Blevins solves Murphy this time, but Nats second baseman has delivered

Blevins solves Murphy this time, but Nats second baseman has delivered
Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy extended his hitting streak to 18 games against the Mets in a 10-inning 4-3 loss Tuesday night. He had a double and a single, but struck out with a man on first to end the game. Hitting streaks are nice, of course, but you can bet Murphy would give it all back for a base hit against Mets reliever Jerry Blevins in his last at-bat. Manager Dusty Baker said it's hard to fault Murphy in that situation, considering the multiple times this season he has carried...

Gonzalez ready for season after solid outing, Blevins fools Harper

Gonzalez ready for season after solid outing, Blevins fools Harper
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals left Space Coast Stadium quietly in their final Grapefruit league home game. Mets starter Jonathon Niese and three other relievers combined to shut out the Nats 2-0 while only allowing six hits. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez turned in his third straight strong start for the Nationals, giving up two runs on seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. "I felt great," Gonzalez said. "The only thing I was kind of upset about was the walk, but even on the...

Mike Rizzo on trade for Matt den Dekker and bullpen health issues

Mike Rizzo on trade for Matt den Dekker and bullpen health issues
JUPITER, Fla. - Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo had an active day as he sat a few rows from the field next to the third base dugout at Roger Dean Stadium. In the sixth inning, he watched closer Drew Storen prematurely leave the game with a blister on his right big toe after facing four batters. That was after Rizzo had already found out news that right-hander Casey Janssen's MRI showed rotator cuff inflammation in his throwing shoulder. "I don't see either one of them as serious...

Nats acquire outfielder Matt den Dekker from Mets (Reed Johnson signs)

Nats acquire outfielder Matt den Dekker from Mets (Reed Johnson signs)
JUPITER, Fla. - With the Nationals' outfield situation so uncertain and opening day just a week away, the club made a move to strengthen that area this afternoon, acquiring Matt den Dekker from the Mets for left-hander Jerry Blevins. den Dekker, 27, played all 80 of his major league games over the last two seasons with the Mets. He's a career .238/.325/.310 hitter with 12 doubles, one home run, 11 steals and 13 RBIs. In 175 plate appearances last season, den Dekker hit .250 with a .345...

A fiery Gio Gonzalez shuts down Mets, bullpen falters

A fiery Gio Gonzalez shuts down Mets, bullpen falters
VIERA, Fla. - After giving up back-to-back walks in the third inning, Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez shouted an expletive that could be heard in the left field tiki bar at Space Coast Stadium. "I have a split personality. I talk to myself a lot," Gonzalez said, admitting frustration after the game. "Once in a while, you're going to get a firecracker out of me. The cool thing is learning how to keep your composure knowing that guys are back there telling you, 'Hey, you've got this.' Even...

Top prospects Michael A. Taylor and A.J. Cole outshine Tigers superstars

Top prospects Michael A. Taylor and A.J. Cole outshine Tigers superstars
LAKELAND, Fla. - The future of the Nationals was on display and shining bright in today's 7-7 tie with the Tigers. Center fielder Michael A. Taylor and right-hander A.J. Cole, both 23, helped the Nats get out to an early lead against former American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. It was the first time Taylor had ever faced Verlander. In his second at-bat, Taylor worked the count full before smacking a solo home run the opposite way over the right field fence. "That was a...

Replacing Clippard isn't easy

Replacing Clippard isn't easy
When evaluating the Nationals as they prepare to embark on a season with the highest of expectations, it's easy to get caught up in the incredible starting rotation that general manager Mike Rizzo has assembled. Few uncertainties surround this team, but a glaring one is the dilemma of who will step in to replace the departed Tyler Clippard. The reliable right-hander was expected to resume his role as the eighth-inning set-up man in 2015 until Rizzo traded him to Oakland for infielder Yunel...

Video: Jeers and cheers for Gonzalez during comical bunting drill

Video: Jeers and cheers for Gonzalez during comical bunting drill
VIERA, Fla. - The 30 Nationals pitchers are placed into six groups during workouts. Gio Gonzalez's group - 1B, if you want to be specific - is not only loaded with some serious talent but also some funny characters. Doug Fister, Jordan Zimmerman, Jerry Blevins and Craig Stammen round it out. Sunday's morning workout began with this quintet's first bullpen session, where all pitch simultaneously for eight minutes. It was quite the scene to watch Gonzalez, Fister and Zimmermann on three...

Nats positional preview: Bullpen

Nats positional preview: Bullpen
With just two days left until pitchers and report to Space Coast Stadium for spring training, our positional breakdown reaches the relievers. A couple of major moves by Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo in January changed the whole dynamic of the bullpen. First, the departure of Tyler Clippard surprised many. The reliable right-hander was expected to resume his role as the eighth inning set-up man in 2015 until a trade sent him to Oakland for infielder Yunel Escobar. Clippard, a two-time...

Blevins wins arbitration case

Blevins wins arbitration case
Nationals relief pitcher Jerry Blevins won his arbitration case against the Nationals today. The left-hander was scheduled to make $1.675 million in 2015 before arbitration and was arguing for a bump to a salary of $2.4 million. The Nationals countered with an offer of $2.2 million. The three-person panel in St. Petersburg, Fla., decided in favor of Blevins. The 31-year-old Blevins was 2-3 with a 4.87 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings last season, his first with the Nats after being...

Blevins looking to build off strong finish to 2014

Blevins looking to build off strong finish to 2014
The overall numbers posted by Jerry Blevins during the 2014 season probably aren't to the 31-year-old left-hander's liking. After back-to-back seasons of posting an ERA at or below 3.15 and a WHIP under 1.075, Blevins saw his numbers inflated in 2014, as he pitched to a 4.87 ERA and 1.238 WHIP in 64 games spanning 57 1/3 innings. He did have some impressive peripheral numbers, however, seeing his home runs per nine innings get cut in half from where it stood the prior two seasons, and seeing...

A different look at the crop of pending free agents

A different look at the crop of pending free agents
We've talked a lot this winter about the crop of pending free agents that the Nationals have and how it will be interesting to see how general manager Mike Rizzo proceeds with that group. When discussing the Nats' list of upcoming 2015 free agents, five names are usually listed - Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Ian Desmond, Tyler Clippard and Denard Span. Pretty strong list there, one that contains five major contributors to this squad. But beyond those five, there are a few other players who...

Caps, Blackhawks turn Nationals Park into winter wonderland

Caps, Blackhawks turn Nationals Park into winter wonderland
Standing against the wall of an elevator descending to field level at Nationals Park, Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner blends in a little too well with the rest of the red-clad Capitals fans streaming into the ballyard for the National Hockey League's Bridgestone Winter Classic. Nationals curly W sweater? Check. Winter Classic jacket to brave the chilly temps and biting breeze? You bet. Caps toque? Of course, even the little snowball on top seems both festive and appropriate. Sunglasses?...

Nats tender contracts to all 10 remaining arbitration-eligible players

Nats tender contracts to all 10 remaining arbitration-eligible players
The Nationals announced today that they have tendered contracts to all 10 of their remaining arbitration-eligible players - left-handers Jerry Blevins and Ross Detwiler, right-handers Tyler Clippard, Doug Fister, Craig Stammen, Drew Storen and Stephen Strasburg, infielder Danny Espinosa and catchers Jose Lobaton and Wilson Ramos. This means that, at least for now, all 10 of those players will remain under the Nationals' control. It is still possible, however, for these players to be traded...

Some Monday morning notes

Some Monday morning notes
For anyone who watched the Redskins game yesterday, I'm sorry. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I flipped the game on for about 45 seconds, watched the Redskins offense turn a first-and-goal into a missed 47-yard field goal and that was about all I needed to see. This was the team's effort coming out of a bye against a previously one-win Buccaneers squad. In their last 10 seasons, the Skins have had six sub-.500 campaigns and have gone 63-91. Let's compare that to what the Nationals have...

Some of this, some of that

Some of this, some of that
While it might seem like the World Series just ended a couple days ago, the general managers' meetings begin today in Phoenix, marking the first fairly significant event in the major league offseason. By "fairly significant," I don't mean that much wheeling and dealing typically happens during the GM meetings. If we come out of this four-day stretch with news of more than a couple of trades or big free agent signings, I'll be surprised. We're still early in the offseason, after all. But...

Some more on the Silver Sluggers (and Japan All-Star Series update)

Some more on the Silver Sluggers (and Japan All-Star Series update)
It had been six years since a team last had both members of the left side of its infield win Silver Sluggers. Derek Jeter and everyone's favorite, Alex Rodriguez, accomplished that feat with the Yankees in 2008. Now Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon are the newest shortstop/third base combo to take home baseball's top offensive award. Last night, Desmond won his third straight Silver Slugger Award, presented by Louisville Slugger, putting him in a pretty prestigious club. The only shortstops in...

Jerry Blevins named to Sports Illustrated's Twitter 100 list

Jerry Blevins named to Sports Illustrated's Twitter 100 list
Sports Illustrated recently released its fourth annual Twitter 100 list, compiling 100 accounts of the organization's favorite bloggers, writers and athletes. While we, along with loyal Nationals fans, were probably not surprised to see relief pitcher Jerry Blevins on the list, many may not be very familiar with Blevins - let alone know just how hilarious he can be. If the selfie he took above didn't convince you he deserved to be on the list, check out some of our other favorite tweets sent...

Evaluating the last three years isn't so easy

Evaluating the last three years isn't so easy
Over the last three years, the Nationals have won 280 regular season games, most in the major leagues during that time. In 2012, they picked up 98 wins, the most in the game, and earned their first National League East title since baseball returned to D.C. in 2005. In 2013, even in a year that was considered a bust in Davey Johnson's "World Series or bust" campaign, the Nats still earned 86 wins, sixth-best in the NL and far from anything worth being ashamed of in the grand scheme of...

Could Xavier Cedeno overtake Jerry Blevins for a playoff roster spot?

Could Xavier Cedeno overtake Jerry Blevins for a playoff roster spot?
When discussing left-handed relievers, are Jerry Blevins and Xavier Cedeno battling for one playoff roster spot? Should they be? Blevins has been with the team the whole season. He started off well. But recently, he has had some rough outings, especially the Sept. 10 appearance against the Braves at Nationals Park. Blevins allowed three earned runs on two hits and a walk in just one-third of an inning. The Nationals lost that game 6-2. They lost only two of the next 11 games. Blevins has...