15-year journey to the World Series was worth the wait

15-year journey to the World Series was worth the wait
On March 30, 2008, a wide-eyed young third baseman named Ryan Zimmerman christened the brand-new Nationals Park with a walk-off homer against Braves reliever Peter Moylan. In that moment, as the 23-year-old "Face of the Franchise" circled the bases to a thunderous roar, it was impossible not to wonder if this was merely first of many more thrilling moments to come in that ballpark. Surely there would be pennant races and October clinchers and maybe even a World Series contested on these...

Lerner never considered firing Martinez, wants to re-sign Rendon

Lerner never considered firing Martinez, wants to re-sign Rendon
During those dark days of late May, when the Nationals owned the second-worst record in the National League and calls for change were growing from outside the organization, Mark Lerner did exactly what the clubhouse did. He stuck with his guys, especially manager Davey Martinez. "It never crossed my mind to dismiss Davey, no matter all the pressure that was put on us," Lerner, the Nationals' managing principal owner, said this evening before Game 4 of the National League Championship Series....

Nationals clubhouse supports plan to extend netting

Nationals clubhouse supports plan to extend netting
The Nationals were at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago last week when a foul ball went screaming into the stands down the third base line and struck a woman, who then needed to be hospitalized. Players had long expressed concerns about dangerous moments like that and supported the idea of extending protective nets at ballparks farther down the lines, and that incident only bolstered their opinion. So today's announcement by managing principal owner Mark Lerner that the club will extend the...

Nationals plan to extend protective netting by early July

Nationals plan to extend protective netting by early July
In a letter to fans from principal owner Mark D. Lerner, the Nationals today announced a plan to extend protective netting, which currently ends at each dugout, to just prior the left and right field foul poles at Nationals Park. The new Ultra Cross Knotless Dyneema protective netting will offer a better viewing experience while also providing a higher degree of protection for fans from flying baseballs and bats that go into the stands. The new netting is expected to be installed during the...

Report: Lerner says Nats, Harper reps have not spoken in months

Report: Lerner says Nats, Harper reps have not spoken in months
The door is still not shut. Or ... It's over. Time to move on. The latter message seemed to be the stronger of the two from Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner speaking to NBC Sports Washington today regarding the free agency destination possibilities for Bryce Harper, who has played his entire career with the Nationals. Lerner spoke to NBC Sports Washington and said that the team made an offer to Harper and agent Scott Boras back in October, but have not "heard from them in a couple of...

Lerner suggests Harper unlikely to re-sign with Nationals

Lerner suggests Harper unlikely to re-sign with Nationals
The odds of Bryce Harper re-signing with the Nationals once he became a free agent always felt long, not with some of baseball's most iconic and cash-infused franchises certain to be involved in a bidding war for a 26-year-old seeking the biggest contract in American sports history. But it wasn't until today that a prominent member of the Nationals front office explicitly put into words the expectation that Harper will be playing elsewhere in 2019. Mark Lerner, the Nationals' managing...

Lerner on All-Star Game week: "It worked out beautifully"

Lerner on All-Star Game week: "It worked out beautifully"
Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner said having the 89th All-Star Game at Nationals Park has been an event he will never forget and he is very proud of the way the organization planned, prepared and executed the event. "Incredible. I mean it's just beyond my wildest dreams," Lerner said during pregame Tuesday. "Glad that it worked out beautifully. It's been a class event top to bottom. The years of work that our staff has put in shows. It has been great working with MLB. The commissioner...

Some random thoughts about the All-Star festivities in D.C.

Some random thoughts about the All-Star festivities in D.C.
Some random observations about the All-Star Game festivities at Nationals Park from a writer covering his first Midsummer Classic ... * Though I really hate it when I see a team's jersey that's not one of the teams playing in a game - say, an interloper in Yankees pinstripes at a Reds-Nationals game - it's been fun to see jerseys from all 30 major league teams already at Nationals Park. I've even seen a few retro throwbacks - think Senators, Browns, Expos, Pilots - for teams who have long...

An ownership change in name, but not in intentions

An ownership change in name, but not in intentions
TORONTO - From the day he purchased the Nationals from Major League Baseball in 2006, Ted Lerner made it clear this would - and always would - be a family-run operation. Though the patriarch of one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Washington would have final say over any organizational decisions, he insisted none would be made without consultation of the seven other top members of the club's ownership group: his wife, Annette; his son, Mark; his daughters, Debra and Marla;...

Mark Lerner takes over as managing principal owner of Nationals

Mark Lerner takes over as managing principal owner of Nationals
The Nationals have announced that Mark D. Lerner will take over as the managing principal owner of the club from his father, Theodore N. Lerner. Mark Lerner has been one of the principal owners since the family purchased the Nationals in July 2006. Major League Baseball has formally approved him earlier today during the quarterly ownership meeting in New York City. "Owning a baseball team in my hometown had long been a dream of mine," said Ted Lerner in a team-issued press release. "Twelve...

Murphy calls first cuts on field "a really positive sign"

Murphy calls first cuts on field "a really positive sign"
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Daniel Murphy passed another hurdle in his recovery from debridement and microfracture surgery on his right knee on Saturday morning, hitting on a field for the first time in spring training. Batting in a foursome that included Adam Eaton, Bryce Harper and Matt Wieters, Murphy and his mates hit for about 25 minutes off bullpen catcher Nilson Robledo on Field 2 at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. "It felt good.," Murphy said. "It's nice the see ball flight...

Nats principal owner Mark Lerner reveals cancer, leg amputation

Nats principal owner Mark Lerner reveals cancer, leg amputation
SAN DIEGO - Nationals vice chairman and principal owner Mark Lerner, the most visible member of the franchise's family ownership group, revealed tonight why he has been absent from public view for much of the season: Lerner has been battling cancer in his left leg for months and recently needed to have the limb amputated above the knee. "Thanks very much for your concern and good wishes," Lerner wrote in a letter provided to MASNsports.com through a club spokeswoman. "I know you recognize...

Picking of the pace of the game is easier said than done

Picking of the pace of the game is easier said than done
Commissioner Rob Manfred is determined to pick up the pace of the game, apparently to keep the interest of the younger generation. It is a good idea to be progressive, as long as Manfred doesn't get extreme. Games are slower. This season, the average time of game is 3 hours, 5 minutes, five minutes longer than last season. In 2015, Manfred's first year as commissioner, the average time was 2 hours, 56 minutes. Manfred is more interested in picking up the pace of the game, getting rid of dead...

News and notes before today's series finale (Nats lose 10-4)

News and notes before today's series finale (Nats lose 10-4)
PITTSBURGH - It's not uncommon for veteran players to get a day game off after a night game. And given the Nationals' current schedule, with no break between today's series finale against the Pirates and Friday's series opener against the Braves, it's not surprising that Dusty Baker decided to sit both Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman. It does, however, create an imperfect lineup for today's game, with Brian Goodwin batting second, in front of Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Daniel...

Nats fans respond to team's pleas with electric postseason crowd

Nats fans respond to team's pleas with electric postseason crowd
Come early. Wear red. Be loud. Stay for the whole game. That was the message the Nationals and some in the local media were trying to get across to fans before the National League Division Series against the Dodgers began Friday in D.C. Message received. Nationals fans were out in full force for Game 1 at Nats Park, and although the Dodgers jumped out to an early lead and won the game 4-3, the stadium was electric throughout, with fans standing and being loud from the start. And the Nationals...

Mark Lerner discusses Jonathan Papelbon-Bryce Harper fight

Mark Lerner discusses Jonathan Papelbon-Bryce Harper fight
I texted a good buddy of mine yesterday asking whether I would see him and his sons at Nationals Winterfest this weekend. I inquired because this friend is a staunch Nats fan - the kind with a lower-level, full-season ticket plan who also makes the yearly pilgrimage along with his boys to spring training. This guy and his family love the Nationals, so naturally I figured to see them decked out in their Bryce Harper jerseys and curly W caps at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center over the...

Lerner, Rizzo among Nats reps present for groundbreaking at new spring complex

Lerner, Rizzo among Nats reps present for groundbreaking at new spring complex
This morning in West Palm Beach, Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner and president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo were joined by Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and representatives of the Houston Astros at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new spring training complex the two teams will share. If there are no delays in construciton, the $135 million facility is expected to be ready in time for Grapefruit League action in 2017. Manfred and the Nationals and Astros officials...

Span gearing up, no regrets for Suarez, plus 30 more grapefruits

Span gearing up, no regrets for Suarez, plus 30 more grapefruits
Denard Span is coming off an outstanding season in 2014. His 184 hits tied Philadelphia's Ben Revere for most in the National League. For the year, Span batted .302 with 39 doubles and 31 stolen bases, and once again played stellar defense in center field. In early December, Span underwent surgery to repair a nagging sports hernia. On Tuesday, Span appeared on MLB Network's "Hot Stove" and provided an update on his recovery. "I'm working towards Day One being able to work through all the...

Reaction during NL East postgame celebration

Reaction during NL East postgame celebration
ATLANTA - With a 3-0 win over the Braves, the Nationals clinched their second National League East title in three years. Here is some postgame reaction from the clubhouse. Manager Matt Williams On whether he imagined this being possible: "With this team, I could imagine, yeah. I know there was a lot of hard work along the way. There was some trials and tribulations, too, but I am very proud of them. They've taken ownership of the way they want to play this game and how they go about and...

Lerner: Nats will not seek temporary spring training site prior to next move

Lerner: Nats will not seek temporary spring training site prior to next move
Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner said before Friday's home opener against the Atlanta Braves that his team will not seek a temporary home for spring training while the club tries to work out a deal with the Houston Astros on a possible future joint facility in Florida. "No, I don't think that is the right move," Lerner said. "I think you do it, we do it, and we move on to our permanent spot. It seems painful to go through the last three years what we did to try to find it. The economy...