nationals

If Fielder doesn't pan out, healthy LaRoche a solid option

January 06, 2012, 5:22am

For the sake of discussion, let's assume that Prince Fielder doesn't end up in D.C. in 2012. No majestic home runs reaching the second deck in right field. No snide comments about his weight the first time he goes into a slump. No spring training negotiations between Fielder and Jayson Werth - for cash, vintage automobiles, jewelry, etc. - over who gets to don jersey No. 28. If Fielder doesn't sign with the Nationals, could you stand to have a healthy, productive Adam LaRoche at first...

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Nats farmhand Zinicola hit with 50-game suspension

January 05, 2012, 11:02am

Nationals

Nats farmhand Zinicola hit with 50-game suspension

Nationals minor league pitcher Zech Zinicola has received a 50-game suspension from Major League Baseball for a second violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, according to a press release. The 26-year-old Zinicola's ban stemmed from a "drug of abuse," according to the release, meaning it wasn't for using performance-enhancing drugs. He was on the Triple-A Syracuse roster. The right-hander, a sixth-round pick of the Nationals in 2006, was 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA...

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Potomac Nationals install new grass field at Pfitzner Stadium

January 04, 2012, 10:20am

Nationals

Early last season, the Single-A Potomac Nationals had to move some home games to Frederick, Md., and had other games postponed because their home field, Pfitzner Stadium, was deemed unplayable by minor league officials. The Nationals improved the clubhouse facilities for the home team during last season, expanding the locker room and coaches' offices, and added a new conference room behind the first base dugout. This season, improvements include a brand new grass field, installed last month,...

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Young Nationals talent will follow LeCroy from Potomac to Harrisburg

January 06, 2012, 2:42pm

Nationals

New Harrisburg Senators manager Matt LeCroy will see some very familiar faces as he takes the helm at Metro Bank Park this spring in his first season as a Double-A skipper. LeCroy said his team in Potomac persevered when it did not appear to be a formidable offensive threat early on. But behind quality pitching, the team defied a difficult first half, and scraped together hits and rallies in the final month of season to earn a playoff spot. This experience at Single-A will be a major boost...

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How much is too much for Prince Fielder?

January 05, 2012, 6:30am

Nationals

How much is too much for Prince Fielder?

I'm starting to feel like I know Prince Fielder better than I should. Isn't it bad enough that I owned his slugging father Cecil on my American League Rotisserie team for many years, gambling a pick on the elder when he came back from Japan after rediscovering his home run stroke (and, apparently, a lot more rice than sushi)? But I've resigned myself to the fact that until he signs elsewhere, Prince will be dominating discussion in NatsTown. At least hot stove season isn't boring,...

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Dobbs returns to Marlins, Nats still looking for bench help

January 04, 2012, 6:40am

Nationals

Dobbs returns to Marlins, Nats still looking for bench help

Scratch Greg Dobbs off the Nationals' list of potential bench additions for 2012. The left-handed-hitting corner infielder/outfielder signed a two-year, $3 million deal Tuesday to remain with the Miami Marlins. The 33-year-old Dobbs is a career .259 hitter with nine homers and 60 RBIs as a pinch hitter. Manager Davey Johnson wanted a guy or two on the bench who could run into a fastball late in a game, and Dobbs certainly fit that job description. So the Nationals will continue their search...

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What if ... the Expos (and Twins) had been contracted before 2002?

January 03, 2012, 8:06am

Nationals

What if ... the Expos (and Twins) had been contracted before 2002?

It may be a new year, and we may still be knee-deep in Prince Fielder rumors, but it's also "What If?" Wednesday, and we'll take this opportunity to tinker with baseball's space-time continuum to see what might have happened in Nationals history had something, somewhere occurred just a bit differently. This week, we set the way-back machine - that's a gratuitous "Peabody's Improbable History" reference, for the cartoon-challenged among you - for 2002, when commissioner Bud Selig was...

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Knorr relishes opportunity to be Nationals' bench coach

January 03, 2012, 7:20pm

Nationals

Former major league catcher Randy Knorr begins a new challenge with the Nationals' organization as manager Davey Johnson's right hand-man - he's the new bench coach in the first base dugout. Knorr has been managing parts of six seasons in the franchise's system, most recently as the skipper for the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs. Knorr has been with the Nationals before. He served as Nationals' bullpen coach for parts of the 2006 season and the complete 2009 schedule. While he enjoys any role...

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Report: Nationals ink pitcher Dan Cortes

January 04, 2012, 9:42am

Nationals

According to this tweet from Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, the Nationals have signed right-hander Dan Cortes, who has pitched in the majors during parts of two seasons with the Mariners. The 24-year-old Cortes was originally a seventh-round pick by the White Sox in 2005, and was then traded to the Royals in July 2006 in a deal for reliever Mike MacDougal and dealt to the Mariners in July 2009 in a swap for shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt. Cortes reached the majors in 2010 with...

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Is Steve Lombardozzi ready for the majors?

January 01, 2012, 8:40am

Nationals

Is Steve Lombardozzi ready for the majors?

In all the discussions about how the Nationals are trying to improve their bench for 2012, Steve Lombardozzi's name comes up - but only at the end of the conversation. Most agree that the 23-year-old infielder has a promising career ahead of him; the question remains whether he's ready to contribute at the major league level or whether he needs some more at-bats at Triple-A Syracuse. And then there's the pesky question about where the Nats can use him. Lombardozzi is a favorite among Nats...

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Nationals' interest in Fielder is real, but could affect other players, too

January 03, 2012, 12:13pm

Nationals

Turns out there was some meat to those rumors after all. The Nationals are, indeed, in the running to sign free agent slugger Prince Fielder, and met with Fielder's agent, Scott Boras, recently in Washington, D.C., according to a baseball source. The news was first reported by MLB.com. Confirmation that the Nationals are talking to Fielder should come as no surprise, considering general manager Mike Rizzo has said he felt the team was one big bat and one solid arm away from contending for a...

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Fielder chatter is becoming more difficult to ignore (updated with Nats in running)

January 02, 2012, 2:53pm

Nationals

Fielder chatter is becoming more difficult to ignore (updated with Nats in running)

The Nationals are expected this week to hold a press conference to introduce their newest acquisition, left-hander Gio Gonzalez. At the rate the Prince Fielder rumors are swirling around D.C., however, this might be the more likely line of questioning, and little has to do with the southpaw late of the Oakland A's: General manager Mike Rizzo, handing Gonzalez his new Nats jersey and cap: "We're thrilled and happy to welcome Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals family." Gonzalez, fumbling with...

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Does Michael Morse fit better in left or right field?

December 29, 2011, 7:44am

Nationals

Does Michael Morse fit better in left or right field?

If the Nationals are intent on going into 2012 with Jayson Werth as their primary center fielder - as general manager Mike Rizzo told a national radio audience Wednesday - the move creates an opening in right field. Rizzo's proclamation has also stirred up a lot of discussion in NatsTown in the past 24 hours, with curious fans wondering who will be manning the patch of green to Werth's left (for you directionally challenged folks, right field is to Werth's left). Yes, there's a lot of...

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Despite Rizzo's continued denials, Fielder-to-Nationals rumors just won't die

December 30, 2011, 6:36pm

Nationals

No matter how many times he denies it, no matter how strongly general manager Mike Rizzo says Adam LaRoche is healthy and his team's first baseman for 2012, the Nationals continue to be linked to free agent slugger Prince Fielder. Maybe it's the fact that NatsTown isn't convinced LaRoche's surgically repaired shoulder is fit enough to withstand the rigors of a full season. Maybe it's the fact that Fielder remains unsigned as 2011 becomes 2012 and that his agent is Scott Boras, who has a...

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The stuff of Gio Gonzalez

December 29, 2011, 10:55am

Nationals

I have focused many of my recent blogs on the impact of losing four top prospects in the trade with the Oakland A's for Gio Gonzalez and a minor league player. Brad Peacock, A.J. Cole, Tom Milone and Derek Norris are all close, or already have major league experience. They can help Oakland now. But the importance of what an experienced left-handed starter can mean to a still young Nationals pitching staff cannot be overstated. The 5-foot-11, 185-lb. southpaw Gonzalez has credentials that...

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LeCroy thrilled with new challenge at Double-A Harrisburg

January 01, 2012, 4:29pm

Nationals

LeCroy thrilled with new challenge at Double-A Harrisburg

Matt LeCroy played for the Nationals. He is the one who made former Nationals manager Frank Robinson cry once - after Robinson was forced to removed the catcher in the middle of an inning because the opposition was running wild on him. But aside from that infamous moment more than five years ago, LeCroy is quickly becoming a critical asset to teaching the franchise's prospects how to get better. The Nationals believe in LeCroy so much that they gave him the keys to teaching the best of their...

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New wave of prospects expected to move up from Auburn in spring

December 28, 2011, 6:26pm

Nationals

New wave of prospects expected to move up from Auburn in spring

The next wave of prospects from the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays, including several late round picks, will begin to fill the rosters of Single-A Hagerstown and advanced Single-A Potomac when the 2012 season draws closer. One of those players we will hear from is former Georgia Tech third baseman Matt Skole, who had a very promising start to his career with Auburn. Skole hit .290 with five homers and 48 RBIs in 72 games. He smacked 23 doubles and one triple, while stealing two...

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Nats seem to be leaning toward Werth in center

December 28, 2011, 9:04am

Nationals

Nats seem to be leaning toward Werth in center

Further proof that the Nationals are willing to go into 2012 with Jayson Werth as their primary center fielder: General manager Mike Rizzo pretty much said as much in an interview this morning on MLB Network Radio on Sirius/XM. "We see the 2013 free agent class at center field is much stronger than it is for the 2012 season," Rizzo said. "With that in mind, we know Jayson can handle the center field position. It's not a perfect world for us. He's a good defender out there and is ready,...

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Nationals announce one-year deal with Mark DeRosa

December 28, 2011, 6:30am

Nationals

Through their public relations department's Twitter account, the Nationals have announced that they've signed free agent utility man Mark DeRosa to a one-year deal. The 36-year-old has started games at six different positions during his 14-year major league career. He's played everywhere but pitcher, catcher and center field. He is a career .272 hitter with 93 homers and 452 RBIs for the Braves, Rangers, Cubs, Indians, Cardinals and Giants. Last season in San Francisco, he batted .279 in...

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What if ... Jerry Dipoto had gotten the GM gig that went to Mike Rizzo?

December 27, 2011, 9:49am

Nationals

What if ... Jerry Dipoto had gotten the GM gig that went to Mike Rizzo?

Depending on your point of view, general manager Mike Rizzo is either a forward-thinking executive who just made a decisive move that landed the Nationals a front-line starting pitcher with the trade for Gio Gonzalez, or he's the overreacting fool who just mortgaged the club's farm system and future for a chance to win sooner rather than later. But Rizzo's latest deal, whatever it does or does not produce, is also perfect fodder for our "What if?" Wednesday discussion, which this week...