Young pleased with first live BP (plus Mets, Nats lineups)

Young pleased with first live BP (plus Mets, Nats lineups)
VIERA, Fla. - Because shoulder issues have plagued Chris Young for much of the last few years, it's been a while since he's had a normal spring training. Yesterday, Young took the mound on one of the side fields at the Nationals complex and threw his first live batting practice since signing a minor league deal with the team last week. That's something that he hasn't been able to do this early in spring in recent years, but it was a nice first step toward the veteran right-hander getting...

Nats-Mets lineups for Gonzalez's spring debut

Nats-Mets lineups for Gonzalez's spring debut
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Of the players the Nationals brought with them on today's road trip to Port St. Lucie, likely just three will find themselves on the opening day roster. Gio Gonzalez will get the ball against the Mets tonight, in a game being broadcast in the D.C. and Baltimore regions on MLB Network, but behind him will be a host of prospects with incredibly long odds at cracking the 25-man roster come April 1. Tyler Moore and Steve Lombardozzi made the trip, and veteran Chris Snyder...

Johnson talks Strasburg limits, plus Nats, Mets lineups

Johnson talks Strasburg limits, plus Nats, Mets lineups
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Greetings from Tradition Field, where the sun is out and the breeze is, as well. A nice wind is blowing out to center this afternoon, and the Nationals were taking full advantage during batting practice. One BP group, made up of Bryce Harper, Tyler Moore, Chris Marrero and Micah Owings, sent dozens of souvenirs out to the fans beyond the fence, and Moore and Marrero even tattooed a couple balls off the scoreboard in left-center. We could have quite a show out here...

Meyers' deception could be key change of pace

Meyers' deception could be key change of pace
The Nationals got Brad Meyers back from the Yankees, who took him in the Rule 5 draft and then returned him. Meyers pitched only one game last year after an early-season workout injury shelved his season. Now he is good to go and is excited to be back with the Nationals' organization. Triple-A Syracuse manager Tony Beasley had Meyers at Double-A Harrisburg a couple of years ago for a while before Meyers was called up to the Chiefs. Beasley said Meyers doesn't have the classic,...

Nationals announce 2013 spring training broadcast schedule

Nationals announce 2013 spring training broadcast schedule
The Nationals have released their 2013 spring training broadcast schedule, which begins Feb. 24 against the Miami Marlins with a radio game on 106.7 The Fan. The first televised game is Feb. 28 on MASN as the Nationals battle the New York Mets. Five games will also be broadcast on CBS Sports Radio 1580 AM, the first on Feb. 26 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., against the Atlanta Braves. MASN previously released its television schedule for spring training 2013. You can access that schedule here....

Things getting interesting in the NL East

Things getting interesting in the NL East
I'd imagine there aren't many baseball fans who would object to me saying that not much is being expected of the Miami Marlins or New York Mets this season. The Marlins, who downright stunk last year, traded away the vast majority of their established major leaguers, and while there is buzz around the league that the Mets could be major players for free agent center fielder Michael Bourn, they dealt Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey this offseason and are coming off a second half of the...

Some surprising pitching news within the division

Some surprising pitching news within the division
Given we currently have a free agent market in which Anibal Sanchez, a pitcher coming off a nine-win, 3.86-ERA season, can land a five-year, $80 million deal, it's shocking that the Mets aren't willing to offer R.A. Dickey the two-year, $26 million extension he's seeking. Instead, the Mets are on the verge of dealing the Cy Young Award-winning knuckleballer to the Blue Jays, according to reports, for top catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud and other pieces. I guess this is the move you make...

A take on last night's result and a minor signing

A take on last night's result and a minor signing
On Tuesday night, shortly after Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton expressed his frustration with the monster trade which shipped five of his teammates to the Blue Jays, Nationals center fielder Bryce Harper sent a tweet Stanton's way. The message, which has since been deleted, read: "you can always come play for the Nats! We will take you anytime! Get some red, white, and blue in your life!" Last night, Stanton replied to Harper via Twitter with the following: "Dang bro, If only my...

Experienced pitcher and leadoff hitter top Nats' wish list

Experienced pitcher and leadoff hitter top Nats' wish list
As the offseason kicks into high gear, the Nationals are a defending champion in an unusual position: They could stand pat and be picked to win the National League East for a second consecutive season in 2013. But that's not how the Nationals operate. They'll likely be looking for an experienced pitcher and a leadoff batter. The Nationals rotation will have Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez and Ross Detwiler, but the fifth guy is up for debate. It could be Zack Greinke,...

A silver lining (Nats lose 12-2)

A silver lining (Nats lose 12-2)
ST. LOUIS - Davey Johnson has waved the white flag tonight, emptying his bench with the Nationals trailing 9-1 in the middle innings. But even with the blowout here in St. Louis, the Nats still can clinch the NL East title tomorrow night, thanks to the Mets. The Braves lost to the Mets 3-1 tonight, cutting the Nationals' magic number to two. A Nats win and a Braves loss tomorrow, and the division title belongs to Washington. See, you got something positive out of tonight. For what it's...

Dickey: Nats have "the best lineup I have faced"

Dickey: Nats have "the best lineup I have faced"
The Nationals got back on track in New York, winning another series, and beating a pitcher who had been unbeatable most of the season. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, lost for just fifth time in his last 29 starts, allowing a game-changing two-run homer to pinch-hitter Tyler Moore, and the Nationals went on to win 5-3. Dickey, who allowed only three runs in seven innings, said he has not seen anyone else hit like the Nationals have this season. "That is the best lineup I have faced," Dickey...

Morse, Espinosa out of Nats lineup as Lannan takes the hill

Morse, Espinosa out of Nats lineup as Lannan takes the hill
Today was originally scheduled to be Stephen Strasburg's final start of the 2012 season. Those who bought tickets to tonight's Nationals-Mets game at Citi Field hoping to see Strasburg's finale will get John Lannan instead. Lannan makes his return to the Nationals' rotation tonight as he takes on the Mets in the finale of this three-game series. The veteran left-hander has made two starts with the Nats this season, going 2-0 with a 3.46 ERA over 13 innings. Those starts were merely...

Nats set to face Dickey, Zimmermann hoping for carryover performance

Nats set to face Dickey, Zimmermann hoping for carryover performance
We've got quite a pitching matchup on our hands tonight up in Flushing, N.Y. Two of the top seven in the National League in ERA - R.A. Dickey and Jordan Zimmermann - will toe the rubber at Citi Field. Dickey (18-4, 2.64) is probably the leading candidate for the NL Cy Young award at this point, while Zimmermann (10-8, 2.99) is looking to carry some momentum from his last start out, when he allowed just two runs over seven innings with nine strikeouts in a win over the Cubs. That was the...

Nationals, Mets lineups

Nationals, Mets lineups
The Nationals have won 10 of their last 11 games at Citi Field, including six straight. They look to continue that road dominance tonight against R.A. Dickey and the Mets. For the Nationals: RF Jayson Werth CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche LF Michael Morse SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa C Kurt Suzuki P Jordan Zimmermann For the Mets: SS Ruben Tejada 2B Daniel Murphy 3B David Wright 1B Ike Davis RF Mike Baxter LF Jason Bay CF Andres Torres C Josh Thole P R.A. Dickey

Zimmerman, Desmond return as G. Gonzalez guns for 19th win

Zimmerman, Desmond return as G. Gonzalez guns for 19th win
The Nationals have Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond back in the lineup after both infielders sat out Sunday's 8-0 loss to the Marlins. Manager Davey Johnson has planned to give Zimmerman Sunday off and Desmond asked for a bit of a breather to rest his sore hamstring. The Nats will have both their third baseman and shortstop on the field tonight when they open a three-game set with the Mets. Gio Gonzalez will take the mound for the Nats, shooting for his 19th win of the season. Should he get...

Gio on target again as talented southpaw reaches 18 wins

Gio on target again as talented southpaw reaches 18 wins
With left-hander Gio Gonzalez on the mound, it appeared it would be difficult for the light-hitting Chicago Cubs offense to generate much in the way of runs. Or even hits. Gonzalez was on target Wednesday, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and finishing with seven shutout innings, on three hits, no walks and striking out nine. The Nationals allowed only four hits in the 9-1 dispatch of the Cubs. Gonzalez matched the Mets' R.A. Dickey for the major-league lead with win No. 18. The...

Bring on the Braves

Bring on the Braves
Do the Mets really have to leave town? Is there any way they can hang around a bit longer? Can someone divert their train back to D.C. and have them play a few more games at Nats Park? If Davey Johnson promises not to have Johan Santana cover the gold patch on his glove, is the lefty willing to throw a few more times against the Nats? With just three games between these two teams still to be played, the season series between the Nationals and Mets has been dominated by the best team in...

With a shot to extend division lead, Nats jump on Hefner (Nats win 5-2)

With a shot to extend division lead, Nats jump on Hefner (Nats win 5-2)
The Braves lost to the Dodgers earlier today in a game which was not disrupted by rain. Those lucky bums. That loss means if the Nationals are able to take the rubber game against the Mets today, they'll enter their big three-game series with Atlanta with a five-game division lead. So far, so good. The Nats have a 4-0 lead over the Mets and starter Jeremy Hefner through just three innings this afternoon. They've put the leadoff man on in each inning (twice, that leadoff man has been...

Johnson discusses a tough 2-0 loss

Johnson discusses a tough 2-0 loss
Earlier this season, Edwin Jackson pitched a complete game, allowing just one run. He then struck out eight and allowed just one run in eight innings against the Orioles in late June and threw seven shutout innings against the Brewers last month. But in Davey Johnson's mind, tonight was as good as Jackson has been all season. "That was probably the most dominant I've seen him pitch," Johnson said. "He had outstanding stuff. Breaking stuff, his fastball was dropping off the table and had...

No day off for Desmond, Werth

No day off for Desmond, Werth
Davey Johnson had said he planned on giving both Ian Desmond and Jayson Werth the day off for today's rubber game against the Mets. That's not happening. Both Desmond and Werth are in today's Nationals lineup. I'd be interested to hear the reasoning for Johnson's change of heart. I have a hard time believing that last night's shutout loss to the Mets factored in at all, but it's possible Desmond and Werth both convinced their skipper that they're OK to play again this afternoon. The...