Josh Land

Patrick Reddington: Mark Melancon credits cutter for his career success

Patrick Reddington: Mark Melancon credits cutter for his career success
With a scoreless ninth inning last night in Atlanta, new Washington Nationals closer Mark Melancon has retired 23 of the 27 batters he's faced since he was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates. When the 31-year-old right-hander has talked about the turning point for him in his career, he's pointed to the development of his cutter, as he did in an MLB Network Radio interview following the trade that brought him to the Nationals last month when he was asked what changed for him once he got to...
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Josh Land

Opposite dugout: Braves looking toward promise of 2017

Opposite dugout: Braves looking toward promise of 2017
Manager: Brian Snitker (1st season) Record: 44-76 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 1B Freddie Freeman (.288 average, 24 HR, 128 hits); RF Nick Markakis (.269 average, 29 doubles, 64 RBIs); CF Ender Inciarte (95 hits, .270 average); RHP Robert Whalen (1-1, 7.31 ERA). Season series vs. Nationals: 1-8 Pitching probables: August 18: RHP Reynaldo Lopez vs. RHP Rob Whalen, 7:10 p.m., MASNAugust 19: RHP Tanner Roark vs. RHP Julio Teheran, 7:35 p.m., MASNAugust 20: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Tyrell...
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Josh Land

David Huzzard: Pitching depth should be arranged for likely postseason trip

David Huzzard: Pitching depth should be arranged for likely postseason trip
It is still a little early to start talking about the playoffs, but let's face it - despite a minor bump in the road in Colorado, the Nationals have the National League East division all but wrapped up. One of the main questions for the playoffs is who will be on the pitching staff. It can be said with almost near certainty that Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Tanner Roark will be the top three. Joe Ross is still working his way back from injury and Gio Gonzalez has been wildly...
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Josh Land

Charlie Fliegel: Harper's exit velocity is trending up, and so are his numbers

Charlie Fliegel: Harper's exit velocity is trending up, and so are his numbers
A game in the thin air of Colorado is all a hitter needs to get his swing back, right? Bryce Harper got to play the Rockies, and had two hard-hit doubles, so maybe it's true. Obviously, one good night hitting, especially one in Denver, is probably not the best way to judge how well someone is hitting. There are, however, some actual signs that he is emerging from a slump - signs that are less likely to be attributed to just luck. But they have little to do with the thin air of Coors...
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Bobby Blanco

District 34 podcast: Mark Zuckerman discusses Jonathan Papelbon (updated)

District 34 podcast: Mark Zuckerman discusses Jonathan Papelbon (updated)
We've got a special treat for you on our 10th episode of the District 34 podcast: MASNsports.com's Nationals beat writer Mark Zuckerman calls in to the show! With Byron Kerr out in Denver covering the Nats' series with the Rockies (and maybe or maybe not taking in some Broncos training camp), Mark was able to join me before he left for Atlanta. Our main talking point: the release of Jonathan Papelbon. Due to previously scheduled time off last weekend, Mark was not able to give you, the fans,...
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Pete Kerzel

Construction continues at West Palm Beach facility, but Astros and Nats making contingency plans

Construction continues at West Palm Beach facility, but Astros and Nats making contingency plans
Construction at The Ballpark at the Palm Beaches, the new spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., that the Nationals will share with the Astros, is progressing. According to photos shot earlier this summer, the outfield walls are taking shape and practice fields are clearly visible on the 160-acre parcel. But according to this article in the Palm Beach Post, both the Astros and Nationals are making contingency plans in case the ballpark is not ready to host workouts in mid-February...
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Josh Land

Steve Mears: Some stats aren't fair to Trea Turner

Steve Mears: Some stats aren't fair to Trea Turner
The standard statistics we have will never be fair to a player like Trea Turner. Trust me, he is not complaining, but you look at a player who puts extreme pressure on the defense to rush their throws on infield grounders and those throwing errors never get credited to the batter when they are forced. Those E-5s and E-6s count the same as outs against Turner's batting average. The other statistic that does not give the appropriate credit to a speedster is stolen bases. They say when Turner is...
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Bobby Blanco

Opposite dugout: Poor pitching has held back Rockies' powerful bats

Opposite dugout: Poor pitching has held back Rockies' powerful bats
Manager: Walt Weiss (4th season) Record: 56-62 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: 3B Nolan Arenado (.282/.354/.556 with 30 HR, 93 RBIs), 2B DJ LeMahieu (.331/.405/.477 with 43 RBIs), RF Carlos Gonzalez (.323/.371/.568 with 23 HR, 79 RBIs), RHP Chad Bettis (10-6, 5.27 ERA), LHP Boone Logan (2.86 ERA with 20 holds) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (3-3 in 2015) Pitching probables: Aug. 15: RHP Max Scherzer vs. LHP Jorge De La Rosa, 8:40 p.m., MASN Aug. 16: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Chad...
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Josh Land

Patrick Reddington: What now for Jonathan Papelbon?

Patrick Reddington: What now for Jonathan Papelbon?
In five appearances out of Washington's bullpen, new closer Mark Melancon has thrown five scoreless innings, striking out seven and allowing just one hit from the 16 batters he's faced. Acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates to take over as the Nationals closer, Melancon has provided exactly what he was expected to. "He's not doing anything different than he was before we got him," Dusty Baker told reporters earlier this week. "He doesn't give up a lot of hits... very few walks, and he has...
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Bobby Blanco

Opposite dugout: New-look Braves face Nats for first time in four months

Opposite dugout: New-look Braves face Nats for first time in four months
Manager: Brian Snitker (interim manager) Record: 43-72 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 1B Freddie Freeman (.281/.371/.521 with 21HR, 49 RBIs), RF Nick Markakis (.274 /.348/.388 with 62 RBIs), 3B Adonis Garcia (9 HR, 39 RBIs), RHP Mike Foltynewicz (5-5, 4.837 ERA), RHP Jim Johnson (3.61 ERA with 9 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 0-6 Pitching probables: Aug. 12: RHP Mike Foltynewicz vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 13: RHP Rob Whalen vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug....
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Josh Land

David Huzzard: The Nats offense doesn't get enough credit

David Huzzard: The Nats offense doesn't get enough credit
It should come as no surprise that the same debates about the Nationals are being had in 2016 that were had in 2012 and 2014 as Mike Rizzo built very similar teams. Even the 2013 and 2015 Nationals that failed to make the playoffs were similar. The Nats offense always seems to be in the top half of the league and the success of the team depends on the performance of the pitching. The debate in all those years has always been about the offense. Yesterday morning, I woke up and saw multiple...
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Josh Land

Charlie Fliegel: Nationals may be most balanced team in National League

Charlie Fliegel: Nationals may be most balanced team in National League
With 50 games left in the season and the playoffs approaching, if you want to worry about the Nationals, you can certainly find something. They scored a total of three runs in their last three games, and they are getting no production out of first base, or, since May, Bryce Harper. Their bullpen looked shaky when their closer was injured and when he came back and couldn't produce, although it seems like they've remedied this. However, the Nats remain atop the division, with the second-best...
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Josh Land

Steve Mears: Looking at candidates for a fifth starter in D.C.

Steve Mears: Looking at candidates for a fifth starter in D.C.
One week from today, the Washington Nationals will need a fifth starter for their rotation, and we found out that Joe Ross will not be ready to return to the rotation any time soon due to soreness in his throwing shoulder. To complicate matters, the location for this August 16th game is none other than Coors Field in Colorado, where even aces have been humbled by the altitude. To complicate matters further, the Nats will probably need this fifth starter for a while as the schedule does not have...
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Bobby Blanco

Opposite dugout: Indians now clinging to lead in AL Central

Opposite dugout: Indians now clinging to lead in AL Central
Manager: Terry Francona (4th season) Record: 62-47 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: SS Francisco Lindor (.306/.356/.450 with 13 HR, 55 RBIs), 3B Jose Ramirez (.302 /.360/.428 with 44 RBIs), 1B Mike Napoli (28 HR, 79 RBIs), RHP Josh Tomlin (11-4, 3.81 ERA), RHP Cody Allen (2.49 ERA with 20 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-1 Pitching probables: Aug. 9: RHP Trevor Bauer vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 10: RHP Josh Tomlin vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 4:05 p.m., MASN Inside the Indians: The...
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Josh Land

Marty Niland: In a postseason atmosphere, Nats come up big


Marty Niland: In a postseason atmosphere, Nats come up big

Sunday's game against the San Francisco Giants was the kind of game the Nationals needed badly to win this season. Although they had the second-best record in all of baseball and the second-largest division lead in the National League, seven games over the Miami Marlins, the Nats needed to distinguish themselves from another top team. So in a game pitting two evenly matched division leaders, in which heroes of big games past had a chance to do it again, the Nats made the plays the Giants...
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Josh Land

Patrick Reddington: Baker and Rizzo on Melancon's role with Nats

Patrick Reddington: Baker and Rizzo on Melancon's role with Nats
In his two relief appearances for the Washington Nationals since he was acquired last weekend, new closer Mark Melancon has taken the mound with 14-1 and 8-3 leads. Not exactly high-leverage situations, but he's thrown two scoreless innings in relief for the Nationals on 25 pitches, giving up one hit and striking out three. Dusty Baker was impressed with the right-hander's Nationals debut. "Same stuff we saw on the other side," Baker said. "We know he throws strikes and we know he's tough...
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Bobby Blanco

Opposite dugout: Giants make pitching changes for another title push

Opposite dugout: Giants make pitching changes for another title push
Manager: Bruce Bochy (10th season) Record: 62-46 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: C Buster Posey (.291/.364/.463 with 12 HR, 50 RBIs), 1B Brandon Belt (.283 /.395/.481 with 12 HR, 53 RBIs), SS Brandon Crawford (10 HR, 67 RBIs), LHP Madison Bumgarner (10-6, 2.25 ERA), RHP Santiago Casilla (2.98 ERA with 25 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-2 Pitching probables: Aug. 5: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Jeff Samardija, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 6: RHP Stephen Strasburg vs. RHP Matt Cain, 7:05 p.m., MASN...
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Bobby Blanco

District 34 podcast: Nationals' youth movement and another Giants showdown

District 34 podcast: Nationals' youth movement and another Giants showdown
This week's episode of the District 34 podcast is full of good vibes. The Nationals are coming off a 6-3 road trip that included stops in Cleveland, San Francisco and Arizona. While they split the series against the fellow division-leading Indians and Giants, they took care of business in Phoenix by sweeping the last-place Diamondbacks. The Nats finally had a successful West Coast swing, and it could not have come at a better time entering the dog days of August. They now stand 20 games above...
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Josh Land

David Huzzard: Nationals aren't flashy, but keep on winning

David Huzzard: Nationals aren't flashy, but keep on winning
If you had asked me where the Nationals were in comparison to the rest of baseball, I'd have guessed they had the fourth or fifth best record in baseball. I knew they were behind the Cubs and figured there were a couple other teams ahead of them. So it surprised me when, leading up to the deadline, I kept hearing about how they had the second best record in baseball. The Nationals are a better team than we realize. I can't say exactly why that is, but I have some ideas. The first is no one...
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Josh Land

Charlie Fliegel: Veteran Werth still holds great value in Nats lineup

Charlie Fliegel: Veteran Werth still holds great value in Nats lineup
At the beginning of this season, there were doubts that Jayson Werth could be an effective hitter anymore. He looked lost for much of the previous year, he was entering his age 37 season, and a repeat of his .685 OPS could've easily sunk the Nationals' playoff chances. As this season began, he seemed to fulfill those expectations. He appeared pretty lost at the plate in April and May - he hit a few home runs, but he wasn't getting on base much at all. He only managed to post a .225/.280/.410...
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