Matt Williams wins NL Manager of the Year award

Matt Williams wins NL Manager of the Year award
In his first year as a major league skipper, Matt Williams has earned the top award in his profession. Williams has been named National League Manager of the Year for the 2014 season, as voted on at the end of the regular season by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Williams received a total of 109 votes, including 18 of the 30 first-place votes. The Nationals manager also received six second-place votes and was written in as the third-place finisher on one ballot. Pirates...

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...

Could some Nats take home hardware tonight?

Could some Nats take home hardware tonight?
The Nationals were shut out in the Gold Glove voting this year, with Denard Span coming up short to Mets center fielder Juan Lagares and Adam LaRoche losing out to Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Tonight, we get another chance to see if any Nationals will take home some hardware. The Silver Slugger awards will be announced tonight beginning at 6 p.m. on MLB Network. As I'm sure most of you are aware, Gold Gloves are handed out to the top defensive player in each league at each position,...

Nats announce 2015 spring training schedule (Yankees at Nats Park on April 4)

Nats announce 2015 spring training schedule (Yankees at Nats Park on April 4)
Four months from today, the Nationals will open their 2015 spring training campaign. It'll be here before we know it. The Nats today announced their spring training schedule for next year, and they'll open their Grapefruit League season with a home game against the Mets on Thursday, March 5 at Space Coast Stadium. Matt Williams' ballclub will get a pair of visits from the National League Central champion St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, March 7 and Friday, March 27, as well as the American...

Williams a finalist for NL Manager of the Year

Williams a finalist for NL Manager of the Year
Matt Williams was recently selected as the Sporting News National League Manager of the Year, an award voted on by his peers. Tonight, we found out that he's one of three finalists for the league-endorsed NL Manager of the Year award, voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Also nominated for this Manager of the Year award are the Giants' Bruce Bochy and the Pirates' Clint Hurdle. Bochy won the award back in 1996, when he managed the Padres, while Hurdle is the...

The offseason begins

The offseason begins
There are a few things that I can't believe as of this morning. I can't believe Madison Bumgarner is actually a human being, and not, in fact, a machine. Bumgarner's five-inning save in Game 7 last night left him with a ridiculous 52 2/3 innings of work this postseason, with a 1.03 ERA in that time. His career World Series ERA is now 0.25. How is that real? I can't believe that the one postseason game that the Nationals won this year was started by Bumgarner. A guy who was that dominant for...

Nats live to see another day with 4-1 win in Game 3

Nats live to see another day with 4-1 win in Game 3
SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals said coming into San Francisco that if they just played their game and got a break or two along the way, that they could very easily come back to win this series. They might have just gotten that break. Madison Bumgarner's throwing error on a Wilson Ramos sacrifice bunt led to two runs, and the Nats tacked on an additional run in the seventh inning to take a 3-0 lead. Ramos came up with two on and nobody out after Ian Desmond's leadoff single and a Bryce Harper...

A scoreless ballgame through five

A scoreless ballgame through five
SAN FRANCISCO - Doug Fister's command hasn't been there early on. But he's thrown two scoreless innings, keeping this game knotted at zeros as we go to the third. Fister has needed 43 pitches to get through two, including 27 in the second inning, when the Giants loaded the bases on a Pablo Sandoval single to left-center and two walks. That brought up Giants starter Madison Bumgarner with the bases loaded, and by no means is the left-hander (who bats right-handed) an easy out. Bumgarner has...

Trying to turn the page

Trying to turn the page
The Nationals had the last four days to look ahead to this afternoon's ballgame. The last two and a half weeks, if you count the time since they clinched the National League East title. They had a couple of days to wonder about whether they would face the Giants or the Pirates, and a couple more to map out how they might match up against San Francisco. Now they have less than 24 hours to turn the page and move on to a crucial Game 2. In the regular season, the focus is on the big picture. You...

Harper and Cabrera crank homers, but Giants win 3-2

Harper and Cabrera crank homers, but Giants win 3-2
Game 1 of the National League Division series is under way in Washington, D.C. It is only the fourth home playoff game in the nation's capital since 1933. Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg induced three flyouts to begin the game. Giants right-hander Jake Peavy walked Jayson Werth with two outs in the bottom of the first. He was the first baserunner for either team. But Adam LaRoche struck out to end the inning. Update: Peavy has managed to get swinging strikeouts to end the first two...

Williams discusses roster decisions involving Soriano, Detwiler, Hairston

Williams discusses roster decisions involving Soriano, Detwiler, Hairston
The Nationals' starting lineup for Game 1 of the National League Division Series didn't feature any surprises. The back end of the team's 25-man roster might have surprised some. The Nationals opted to put Rafael Soriano on their roster for the NLDS, while Ross Detwiler was left out of the eight-man bullpen. Detwiler had one clunker down the stretch, allowing three runs in an inning against the Braves, but was unscored upon in seven of his eight September appearances. Soriano was tremendous...

Who do you want - Pirates or Giants?

Who do you want - Pirates or Giants?
The postseason is officially under way, and we've now reached October. And if what we're about to see over the next month in any way resembles the drama and excitement we witnessed last night during the American League wild card game, we'll be in good shape. The Royals pulled out a thriller over the A's last night, coming back from a four-run deficit in the late innings to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, and then again coming from behind with two runs in the bottom of the 12th to...

Mets jump on top early on a soggy Thursday (Mets win 7-4)

Mets jump on top early on a soggy Thursday (Mets win 7-4)
On a soggy field and a misty Thursday, it did not take long for the Mets to get on the board in Game 1 of a split doubleheader. Facing Nationals starter Blake Treinen, the Mets connected on three singles in the first inning. Curtis Granderson's single to right field plated Wilmer Flores and the Mets lead 1-0. In the bottom of the first, the Nationals went 1-2-3 against Dillon Gee. The Mets lead 1-0 heading to top of the second. Update: In the third inning following a Danny Espinosa leadoff...

We're scoreless in Atlanta (Nats fall 3-1)

We're scoreless in Atlanta (Nats fall 3-1)
Well, we have a pitchers' duel in Atlanta. Nationals rookie Blake Treinen and Atlanta starter Alex Wood have each thrown three scoreless innings. Wood has allowed one hit, a single to Danny Espinosa, and has struck out five. Treinen has given up three hits and struck out two. Before the game, manager Matt Williams said Treinen is expected to throw between 60 and 70 pitches. Treinen has thrown 29 pitches through three innings. Update: Steven Souza Jr. broke the scoreless tie in the...

Nats clinch NL East with 3-0 win over Braves

Nats clinch NL East with 3-0 win over Braves
Neither the Nationals nor the Braves have found a way to break through against tonight's starters at Turner Field, as the game remains scoreless in the fourth. Tanner Roark has allowed two hits, walked none and struck out three in three innings. He has thrown 41 pitches, 28 for strikes. Denard Span, Bryce Harper, Wilson Ramos and Roark each singled for the Nats, who have been kept off the board by veteran Aaron Harang. The Braves right-hander stranded two runners in each of the first two...

Saturday's Nationals-Mets lineups

Saturday's Nationals-Mets lineups
It's rainy and cool at Citi Field, where the Nationals are scheduled to play the third of four games this evening against the Mets. Game time is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. on MASN HD. According to Weather Bug, there's a 40 percent change of precipitation at 7 p.m. in Flushing, N.Y., which rises to 60 percent at 8 p.m. and drops to 50 percent by 9 p.m. Temperatures will hold steady in the mid-60s, but the rain should be gone by 10 p.m. So there's a window. A late one, but a window...

Zimmermann twirls six innings (Nats win 6-4 for series victory)

Zimmermann twirls six innings (Nats win 6-4 for series victory)
Never underestimate the importance of getting the leadoff man on base. Factor in that your team is facing a 14-game winner in Ervin Santana and the importance ramps up. The Nationals offense has scored three runs or less in eight of its last 11 nine-inning games. So if Santana could get going, it would add pressure to the offense as the innings progressed. Denard Span made everything easier for his teammates in his first at-bat, smacking a 1-2 Santana offering into right field for a double....

Nationals strike first versus Braves (Nats win 2-1)

Nationals strike first versus Braves (Nats win 2-1)
The Nationals were able to break the ice early against the rival Braves. Each of these games are so important, but manager Matt Williams repeated during pregame that it is just another game. But a sweep either way would make a huge statement with games, and the season, dwindling down to a precious few. Doug Fister allowed just a Freddie Freeman base hit in the first. With two outs in the bottom of the first and Anthony Rendon on base, Adam LaRoche and Ian Desmond had back-to-back singles to...

Soriano "felt good" during bullpen session, could pitch in game soon

Soriano "felt good" during bullpen session, could pitch in game soon
Prior to Monday's game versus the Braves, Nationals manager Matt Williams updated Rafael Soriano's progress as he tries to work on his mechanics following a rough stretch. Soriano has not pitched since Friday. Williams did not personally witness Soriano's bullpen session today, but got the full report from pitching coach Steve McCatty. He did get to speak to Soriano after the workout. "He's working on his mechanics," Williams said. "I talked to him in there and he said he felt good....

Williams meets with the media after 3-2 win over Phillies

Williams meets with the media after 3-2 win over Phillies
With one victory today, the Nationals avoided a sweep by the Phillies, extended their lead in the National League East to seven games, trimmed their magic number to 14 and got some momentum back on their side before a three-game series against the Braves starts tomorrow. Not a bad day at the office. The Nats got six strong innings from Gio Gonzalez today, were led offensively by Adam LaRoche's two solo homers and Scott Hairston's go-ahead sac fly, and saw Drew Storen close it down with a...