Insights from Doolittle and Menhart at Nats Winterfest

Insights from Doolittle and Menhart at Nats Winterfest
Here are some great insights from the Nats Winterfest last week at Nationals Park. Closer Sean Doolittle shared about his time starting out in pro baseball when he arrived as a hitter. After suffering through several injuries, it was suggested to Doolittle that he switch from position player to pitcher. He then slowly made the transformation and got himself to the big leagues. "I definitely took the scenic route to get to the major leagues," Doolittle said on 106.7 The Fan on Sunday. "In...

Hudson motivated to recreate 2019 run in return to Nats

Hudson motivated to recreate 2019 run in return to Nats
The Nationals officially announced the re-signing of reliever Daniel Hudson this morning. The pitcher that recorded the final three outs in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series to send the Nats to their first title comes back to D.C. on a two-year contract worth a reported $11 million. Hudson was a major part of literally saving the Nats' regular season and then decisively ending the final game with a swinging strikeout of the Astros' Michael Brantley. He went 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA with six saves in...

Doolittle impressed with additions to Nats bullpen

Doolittle impressed with additions to Nats bullpen
Like most of the Nationals, there was far more rest than post-postseason shenanigans for reliever Sean Doolittle. And considering how much Doolittle pitched down the stretch and how much the Nationals relied on him in the postseason, the left-handed definitely needed the mental floss in the formative weeks of the offseason. But as the calendar turned to December and the bulk of baseball's roster machinations, Doolittle took careful note of what the Nationals were doing -specifically, how much...

Remade bullpen looks promising, but is it enough?

Remade bullpen looks promising, but is it enough?
The Nationals bullpen, way back on July 30, 2019, was a mess. Sean Doolittle was beginning to show signs of fatigue from his excessive (but necessary) workload through the season's first four months. Fernando Rodney was his setup man and occasional fill-in closer. Wander Suero was pitching nearly every night. The rest of the unit included Tanner Rainey, Javy Guerra, Tony Sipp, Matt Grace and Michael Blazek. So Mike Rizzo, as he has been forced to do more than once during his tenure as general...

Best of 2019: April 9 comeback win at Philly

Best of 2019: April 9 comeback win at Philly
Entering final week of 2019, let's take a look back at some of the most exciting and intriguing regular season wins for the Nationals on their road to their first World Series title. We will focus on a handful signature wins, looking at one or two from each month. Here a few of the best regular season victories of 2019. We start with a comeback thriller in Philadelphia. No. 5: April 9, 2019: Nationals 10, Phillies 6 (10) Stephen Strasburg allowed six runs early and the Nats found themselves...

Will new reliever rule keep Nats from adding another lefty?

Will new reliever rule keep Nats from adding another lefty?
It feels like the Nationals have perpetually been searching for a left-handed reliever who can consistently get left-handed hitters out. Because they have. Sure, there have been a few guys over the years who have been successful: Mike Gonzalez in 2012, Matt Thornton in 2014, Sean Burnett and Sean Doolittle over multiple years. But there have been far more failures than successes in this department: Enny Romero, Sammy Solís, Tim Collins, Tony Sipp, Matt Grace, Dan Jennings, Tom Gorzelanny,...

Rizzo wants to improve bullpen now, not next summer

Rizzo wants to improve bullpen now, not next summer
SAN DIEGO - The Nationals won the World Series despite boasting - if that's the proper word for it - the majors' worst bullpen during the regular season. They managed to pull that remarkable feat off thanks to two key developments along the way: The acquisition of Daniel Hudson at the July 31 trade deadline, and the willingness of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin to make a combined seven relief appearances in between their respective starts during the postseason. Somehow, it...

Overworked early, Doolittle rested and returned to form late

Overworked early, Doolittle rested and returned to form late
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Sean Doolittle, who was overused early, saw his season fall apart during the late summer but then returned healthy and effective at the end. PLAYER REVIEW: SEAN DOOLITTLE Age on opening day 2020: 33 How acquired: Traded with Ryan Madson from Athletics for Blake Treinen, Jesús Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse, July 2017 MLB service time: 7 years, 122...

How Condra-Bogan's fastball compares to Doolittle's four-seamer

How Condra-Bogan's fastball compares to Doolittle's four-seamer
We continue our conversations with top Nationals prospects with Jacob Condra-Bogan. The first part of our sitdown is a look back on a very good campaign for the Duncan, S.C., native. The right-hander was acquired in 2018 in a trade with the Royals. He is a reliever who can fire upper 90s with his fastball on a consistent basis. Condra-Bogan sits at 95 mph with his fastball and can reach back for 97-98 mph. Condra-Bogan pitched in 38 games over 62 1/3 innings at Double-A Harrisburg, finishing...

Kendrick earns first Heart and Hustle Award

Kendrick earns first Heart and Hustle Award
The accolades continue to arrive for Nationals utility infielder Howie Kendrick. Last night in New York City, Kendrick was honored for the first time in his career as the recipient of the 2019 Heart and Hustle Award. The award, voted on by former players, is given to "active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and tradition of the game." Kendrick, the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player, worked off the field with...

Strasburg opts out; Nats decline options on Zimmerman, Gomes

Strasburg opts out; Nats decline options on Zimmerman, Gomes
Only hours after riding through a sea of red-clad fans and then speaking from his heart during the club's World Series celebration parade and rally, Stephen Strasburg opted out of the remainder of his contract with the Nationals and officially became a free agent. The opt-out, first reported by MLB.com and confirmed by a source familiar with the move, had been expected for some time. Strasburg had four years and $100 million ($40 million of which was deferred through 2030) remaining on the...

Memories from the greatest month in Nationals history

Memories from the greatest month in Nationals history
It's been roughly 32 hours now since the Nationals won the World Series, and I'm not sure it's really sunk in to anyone yet that it actually happened. Everything remains such a blur, the tension of the first six innings of Game 7, the shock of the three-batter sequence that flipped the game in the Nats' favor in the top of the seventh, the nervous energy of waiting for those final nine outs to be recorded and then the celebration that ensued. Really, the entire postseason remains a blur....

"It had to be this way": Remarkable season comes down to Game 7

"It had to be this way": Remarkable season comes down to Game 7
HOUSTON - Sean Doolittle was holding court with a large group of reporters long after Game 6 had ended Tuesday night. There were some familiar faces in attendance, but most of those interviewing the veteran reliever don't regularly cover the Nationals and perhaps are just now starting to get a real sense of what this 2019 campaign has been like. Was Doolittle surprised, someone asked, that the World Series was now going to a decisive Game 7? He was not. "For the people that followed the team...

Nationals go for broke and take Game 1 of World Series (updated)

Nationals go for broke and take Game 1 of World Series (updated)
HOUSTON - It's been his mantra all season long, certainly since May 24 and most definitely throughout October. Davey Martinez gets mocked at times for insisting his Nationals simply try to "go 1-0 today," but there's a method to his madness. And you can't dispute the results. And just because they were in the World Series for the first time in franchise history tonight, the Nationals and their manager weren't about to start changing philosophies now. When the opportunity presented itself...

Hudson and Doolittle fine with sharing closing role

Hudson and Doolittle fine with sharing closing role
The strength of the Nationals bullpen heading into the World Series boils down to Daniel Hudson and Sean Doolittle. Hudson has been a difference maker for the 'pen since his arrival July 31 in a trade with the Blue Jays. Hudson not only provided an arm that could close games but also brought the endurance to be a reliever that could extend past one inning if needed. Doolittle said Hudson's addition changed everything for him. Doolittle missed 12 games in late August due to right knee...

Nats vs. Astros: World Series tale of the tape

Nats vs. Astros: World Series tale of the tape
The matchup is now set. After a thrilling Game 6 victory over the Yankees late Saturday night, the Astros captured their second American League pennant in three years and thus advanced to the 2019 World Series to face the very well rested Nationals, who today will work out and meet with a throng of media members at Minute Maid Park, with Game 1 of the Fall Classic set for 8:08 p.m. Tuesday. This World Series may not appeal as much to casual observers and television executives as, say,...

Nats trying to maintain edge during long break before World Series

Nats trying to maintain edge during long break before World Series
On Tuesday night, they celebrated like they'd never celebrated before. Which was appropriate, considering they'd never won the National League pennant before. So what did the Nationals do on Wednesday? "Nothing," reliever Sean Doolittle said. "Nothing. I woke up at like 11, I took the dogs for a walk and grabbed some bagels from Bethesda Bagels, and then realized that I didn't have anything to do. So I went back to bed and slept until 5:30." Suffice it to say, the Nats happily took a day...

When it mattered most, reworked bullpen delivered the biggest outs

When it mattered most, reworked bullpen delivered the biggest outs
The Nationals advanced to the World Series on Tuesday night with a 7-4 victory and a sweep of the National League Championship Series over the Cardinals. They punched their ticket to the Fall Classic with a big first inning, solid pitching from Patrick Corbin and four impressive shutout innings from their bullpen. Tanner Rainey relieved Corbin in the sixth and delivered a clean inning with a strikeout. Sean Doolittle came in for the seventh and even notched two more outs in the eighth. And...

Pennant party: Nats sweep Cards, reach first World Series (updated)

Pennant party: Nats sweep Cards, reach first World Series (updated)
For a team that had to scratch and claw its way back from a 19-31 start to the season, that had to excel in late September to clinch a spot in the National League wild card game, that had to come from behind to win that do-or-die game against the Brewers and that had to come from behind again to win a do-or-die game against the Dodgers to capture its first ever postseason series, this felt too easy. Up seven runs in the first inning in search of a four-game sweep of the NL Championship Series?...

Corbin knows Cards well, Robles good to go, Hudson and Doolittle rested

Corbin knows Cards well, Robles good to go, Hudson and Doolittle rested
Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin defeated the Cardinals on Sept. 17 at Busch Stadium by throwing six strong innings and allowing only two unearned runs. He struck out 11 and walked four in a 6-2 Nationals victory. The former DIamondback gets his second start of the postseason tonight in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. "Yeah, we just played them a month or so ago," Corbin said. "I'll just try to go over film and go over what I did do well and what I didn't do well. At...