Racing Presidents in "The Nutcracker"

Racing Presidents in "The Nutcracker"
Last week, the Racing Presidents traded in their running shoes for ballet slippers. Teddy, Abe, George and Tom appeared in Septime Webre's The Nutcracker at Warner Theatre. Check out their rehearsal and performance video below:

"How Do You Know" updates

"How Do You Know" updates
The long-awaited debut of Owen Wilson as a Nationals reliever in "How Do You Know" has finally arrived. The film opens Friday, but some Nationals season ticket holders will be invited to screen the movie on Wednesday evening in Washington, D.C. The team will host a red carpet VIP event to promote the film. In Los Angeles, the real red carpet for the film begins tonight at 9:30 p.m. Fans can watch at http://youtube.com/HowDoYouKnowMovie. You might also want to tune in to Owen Wilson's...

Odds and ends

Odds and ends
A few quick off-the-field news items, and then you can quickly return to our extensive Winter Meetings coverage: Nationals hitting coach Rick Eckstein will donate his kidney to his brother on Wednesday, according to Bill Ladson. Kidney disease runs in the Eckstein family. Rick's brother Ken, who will receive the kidney, had a previous transplant in 1991. Rick and the entire family are huge proponents of organ donation. Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner is blogging from the Winter...

A moment of silence

A moment of silence
Despite the exciting news yesterday and the optimism that greets us each year at the Winter Meetings, there is a cloud hanging over NatsTown today. This weekend, former Nationals closer Chad Cordero and his wife lost their 3-month-old daughter, Tehya. We are sending condolences to Chad and his family during this very difficult time. Chad was and still is a beloved part of this organization and its history. His loss is heartbreaking. There will be a "Moment of Silence" to support the...

New 'How Do You Know' Clip Features Nats Fans

New 'How Do You Know' Clip Features Nats Fans
A new clip of 'How Do You Know' surfaced today, exclusively on MySpace, featuring a baseball scene from the upcoming James L. Brooks movie with Reese Witherspoon and Owen Wilson. Nationals season ticket holders were invited to sit in as extras during the filming at Nationals Park in 2009 and some familiar faces are clearly visible in this clip. In the one minute segment, Wilson discusses "love" with his bullpen teammates while the center fielder makes an amazing catch. Mild warning -...

'How Do You Know' L.A. Premiere (Updated)

'How Do You Know' L.A. Premiere (Updated)
Friends and fans have pointed out that Columbia Pictures has scheduled the world premiere of How Do You Know, a romantic comedy featuring Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Jack Nicholson for Monday, Dec. 13th at 7 p.m. the Regency Village Theatre and the Regency Bruin Theatre in Los Angeles. Tickets are available starting at $350, which includes the premiere screening and a private after-party. In the movie, Owen Wilson plays "Matty," a Washington Nationals reliever. Fans can...

Nats Photo Shoot

Nats Photo Shoot
Want to see what those slick new uniforms look like in action? Check out this video. The Nationals posted a behind the scenes video from a recent photo shoot with Ryan Zimmerman, Tyler Clippard, Drew Storen, Jordan Zimmermann, John Lannan and Ian Desmond. You'll hear from photographer Donald Miralle about how the shots came together during a few sessions at Nationals Park. Some feature the new uniforms, some feature street clothes -- all of them will make you want to look for a calendar...

Stammen visits Food and Friends to prepare Thanksgiving meals

Stammen visits Food and Friends to prepare Thanksgiving meals
For the second year in a row, Nationals pitcher Craig Stammen took time to serve the Washington D.C. community before packing up to visit his family in Ohio for the Thanksgiving holiday. On Monday, Stammen and Nationals front office staff volunteered at Food and Friends, a nonprofit organization in NE Washington D.C. to prepare holiday meals for people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses. Together as a team, they packaged pre-cooked turkeys and yams for Thanksgiving...

Chat with Balester

Chat with Balester
On Tuesday at 3 p.m., Nationals reliever Collin Balester will chat with fans online at ESPN.com. Balester will discuss his effort to grow a mustache for Movember, a project that raises funds for prostate cancer research. He'll take questions on the cause, his community involvement, pitching, the Nationals, teammates and whatever else you want to know. Fans can still donate to his Movember page or read more about his efforts to support this cause.

Harper Jersey Auction

Harper Jersey Auction
Want to own a Bryce Harper game-used & signed Washington Nationals jersey from the prospect's 1st Arizona Fall League Game? The bidding on this jersey at MLB Auctions is already up to over $6,000 with five days left. Bidding closes on Sunday, November 21st. Harper's AFL Debut game came on October 20, 2010 when he went 1-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI.

A curly W: New-look duds are letter-perfect

A curly W: New-look duds are letter-perfect
The new Nationals jerseys will prominently and proudly feature the beloved "curly W" logo, a change that marks both a new beginning and an authentic bond with the past. First adopted by the Washington Senators in 1963, the curly W is still a big part of baseball's brand in the nation's capital. Whether we're marking curly W's in our scorebooks or showing support for our hometown team with a simple cap, that symbol has come to succinctly represent the essence of Nationals baseball. That...

Clippard, Zimmermann visit Long Branch Elementary

Clippard, Zimmermann visit Long Branch Elementary
On Wednesday afternoon, Washington Nationals pitchers Jordan Zimmermann and Tyler Clippard visited Long Branch Elementary School in Arlington to teach children about healthy lifestyles. Zimmermann and Clippard answered questions for the students about how they learned to play baseball, what it's like to play for the Nationals and how to stay motivated after a bad game. They also talked about facing Albert Pujols, admiring Greg Maddux and careers they may have pursued if baseball hadn't...

Nats Stocking Stuffers

Nats Stocking Stuffers
Need the perfect gift for the special Nats fan in your life? What about a thank you present for a great teacher, boss, coach or babysitter? The Nationals have a solution -- the brand new "Holiday 3 pack." It includes a game ticket to three can't-miss games: • Opening Day vs. the Braves, March 31 • Battle of the Beltways vs. the Orioles on Friday, June 17 • 4th of July game vs. the Cubs It also...

Balester Grows Mustache for Movember

Balester Grows Mustache for Movember
It should come as no surprise that when Nationals pitcher Collin Balester heard about a mustache-growing movement called Movember, he immediately wanted to get involved. The reliever's previous experiments with mustaches were well documented on his Twitter feed. This time, however, the experiment will be for a cause that is very important to him. "I've decided to donate my face to raising awareness about cancers that affect men," he said in an e-mail. "My commitment is the growth of a...

Nats Host Baseball Heroes of World War II

Nats Host Baseball Heroes of World War II
This Friday, the Nationals will partner with the American Veterans Center to pay tribute to Major League Baseball players who served during World War II. The panelists include Yogi Berra, (U.S. Navy), Lou Brissie, (U.S. Army), Jerry Coleman, (U.S. Marine Corps) and John "Mule" Miles, (U.S. Army/Air Corps). The event is part of the American Veterans Center's 13th Annual Conference and MASN's own Phil Wood will serve as panel moderator. There will also be representatives from the Band of...

Some World Series Predictions from the Nats (Updated)

Some World Series Predictions from the Nats (Updated)
A few of your favorite Nationals shared their 2010 World Series predictions with Nats Buzz over the past few days. If others trickle in later today or tonight, we'll be sure to add them here. But as of now, it's tied between the Rangers and Giants. Collin Balester picked the National League team from his home state, while Craig Stammen and Drew Storen both picked the Rangers. Nyjer Morgan is sticking with his hometown Giants. Balester predicts that the Giants will celebrate after only...

Nats Fashion Show and New Uniforms

Nats Fashion Show and New Uniforms
On November 10th, the Nationals will unveil their new uniforms during an exclusive fashion show featuring players Tyler Clippard, Ian Desmond, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, Drew Storen, Ryan Zimmerman and Jordan Zimmermann. The invitation-only affair will be held from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Stars and Stripes Club at Nationals Park. Guests will enjoy a pre-show cocktail reception and an opportunity to mingle with players and purchase the new jerseys. General Manager Mike Rizzo is also...

Nats Buzz approves of this message: Vote for Zim

Nats Buzz approves of this message:  Vote for Zim
A little play on campaign season there. We'll spare you the commercials and fundraising emails. Vote for Zimmerman for the 2010 Heart and Hustle Award! Each year, the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association votes on one winner among the 30 nominees representing each club. Zimmerman has represented the Nationals in both 2009 and 2010, but he needs your votes. Fan voting will represent 5% of the total voting pool. I know NatsTown couldn't get Zimmerman to the All-Star Game, but...

Nats quiz to start your week

Nats quiz to start your week
Can you name every player in the Nats' Opening Day lineup since baseball returned to Washington? Want to prove it? Fellow Nats blogger Harper at Nationals Baseball posted a link to this quiz today on Sporkle. It asks you to name every Opening Day starter from 2005-2010 in eight minutes for a possible 60 points. For what it's worth, I scored 52 out of 60, but I missed two really obvious ones. Take the quiz and let me know how you do in the comments below! Good luck!

More awards for Strasburg, Zimmerman and Ben's Chili Bowl

More awards for Strasburg, Zimmerman and Ben's Chili Bowl
On Friday, the Washington Post Express newspaper published its Best of 2010 list, naming Stephen Strasburg the "best offseason acquisition" of 2010. That category is a bit misleading, since Strasburg was signed in the summer of 2009, but we'll take it, right? Ben's Chili Bowl at Nationals Park was also named "Best Stadium Food." The Best of 2010 awards were decided by two rounds of reader nominations and voting. Also, on Thursday evening, the Power 30 Under 30 organization honored...