Washington Nationals

PHILADELPHIA — There was one out in the third inning Monday when Michael Young sent a rocket to the wall in straightaway center field. Washington Nationals center fielder Jeff Kobernus leaped at the wall and tried to corral it. By the time the ball made it back to the infield, Young ... Read more Jeff Kobernus news

Washington Nationals (34-35) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (34-37) Ross Detwiler (2-4, 3.02) vs. Cliff Lee (8-2, 2.55)TIME: 7:05, Citizens Bank ParkTV: CSNWEATHER: 70, rainMEDIA: Facebook or TwitterAfter a walkoff win by Domonic Brown yesterday, more good news. Carlos Ruiz is back. But more bad news, too. The rain is staying, the game is delayed to start, and the showers will likely last all evening. They should play ball tonight.Some things: Cliff Lee hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a game since May 1. The Nationals are 27th in MLB in runs scored. Good math Read more Carlos Ruiz news

Ian Desmond, one of the Nationals’ leaders, and Manager Davey Johnson talk often about the goings-on of the team. After Tuesday loss, their third in four games and one that dropped them below .500 for the fifth time, Desmond wanted … Continue reading →

USA Today Sports ImagesPHILADELPHIA — If the Nationals are going to snap out of their season-long malaise that has left them hovering right around the .500 mark for the better part of 2 1/2 months, it's going to require a collective loosening up by players who might just be too tightly wound at the moment.Manager Davey Johnson, after meeting with shortstop Ian Desmond this afternoon, said he wants his team to be looser, not putting so much pressure on itself to live up to the club's lofty preseason expectations."I was talking to Desi a little earlier, and he felt like the club was not as loose as it was last year," Johnson said. "It's trying to be loose. Well, I said, we're young. We're awfully young. We've got some young guys on the bench. It's a situation where they have to go through the experience. That's part of it. But I think we'll be fine. Learn to just play loose, free and easy, and the offense will pick up."Johnson specifically mentioned the younger players on his roster who burst onto the scene last season but have struggled to produce at the same level this season.Read more

Less than half an hour before first pitch, the tarp remains on the infield at Citizens Bank Park. There is optimism that the game will be played tonight, but a delay is inevitable. The Phillies haven’t issued any word of … Continue reading →

Denard Span returned to the Nationals lineup on Tuesday after missing one game with bruised right foot. Span had never fouled a ball off his foot in his baseball career until this season. Now he has done it three times … Continue reading →

The Nationals signaled their discomfort with Drew Storen finishing games this winter when they signed Rafael Soriano to a two-year, $28 million contract to take over as their closer. Mike Rizzo and Davey Johnson both said the move had nothing … Continue reading →

The Washington Nationals haven't faced Philadelphia Phillies' lefty Cliff Lee yet in 2013. In his career, the 34-year-old, 12-year veteran has a (5-3) record, a 2.51 ERA, eight walks (1.26 BB/9), 57 Ks (8.95 K/9) and a 1.13 WHIP in eight starts and 57.1 IP against the Nats. Last year, the Philly left-hander was (2-1) in three starts against the Phillies' NL East division rivals with a 1.80 ERA, 1 walk (0.45 BB/9) and 19 Ks (8.55 K/9) in 20 innings pitches against the Nationals. The last time Lee faced Washington in Citizens Bank Park, on August 26, 2012, he held the Nats' hitters to one run on seven hits in a 4-1 Phillies' win. • Pregame Tweet: Davey wants to avoid a rainout tonight. "I'm hoping to get this taste out of my mouth. Let's play." — Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) June 18, 2013 At home in CBP this season, Lee's got an ERA (3.82, with a 3.00 FIP) just about two runs higher than it is on the road (1.88, 2.21 FIP). In five starts in Philadelphia, Lee's (2-1) with four home runs (1.02 HR/9) allowed, six walks (1.53 BB/9) surrendered and 36 Ks (9.17 K/9) recorded in 35.1 IP. • Pregame tweet: Davey mentioned Ian Desmond told him he didn't think #Nats playing as loose as last yr. Davey said they're still learning to deal w pressure — Amanda Comak (@acomak) June 18, 2013 The Nationals, however, have not hit left-handers well at all in 2013. Not to, as Professor G.H. Dorr would say, "flog a horse that if not dead is at this point in mortal danger of expiring," but after 69 games, the Nationals' .214/.283/.330 line vs left-handers has them 14th in AVG and OBP and 15th in SLG amongst National League teams. How do the Phillies hit lefties you ask? Philadelphia's hitters have a .243/.311/.406 line vs LHP, good for 8th in AVG and OBP and third overall in the NL in SLG. • Pregame tweet: Denard Span (.312 OBP) and Ben Revere (.311 OBP) are leading off for their respective teams in tonight's Nationals-Phillies game. — Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) June 18, 2013 Against Detwiler? The Washington Nationals' 27-year-old, '07 1st Round pick has a (2-4) record, a 4.24 ERA, six home runs (1.34 HR/9) and 14 walks (3.12 BB/9) allowed with 22 Ks (4.91 K/9) collected and a 1.31 WHIP in eight games, seven starts and 40.1 IP against the Phillies over the course of his career. Here's the lineup that will back Detwiler up and take on Cliff Lee tonight in Citizens Bank Park if the rain stops long enough for the two teams to play the second game of three for the Nats in CBP: Tonight's lineup at PHI: Span CF, Rendon 2B, Zimmerman 3B, Werth RF, LaRoche 1B, Desmond SS, Suzuki C, Lombardozzi LF, Detwiler P — Nationals PR (@NationalsPR) June 18, 2013 7:05 pm EDT...

Opening Day 2013? Stephen Strasburg throws seven scoreless, efficient innings on 80 pitches in the first game of the season in the nation's capital for the defending NL East Champs and hears it from the crowd of 45,274 as he walks off the mound. That was a pretty amazing moment, though everyone kind of thought he'd come back for the eighth. C'mon, Davey Johnson!! Bryce Harper hits a home run in the bottom of the first... then again in the bottom of the fourth. The moment that second home run soared out, that was kind of amazing. Rafael Soriano coming on in the ninth, closing out win no.1 of the new season and untucking his Nationals jersey on the mound for the first time. Friday night, April 26th. Nationals Park, Washington, D.C. Jordan Zimmermann going the distance for a complete game shutout of the Reds, holding the visiting Cincinnati batters to one hit in a 91-pitch start and then celebrating his achievement with Wilson Ramos. Zimmermann dominating on the mound, with the Nationals taking a 1-0 lead when Jayson Werth singles to right to bring Bryce Harper in after Harper tripled with one out in the fourth. Is there any better moment than when Harper decides he's got a chance for a triple and runs the bases with abandon all the way around to third? How about when Jordan Zimmermann threw eight scoreless against the Atlanta Braves in a 2-0 win in Turner Field? When Anthony Rendon hit that ninth inning home run just this past weekend in Cleveland? It hasn't been an ideal season for the Nationals thus far, but there have been big moments already. Your favorite Nationals moment of 2013 could win you $100 for a Nationals game of your choice... • Federal Baseball and TiqIQ have a contest for you: Tell Us Your Favorite 2013 Nationals Moment One Contestant Will Win $100 For a Nationals Game Of Their Choice! Contest Ends: Friday, June 23rd. CLICK HERE TO ENTER. And we stress, Contest Ends: Friday June 23rd. Washington Nationals tickets.

Denard Span is back in the lineup tonight in Philadelphia, two days after fouling a ball off his foot for the third time this season. Here’s how the lineup looks against the Phillies: Nationals 1. Denard Span, CF 2. Anthony … Continue reading →