State of the Nats - 8/26

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Team Record: 65-65 (24-26)

N.L. East Standings

Wild Card Standings

Offensive Game of the Week: Jayson Werth 8/21 vs. Cubs - 1 for 3, HR (18), 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB  

Pitching Line of the Week: Jordan Zimmermann 8/24 vs. Royals - 7.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 SO, 114 pitches, 78 strikeouts

Top Storylines

Can they keep it up? - Winners of 11 of their last 16 games, the Nats enter Monday coming off their best stretch of the 2013 season. They haven't gained much ground on the Reds who hold the final NL Wild Card spot, but they are close to overtaking the Diamondbacks to be the first team out. As Mark explained this morning, it is still very unlikely they can make up enough ground to qualify for the playoffs. It makes you wonder where this type of run was a month ago, or even earlier. But regardless of whether it's enough to put them into the postseason, it's encouraging to see the Nats haven't packed it in and given up on this year.

Dog days of the NL East - The Nationals play their next 26 games against division rivals, a stretch that will take them all the way until their final two series of the season. Over the next month they'll play the Marlins three times, the Mets and Phillies each twice, and the Braves for one final matchup of the 2013 season. Most of those teams, of course, are behind the Nats in the standings and it should present an opportunity for Washington to continue their recent surge. It may not be enough to make the playoffs, but a winning season, or perhaps as many as 85 wins by the end of the year, aren't out of the question.

Much better, but still not enough

Associated Press

The good news for the Nationals on this late-August Monday morning: They're playing unquestionably their best baseball of the season right now.

The bad news for the Nationals (and their fans): It's still not going to be enough to make up for the first four-plus months of this underachieving season.

They simply dug themselves too big a hole. Plus, the five NL clubs who have been in position to make the postseason for quite some time now have shown no signs of collapse, the other requirement for a last-ditch pennant race in D.C.

So it's not entirely the Nationals' fault. Even with yesterday's frustrating 6-4 loss in Kansas City, they've gone 11-5 since that embarrassing home sweep at the hands of the Braves earlier this

Nats who's hot/who's not - 8/21

Photo by USA Today

By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

The Nationals' past week, at a glance:

Record: 3-4

Team slash: .269/.343/.377

Team ERA: 4.28

Runs per game: 3.6

Opponent runs per game: 4.9

Opponent slash: .227/.292/.438

HOT

Dan Haren, SP/RP: 1-0/1 SV/1.38 ERA/0.85 WHIP/13 IP/11 K

Nobody on the Nationals, or in the majors in general, is as hot as is Haren right now. Whether it's a result of mechanics, being truly healthy (my colleague Mark Zuckerman noted that his ERA since returning from the DL is 2.16), or just getting his head screwed on right, he has been truly dominant all month. On top of his microscopic August ERA (1.33), he also pitched in during the 15-inning marathon against Atlanta, recording his first career save.

Ryan Zimmerman, 3B: 8-27/1 HR/3 RBI/.387 OBP/.943 OPS

We all figured he would, but Zimmerman has begun to hit his way out of his recent slump. Barring a scorching finish, his season numbers won't be all that impressive, but he has raised his average back to a respectable .270, muscling up on the ball, and getting on base like a machine -- like he always has. Imagine if he'd hit this way all year.

Happy to win ugly

USA Today Sports Images

CHICAGO — Very little about the Nationals' 4-1 victory over the Cubs Tuesday night was aesthetically pleasing. Dan Haren, feeling a bit off after making a surprise relief appearance only three days earlier, gutted his way through six innings on the mound. Ian Desmond and Ryan Zimmerman committed errors on routine plays. Baserunning mistakes were made. Rafael Soriano gave up yet another ninth-inning homer.

And then there was the Nationals' lineup, which merely put 21 men on base over nine innings, somehow managing to push only four of them across the plate. Two of them in the top of the ninth.

"Some of the ways we're finding ways to get out is unbelievable," Desmond said. "It's bound to change at some point. It did in the ninth, and hopefully we can continue to do that and hopefully it carries over."

There were no complaints from the Nationals clubhouse after this one, though. Wins have become too rare for this team, so they'll gladly take them however they can.
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Instant analysis: Nats 4, Cubs 2

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Game in a nutshell: After a blowout loss on Monday night against their least-effective starter, the Nationals turned to their best pitcher to stop the bleeding and author a gem. Who would have imagined a month ago Jordan Zimmermann would fit the first description while Dan Haren would fit the latter? Obviously, it's been a strange season for the Nationals. Behind yet another dominant start from Haren, they put themselves in position to beat the Cubs. They had to scratch and claw their way to four runs, but that was enough, with Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard each retiring the side in the seventh and eighth and Rafael Soriano navigating his way through a shaky ninth to earn the save. So the Nationals avenged Monday night's 11-1 loss. They also gained a game on both the Braves and the Reds, who each lost.

Hitting highlight: It's been a chore for the Nationals to score runs. It never comes easy. And it certainly didn't tonight, though they somehow cobbled together enough key hits at the right

Game 125: Nats at Cubs

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

CHICAGO — Davey Johnson has suggested in recent days he plans to start sitting some of his left-handed hitters when a fellow lefty is starting against the Nationals. So with young Chris Rusin on the mound tonight for the Cubs, Johnson is following through with his promise.

Adam LaRoche is on the bench. So is Denard Span. Those two are giving way to Tyler Moore and Scott Hairston. The only left-handed hitter in Davey's lineup is Bryce Harper, who gets bumped to the leadoff spot.

Dan Haren, incredibly the Nationals' best and most-reliable starting pitcher over the last month, gets the ball tonight, trying to erase the memories of last night's 11-1 trouncing at Wrigley Field.

Updates to come...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at CHICAGO CUBS
Where: Wrigley Field
Gametime: 8:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 187
Weather: Clear, 82 degrees, Wind 10 mph out to LF

NATIONALS (60-64)
CF Bryce Harper
SS Ian Desmond
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth

Marathon men

USA Today Sports Images

ATLANTA — Their starting pitcher had departed some 4 1/2 hours earlier, ejected after plunking a batter in the first inning and then losing all semblance of his command in the second. Their manager had been ejected, too, not to mention their left fielder later in the evening.

Eight relievers (one of them actually a starter) had cobbled together 14 innings of work, though the last six of those innings wouldn't have been necessary had their closer recorded one more out in the bottom of the ninth.

Their star 20-year-old, scratched from the lineup earlier in the day with a bruised left triceps muscle after getting drilled by a pitch the previous night, had been forced into action late.

Then again, pretty much everyone in uniform was forced into action for this 5-hour, 29-minute marathon, with 44 of the 50 active players on the two rosters appearing in the game.

So when it finally ended, when Adam LaRoche had homered in the top of the 15th and Dan Haren had pitched the bottom of the inning — in the rain — to earn the first save of his 11-year career, the Nationals could only sit back and enjoy the feeling that comes only after you pull off an 8-7 victory over your fiercest rivals.

"Golly," LaRoche sighed. "What a battle."
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Haren continues post-DL resurgence

Photo by USA Today

Since returning from the disabled list on July 8, Dan Haren has been a markedly better pitcher. The difference is striking.

He was diagnosed with shoulder stiffness and administered a cortisone shot, but if you ask Haren, the problem wasn’t physical. The drastic improvement is simply a change in approach. He is more conservative with his pitches and focuses on keeping the ball low.

It sounds simple but whatever, it’s working.

“I’m definitely happier with the way I’m throwing than I was a month ago,” he said. “Before I went on the DL it was a mixture of making a few bad pitches, a little bit of bad luck. Now I’m just more focused on keeping the ball down, keeping the defense in the game.”

Since facing the Phillies in his July 8 return, Haren has held a 2.30 ERA with 42 strikeouts and ten walks in 43 total innings. He went to the DL with a 6.15 season ERA, it’s now 4.82. 

Haren continued his resurgence on Thursday with six innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and two walks. He battled through a 27-pitch first inning with the bases loaded to make it six, salvaging what at first looked like a regression to his early season self.

Soriano blows it in Nats' loss to Giants

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A night after being bailed out by his center fielder on a miraculous catch to end the game, Nationals closer Rafael Soriano once again made matters interesting in the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants.  

But this time he wasn’t so lucky, as a pinch-hitting Hector Sanchez launched a towering three run homer to the upper deck in right field, putting the Giants up for good and ruining the Nats’ chances of a sixth consecutive win.

The final blow came in a 3-2 count with two outs, on a pitch Soriano didn’t think he would have to make. The previous pitch, at 2-2, Soriano fired a fastball that was up in the zone, just high enough to earn a ball from home plate umpire Jim Joyce. 

Soriano thought it was a strike and couldn’t recover after thinking the game was over.

“I don’t think it be a bad pitch at all. I think it be a strike. But I don’t make that decision,” he said. “I think the game [should have been] over. That pitch, to me, I think it be a strike. I think that was when the game changed.”

Sanchez even thought he was done.

“It was close you know, I thought he got me,” he said.

Soriano’s next delivery was slightly higher, but right where Sanchez was hoping it would be.

“I was looking high and I got that pitch,” he said.

The Nats had nursed a lead since the third inning, only to see it ripped away at the end in the 4-3 loss on Thursday. They struck early with three runs in the third and knocked Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong out of the game after just 3 2/3 innings. 

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Instant Analysis: Giants 4, Nats 3

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Game in a nutshell: The Nationals had this one in the bag up 3-1 in the top of the ninth with two outs and two strikes on consecutive batters. But a walk to Roger Kieschnick brought up Hector Sanchez who would then make Rafael Soriano pay on a 3-2 pitch, destroying it into the upper deck in right field to put the Giants up 4-3 and give Sergio Romo a chance to shut the door. The blown save, Soriano's fifth of the year, squandered yet another good start by Dan Haren who overcame a rocky, 27-pitch first inning to pitch six frames of one-run ball. The Nats struck early on Ryan Vogelsong with three runs in the third inning, but couldn't come up with anything more despite several chances. The end result was a loss to end their homestand, keeping them under the .500 mark at 59-61.

Hitting highlight: In the third inning the Nationals brought three runs across, all thanks to well-placed hits off Vogelsong. Denard Span kicked it off with a single to center field and, moments later, he and Jayson Werth were knocked home by a double to left-center by Ian Desmond. Adam LaRoche then dropped in a bloop single to left to plate Desmond. The rally helped knock Vogelsong out of the game after just 3 2/3 innings and 91 pitches, but later couldn't hold on for the victory.

Pitching highlight: Soriano took the mound in the top of the ninth seeking his 32nd save of the year, but on this particular day it was not meant to be. He allowed a leadoff single to Buster Posey and walked Roger Kieschnick with two outs. Sanchez then blasted a high flying homer to right field, a three-run shot to put the Giants ahead.  It was a 3-2 pitch and Sanchez got a hold of it with just about all he had.

Game 120: Giants at Nats

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

After running off five straight wins, the Nats have a chance to break even at the .500 mark and complete the sweep of the defending champion San Francisco Giants on Thursday afternoon. In order to so do, however, they'll need starter Dan Haren to continue his recent run of success.

Haren is 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA in four starts since the All-Star break and the Giants can't seem to hit anything, so the Nats should like their chances today.

Pitching for San Francisco is Ryan Vogelsong (2-4, 6.71) who is making just his second start since returning from the disabled list, he had been on the mend since way back in May. Vogelsong is making his second start against the Nats this season and, despite his overall disappointing campaign, he took the win against Washington on May 20 after pitching five scoreless innings.

It was in that game, however, that he took a pitch off his right pinky, breaking several bones in the hand. Perhaps today is a chance for redemption.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the game...

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 4:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 184
Weather: Clear, 78 degrees, Wind 7 mph LF to RF

NATIONALS (59-60)
CF Denard Span
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Bryce Harper

No nostalgia for Lannan in return

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After making his return to Nationals Park on Friday night, John Lannan didn’t have much to say about the experience, he wasn’t nostalgic about returning to the mound in D.C. or being in the opposing locker room for the first time in his career.

But if Lannan wasn’t in the mood to talk about those things after his team’s 9-2 loss to the Nationals, that can be understood. The 28-year-old, in fact, put out one of the worst starts of his entire career, allowing a career-high eight earned runs including two homers in the second inning alone. That’s the first time he’s allowed multiple home runs since Aug. 31, 2011 when he was in a Nats’ uniform.

“It just wasn’t a great day,” he said afterwards.

Lannan lasted five innings, surrendering nine hits and five walks. Usually a groundball pitcher who keeps the ball down, Lannan’s fastball kept soaring up in the zone and the Nats took advantage.

Even Adam LaRoche, who entered Friday 0 for 15 against Lannan, got in on the fun. The Nats’ first baseman extended the streak to 16 in the first inning, striking out with the bases loaded and two outs. But he later notched two hits against the deceptive lefty, including an RBI double in the third. 

LaRoche’s second hit was just a two-out single in the fifth, but Lannan saw it as the biggest mistake of the night. LaRoche extended the inning and Lannan promptly unraveled, allowing a total of four runs in the frame, including one on a bases loaded walk to pitcher Dan Haren.

Haren's resurgence continues

USA Today Sports Images

In his absolute lowest moments, Dan Haren never tried to sugarcoat things, never tried to make excuses for his lousy performance, never shied away from the criticism heaped upon him before he was unceremoniously dumped on the disabled list with a dubious physical ailment.

"Baseball is an incredibly humbling game," the veteran right-hander said. "When you're up, it'll just knock you right down. I couldn't have really gotten much lower than I did when I was on the DL. I mean, I was a bad start or two away from getting released, probably. That's just the truth of it, I think. I definitely feel way better the way I'm pitching now. This is more me."

The version of Haren that tossed seven standout innings Friday night during the Nationals' 9-2 thumping of the Phillies, and the version that has consistently pitched well since returning to the active roster one month ago, is exactly the guy the Nats thought they were getting last winter.

It may be too little, too late. But if nothing else, it's restoring Haren's faith in himself, not to mention his teammates' faith in him.
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Instant analysis: Nats 9, Phillies 2

USA Today Sports Images

Game in a nutshell: Maybe the Nationals just need to keep playing sub-.500 teams. Since the All-Star break, they're now 6-2 against the Mets, Brewers and Phillies, but 1-11 against the Dodgers, Pirates, Tigers and Braves. They certainly outmatched Philadelphia tonight, jumping out to an early 4-0 and dealing old pal John Lannan (eight earned runs in five innings) a beating. Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman each homered to get things started, and the hits kept coming after that. Pitching with a big cushion, Dan Haren continued his second-half resurgence, going seven innings to earn the win. The bullpen closed things out with no drama, and the Nationals (and their fans) were able to celebrate a victory once again.

Hitting highlight: The Nationals had two previous cracks at Lannan this season and came away with very little (two runs in 13 innings). But in the first start of his career at Nationals Park in which he wasn't wearing a curly W cap, the left-hander was

Game 115: Phillies at Nats

Photo by USA Today

Tonight the Nationals take on the Philadelphia Phillies to kick off a weekend series, and on the mound will be a familiar face. John Lannan makes his return to Nationals Park, pitching in Washington for the first time since signing a free agent deal with the NL East rivals over the offseason.

Lannan is 3-4 this year with a 4.10 ERA, he's starting to even out to his career averages after starting the season off poorly and dealing with several stints on the disabled list. He's actually facing the Nats for the third time already this season in just his 13th outing of the year. He shut out the Nationals through eight innings in a Phillies' win on July 8 and allowed two runs through five on June 17.

Starting for Washington is Dan Haren who was placed on waivers recently, but remains with the team. The 32-year-old is 5-11 this season with a 5.14 ERA.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the game...

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 183
Weather: Chance of storms, 87 degrees, Wind 13 mph out to CF

NATIONALS (54-60)
CF Denard Span
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Bryce Harper
RF Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond
1B Adam LaRoche
C Wilson Ramos
2B Anthony Rendon
RHP Dan Haren

State of the Nats - 8/5

Photo by USA Today

Team Record: 54-57 (20-21)

N.L. East Standings

Wild Card Standings

Offensive Game of the Week: Bryce Harper 8/2 at Brewers - 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R

Pitching Line of the Week: Dan Haren 8/3 at Brewers - 7 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 SO, 102 pitches, 70 strikes

Top Storylines

Braves in town - The Nats and Braves haven't played each other since June 2, but will now face off in six of their next 12 games. The first series brings the Braves to town who are riding a ten game winning streak. The Nationals, conversely, have lost three of their last five and are 6-10 since the All-Star break. If Washington has any chance in catching up with Atlanta in the NL East, they will need to make a strong statement in this series. The Braves have had their number this season, winning seven of the ten matchups and outscoring the Nats 40-20 overall. But fortunately for the Nats they will have Strasburg, Gio, and Zimmermann pitching.

Game 110: Nats at Brewers

USA Today Sports Images

After notching a series opening win on Friday, the Nationals take on the Brewers in the second game of their weekend set tonight with Dan Haren (5-11. 5.49 ERA) on the mound. Haren's had a rough time overall this season, but has enjoyed some success lately since returning from the disabled list in early July. Over his last four starts he has a 3.13 ERA, including a seven inning, one earned run performance his last time out against the Mets.

Pitching for Milwaukee is rookie right-hander Donovan Hand (0-2, 3.56) who is still searching for his first major league win. The 27-year-old has pitched in 17 games this season, including five starts. This will be his third consecutive start after joining the rotation full-time on July 23.

Hand faced the Nationals earlier this season on July 4 and went five innings with six hits, three walks, and three earned runs. Washington ended up winning that game 8-5.

Davey Johnson has Denard Span back at the top of the order batting leadoff, with Bryce Harper hitting second against Hand. Wilson Ramos gets the start for the second straight day after posting two hits and a run in Friday's win.

Enjoy the game...


WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Where: Miller Park
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, WUSA-9, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 869
Weather: Partly cloudy, 75 degrees, Wind 11 mph out to CF

NATIONALS (53-56)
CF Denard Span
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman

Haren pitches Nats past Mets

Photo by USA Today

Of the many things that have gone wrong for the underachieving Nationals this season, perhaps no player has been more of a disappointment than starting pitcher Dan Haren. It’s okay to say it, even Haren will tell you that’s the case. 

“Obviously we’re a few games under .500 and a big reason for that is me, among other guys, but I take a lot of the blame,” he said after the Nats’ 4-1 win over the Mets on Saturday.

So to have the veteran seemingly turn a corner of late, at least across his four starts since returning from the disabled list, perhaps it can be taken as a sign of something bigger. The Nats have broken out of their losing ways momentarily at times over the past few months, but Haren has failed to maintain any sort of consistency from start to start. 

Momentum has been a topic the Nats have shied away from after recent wins, knowing just one win can’t get them out of the general malaise they have been in for most of this season. But there was a general message of positivity after Saturday’s win, their third in the last four games. 

The other two wins were on walkoff homers, while the loss was an 11-0 drubbing at the hand of the Mets. Haren says that game may have been rock bottom for the team, and to respond in the way they have over the last 24 hours gives a sense this recent stretch could actually be the start of something.

Instant Analysis: Nats 4, Mets 1

Photo by USA Today

Game in a nutshell: The Nationals rode some early scoring and one of Dan Haren's best starts of the season to a 4-1 victory over the Mets, their third win in their last four games. Haren was efficient right from the start and pitched the first three innings without allowing a hit. He even added a double and a run to his cause in an all around great day for the veteran starter. The Nats' offense also gave Haren some early help with two runs in the second inning off solo homers and another two in the third off a two-run bomb by Bryce Harper. Once Haren left the game after the seventh, Tyler Clippard and Rafael Soriano closed it out, working around a hour-long rain delay. After a grueling doubleheader and dramatic postgame, the Nats showed no ill effects from the quick turnaround and played one of their most complete games as a team in quite some time.

Hitting highlight: The Nats jumped out with an early lead in the win, scoring two runs in the second and two more in the third, all on home runs. The first two came on back-to-back solo shots by Ian Desmond and Denard Span. The third homer was a two-run smash by Harper in the third inning to score Haren who had reached with a double.

Game 105: Mets at Nats

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The last 48 hours for the Nationals have been one wild and crazy time. Two walkoff wins bookending a lopsided loss and some postgame comments by Tyler Clippard that will surely reverberate through the clubhouse.

The Nats have yet another chance today to build off a dramatic, 'could this be the one' win. Lately their response to such victories has been rather flat, just look at their 11-0 loss yesterday in the first game of the doubleheader.

Today they face Dillon Gee (7-7, 4.07 ERA) who has already beaten the Nats three times this season. He pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings on April 21, seven innings of one-run ball on June 5, and six innings with one earned run on June 29.

Dan Haren (4-11, 5.79) will pitch against the Mets for the second time this year. He got shelled for five earned runs in four innings on June 5.

Stay tuned for updates...

NEW YORK METS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 3:05 p.m. EDT
TV: FOX, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 183
Weather: Scattered T-storms, 84 degrees, Wind 12 mph RF to LF

NATIONALS (50-54)
LF Bryce Harper
2B Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond
CF Denard Span
C Wilson Ramos
RHP Dan Haren