Perry and Garcia candidates to start in 2013

Perry and Garcia candidates to start in 2013
Manager Davey Johnson said Monday he would consider Christian Garcia as a starter next season. Going up to Garcia and saying this, Johnson said the right-hander responded, "I'm good with being in the bullpen." "Of course you are," Johnson laughed. "You are in the major leagues". But Double-A Harrisburg pitching coach Paul Menhart, who worked with Garcia before he was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse, said Garcia can start because that is all he ever knew coming into this season. "That...

Despite recent struggles, Clippard "still confident as heck"

Despite recent struggles, Clippard "still confident as heck"
After blowing his fifth save of the season and putting up another disappointing outing during a rough three-week stretch, Tyler Clippard stood at his locker for over five minutes and calmly answered question after question about his performance. You won't find many guys more stand-up than the 27-year-old Clippard. The Nationals' right-handed reliever is clearly frustrated with himself right now, partly because he blew a save in tonight's 4-2 loss to the Brewers, but also because he can't...

Johnson sticking with Clippard as co-closer

Johnson sticking with Clippard as co-closer
Tyler Clippard's rough stretch continued tonight. Clippard, who was lights out for much of the season, blew his fifth save of the year tonight and earned his third loss in his last seven appearances after allowing three Brewers runs in the ninth inning. It stuck the Nationals with a 4-2 loss, wasting a fantastic outing by Edwin Jackson, who threw eight innings of one-run ball. "Well, that one hurt," manager Davey Johnson said. "Jackson pitched a great ballgame. I was tempted to let him...

Jackson leads by example with eight solid innings

Jackson leads by example with eight solid innings
Edwin Jackson did not join the other four Nationals starters in double-digit wins Friday night. In a heartbreaking 4-2 loss to Milwaukee, Jackson's no decision might have been literally lost in the shuffle. It should not be. Instead, it might be his biggest and most important no-decision of the season for the Nationals. Jackson went eight strong innings, allowing a solo homer to Jonathan Lucroy but virtually nothing else. He walked none, struck out six and gave up only five other...

Harper shows off his arm (Nats lose 4-2 after blown save)

Harper shows off his arm (Nats lose 4-2 after blown save)
Edwin Jackson retired just one batter he faced in the fourth inning and allowed three hits in the frame. Somehow, he still escaped with a scoreless inning of work. The Nationals put on a defensive display in the fourth, helping Jackson get through an inning in which he didn't make many great pitches. Ryan Braun doubled leading off the fourth, his second double in as many at-bats tonight. Aramis Ramirez followed with a single to center, a sharply hit ball which Bryce Harper charged quickly....

Some possible tweaks to the rotation

Some possible tweaks to the rotation
In addition to announcing that he's going to go with co-closers for the time being, Nationals manager Davey Johnson also announced his plans for the starting rotation through the next handful of days. We already knew that Chien-Ming Wang will start Sunday against the Brewers, and Johnson had two options for who would start Monday's series finale against Milwaukee due to the doubleheader played Wednesday. He's decided to go with Jordan Zimmermann on Monday on normal rest, and will have...

Jackson aiming for double-digit wins

Jackson aiming for double-digit wins
Should Edwin Jackson pick up the win tonight, the Nationals would have five starters with double-digit win totals. Not too shabby. It'll be Jackson against Brewers right-hander Shaun Marcum tonight at Nats Park. Marcum is 5-4 with a 3.91 ERA this season. For the Nats: RF Jayson Werth CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche LF Michael Morse SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa C Jesus Flores P Edwin Jackson For the Brewers: RF Norichika Aoki 2B Rickie Weeks LF Ryan Braun 3B Aramis...

Mattheus takes blame while LaRoche, Jackson discuss blown call

Mattheus takes blame while LaRoche, Jackson discuss blown call
ATLANTA - A despondent Ryan Mattheus sat at his locker after today's 5-4 loss to the Braves, quietly staring straight ahead at nothing in particular. Mattheus allowed the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning tonight, loading the bases on two walks and a single. He then grazed the jersey of Andrelton Simmons with a sinker, plating Jeff Baker to give the Braves the lead. Only nine of Mattheus' 23 pitches were strikes, so it's obvious what the issue was. "I just couldn't...

Johnson ejected for first time this season (Nats lose 5-4)

Johnson ejected for first time this season (Nats lose 5-4)
ATLANTA - Davey Johnson has joked in recent weeks that he was going to pick his spot for his first ejection of the season. He wanted to save it for when it was really needed. That spot came in the bottom of the sixth inning this evening. Leading off the sixth, Martin Prado grounded a ball back to Nationals starter Edwin Jackson, who fired to first in time to get Prado by a step. First base umpire Marvin Hudson ruled that Adam LaRoche's foot had gotten pulled off the bag, however, and called...

LaRoche's pop, Braves' sloppiness give Nats an early lead

LaRoche's pop, Braves' sloppiness give Nats an early lead
ATLANTA - Adam LaRoche has admitted that this season has felt pretty good on a personal level given all that he went through during a disastrous 2011 campaign. The 2012 season got even better for LaRoche in the top of the first inning today when he turned on an 0-1 pitch from Tommy Hanson and drove it out into the seats in right for his 30th homer of the year. LaRoche now has 94 RBIs to go along with his 30 jacks - quite an accomplishment for the veteran first baseman. He's just the fifth...

While waiting for the lineups

While waiting for the lineups
ATLANTA - A quick reminder that today's 4:05 p.m. game between the Nationals and Braves won't be airing on MASN, as FOX has picked it up and will have the rights for today's broadcast. Daron Sutton and Eric Karros will have the call. I'll still have full coverage on MASNsports.com here from Turner Field, however. You can't get rid of me that easily. The Nats will send Edwin Jackson to the mound today as they look to take the middle game of this three-game set. Jackson has put up two...

Nats get nada off Nolasco

Nats get nada off Nolasco
You'd think that when a team faces a starting pitcher twice in a 13-day span that they'd have a pretty good idea what was coming the second time around, wouldn't you? "Yeah, you would think," Adam LaRoche said. That didn't help the Nationals against Ricky Nolasco. The Marlins right-hander, who came into today with a 4.64 ERA this season, shut out the Nationals back on Aug. 28, and he did the same thing this afternoon, giving up just four hits over nine strong innings. "He did the...

Johnson talks after Nationals' 8-0 loss

Johnson talks after Nationals' 8-0 loss
Davey Johnson sat down for his postgame press conference and flashed a smile. "Well, there's not much to say about that one," he said. Not much positive stuff, anyway. The Nationals lost to the Marlins 8-0 today, putting the wraps on a 8-3 homestand. All in all, the Nats should be pretty pleased with how they played over the last week and a half, but they did very little today against Ricky Nolasco, who has thrown back-to-back shutouts against them. "He can get nasty when he starts...

It's all Marlins early on (Nats lose 8-0)

It's all Marlins early on (Nats lose 8-0)
A day after the Nationals packed an offensive punch, put together some late-inning dramatics and smacked four more home runs, their bats have been dead silent through four innings against Ricky Nolasco. Same can't be said for the Marlins' bats against Edwin Jackson. The Nats trail 5-0 after four innings, as they've yet to record a hit against Nolasco and also watched as Miami has put up seven hits and two multi-run innings. Jackson allowed three runs in the second inning on four straight...

Johnson discusses Nats' 11-5 win

Johnson discusses Nats' 11-5 win
The days when the Nationals scored six runs over a five-game span seem so long ago. In reality, it was only a week ago that the offensive skid came to an end. And since then, the bats have come alive in a big way. Tonight, the Nats exploded for 11 runs, 19 hits, six home runs from five different players and 11 extra-base hits. Adam LaRoche had two homers, Ian Desmond had a home run, a double and four RBIs and Danny Espinosa had two doubles as the Nats rolled to a lopsided victory over the...

Clubhouse quotes from a host of Nats

Clubhouse quotes from a host of Nats
Edwin Jackson's overall season statistics won't blow you away. He's 8-9 with a 3.53 ERA over 158 innings of work. That's pretty solid, especially for a team's fourth starter, but not spectacular. Jackson has had a few outings this season, however, in which he shows how special a pitcher he can be. Tonight was one of those outings, one of the times when Jackson reminds the baseball world that the Nationals' starting staff as a whole is pretty darn good, and it will remain that way, even...

Johnson discusses Jackson's sterling performance in 8-1 win

Johnson discusses Jackson's sterling performance in 8-1 win
It didn't matter that Edwin Jackson was facing a Cardinals team which came into tonight leading the National League in batting average and runs scored. It made no difference that he was taking on a St. Louis lineup which had six batters hitting at least .300 and three guys in the top 10 in the NL in batting. Jackson couldn't be stopped. He spun eight sterling innings tonight, allowing just one unearned run and striking out 10. If not for his high pitch count - Jackson's night ended with...

Jackson's fast start fuels big win for Nats over Cardinals at home

Jackson's fast start fuels big win for Nats over Cardinals at home
Former Cardinals starter Edwin Jackson got his old buddies Thursday with an 8-1 victory for the Nationals over visiting St. Louis. The right-handed Jackson (8-9) struck out 10 hitters, allowed no earned runs, four hits, and lasted eight innings with a season-high 123 pitches, notching his eighth win of the season. It also marked his first win at home since July 4 and snapped a three-game skid at home. "I wouldn't have any problem letting him go to 130 pitches," manager Davey Johnson said....

Harper stays hot, Jackson dominating (Nats roll to 8-1 win)

Harper stays hot, Jackson dominating (Nats roll to 8-1 win)
Bryce Harper is starting to look like the Bryce Harper we saw in May and June. The 19-year-old is turning on pitches inside, staying short and quick to the ball and squaring it up on the barrel. Harper crushed a two-run homer into the Nationals' bullpen in right in the first inning tonight, giving the Nats a 2-0 lead and giving the rookie outfielder his third homer in the last two days. Harper nearly had his second straight two-homer game when he sent a ball to the wall in center in his...

Johnson on Espinosa's stolen base attempt, plus notes

Johnson on Espinosa's stolen base attempt, plus notes
PHILADELPHIA - The injuries to Michael Morse and Ian Desmond left the Nationals a little shorthanded against the Phillies tonight. But they weren't about to blame their 4-2 loss on their missing cleanup hitter and All-Star shortstop. "It changes the game a little bit," manager Davey Johnson said. "But we had the right guys up at the right time, just didn't get it done." "At the end of the day, we're comfortable with anybody we put on the field regardless of what happens," Edwin...