David Huzzard: Nats should look at other trade possibilities

David Huzzard: Nats should look at other trade possibilities
The 2017 Nationals are a confusing team to follow. They are a combination of the best run-producing team in baseball, a huge division lead, a strong top of the rotation and one of the worst bullpens ever constructed. That last one gets most of the attention and it needs to be addressed, but it is not the Nationals' only weakness heading into the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. The bullpen is the obvious area of concern and it's where the Nationals focus will be, but it will also be where...
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Opposite dugout: Early-season success a distant memory for last-place Reds

Opposite dugout: Early-season success a distant memory for last-place Reds
Manager: Bryan Price (4th season) Record: 30-41 Last 10 games: 1-9 Who to watch: 1B Joey Votto (.306/.419/.601 with 20 HR, 53 RBIs), LF Adam Duvall (.277 with 16 HR, 48 RBIs), RF Scott Schebler (20 HR, 39 RBIs), RHP Scott Feldman (5-5, 4.20 ERA), RHP Raisel Iglesias (1.59 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 12 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-4 in 2016) Pitching probables: June 23: RHP Luis Castillo vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg, 7:05 p.m., MASN June 24: RHP Homer Bailey vs. RHP Joe Ross, 4:05...
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District 34 podcast: Nats falter in Miami and Gonzalez's All-Star case

District 34 podcast: Nats falter in Miami and Gonzalez's All-Star case
After 20 games in 20 straight days, the Nationals are finally enjoying a well-deserved off-day today at home. Before starting a 17-day stretch of games leading up the All-Star break, the Nats are happy to be in the comfort of their own homes in D.C. after going 4-3 on their latest road trip. And what an interesting road trip that was for Byron Kerr and I to discuss on this episode of the District 34 podcast. After taking three of four from the Mets in New York, the Nationals flew down to Miami...
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"Game of Thrones" Night coming to Nats Park

"Game of Thrones" Night coming to Nats Park
"Winter is Coming" on Friday, June 23, as the Nationals host the Reds at Nationals Park. It is "Game of Thrones" Night in D.C., and the first 20,000 fans who arrive will receive a Nats-themed "Game of Thrones" T-shirt. There will also be an authentic Iron Throne in the park that fans can sit on and act like they rule the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. The Nationals organization has also hidden 10 dragon eggs throughout the D.C. metro area. Inside each egg, there are special instructions on...
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Luke Erickson: Looking at the Hagerstown Suns at the half

Luke Erickson: Looking at the Hagerstown Suns at the half
For most baseball fans, the All-Star Game is considered the halfway point of the season. In the minors, that's this week for two of the four full-season affiliates - the Hagerstown Suns (low Single-A) and the Potomac Nationals (high Single-A). This week, we'll take a look at how the Suns have done and who might be moving up, then next week we'll examine the P-Nats. While winning is not the goal of the minors - development is - it's still something to shoot for and root for. For most of the...
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Opposite dugout: Marlins can hit for average, but power not producing enough

Opposite dugout: Marlins can hit for average, but power not producing enough
Manager: Don Mattingly (2nd season) Record: 30-37 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 2B Dee Gordon (.293 with 27 SB), LF Marcell Ozuna (18 HR, 49 RBIs), 1B Justin Bour (17 HR, 44 RBIs), RF Giancarlo Stanton (17 HR, .277/.358/.542), RHP AJ Ramos (4.30 ERA, 9 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-2 Pitching probables: June 19: RHP Tanner Roark vs. LHP Justin Nicolino, 7:10 p.m., MASN2June 20: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Edinson Volquez, 7:10 p.m., MASN2June 21: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Dan Straily,...
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David Huzzard: What will a closer cost the Nationals?

David Huzzard: What will a closer cost the Nationals?
Believe it or not, the Nationals don't have the worst bullpen in the majors. That isn't to forgive or forget just how bad the bullpen has been and how many leads they've blown, or that with even a league-average bullpen the Mets' recent hot streak wouldn't matter one bit. It is simply a fact. The Nats don't have the worst bullpen in the majors and it is going to cause them major issues when the trade deadline comes around. By ERA, the Twins have the worst bullpen in the majors at 5.39....
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Opposite dugout: Injuries have hurt Mets in quest to challenge for NL East lead

Opposite dugout: Injuries have hurt Mets in quest to challenge for NL East lead
Manager: Terry Collins (7th season) Record: 30-34 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 3B Wilmer Flores (.313), LF Yoenis Céspedes (.307/.391/.653 with 7 HR, 15 RBIs), CF Michael Conforto (.292/.410/.589 with 14 HR, 36 RBIs), RF Jay Bruce (17 HR, 45 RBIs), RHP Jacob deGrom (5-3, 4.33 ERA), RHP Addison Reed (2.62 ERA, 11 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-4 Pitching probables: June 15: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Robert Gsellman, 7:10 p.m., MASN June 16: RHP Max Scherzer vs. LHP Steven Matz,...
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Luke Erickson: Who's going to Auburn and West Palm Beach?

Luke Erickson: Who's going to Auburn and West Palm Beach?
Tonight is Day 3 of the First-Year Player Draft and what this means to me is discovering which of the players drafted by the Nationals will be on the rosters of the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals. That's it. I am well aware that this makes me an anomaly among some prospect followers, but consider this: I don't follow college baseball, which to me is like baseball the way 10-pin bowling is like candlepin bowling, nor do I care about the...
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Marty Niland: Difo's gaffe ranks with the most infamous in Nats history

Marty Niland: Difo's gaffe ranks with the most infamous in Nats history
The emotional roller coaster that is a Major League Baseball season hit its wildest stretch for Nationals fans over the past week. After the high of winning eight of their previous 10 games came the plummet of a three-game sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers, the franchise that skipped town in 1971, leaving Washington without baseball for 34 seasons. All those emotions were at play in Saturday's 6-3 11-inning loss to Texas. After a fine performance on the mound from Gio Gonzalez, a clutch...
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Opposite dugout: Braves starters have struggled but might have turned a corner

Opposite dugout: Braves starters have struggled but might have turned a corner
Manager: Brian Snitker (2nd year) Record: 27-35 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: C Tyler Flowers (.343/.450/.455), LF Matt Kemp (.326/.361/.549, 10 home runs, 31 RBIs), CF Ender Inciarte (.299/.354/.414, 10 stolen bases), RF Nick Markakis (.284/.361/.369, 15 doubles, 32 RBIs), RHP Jim Johnson (4-1, 3.38 ERA, 12 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-4 Pitching probables: June 12: RHP Mike Foltynewicz vs RHP Stephen Strasburg, 7:05 p.m., MASNJune 13: RHP R.A. Dickey vs. RHP Joe Ross, 7:05 p.m.,...
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Opposite dugout: Closer crashing, but Rangers still have the horses to make a run

Opposite dugout: Closer crashing, but Rangers still have the horses to make a run
Manager: Jeff Banister (3rd year) Record: 27-32 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: SS Elvis Andrus (.302/.345/.466, 15 doubles, 14 stolen bases), RF Nomar Mazara (.288/.352/.462, 38 RBIs), 3B Joey Gallo (.200/.300/.516, 17 home runs), LF Delino DeShields (.289/.352/.352, 10 stolen bases), RHP Matt Bush (2.49 ERA, six saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (1-2 in 2014) Pitching probables: June 9: RHP Andrew Cashner vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 7:05 p.m., MASN2June 10: LHP Martín Pérez...
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David Huzzard: Looking ahead to free agency after 2018 season

David Huzzard: Looking ahead to free agency after 2018 season
There is a lot of talk about where Bryce Harper will land when he becomes a free agent after the 2018 season. There is also a lot of discussion of who else is available and if a Golden State Warriors-like super team could be formed in Major League Baseball. It is perfectly possible. Daniel Murphy and Harper are scheduled to be free agents from the Nats, Manny Machado and Josh Donaldson will both be free agents at third base, Charlie Blackmon and Adam Jones will join Harper as available...
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Opposite dugout: Orioles start eight-game road trip with makeup in D.C.

Opposite dugout: Orioles start eight-game road trip with makeup in D.C.
Manager: Buck Showalter (8th season) Record: 31-26 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 2B Jonathan Schoop (.292 with 10 HR, 31 RBIs), RF Mark Trumbo (.264 with 8 HR, 29 RBIs), CF Adam Jones (.259 with 11 HR, 28 RBIs), RHP Alec Asher (2-3, 3.62 ERA), RHP Brad Brach (3.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 11 saves), RHP Mychal Givens (2.70 ERA, 10 holds) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-1 Pitching probables: June 8: RHP Alec Asher vs. RHP Joe Ross, 7:05 p.m., MASN Inside the Orioles: Before the Orioles head up to New...
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District 34 podcast: Nats cruising through West Coast swing

District 34 podcast: Nats cruising through West Coast swing
On what is usually considered a dreaded West Coast road trip, the Nationals have cruised to a 6-1 record through the first seven games, allowing us to slide into a new episode of the District 34 podcast. Byron Kerr and I are back to recap the Nats' West Coast swing so far, in which they are outscoring their opponents 44-29 over a three-game sweep of the Giants, winning two out of three against the Athletics and winning the opener versus the Dodgers. The lineup is slugging, the pitchers are...
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Luke Erickson: Is too much attention being paid to Tebow?

Luke Erickson: Is too much attention being paid to Tebow?
A lot of attention was paid this past weekend to the 29-year-old left fielder for the visiting Columbia Fireflies in a four-game series at the Nationals' Single-A Hagerstown affiliate, a matchup of the third-place team in the Southern Division against the first-place team in the Northern Division. From a baseball perspective, this is puzzling. After Sunday's game, he had 16 RBIs and 16 walks, 53 strikeouts and 53 total bases in 47 games. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) is .629 - roughly 60...
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Marty Niland: NL-best Nats should be well represented in All-Star Game

Marty Niland: NL-best Nats should be well represented in All-Star Game
These are great days to be a Nationals fan. Once upon a time, Washington was ridiculed as "first in war, first in peace and last in the American League." Now, after winning five of the first six games on their current West Coast road trip, the Nats are first in the National League, and first in just about everything else. At 35-20, the Nats have the edge on the 36-23 Rockies for the league's best record, and that's not all. Who is leading not only the National League but all of baseball in...
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Opposite dugout: As weather heats up, so have the Dodgers

Opposite dugout: As weather heats up, so have the Dodgers
Manager: Dave Roberts (2nd season) Record: 35-23 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: C Yasmani Grandal (.273 average with 6 HR, 24 RBIs); SS Corey Seager (.271 average with 55 hits); LF Cody Bellinger (12 HR, 31 RBIs); LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.28 ERA); RHP Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 3.38 ERA); RHP Kenley Jansen (1.17 ERA with 9 saves). Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (5-1 in 2016) Pitching probables: Monday, June 5: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu, 10:00 p.m., MASNTuesday, June 6:...
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David Huzzard: It's safe to love Zimmerman again

David Huzzard: It's safe to love Zimmerman again
Every now and then, my new life in Virginia Beach, Va., takes me down Princess Anne Road to West Neck Road and past Kellam High School. Whenever I drive that way, I think of Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. An autographed picture of him also hangs in my favorite seafood restaurant, Margie and Ray's, and after the last two seasons and before this one, whenever I thought of Zimmerman, I was filled with sadness. As a longtime fan of the Nationals, Zimmerman is a part of many of my best...
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Opposite dugout: Multiple problems have A's bringing up rear in AL West

Opposite dugout: Multiple problems have A's bringing up rear in AL West
Manager: Bob Melvin (7th year) Record: 23-30 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: 2B Jed Lowrie (.290/.360/.404, 16 2B), 1B Yonder Alonso (.285/.384/.642, 31 RBIs), LF Khris Davis (.219/.308/.503, 16 HR), RHP Sonny Gray (2-2, 4.72 ERA, 1.252 WHIP) RHP Santiago Casilla (4.66 ERA, 8 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-0 in 2014) Pitching probables: June 2: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Andrew Triggs, 10:05 p.m., MASN2. June 3: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Daniel Mengden, 4:05 p.m., MASN June...
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