washingtonpost.com - Nationals

Nationals Get Lost In All the Excitement

Chico Harlan — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 26 -- The Washington Nationals stepped into the froth of playoff intensity Friday night, and it was white, the color of 44,145 twirling towels. Everybody who passed into Citizens Bank Park received a towel. And everybody who got one used it a lot. The towels were screen-printed...

Mickey Vernon; Smooth Fielder, Hot Hitter for Senators

Matt Schudel — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Mickey Vernon, a star first baseman who was a two-time batting champion for the old Washington Senators, a longtime fan favorite and the first manager of the second-generation Senators of the 1960s, died Sept. 24 at Riddle Memorial Hospital in Media, Pa. He was 90 and had suffered a stroke last...

Nats Are in Danger of Losing More Than Just Games

Thomas Boswell — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Nationals should look straight in the mirror because this year has done so much damage to the relationship between the team and the fans that it simply cannot be repeated.

THE NATIONALS' UPCOMING SERIES

Post — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Outlook Philadelphia is 9-6 against the Nationals this season. Jamie Moyer will be making his fifth start against Washington, and is 2-0 with a 2.82 ERA in his previous 22 1/3 innings. Cole Hamels, meanwhile, has dominated the Nationals like no other pitcher: In 22 1/3 innings (three starts), he has...

In the End, Home Is A Fair Place to Play

Chico Harlan — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Only the rain, not home run balls, fell at Nationals Park last night, meaning the final shot to leave this stadium in its first year belonged to Florida's Josh Willingham, who blasted an eighth-inning Levale Speigner pitch some 360 feet on Wednesday night.

New Ballpark Didn't Mean Big Attendance

Chico Harlan — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Nationals play their final home game of the season, finishing a season with the poorest cumulative attendance for any team in the first year of a new ballpark.

No Cure for an Ailing Acta

Chico Harlan — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Manny Acta felt sick yesterday afternoon, but it was just a head cold, nothing serious, and so the Washington Nationals manager decided to shrug it off, coach his team, and bear witness to a different sort of malady. Assessing his condition pregame, Acta was all sniffles and coughs. The color...

NATIONALS REPORT

Post — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

ALL GAMES ON WFED (1500 AND 820 AM) First, SS Cristian Guzmán showed symptoms of the flu. Then, it spread. Yesterday, 3B Ryan Zimmerman was held out of the lineup, along with Guzmán, after catching the same bug. "Zimmerman is in real bad shape," Manager Manny Acta said, "so he won't be able to be...

Martis Bags 1st Big League Win

Chico Harlan — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Shairon Martis rebounds from a rough start to earn his first career victory, Ryan Zimmerman hits his 14th home run and the Nationals beat the Marlins, 9-4.

NATIONALS REPORT

Post — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

ALL GAMES ON WFED (1500 AND 820 AM) SS Cristian Guzmán was held out of the lineup last night because of the flu. Asked how he felt, Guzmán simply said, "I'm real sick." Alberto González started yesterday in Guzmán's place. . . . Two men on the business side of the organization -- Tom Ward, the...

Zimmermann, Davis Honored For Farm Work

Chico Harlan — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Washington Nationals prospects awarded yesterday with the organization's premier minor league awards both expressed gratitude for the honor. And that's about where their similarities ended. Jordan Zimmermann, the minor league pitcher of the year, is a 22-year-old whose accelerated rise through...

Nats' Cheap Seats Are No Substitute for Excitement

Raw Fisher — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

From Marc Fisher's blog, Raw fisher The Washington Nationals' inaugural season in their new ballpark has been an on-field disaster, a fan-experience success and a decent but not very exciting performer as a business. As this season-long adventure in player injuries comes to a close, the Lerner...

Team Hopes to Avoid Century Mark

Chico Harlan — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

For much of the last week, Washington Nationals players expressed hope that they could avoid a 100-loss season. There was just one problem: In between all of the talk, their daily performances brought them ever closer to the final, looming indignity of the year.

Lobbying for a Name Change for the Nationals

Post — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

As the local nine brings another dismal season to a close, David Epstein has a proposal that could make the team seem less like losers next year .

In Defeat, Pérez Finds Solace in Revived Career

Chico Harlan — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Kevin Kouzmanoff's three RBIs back Cha Seung Baek's strong start, and the Padres beat the Nationals, 6-2, Sunday to sweep a three-game series between the NL's worst teams.

For A. Boone, 'Neat Moment' Still Resonates

Chico Harlan — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Just as Yankee Stadium is shutting down, Aaron Boone is opening up about the one unforgettable moment he contributed to it.

Nats Shed Some Light on Most Recent Loss

Chico Harlan — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Chris Young allows just two hits in seven innings and hits the first home run of his career to lead the Padres to a 6-1 win over the woeful Nationals on Saturday night.

Syracuse Is Tabbed as Top Affiliate

Chico Harlan — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Nationals strike a deal yesterday with the Syracuse Chiefs to become their Class AAA affiliate, narrowing the spread of the organization's minor league system.

At Least for Now, Nationals Are the Worse Off

Chico Harlan — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

WASHINGTON -- Chase Headley had four hits, including a tie-breaking triple that keyed a five-run 14th inning, and the San Diego Padres beat the Washington Nationals 11-6 on Friday night.

Milledge May Be Placed in Corner for '09

Chico Harlan — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Nationals front office is considering moving center fielder Lastings Milledge to right or left field for the 2009 season.

Nationals Park Revenue Falls Short of the Mark

David Nakamura — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Washington Nationals' new ballpark is on pace to generate about $13.5 million in sales taxes for the District government in its inaugural season, well below the $16.1 million city officials had projected when the ballpark was under construction.

Nationals Let the Mets Get Away With a Split

Marc Carig — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Only time will tell if the New York Mets allow themselves to repeat last year's epic collapse. But on Thursday night, they made one thing clear. If the Mets fade away again, the Washington Nationals will have nothing to do with it. Not this time.

NATIONALS REPORT

Post — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

ALL GAMES ON WFED (1500 AM) SEE PITCHING MATCHUPS ON E9

Hanrahan Hopes to End Discussion

Marc Carig and Chico Harlan — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Washington Nationals Manager Manny Acta said that Joel Hanrahan's role for next season is far from decided. But the hard-throwing right-hander made perhaps his strongest case yet for keeping the closer's job next season.

THE NATIONALS' UPCOMING SERIES

Post — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Outlook After spending the last four nights playing a part in determining postseason fates, the Nationals will turn their attention toward influencing another kind of race all together -- which team chooses first overall in next June's first-year player draft. Washington faces San Diego in a matchup...

Nationals Make Mets Work Hard for the Win

Marc Carig — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Mets bullpen nearly blows another lead, but Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado combine for four home runs as New York beats the Nationals, 9-7.

Kearns Joins Three Others Who Are Done

Marc Carig — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Austin Kearns's season ends Wednesday, when the Nationals announce that Kearns, along with Jesus Flores, Dmitri Young and Ronnie Belliard, are shut down for the rest of the season.

Nationals Report

Post — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

ALL GAMES ON WFED (1500 AND 820 AM) Third base coach Tim Tolman returned to his duties last night after missing the last two games so he could tend to a family matter in California. Rick Eckstein filled in during Tolman's absence.

2009 Nationals Schedule

Post — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Game times not announced

Hinckley And Pérez Keep Mets At Bay

Chico Harlan — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Odalis Perez shuts down the slumping Mets into the eighth inning and scores the only run of the game, sending the Nationals to a 1-0 victory Tuesday night.

Cause For Concern

Thomas Boswell — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Ted Lerner sat in Nationals Park last night, as fascinated with his team and as optimistic about it, despite its 57-93 record, as he has ever been. "Our objective has been the same since the first day," he said. "We are creating a fine organization from top to bottom and we think we're going in the...

Hernández Playing Way Into '09 Mix

Chico Harlan — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Since coming to Washington from the New York Mets in a trade for Luis Ayala, Anderson Hernández has had the best month of his professional life -- a period so transforming that his old team barely recognizes him and his new team has re-imagined his role.

Nationals Report

Post — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

GAMES ON WWWT (107.7 FM, 1500 AM) TONIGHT; WFED (1050 AM) BEGINNING TOMORROW

For Nats' Lannan, Change Is Good

Marc Carig — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

When executed properly, the change-up can render even the most powerful hitter helpless. But when it's not, it can easily turn pitches into piñatas.

Flores, Young Likely Done For the Year

Marc Carig — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Though he stopped short of completely ruling out a return before season's end, Washington Nationals Manager Manny Acta conceded for the first time yesterday that Jesús Flores and Dmitri Young are likely done for the season.

A 'Meltdown' in Miami

Chico Harlan — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Josh Willingham drives in the go-ahead run to help the Marlins rally past the Nationals, 8-7, completing a run in which the Marlins scored seven runs off four Washington relievers in the eighth.

Nationals Report

Post — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

ALL GAMES ON WWWT (107.7 FM, 1500 AM) More than a week after straining his groin while running down the first base line, Ronnie Belliard is no closer to returning. And the Nationals are all the more certain that Belliard won't be ready to play before the season ends. . . . 1B Dmitri Young has been...

Hurricane Ike Hits Home For Mock And Family

Chico Harlan — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Garrett Mock is from Houston -- "It is home," the Washington Nationals' reliever said -- but all of a sudden, what he knows of the city bears little resemblance to what it has become after Hurricane Ike.

THE NATIONALS' UPCOMING SERIES

Post — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Outlook The first-place Mets return for their final series against Washington just one week after their spicy two-game set (which included a combined 41 runs) at Shea. The Mets have won 10 of their 14 games against the Nationals this season. New York has averaged 11 runs over the past four meetings,...

The Vince Young Saga: a Misunderstanding or a Real Cry for Help?

George Solomon — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Tennessee Titans Coach Jeff Fisher called Le Affair de Vince a "complete misunderstanding." Titans third-year quarterback Vince Young said his disappearance for more than 24 hours after spraining his left knee and being booed in his home stadium during his team's 17-10 victory over Jacksonville was...

WHEN IT CLICKED | Jamey Carroll, Cleveland Indians

Post — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Washington Nationals fans still recall wistfully Carroll's one season in D.C. -- the inaugural year, 2005 -- when the diminutive reserve infielder became a favorite of fans, as well as then-manager Frank Robinson, for his defensive acumen and scrappiness. Carroll says he always has played the game...

Power Ball: Marlins Still Have Nats' Number

Chico Harlan — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

Tim Redding pitches six innings for the Nats but pays for early troubles as the Marlins score all their runs in the first two innings of a 4-2 win.

Potomac Title Is Something To Build On

Chico Harlan — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

For Washington's front office, the Potomac Nationals' title season affirms the legitimacy of talent at the organization's lower levels.