Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have their first and only scheduled off-day, with most players allowed to sleep late, play golf or vacation with their families. I'm guessing that Disney is a popular destination. Meanwhile, Yovani Gallardo must report to Twin Lakes Park for a start in a minor league game. Jeff Beliveau will pitch in relief his first spring inning. This is a good day to reheat some leftovers. * A scout from another organization checked the Orioles transactions page and noted how...

Robinson makes 25-man roster; Carp, Hill reassigned to minor league camp

Robinson makes 25-man roster; Carp, Hill reassigned to minor league camp
First baseman/outfielder Clint Robinson has made the Nationals' 25-man roster. But there are still decisions to he made before the team announces its roster for Monday's opening day game against the Mets. The deadline to set the roster is 3 p.m. Sunday. After a 4-3 loss to the Mets in the final exhibition game Saturday afternoon, the Nationals reassigned outfielder/first baseman Mike Carp and left-hander Rich Hill to minor league camp. Robinson beat out Carp to be a left-handed bat off the...

Williams dealing with his own final four

Williams dealing with  his own final four
The countdown has been going on for several weeks, but we now sit on the doorstep of opening day. Nationals manager Matt Williams has one last bit of business to take care of before his ballclub takes the field against the Mets on Monday. Williams is currently staring at 27 healthy players (14 position players, 13 pitchers). That number needs to be paired down to 25 by Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.. Williams indicated on Friday that he wanted to get one last look at those competing for the final...

Williams ready to go after "interesting spring"

Williams ready to go after "interesting spring"
TAMPA - Right-hander Stephen Strasburg turned in his best spring start in today's 8-2 win over the Yankees in the Nationals' final Grapefruit League game. Strasburg limited the Yankees to just one run on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. "It's just progress," said Strasburg. "I think I felt good a couple starts ago and then I twisted my ankle and pushed everything backwards. Now I think I'm going in the right direction." Strasburg's breaking balls were...

Zimmermann not worried after rough start, Nats make roster moves in crunch time

Zimmermann not worried after rough start, Nats make roster moves in crunch time
JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals were shut out for the second consecutive day, as the Marlins pounded starter Jordan Zimmermann right out of the gates en route to an 8-0 loss in the seventh and final meeting between the two clubs in Grapefruit League play. Marlins first baseman Michael Morse and right fielder Giancarlo Stanton both belted deep homers off Zimmermann, who allowed all eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits with four strikeouts and no walks. "It's spring training, that's a good...

Michael A. Taylor leads Nats against Marlins (with lineups)

Michael A. Taylor leads Nats against Marlins (with lineups)
VIERA, Fla. - Center fielder Michael A. Taylor could be the Nationals' leadoff man against the Mets on opening day. He's occupied that spot in the order for much of the Grapefruit League season since both center fielder Denard Span and third baseman Anthony Rendon went out with injuries. Taylor has produced 14 hits in a team leading 47 at-bats this spring for a .298 average. Eight of those hits have gone for extra bases, including three homers and two triples. Mike Carp showed up to camp as a...

Max Scherzer to ramp it up, while Dan Uggla, Mike Carp try for a late push

Max Scherzer to ramp it up, while Dan Uggla, Mike Carp try for a late push
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Right-hander Max Scherzer is scheduled to throw five innings or around 70 pitches in his fourth spring start today. He's been very solid so far, allowing just two runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts and one walk in nine full innings this spring. Dan Uggla starts at second base. He's batting .273 with a homer, two doubles and four RBIs while competing for a bench spot behind starter Yunel Escobar. Mike Carp needs a late spring push to make the roster. Carp, who signed a...

Zimmermann fine after dangerous comebacker, Taylor triples (Nats win 2-1)

Zimmermann fine after dangerous comebacker, Taylor triples (Nats win 2-1)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 2, Astros 1 Recap: Jordan Zimmermann allowed one unearned run on three hits with three strikeouts and one walk in four innings. The Nationals got on the board quickly, as Michael A. Taylor led off the game with a triple. He tagged up and scored when Ian Desmond hit a sac fly to right field one batter later. The Nationals took the lead in the seventh when Clint Robinson delivered a triple, scoring Tony Gwynn Jr. Aaron Barrett pitched a scoreless ninth, but...

McLouth makes first start, good test for Espinosa (with Nats-Mets lineups)

McLouth makes first start, good test for Espinosa (with Nats-Mets lineups)
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. - Nate McLouth makes his first start of the spring today, leading off as the designated hitter. McLouth received two at-bats in yesterday's game, going 1-for-2 with a single. Nationals manager Matt Williams said McLouth won't play in the field until sometime next week as he continues on a throwing program while recovering from shoulder surgery. Hitting second, Danny Espinosa should get at least two at-bats from the right side of the plate against Mets right-handed starter...

Escobar to see doctor for sore back, today's lineups vs. Braves

Escobar to see doctor for sore back, today's lineups vs. Braves
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Mike Carp was originally scheduled to start at first base in today's game between the Nationals and Braves, but has been scratched. Carp was hit in the foot last night, and manager Matt Williams said he's fine but just sore with a little swelling today. Carp was 1-for-1 with a single and two runs scored last night in his first game as he attempts to make the team as a backup first baseman and left fielder. Yunel Escobar will see a doctor today for soreness in his...

Espinosa stays right, while Williams talks left

Espinosa stays right, while Williams talks left
VIERA, Fla. - Seems like Danny Espinosa is taking most of his fielding reps with Ian Desmond at shortstop while Yunel Escobar and Dan Uggla are handling second base. But the focus this spring training is on improving Espinosa's production at the plate. The career switch-hitter continues to take extra batting practice every day as he attempts to transition exclusively to a right-handed hitter. As Nationals manager Matt Williams told us earlier, that means spending more time standing in the box...

Versatile Mike Carp could provide value off the bench

Versatile Mike Carp could provide value off the bench
VIERA, Fla. - In January, general manager Mike Rizzo signed Mike Carp to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Carp appeared in 41 games in left field and 29 games at first base for Boston in 2013 and was an important utility option for the Red Sox during their run to a World Series championship. While splitting time mostly between left field and first base that year, Carp hit .296 with nine home runs, 43 RBIs and an .885 OPS. However, his production submarined in 2014,...

Nats positional preview: Outfield

Nats positional preview: Outfield
Lofty expectations follow Denard Span, Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper into 2015, their third season playing together in the Nationals outfield. Span anchors the trio playing center field and batting leadoff for the Nats. He's entering his third year in D.C., after coming in a trade from Minnesota in 2012. His contract with the Nationals expires at the end of this year giving him added incentive to perform well as he approaches free agency. I'm sure Nats manager Matt Williams would be thrilled...

Nationals announce non-roster invitees to spring training

Nationals announce non-roster invitees to spring training
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo today announced 20 non-roster invitees for spring training. First baseman/outfielder Mike Carp, second baseman Dan Uggla, third baseman Ian Stewart and right-hander Heath Bell were among 13 players the Nationals agreed to terms with on minor league contracts with invites to major league spring training. Seven additional minor league players received spring training invites, including right-hander Rafael Martin and infielder Cutter Dykstra. Carp started 56...

Nats positional preview: First base

Nats positional preview: First base
It was no surprise when the Nationals opted not to bring free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche back. Ryan Zimmerman has battled injuries the past few years and the best option was to move him across the diamond to first base - especially with five years remaining on a $100 million extension he signed in 2012. LaRoche produced 82 home runs and 269 RBIs in his four years in Washington, a stint that also included a Gold Glove in 2012. It's defense that figures to be the hardest for Zimmerman to...

Werth-y options

Werth-y options
It hasn't been a quiet offseason for Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth. At this point, I'm sure you've seen the TMZ-like images of Werth entering a Fairfax County jail to serve part of a five-day sentence after pleading guilty to a reckless driving charge. It was the result of being pulled over last July after exceeding 105 mph in his Porsche on Interstate 495 in Virginia. Though embarrassing, this will not interfere with the season in any way, as Werth will finish his sentence shortly. On...

A couple of intriguing non-roster invitees

A couple of intriguing non-roster invitees
Seemingly every year, there's at least one non-roster invitee who makes a major impression in spring training, and ends up surprising people and cracking the opening day roster. Sometimes, it's a veteran who had been signed to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training. Guys like Chad Tracy, who are looking to find their way back into the fold in the majors after an injury, time in Triple-A or a year playing abroad. Other times, it's an under-the-radar minor...

Some arbitration notes and minor league signings

Some arbitration notes and minor league signings
There are all sorts of league-mandated deadlines involving arbitration-eligible players during the offseason. And boy, is it entertaining, thrilling stuff. Is that sarcasm jumping off the page at ya, or what? To start the process off, teams must tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players (players with at least three years, but fewer than six years of major league service time) by a certain date early in the offseason. The teams and players then have time to negotiate a deal for the...