Contracts of entire Nats coaching staff won't be renewed

Contracts of entire Nats coaching staff won't be renewed
It's not just manager Dusty Baker who will not return to the Nationals next season. The contracts of his entire coaching staff will not be renewed, allowing for whoever replaces Baker to choose his own coaches. Pitching coach Mike Maddux, hitting coach Rick Schu, bench coach Chris Speier, first base coach Davey Lopes, third base coach Bobby Henley, bullpen coach Dan Firova and assistant hitting coach Jacque Jones won't be retained, the team announced Friday. President of baseball operations...

Nats on long road trip and getting offense clicking

Nats on long road trip and getting offense clicking
The Nationals today embark on a nine-game 10-day trip to California to face off against the Giants, A's and Dodgers. It is their second long road trip of the season. On their last 10-game trip they went 9-1, the best record for that length of a road trip in franchise history. Acting manager Chris Speier was asked what would be the key to success on the road trip. "Sunscreen," Speier smiled. "No. They're good teams. Those are teams that are playing well. It comes down to the same things...

Taylor's numbers continue to rise since assuming everyday role

Taylor's numbers continue to rise since assuming everyday role
The caveats will continue, because it has only been 24 games and because he'll need to do this over a much longer period of time before anything declarative can be said. But in those 24 games since he took over as the Nationals' starting center fielder, Michael A. Taylor sure has done everything he can to make sure he can continue holding that role. With another key home run in yesterday's 3-0 victory over the Padres, Taylor added to his growing resume. In 24 games since Adam Eaton tore his...

With robotic precision, Strasburg dominates another opponent

With robotic precision, Strasburg dominates another opponent
When Max Scherzer does something big, you know it. Scherzer puts all his emotions on display, celebrates when he succeeds, laments when he fails. When Stephen Strasburg does something big, you have no idea. Strasburg rarely reveals any emotions, and his expressions and words aren't much different after a win than they are after a loss. Take, for example, the Nationals right-hander's response this evening to a question about the 15 strikeouts he recorded in a 3-0 victory over the Padres, a...

Murphy sidelined with illness, Difo gets another start

Murphy sidelined with illness, Difo gets another start
Daniel Murphy is out of the Nationals lineup for the second straight day, and this one is no simple planned-in-advance day off. Murphy is under the weather, dealing with a stomach bug, according to acting manager Chris Speier. "He's just not feeling all that hot," said Speier, who is filling in for Dusty Baker this weekend while the latter attends his son's high school graduation in California. Murphy, along with Ryan Zimmerman, didn't play in Friday night's series opener against the...

With 95 mph slider, Glover seizing opportunity to close

With 95 mph slider, Glover seizing opportunity to close
Max Scherzer was the story of last night's 5-1 victory, but let's not overlook Koda Glover, who made quite an impression himself despite only throwing four pitches. Summoned to relieve Scherzer with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Glover was thrown into a major fire but immediately doused it by striking out Hunter Renfroe to earn his fourth save. It was the kind of situation - one bad pitch could have tied the game and ruined everything Scherzer did for 8 2/3 innings...

With 8 2/3-inning gem, Scherzer authors another magic moment

With 8 2/3-inning gem, Scherzer authors another magic moment
Chris Speier has watched comfortably from afar as Max Scherzer has sent Dusty Baker back to the dugout on several occasions over the last two seasons, the Nationals ace refusing to let his manager remove him from a ballgame before he's ready to be removed. But with Baker back home in California this weekend for son Darren's high school graduation, Speier is filling in as manager. And so the potential scenario was raised to the longtime bench coach this afternoon: What would he do if he needed...

Three homers from the Nats' young guns drop the Padres 5-1

Three homers from the Nats' young guns drop the Padres 5-1
Max Scherzer was outstanding. Plus, the offense displayed a trio of young hitters who can hit the ball out of the park. That formula adds up to another Nationals signature victory in 2017. That formula will win them a lot of games. Trea Turner, Michael A. Taylor and Bryce Harper all homered in the 5-1 win over the Padres. "Scherzer on the hill and three homers, that's a pretty good formula," said acting manager Chris Speier. "I didn't do a darn thing the whole game. Not a thing. I didn't...

Game 47 lineups: Nats vs. Padres

Game 47 lineups: Nats vs. Padres
The Nationals host the Padres this weekend, and they'll have someone else calling the shots from the dugout for all three games. Bench coach Chris Speier will be serving as manager while Dusty Baker attends his son's high school graduation in California. Speier will have some extra help in the dugout, with minor league field coordinator Jeff Garber added to the big league coaching staff for the weekend. The Nationals face a struggling Padres club, and perhaps with that in mind a pair of key...

Friday morning Nats news and notes

Friday morning Nats news and notes
Some news and notes before the Nationals open their weekend series with the Padres ... * If you missed the news yesterday, Dusty Baker will be away from the team all weekend as he attends his son's high school graduation in California. Baker flew home after yesterday's loss to the Mariners. And since the Nationals will be heading out west themselves to begin a three-city trip Monday in San Francisco, the manager will simply reconnect with everybody then. That leaves Chris Speier to manage all...

Baker will miss Padres series to be at son's graduation (M's win 4-2)

Baker will miss Padres series to be at son's graduation (M's win 4-2)
Dusty Baker will not manage the Nationals this weekend in a three-game series against the Padres because he will be attending his son Darren's high school graduation. Darren will attend UC Berkeley in the fall. Bench coach Chris Speier will manage the club Friday, Saturday and Sunday against San Diego. Without their manager this weekend due to the family event, the Nationals are allowed to call on an extra coach for the weekend. That consideration could go to co-field coordinator Jeff...

Nats ready for ups and downs of Turner's first season at short

Nats ready for ups and downs of Turner's first season at short
JUPITER, Fla. - Chris Speier was, by all accounts, a good shortstop during a career that spanned 19 seasons, the majority of those with the Giants and Expos. But ask the Nationals bench coach and infield instructor about his rookie season in 1971, and he immediately shudders. "Thirty-one errors?" he asked. Actually, Speier had 33. "It should've been about 50," he said. "I had (Willie) McCovey at first base." Speier learned what so many young shortstops learn: No matter how talented you...

Nationals retain entire coaching staff for 2017

Nationals retain entire coaching staff for 2017
Dusty Baker's entire coaching staff will return in 2017. The Nationals announced today that all seven coaches on Baker's staff - bench coach Chris Speier, pitching coach Mike Maddux, first base coach Davey Lopes, third base coach Bob Henley, hitting coach Rick Schu, assistant hitting coach Jacque Jones and bullpen coach Dan Firova - have been retained for another season. The news doesn't come as much surprise, given how well-liked the staff was by this year's roster, but most of the coaches...

On a mellower, calmer Baker: "If I'm good, the team's good"

On a mellower, calmer Baker: "If I'm good, the team's good"
MIAMI - Manager Dusty Baker was away from the team last week to attend to a death in the family. During that time, bench coach Chris Speier managed the club. Speier spoke about his close friendship with Baker and how their relationship has been solidified with trust built over decades of working together. Speier commented this time around he has seen a change in Baker's demeanor as a manager. Baker relishes the victories. But Speier noted that Baker now doesn't take the losses as hard as he...

Patrick Reddington: Long season taking a toll on Wilson Ramos

Patrick Reddington: Long season taking a toll on Wilson Ramos
Dusty Baker spent quite a bit of time before and after the first two games of the now-completed three-game set with the visiting Mets talking about the offensive struggles of Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos. Ramos, 29, was 4-for-28 (.143/.200/.179) over the first eight games in September, with a double, two runs batted in, two walks and nine strikeouts in 30 plate appearances. The rough stretch left the soon-to-be-free agent with a .259/.299/.414 line, six doubles, seven home runs, 25 RBIs, 10...

Speier emotional for Baker after Nats beat Mets

Speier emotional for Baker after Nats beat Mets
Prior to Wednesday's series finale against the Mets, bench coach Chris Speier met with the media in the spot normally reserved for manager Dusty Baker. Speier was there because Baker was home due to a death in the family. Speier spoke about Baker as a manager, a close friend, a confidant, a trusted advisor and sometimes even a father figure to the Nationals. Speier said they would dedicate the next couple of games to Baker. On Wednesday, the Nationals found a way with shutout pitching and a...

With Mets in rear-view mirror, Nationals closing in on NL East title

With Mets in rear-view mirror, Nationals closing in on NL East title
They won't admit it, because they know better than to do such a thing and tempt the baseball gods. But let's deal in reality here, and the reality is this: The Nationals wrapped up the National League East title this week. No, they haven't mathematically clinched anything yet. But after today's 1-0 win over the Mets, their second in three days against their division rivals, they have opened up a 10-game lead with 16 to play. Their magic number is seven. The Nationals left town tonight with...

Speier managing for Baker with "heavy heart" (Nats win 1-0)

Speier managing for Baker with "heavy heart" (Nats win 1-0)
Chris Speier has been through this before, filling in temporarily as manager of Dusty Baker's team when the latter had to leave for personal reasons. The longtime big league coach stepped in for 11 games in Sept. 2012 when Baker (managing the Reds at the time) landed in the hospital with what eventually was discovered to be a mini-stroke. So when he learned a few days ago that he would need to take the reins again while Baker left town due to a death in the family, Speier did his best both to...

Baker leaves Nats following death in family, will return Friday

Baker leaves Nats following death in family, will return Friday
Dusty Baker has left the Nationals temporarily due to a death in the family and won't manage today's series finale against the Mets, the club announced. Bench coach Chris Speier will assume managerial duties for the game. Baker is expected to rejoin the team in Atlanta and manage Friday night's series opener against the Braves. This will be the first game Baker has missed since taking over as Nationals manager. The 67-year-old hasn't missed an inning of his team's first 145 games; he's...

Dusty Baker on tradition, teaching and teamwork

Dusty Baker on tradition, teaching and teamwork
LAKELAND, Fla. - Nationals manager Dusty Baker has a fondness for this central Florida city known for the citrus and phosphorus mining industries and for being an important intrastate transportation hub. His father was born here and one of Baker's early Grapefruit League games came here against the Tigers, when a youngster quickly realized the size and abilities of the competition. "They were all guys that were built like my dad and I called my dad and I said, 'Dad, I don't think I'm going...