nationals

Lefty Ballard inks minor league deal with Nationals

December 27, 2011, 3:35pm

Add another name to the list of organizational depth players signed by the Nationals this offseason. Left-hander Mike Ballard has inked a minor league deal with the Nats, per this tweet from MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Ballard is a 27-year-old native of Norfolk, Va., who has logged a 51-43 record and 4.50 ERA in eight minor league seasons. He spent the first five years of his pro career in the Rangers system before joining the Orioles organization last season, when he went 8-3 with a 3.33 ERA at...

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Norris ready for "new opportunity" with the Oakland A's

December 27, 2011, 6:32am

Nationals

Norris ready for "new opportunity" with the Oakland A's

Catcher Derek Norris, one of the four top prospects traded last week and considered one of the highest-rated backstops not yet in the majors, believes he can contribute right now with his new team, the Oakland Athletics. Norris has been the prized possession of the Nationals' revamped minor league system, and each season has continued to develop his defense. Norris has jumped from Single-A Potomac Nationals to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, working on his ability to call games and his...

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Strasburg sports beautiful ugly sweater

December 27, 2011, 6:09am

Nationals

Hopefully you had very happy and relaxing holiday season, Nationals fans. And if you're like me, you're not too thrilled about having to get back to work. So as you're browsing the internet, pretending to get things done, take a look at Stephen Strasburg's recent getup. Strasburg apparently attended an ugly sweater party recently and, quite honestly, his sweater of choice was as nasty as his breaking ball. The sweater is

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Milone looking forward to reuniting with USC teammates at Oakland

December 25, 2011, 6:34pm

Nationals

Milone looking forward to reuniting with USC teammates at Oakland

Left-hander Tom Milone, one of four players traded by the Nationals for Gio Gonzalez, is excited about his opportunity to pitch for the Oakland A's, but also looks back with admiration to the team that believed in him that first season. Milone, a 10th-round selection by the Nationals in 2008, pitched for the University of Southern California, and was Washington's 2010 minor league Pitcher of the Year. After another spectacular year in the minors in 2011, Milone got his shot to pitch for the...

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Some leftovers from Rizzo's conference call

December 23, 2011, 5:30pm

Nationals

Some leftovers from Rizzo's conference call

A couple of pre-holiday morsels left over from the conference call with Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo after the six-player trade that landed left-hander Gio Gonzalez was formally announced: * Don't buy into all of those rumors about clandestine talks between the Nationals and free agent first baseman Prince Fielder. Asked if Adam LaRoche would be the Nationals' first baseman in 2012, Rizzo said, "That is correct." * While Rizzo continues to search the free agent and trade markets...

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Rizzo on Gonzalez: "He brings a presence in our rotation"

December 23, 2011, 4:21pm

Nationals

Rizzo on Gonzalez: "He brings a presence in our rotation"

There's very little about Gio Gonzalez that Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo doesn't like. He throws four pitches, gobbles up innings and posts the kind of statistics that make opposing general managers drool with envy. In short, the southpaw is a power pitcher in a game where few hurlers can lay claim to that jb description. If that wasn't evident by the left-hander's presence as the centerpiece of the six-player trade between the A's and Nationals that was finally announced Friday...

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Five questions (and answers) about Gio Gonzalez

December 23, 2011, 10:40am

Nationals

Five questions (and answers) about Gio Gonzalez

The deal is done, finally officially announced by the teams involved Friday night. The Nationals have acquired left-hander Gio Gonzalez and minor league right-hander Robert Gilliam from the A's in exchange for four top prospects: right-handers Brad Peacock and A.J. Cole, left-hander Tommy Milone and catcher Derek Norris. Some of you like the deal, others don't. Curiously enough, in the two weeks since the Winter Meetings ended in Dallas, a good portion of NatsTown has been milling about with...

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O's Jones would be an attractive fit for many clubs needing center field help

December 23, 2011, 4:59pm

Nationals Orioles

O's Jones would be an attractive fit for many clubs needing center field help

The Orioles have apparently talked to the Atlanta Braves about a trade involving center fielder Adam Jones, and while that trade is off for now, it could heat up again. But there is a long list of other teams that might want to trade for Jones. Who knows if the Orioles will trade the All-Star outfielder? They don't have a lot of trade chips, and of the core players, he seems the most likely to go, assuming the right price. Jones has two years left on his contract, and that makes him...

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After Gonzalez trade, what's left in Nationals' system?

December 22, 2011, 9:50pm

Nationals

The announcement of the blockbuster trade drew a few gasps at the prospects the Nationals gave up to get left-hander Gio Gonzalez from the Oakland A's. Those prospects represented among the top players in the franchise's coveted minor league system, according to Baseball America. Specifically, Brad Peacock (No. 3), A.J. Cole (No. 4), Derek Norris (No. 9) and Tom Milone (No.16 in 2010) were considered among the best the Nationals had to offer. This deal was pretty much the package the...

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Nationals acquire Gio Gonzalez from A's in six-player deal

December 23, 2011, 3:43pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today acquired left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez and right-handed pitcher Robert Gilliam from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for catcher Derek Norris, right-handed pitcher A.J. Cole, right-handed pitcher Brad Peacock and left-handed pitcher Tommy Milone. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The 26 year-old Gonzalez is coming off his finest big league season to date. In 2011, he finished 16-12...

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Price was high, but Nats finally get workhorse arm in Gio Gonzalez (updated)

December 22, 2011, 12:06pm

Nationals

Price was high, but Nats finally get workhorse arm in Gio Gonzalez (updated)

There are all kinds of reasons to make a trade - you're trying to fill a hole, you're trying to loosen a positional logjam, you need to create a pathway for a promising young player. The Nationals' acquisition Thursday afternoon of left-hander Gio Gonzalez from the Oakland A's in exchange for four prospects solves a glaring need in the Washington rotation: someone to log lots of innings and take the pressure off younger starters coming off injuries. Both sides have agreed in principle to...

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Is Rizzo honing in on deal for A's Gio Gonzalez?

December 20, 2011, 6:57am

Nationals

Is Rizzo honing in on deal for A's Gio Gonzalez?

The posting portion of the Yu Darvish sweepstakes is over and the Texas Rangers were the winner, with a reported record bid of $51.7 million. That gets them 30 days to negotiate with the Japanese right-hander in hopes of knocking out a long-term contract that's expected to push their total investment in Darvish well over $100 million. Is it just me, or do you sometimes feel like baseball executives are playing with Monopoly money? The Nationals didn't place a bid on Darvish, despite...

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Nationals agree to deal with utility man DeRosa

December 22, 2011, 5:48am

Nationals

The Nationals continue to talk to the A's about a blockbuster swap for left-hander Gio Gonzalez, and they're moving closer to locking in a veteran utility man that manager Davey Johnson has wanted to add all offseason. According to baseball sources with knowledge of the negotiations, the Nationals are closing in on a deal with 36-year-old Mark DeRosa, whose versatility would fit well with Johnson's rejiggered bench. The right-handed-hitting DeRosa is a 14-season major leaguer and has played...

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Done deal? Report says Rizzo snags Gonzalez in 4-for-1 swap (updated)

December 22, 2011, 11:34am

Nationals

Done deal? Report says Rizzo snags Gonzalez in 4-for-1 swap (updated)

According to this tweet from ESPN's Keith Law, the Nationals have finally landed a front-line starting pitcher they've been seeking, dealing four prospects to the Oakland A's in exchange for left-hander Gio Gonzalez. We're still waiting definitive word from the Nationals, of course, but if the deal goes down as reported, the A's got quite a haul for the 26-year-old southpaw, who is under team control through 2015. The Nationals' package in the 4-for-1 swap included right-hander Brad...

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Nationals claim 3B Rivero off waivers from Phillies

December 21, 2011, 8:57am

Nationals

The Nationals have claimed third baseman Carlos Rivero off waivers from the Phillies, per a team-issued press release. The 23-year-old Venezuelan hit .270 with 36 doubles, 16 homers and 71 RBIs between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2011. He was primarily a shortstop at the start of his minor league career in the Indians' organization, but switched to third base almost full-time last season when he joined the Phillies. The addition of Rivero gives the Nationals 37 players on...

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Tripp Keister thrilled to get shot at managing GCL Nationals

December 20, 2011, 10:38am

Nationals

The Nationals announced Monday that their Gulf Coast League affiliate will have a new manager in former collegiate coach Tripp Keister. Keister brings two decades as a coach at the collegiate level and major league amateur scout to his new position as skipper of the GCL Nationals. While at Wesley College in Dover, Del., Keister led the Wolverines to a 157-92-1 record since 2006, including the Capital Athletic Conference championship game in 2010. His six years as coach was the best run in...

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What if ... the Nationals hadn't drafted Ryan Zimmerman?

December 20, 2011, 9:35am

Nationals

Long before the hope embodied by Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman was the face of the Nationals. When the team was still trying to gain a foothold on the D.C. sports scene, when vestiges of the Expos hadn't yet been eradicated from towel carts and equipment bags, it was Zimmerman who provided optimism for the future. His selection as the transplanted team's first draft pick in 2005 was a watershed moment, an opportunity for then-general manager Jim Bowden to select a player...

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Nationals claim third baseman Carlos Rivero off waivers from Philadelphia

December 21, 2011, 8:51am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today claimed third baseman Carlos Rivero off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The 6-foot-3 Rivero hit .275 with 36 doubles, 15 home runs and 66 RBI while spending a majority of the 2011 season with Double-A Reading. Rivero, 23, is a career .258 hitter with 146 doubles, 47 homers and 358 RBIs in 720 games spanning seven seasons as a professional. He...

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Nine agree to minor league deals with spring invites

December 20, 2011, 5:35am

Nationals

Nine agree to minor league deals with spring invites

The Nationals have agreed to terms with nine players on minor league contracts with invitations to spring training in Viera, Fla. So make room in the clubhouse for right-handers Jeff Fulchino and Waldis Joaquin, catcher Carlos Maldonado, infielders Andres Blanco, Jarrett Hoffpauir and Chad Tracy, and outfielders Brett Carroll, Jason Michaels and Xavier Paul. In addition, three players currently in the organization have been invited to camp as non-roster players: catcher Sandy Leon, outfielder...

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Nats agree to terms with nine players on minor league deals with spring training invitations

December 20, 2011, 5:46am

Nationals

Nats agree to terms with nine players on minor league deals with spring training invitations

The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with right-handed pitchers Jeff Fulchino and Waldis Joaquin, catcher Carlos Maldonado, infielders Andres Blanco, Jarrett Hoffpauir and Chad Tracy, and outfielders Brett Carroll, Jason Michaels and Xavier Paul on minor-league contracts with invitations to Spring Training. Additionally, the Nationals extended Spring Training invites to right-handed pitcher Rafael Martin, catcher Sandy Leon and outfielder Corey Brown. Nationals Executive Vice President...