. Looks pretty nice in the box score. I know Mike Trout's home run-robbing grab at Camden Yards earlier this season was just an insane play. There have been a few other ridiculous outfield...
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Another dandy from Detwiler (Bernadina's ridiculous catch saves the day)

Another dandy from Detwiler (Bernadina's ridiculous catch saves the day)
After spinning a gem his last time out, Ross Detwiler has delivered another stellar outing through six innings tonight. Outside of a two-run homer served up to Ben Francisco in the first inning, Detwiler has been nearly unhittable, facing just two above the minimum over his last five innings of work. Overall, the Nationals lefty has surrendered just three hits and two walks over his six frames, and has needed only 74 pitches thus far. Yet again, he's been aggressive with his fastball early...
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A win is a win is a win

A win is a win is a win
It sure wasn't pretty. No, it wasn't that. The Nationals played an Astros team last night that now is 4-31 (yes, 4-31!) in its last 35 games. They outhit the Astros 14-6, but scored just one more run than their hosts. Washington relievers combined to allow nine baserunners over 5 2/3 innings. The Nats gave up four more stolen bases without catching a runner trying to steal, yet they had one of their own runners picked off first base. They blew a three-run lead, then failed get a guy in...
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Nats, Astros lineups for opener in Houston

Nats, Astros lineups for opener in Houston
The Nationals begin a four-game series with the worst team in the majors, the Astros, tonight from Minute Maid Park. Obviously, nothing is guaranteed in this game, but this would seem to be a nice chance for the Nats to rattle off a few wins and put a little more distance between themselves and their National League competition. The Astros have gone just 2-17 in their last 19 games, a stretch which included a 12-game losing streak. They did take one of their three games against the Braves...
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Jackson undeterred after rough first inning and first loss

Jackson undeterred after rough first inning and first loss
Nationals right-hander Edwin Jackson was fresh off a spectacular complete game two-hitter Saturday over the Reds, 4-1. Jackson was taxed for only 92 pitches, striking out nine and walking one. Cincinnati managed one runner past second base the entire game. But it was a whole different story Thursday. Facing a Houston team that had scored five runs in three games of the series against the Nationals, the Astros set a franchise record with three triples in a five-run first inning to stun Jackson...
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Astros triple up on Jackson

Astros triple up on Jackson
Five days ago, Edwin Jackson tossed a complete-game gem, allowing one run on two hits with nine strikeouts. Yeah, things haven't gone quite that smoothly so far this outing. Jackson got lit up in the first inning tonight, allowing six straight hits and five runs. Remarkably, three of Houston's six hits were triples, marking the first time in Astros history they've recorded three triples in an inning. It also ties an Astros record for most triples in a single game. Jackson was able to...
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Desmond gets a day off, Lombardozzi to hit leadoff

Desmond gets a day off, Lombardozzi to hit leadoff
Ian Desmond has gotten off to a nice start this season, hitting .300 with a homer, four RBIs and a .333 on-base percentage. Tonight, the Nationals' starting shortstop will get his first day off of the 2012 campaign. Steve Lombardozzi will play shortstop and hit leadoff for Davey Johnson's Nats tonight as they look for the sweep against Bud Norris and the Astros. If they can pick up another win tonight, the Nats would earn their first four-game home sweep since arriving in D.C. in 2005....
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