G. Gonzalez works two scoreless, plus updates on the rotation and more (updated)

G. Gonzalez works two scoreless, plus updates on the rotation and more (updated)
VIERA, Fla. - Gio Gonzalez has completed two scoreless innings of work against a Mets split squad in his spring debut, allowing one hit and striking out one. It was an easy two frames for Gonzalez, who surrendered a Kirk Nieuwenhuis single through the hole on the left side with one out in the first, only to then get Andrew Brown to tap out to catcher Jhonatan Solano and Brandon Allen to fly out to center. In the second, Gonzalez got Wilmer Flores to fly out to right, then struck out Eric...

Many factors need to be considered in Nats' bullpen battle

Many factors need to be considered in Nats' bullpen battle
VIERA, Fla. - Even prior to yesterday, the Nationals had a great deal of competition for the final couple of spots in their bullpen. The signing of left-handed reliever Michael Gonzalez to a minor league deal only adds to that competition. With Rafael Soriano, Tyler Clippard, Drew Storen, Jerry Blevins and Craig Stammen having a lock on five of the Nats' relief jobs (as long as they stay healthy in spring), that seemingly leaves two slots available in the opening day bullpen. And going...

Strasburg discusses his debut (Nats lose 8-4)

Strasburg discusses his debut (Nats lose 8-4)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP SCORE: Braves 8, Nationals 4 Recap: Matt Williams rolled the dice late in the game, deciding to implement something the Nats have worked on in drills. With the game tied and the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the eighth, Williams brought in right fielder Steven Souza Jr. to play first base, giving the Nats five infielders. The move backfired, as Braves infielder Phil Gosselin ripped a bases-clearing triple to right - exactly where Souza would have been...

Strasburg's spring debut goes smoothly, ends quickly (game update)

Strasburg's spring debut goes smoothly, ends quickly (game update)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Stephen Strasburg barely had time to get loose today and his spring debut was already over. Strasburg went two innings against the Braves this afternoon, facing the minimum six hitters. He allowed a groundball single to Justin Upton in the second, but then got a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Chris Johnson to end the inning and his outing. In total, Strasburg threw just 15 pitches, nine for strikes. He had a nine-pitch first, getting a first-pitch flyout to left...

Nats sign left-hander Michael Gonzalez to minor league deal (with Nats lineup)

Nats sign left-hander Michael Gonzalez to minor league deal (with Nats lineup)
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals and popular left-handed reliever Michael Gonzalez have reunited. The team announced this morning that it has signed Gonzalez to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training. Gonzalez posted a 4.68 ERA over 50 innings with the Brewers last season. He struck out 60 and walked 25, posting a 1.660 WHIP. The 35-year-old lefty was a well-liked member of the Nats' 2012 roster and put up a 3.03 ERA over 47 appearances that season. He made one...

Hearing from Detwiler, Roark and Lobaton after 4-2 Nats loss

Hearing from Detwiler, Roark and Lobaton after 4-2 Nats loss
TAMPA, Fla. - It may only be spring training, and the results may mean nothing, but that doesn't mean that Ross Detwiler wasn't nervous before today's 4-2 loss to the Yankees. After all, it was his first time in a big league game in exactly eight months. Detwiler, who missed the last half of last season with a back injury, went 1 1/3 innings today, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits. He struck out three and walked none, showing good fastball velocity (up to 94 mph on the gun)...

Detwiler retires four batters in spring debut (Nats lose 4-2)

Detwiler retires four batters in spring debut (Nats lose 4-2)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP SCORE: Yankees 4, Nationals 2 Recap: Ross Detwiler allowed four runs, three earned, in 1 1/3 innings of work in his spring debut, while Zach Walters kept his hot spring going by crushing a solo homer to center. Need to know: Detwiler showed some positive signs, but struggled with his fastball command, while Tanner Roark delivered two uneventful, scoreless frames. Those two, along with Taylor Jordan, are competing for the No. 5 spot in the Nats rotation. On deck:...

On Walters' strong start to spring and how his game needs to evolve

On Walters' strong start to spring and how his game needs to evolve
VIERA, Fla. - Today marks the one road trip this spring when the Nationals will make the drive across the state to the west coast of Florida. There are some gorgeous spring facilities on that side of the Sunshine State. The Red Sox have a nice new stadium in Fort Myers. The Orioles' facility in Sarasota is snazzy. We made the trip to Clearwater last year when the Nats played the Phillies, and that was a beautiful park in a beautiful location. The problem with all of these road games? The...

Werth dealing with biceps strain, Harper sent home due to flu-like symptoms

Werth dealing with biceps strain, Harper sent home due to flu-like symptoms
VIERA, Fla. - Right fielder Jayson Werth was set to make his spring training debut this afternoon against the Marlins, but that will have to wait. Werth was scratched from today's game less than an hour before first pitch due to a right biceps strain, according to Nationals manager Matt Williams. Williams said after the Nats' 10-3 win over the Marlins that Werth felt discomfort in the lower biceps area yesterday. He was originally written into today's lineup but was scratched when the...

Fister fans two, allows a run in Nats spring debut

Fister fans two, allows a run in Nats spring debut
VIERA, Fla. - Doug Fister's first spring inning as a Washington National couldn't have gone much better. His second wasn't quite as smooth, but he still completed a solid Nats spring training debut. Fister struck out two and got a pop-up to short in the first inning, breezing through the top of the Marlins order, and then allowed two hits, a walk and a run in the second. He'll exit today's game having thrown 30 pitches, 19 for strikes. Fister got Matt Angle looking at a called strike...

Zimmermann works through two quick, scoreless innings (Purke hit hard)

Zimmermann works through two quick, scoreless innings (Purke hit hard)
VIERA, Fla. - Jordan Zimmermann's work day is over 25 minutes after he threw his first pitch. But as manager Matt Williams likes to say, "That's a good thing." Zimmermann quickly got in his two innings of work this afternoon, allowing just an infield single to Jordan Schafer leading off the game. The Nationals right-hander got five ground balls and struck out Dan Uggla to end the second inning. He threw 20 pitches, 15 for strikes. Zimmermann worked quickly, he attacked the zone and now...

Ramos doubles, Garcia gets hit hard

Ramos doubles, Garcia gets hit hard
PORT ST. LUCIE - After being set down in order in their first 12 trips to the plate today, the Nationals got something going in the fifth inning when Wilson Ramos smoked an RBI double off the wall in left-center. The long fly ball plated Ian Desmond, who had reached on a fielder's choice and stole second base. Adam LaRoche led off the inning with a single before being retired on the Desmond fielder's choice. Ramos didn't just show off his power, he also showed off his wheels when advancing...

Two scoreless innings in the books for Taylor Jordan

Two scoreless innings in the books for Taylor Jordan
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Taylor Jordan has gotten the Nationals' slate of spring training games off to a good start. The 25-year-old right-hander has completed two scoreless innings against the Mets, allowing just a first-inning leadoff single to left by Chris Young. Jordan struck out the left-handed-hitting Ike Davis looking to end the first inning on what looked like a good changeup on the inner half of the plate, and he then got Wilmer Flores swinging to end the second. Flores tried to...

Span turns 30, Ramos puts on a show

Span turns 30, Ramos puts on a show
VIERA, Fla. - Today is Denard Span's 30th birthday, and a handful of fans who were in attendance for this morning's casual workout inside Space Coast Stadium sang "Happy Birthday" to the Nationals center fielder when he stepped into the cage for his first round of batting practice. After the song was over, one fan shouted, "Old man!" at Span. Not nice, dude. Not nice. Not only did Wilson Ramos get a crash course on the new rules regarding home plate collisions today, he also crushed a...

Wednesday Williams quotes on Friday's lineup and his use of late-inning relievers

Wednesday Williams quotes on Friday's lineup and his use of late-inning relievers
VIERA, Fla. - Wonder what went into Matt Williams' thinking on his lineup for Friday's Grapefruit League opener against the Mets? Wonder no more. "Just planning the whole thing out for spring," Williams said today. "Understanding that, one, we want to get a look at guys (and), two, We want to stack our main guys to ramp at the end of spring, certainly get more playing time. As everybody knows, just ramp it up. And of course, the road trip as opposed to a home game, making sure that we...

Sights and sounds from Wednesday's workout (plus Davis note)

Sights and sounds from Wednesday's workout (plus Davis note)
VIERA, Fla. - I love watching major league teams take infield, and luckily for me, the Nationals have done plenty of quick-moving infield drills so far this camp. Manager Matt Williams grabbed his fungo bat and hit grounders to his top two groups of infielders this morning, putting them through the drill at a crisp pace. Ian Desmond and Ryan Zimmerman both put on a show with some nice barehanded grabs, and Danny Espinosa continued to look smooth at short playing behind Desmond. Have I...

Clay Hensley's revival, and the quirky throwing program that got him here

Clay Hensley's revival, and the quirky throwing program that got him here
VIERA, Fla. - Around July of last year, veteran right-hander Clay Hensley had one foot out the proverbial door, ready to step away from baseball and move on to the next phase of his life. Now he's in Nationals camp, pitching well and battling for a spot in Matt Williams' bullpen. That in itself sounds like a cool story, but tales like that aren't unique to Hensley. There are countless players throughout spring training facilities in Florida and Arizona who are trying to work their way back...

"Pitchers' hitting game" tops the list of most entertaining drills of camp (with video)

"Pitchers' hitting game" tops the list of most entertaining drills of camp (with video)
VIERA, Fla. - Spring training can be a tedious, dull experience for major league players. Many of the drills they're being put through during these weeks leading up to games are ones that they've been doing since middle school. Position players take batting practice and work on defensive fundamentals. Pitchers throw bullpens and practice fielding comebackers. Gets old after a while. Actually, it gets old after Day 2. So manager Matt Williams and the Nationals' coaches decided to take a...

A few notes leading up to this morning's workout

A few notes leading up to this morning's workout
VIERA, Fla. - They're calling for some more rain today here, but the Nationals might luck out again. It looks like the showers won't hit us until mid-afternoon, by which point the Nats will be off the fields and will have their workout behind them. That's chief meteorologist Dan Kolko with that report. The live batting practice sessions we saw over the weekend have been put on hold for a day, but they're scheduled to be a part of tomorrow's workout. All pitchers who haven't been...

Mattheus shut down due to chest injury, Clippard returns to workouts

Mattheus shut down due to chest injury, Clippard returns to workouts
VIERA, Fla. - While the rest of the pitchers in his throwing group took part in their first live batting practice sessions of spring today, Ryan Mattheus remained sidelined with what he said is an upper chest injury. Mattheus has been shut down since Tuesday, he revealed today, after feeling discomfort in the chest following his second bullpen session of spring. He will undergo an MRI and will wait on the results, which will reveal exactly what's going on that's causing the...