Dunn, Capps and Lannan on Top Chef?

Dunn, Capps and Lannan on Top Chef?
Those of you who tuned in to watch the season premiere of Top Chef last night (shouldn't you have been watching the Nats!) saw a sneak peak of a future episode featuring Adam Dunn, Matt Capps and John Lannan. As you may have heard, this season's Top Chef competition is set in Washington D.C. The website IMDb offers this preview of the Nats episode: "The six remaining chefs take over two concession stands at Nationals Park in D.C., creating game snacks for the die-hard fans of the...

Nats U (Updated)

Nats U (Updated)
There is still time to sign up for the Nats baseball clinic for women on Saturday, June 19th. Ladies, I speak from experience -- this is a can't-miss event. If you want to learn a little more about the game, ask coaches some questions, run around on the grass at Nationals Park and meet some fellow female fans, you really want to sign up for Nats U. Tickets are $50 -- but they include the clinic and an outfield ticket to the evening game against the White Sox. The event begins at 8 a.m....

Lots of Desmond

Lots of Desmond
Ian Desmond will be the central star during MASN's next two broadcasts this week. He'll participate in both Wired Wednesday and Covering the Bases during this series, so be sure to tune in. On Wednesday, Desmond will wear a mic during the evening game against Detroit. On Thursday, Bob, Rob and Debbi will "cover the bases" with Desmond providing fans with insight into the shortstop's childhood, minor league career and personality. That game begins at 1 p.m. Desmond is 11-for-36 (.305)...

All-Stars Among Us: Kat Lanigan

All-Stars Among Us: Kat Lanigan
We're profiling the Nationals' All-Stars Among Us finalists this week on Nats Buzz. You have until Sunday, June 20th to vote for one of these three finalists to represent the Nationals at the All-Star Game in Anaheim this July. First up is baseball fan Kat Lanigan of Herndon. When Lanigan's father - a U.S. Army Reservist - was deployed overseas, she started a letter writing campaign to children of deployed soldiers. "It just recognizes them for the sacrifices they make when their...

Strasburg Graces Sports Illustrated Cover

Strasburg Graces Sports Illustrated Cover
Nats fans, don't forget to pick up your copy of Sports Illustrated this week. Stephen Strasburg, "National Treasure," will be on the cover. With 22 strikeouts, 2 wins and a storybook debut, Strasburg also earned the National League's player of the week award. The cover story is a feature piece on Strasburg by Albert Chen. It caps a big week for the rookie pitcher, who also announced the "Top 10" on the David Letterman Show last Thursday. The only over Nationals related Sports...

The Strasburger

The Strasburger
Last Friday, I took a quick trip over to BGR - The Burger Joint in Alexandria to try the now-famous Strasburger. The burger, which is named for and dedicated to Stephen Strasburg, features Vermont Cheddar cheese (for Strasburg's days with the Syracuse Chiefs), a grilled hot dog (representing the Phoenix Desert Dogs) and 14 pickles for the 14 strikeout debut. BGR founder Mark Bucher conceived of the Strasburger the morning after Strasburg's incredible major league debut. He immediately...

Where at Nats Park? (Updated)

Where at Nats Park? (Updated)
Happy Monday! Can you guess this week's Where at Nats Park photo? Answers will be posted Wednesday. ---- P.S. I was on "Throwing Like a Girl" yesterday talking Strasburg. If you'd like to listen, visit blogtalkradio.com/throwing-like-a-girl. Answer: The Walter Johnson statue is correct. Good work! Following the lead of O's Buzz blogger, Kate, are you guys getting tired of Where at Nats Park? Would you like to try a new game? Do you have any suggestions? Or should we keep...

Blood Drive This Weekend (Updated)

Blood Drive This Weekend (Updated)
Don't forget, the Nats will host a blood drive on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Nationals Park. All blood donors will receive two tickets to a future Nationals game, a limited edition Build-A-Bear Workshop bloodhound and the opportunity to take an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Nationals Park. Inova Blood Donor Services supplies lifesaving blood and blood products to 15 different hospitals in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Donations help cancer and trauma patients, newborns...

Covering the Bases: Matt Capps

Covering the Bases: Matt Capps
Tune in Thursday to learn all about former Pirates' closer Matt Capps during MASN's weekly Covering the Bases segment. Drafted by the Pirates in the 7th round of the First-Year Player Draft in 2002, Capps became a reliever in '05 and advanced quickly through the minor league system making his debut in September of that year. A closer since 2007, Capps has 87 career saves and 20 for Washington this season. Bob, Rob and Debbi will talk to Matt's teammates, coaches and family about his...

The Business of Strasmania

The Business of Strasmania
Before he stepped on the mound, Stephen Strasburg's brand soared to unprecedented levels. A sell-out crowd came from all over the region to see a young, laid-back pitcher from California perform before a national, if not global, audience. Around the country, baseball fans tuned in to see if Strasburg could live up to the hype. Heavy praise from scouts, baseball experts and the media led to intense curiosity about the pitcher and his unfathomable arsenal of pitches. It was an important...

Nats Fans React to Strasburg

Nats Fans React to Strasburg
Before Tuesday's game, Nats Buzz caught up with some Nationals fans to talk about the debut of Stephen Strasburg. As you already know, the crowd was electric, collectively hanging on every pitch and creating a playoff-like atmosphere that gave all of us goosebumps. The crowd met every strike with roars of approval and every strikeout with a standing ovation. The fans were very much a part of the game and the win. "When the fans are into every single pitch, we as players feed off of...

Milledge, Bucs Impressed with Strasburg

Milledge, Bucs Impressed with Strasburg
Two outs into Stephen Strasburg's would-be impressive major league debut, the past stepped into the batter's box to meet the future. Lastings Milledge strolled to the plate greeted by a chorus of boos from the sold-out crowd of 40,315. After two called strikes, Milledge swung at strike three and the crowd erupted. Milledge was the first of Strasburg's nine strikeout victims on the night. In fact, every hitter that faced Strasburg struck out at least once and five of them struck out...

Livo: "This is perfect"

Livo:  "This is perfect"
Livan Hernandez knows something about sell-out crowds, national attention and baseball hype in Washington. After all, he was on the mound for one of the most important moments in D.C. baseball history -- the return of baseball to the nation's capital in 2005. While it's a bit of a stretch to compare that exciting moment to tonight's debut of Stephen Strasburg, there are certainly similarities. Both moments closed the book on painful memories and ushered in a new era of baseball in the...

Merry Strasmas!

Merry Strasmas!
To celebrate the arrival of Stephen Strasburg, Nats Buzz will be collecting and posting the best tweets about the phenom. Check back throughout the day as we continue to update it -- and be sure to follow the MASNsports.com team (@masnben, @bkerr32, @masnsports, @khudak11, @jenroylemasn and @rdibs49) for the latest news on "Strasmas." Strasburg and Nats are already trending in Washington. Strasburg is also trending nationally and he's one of CNN's most intriguing people of the...

Could Teddy Win on Tuesday?

Could Teddy Win on Tuesday?
As the Nationals usher in a new era of baseball history in Washington this week, one has to wonder -- is it time for Teddy to finally win the President's Race? Could his first win come on Tuesday in front of a sell-out crowd and a national audience? Tuesday would be a perfect time for our favorite Racing President to shed his lovable loser label. The Nats aren't lovable losers any longer. On Tuesday, they take a giant step forward by closing the door on the problems of 2008 and 2009 and...

Road Trip Idea: Woodbridge

Road Trip Idea:  Woodbridge
Because the Nationals are off tonight, you might want to consider taking a trip to Woodbridge to catch Pudge Rodriguez make a rehab start for the Potomac Nationals. Rodriguez should play about six innings and if he feels good during the game, he's expected to catch the debut of Stephen Strasburg on Tuesday at Nationals Park. Monday night is also Dollar Night at Pfitzner Stadium. Tickets and hot dogs are just a dollar, so it's a great opportunity to watch some minor league baseball for an...

Where at Nats Park? (Updated)

Where at Nats Park? (Updated)
Back this week and ready to stump you. Can you figure out where this is at Nationals Park? Good luck! Answers will be revealed on Wednesday. Answer: Apologies for the late update here. I think we all had a busy week last week. The answer is the flooring inside the Exxon Strike Zone for kids.

Suite Seats and Standing Room Only for Strasburg (Updated)

Suite Seats and Standing Room Only for Strasburg (Updated)
If you haven't yet secured tickets for Tuesday's Strasburg debut, the Nationals are offering a few more options. They are opening up some of the suites for individual ticket purchases and offering standing room only tickets and day of game grandstand tickets at the box office on Tuesday afternoon. The tickets cost $95 or $145 and require a minimum purchase of 2 tickets. They will be available at 1 p.m. on Monday at nationals.com/debut. The seats do not include complimentary food. The...

This Weekend in NatsTown

This Weekend in NatsTown
Who's ready for a busy homestand and some curly w's? Saturday: In the morning, the Nationals First Ladies will be joined by Pat Listach and Rick Eckstein to Race for the Cure on the National Mall. Rachel Dunn, Ginger Willingham, Trey Harris and Cari Listach are among those expected to participate. Listach is a breast cancer survivor. You can read more about Pat and Cari's journey here on Nats Buzz. MASN's Ben Goessling and I will also be participating. The team will also host MLB...

Clipp and Save

Clipp and Save
On Tuesday, June 22nd, be one of the first 10,000 fans at the ballpark and receive a "Clipp & Save" t-shirt sponsored by Tickets.com. MASNsports.com reader Steve Repsher first coined the term "clipp and save" to describe the Nats late inning relief combo of Tyler Clippard and Matt Capps. Nats News Network has a photo of the catchy t-shirt, along with a list of other June promotions which include the Ryan Zimmerman Bobblehead (6/19) and a travel mug (6/20). The June 22nd game is also the...