Patrick Reddington: New wave of arms looming in Nats' minor leagues

Patrick Reddington: New wave of arms looming in Nats' minor leagues
On Wednesday morning at McCormick Field in Asheville, N.C., 22-year-old 2011 third-round pick Matt Purke made his first start of the season for the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns. It was just the fourth professional start for the 6-foot-4 left-hander and one-time Texas Rangers first-round pick who failed to sign with Texas, went to college instead and suffered a shoulder injury, which caused his stock to drop and left him available for selection by the Nationals when the 96th pick of the 2011...

Patrick Reddington: Baker feels Nats are on verge of breaking out offensively

Patrick Reddington: Baker feels Nats are on verge of breaking out offensively
Stephen Strasburg in on the disabled list with right shoulder soreness. Joe Ross is still working his way back from shoulder inflammation, though there were positive reports on the right-hander on Thursday. Sammy Solis is on the DL with a left shoulder issue and likely a couple of weeks away from a return. Oliver Perez is dealing with back tightness, but reportedly available. Before beating the Orioles on Thursday, the Nationals had lost four straight and six of 10 games. Nationals skipper...

Patrick Reddington: Time winding down for Denard Span to return and make impact

Patrick Reddington: Time winding down for Denard Span to return and make impact
Before Denard Span suffered a setback last week, he'd progressed to full workouts, live batting practice and taking fly balls and line drives in the outfield in Nationals Park as he worked his way back from a back issue that landed him on the disabled list. Washington's 31-year-old center fielder and leadoff man worked his way back from two surgeries this winter/spring - after he put together a line of .302/.355/.416, with 39 doubles, eight triples, five home runs, 31 stolen bases and a +4.0...

Patrick Reddington: In drafts, Nationals feel reward often outweighs risk

Patrick Reddington: In drafts, Nationals feel reward often outweighs risk
Anthony Rendon was considered the top hitting prospect in his draft class in 2011. The hard-hitting third baseman was limited to designated hitter duties by a shoulder injury in his final year at Rice University, however, after he suffered ankle injuries in the 2009-2010 seasons, both of which required surgery. So there was some concern about his durability as the First-Year Player Draft approached that June. Five teams passed on Rendon, in spite of the fact that he finished his collegiate...

Patrick Reddington: Memories of Expos come full circle at Nationals Park

Patrick Reddington: Memories of Expos come full circle at Nationals Park
I grew up a Montreal Expos fan. It was a completely different experience following a team from a city outside of your own at that point. No MLB.tv. No MLB Extra Innings or MLB Network. Just newspaper reports the next day, box scores and a few games a year when they played in or against New York. Living in New Jersey, surrounded by Phillies fans on one side, and Yankees and Mets fans on the another, with no team to call our own, there was no way I was cheering for any teams from Philadelphia or...

Patrick Reddington: Looking at Aaron Barrett's road to the big leagues

Patrick Reddington: Looking at Aaron Barrett's road to the big leagues
Matt Williams and Aaron Barrett first crossed paths in the Arizona Fall League in 2012. Williams, in his first managing gig at any level of the game, and Barrett, then 24 and coming off a strong campaign split between low and high Single-A in the Nationals' system, were both members of a Salt River Rafters roster that made it to the AFL Championship game that fall. After a dominant season on the mound as a 24-year-old in the low minors that season, Barrett embraced the opportunity to test...

Patrick Reddington: Looking at the Nats' new double play combination

Patrick Reddington: Looking at the Nats' new double play combination
Before the decision was made to place him on the disabled list, the questions about Danny Espinosa's injured wrist and shoulder and lack of production at the plate distracted from the fact that he wasn't the only Nationals middle infielder struggling offensively. Over at short, Ian Desmond, who started the month of May at .299/.315/.542 saw his line drop to .261/.295/.448 as a result of a .220/.273/.370 month of May in which he hit six doubles and three home runs while striking out 25 times...

Patrick Reddington: Nats thinking big picture with ace Strasburg

Patrick Reddington: Nats thinking big picture with ace Strasburg
In his first start back after a stint on the 15-day disabled list for an "upper back strain," Stephen Strasburg took a no-hit bid against the Cincinnati Reds into the seventh inning at Nationals Park. He was up to 93 pitches after six innings though, and two outs into the seventh, at 109 pitches, veteran skipper Dusty Baker made the decision to end the outing in spite of the fact that Strasburg hadn't allowed a hit. It wasn't a difficult decision. "No, because he had just come off the...

Patrick Reddington: Strasburg finds his voice

Patrick Reddington: Strasburg finds his voice
Mike Rizzo has referred to Stephen Strasburg in the past as his "silent assassin," a soft-spoken, but ultra-competitive, elite athlete. The No.1 overall pick in the 2009 draft had his moments. He snapped at a reporter once who asked why he struggled against the Marlins after a tough start against the Fish and reminded everyone that he'd historically done well against Miami. Back in 2010, he told a loud-mouthed fan who made the mistake of taunting Strasburg while the Nationals were ahead on...

Patrick Reddington: Finally, it's time for Fister's debut

Patrick Reddington: Finally, it's time for Fister's debut
Gio Gonzalez said this winter that he was a "big, big fan of Doug Fister." The acquisition of the 6-foot-8 right-hander, according to Gonzalez, was like "knowing that you just got the brand-new car you wanted for Christmas." "For me," Gonzalez said, "when you've got someone with that kind of presence, he's going to set the tone in the fourth spot, fifth spot, first spot, second spot. It doesn't matter where he is in that rotation. He's just going to be to us an ace." Ross Detwiler,...

Patrick Reddington: What now for Jonathan Papelbon?

Patrick Reddington: What now for Jonathan Papelbon?
In five appearances out of Washington's bullpen, new closer Mark Melancon has thrown five scoreless innings, striking out seven and allowing just one hit from the 16 batters he's faced. Acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates to take over as the Nationals closer, Melancon has provided exactly what he was expected to. "He's not doing anything different than he was before we got him," Dusty Baker told reporters earlier this week. "He doesn't give up a lot of hits... very few walks, and he has...

Patrick Reddington: Gio Gonzalez hoping to rebound at home

Patrick Reddington: Gio Gonzalez hoping to rebound at home
Gio Gonzalez was on a roll before he took the mound last week in San Francisco's AT&T Park. He was on a streak of eight straight starts in which he had allowed two earned runs or less, dating back to June 15th in Tampa Bay. In those previous eight starts, the Washington Nationals' 29-year-old left-hander was 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA and a .245/.296/.326 line against in 48 2/3 innings pitched. Gonzalez was coming off an eight-inning outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Chavez Ravine, in...

Patrick Reddington: Escobar's drive to another five-hit night

Patrick Reddington: Escobar's drive to another five-hit night
Yunel Escobar's first 5-for-5 game of the season, in a 6-4 win over the Miami Marlins in early May, took him from a .271/.326/.376 line to .311/.361/.411 in one night. The 32-year-old Nationals infielder singled the Fish to death in front of an appreciative crowd in the nation's capital and impressed manager Matt Williams, who told reporters, "Yunel did what he does." What Yunel does, Williams explained that night, is stay inside the baseball, remain calm at the plate, take what he's given...

Patrick Reddington: Top five second-half storylines for Nationals

Patrick Reddington: Top five second-half storylines for Nationals
The second half begins tonight when the Nationals host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Here are the top five storylines to keep track of during the remainder of the 2013 season: 5. Krol and Abad: The Nationals started the season with a right-handrf-heavy bullpen they thought could handle left-handed hitters. The Nats continued to add left-handed pitchers to the mix in the organization throughout the offseason, however. Former Astros lefty Fernando Abad, 27, signed with Washington in November. Ian...

Patrick Reddington: Delving deeper into Suarez not signing with Nats

Patrick Reddington: Delving deeper into Suarez not signing with Nats
Nationals scouting director Kris Kline was genuinely excited about getting left-hander Andrew Suarez with the Nats' second-round pick, 57th overall in this past June's amateur draft. Kline talked the pitcher up when he spoke to reporters about this year's picks after the second day's selections were completed. "We got Suarez from the University of Miami, who we love," Kline said. "Big lefty. Physical kid. Up to 97 with a plus slider and a plus changeup that commands his stuff very...

Patrick Reddington: With one-third of season complete, Nats hitters are heating up

Patrick Reddington: With one-third of season complete, Nats hitters are heating up
Though he will reportedly miss a few games this weekend while on the paternity list, Ryan Zimmerman has been heating up in recent weeks, going 30-for-111 over the last month- plus (.270/.320/.550) with eight doubles and seven homers over his last 29 games. Anthony Rendon has put up a .279/.380/.477 line with eight doubles, a triple and four home runs in 30 games since May 1, after a slow start to the season. Daniel Murphy just earned the National League Player of the Month award, after going...

Patrick Reddington: Which Denard Span is the real Denard Span?

Patrick Reddington: Which Denard Span is the real Denard Span?
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo described Denard Span as a "front line defensive center fielder" when he acquired the then-28-year-old outfielder from the Minnesota Twins last winter. Rizzo went on to say that he saw the 2002 Twins' first-round pick who turned 29 in February as, "a confident leadoff type of hitter (who) appeals greatly to us because of his skill set as an offensive player. You know, high average guy, .350 OBP-type of guy, doesn't strike out - one of the tougher guys...

Patrick Reddington: Mark Melancon credits cutter for his career success

Patrick Reddington: Mark Melancon credits cutter for his career success
With a scoreless ninth inning last night in Atlanta, new Washington Nationals closer Mark Melancon has retired 23 of the 27 batters he's faced since he was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates. When the 31-year-old right-hander has talked about the turning point for him in his career, he's pointed to the development of his cutter, as he did in an MLB Network Radio interview following the trade that brought him to the Nationals last month when he was asked what changed for him once he got to...

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...

Patrick Reddington: Joe Ross takes a cautious first step

Patrick Reddington: Joe Ross takes a cautious first step
In spite of their needs in the rotation, with Stephen Strasburg currently unavailable, the Nationals resisted the urge to rush 23-year-old righty Joe Ross back. Dusty Baker was excited about the idea of adding Ross to the mix after he missed more than two months working his way back from right shoulder inflammation. "I've heard guys around the league tell me that when he's right, he's as nasty as any young pitcher in the big leagues," Baker said last week before Ross pitched in the majors...