ALDS Game 1: Tigers at Yankees

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Justin Verlander starts tonight's series opener at Yankee Stadium.

No pitcher in baseball had the kind of season Justin Verlander did. The Tigers ace posted a stunning 24-5 record to go with a 2.40 ERA and 250 strikeouts. And now he attempts to lead Detroit to its first World Series title in 27 years. The challenge -- going head-to-head with Yankees ace CC Sabathia -- is a stiff one, but who would you rather have matched up against Sabathia and New York's potent lineup than Verlander?

The Tigers have quite a potent lineup of their own, headlined by Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez. They've got a closer in Jose Valverde who was a perfect 49-for-49 in save opportunities this season. And they've got the kind of rotation depth the Yankees wish they had right now.

Will that be enough to pull off a series victory? Scroll down for my prediction...

AL DIVISION SERIES - GAME 1
DETROIT TIGERS at NEW YORK YANKEES
Where: Yankee Stadium
Gametime: 8:37 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), XM 89
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 68 degrees, Wind 5 mph out to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
TIGERS
CF Austin Jackson
RF Magglio Ordonez
LF Delmon Young
1B Miguel Cabrera

ALDS Game 1: Rays at Rangers

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Michael Young and Mike Napoli lead the Rangers into the playoffs.

After the wildest final day of the regular season baseball has ever experienced, the postseason begins tonight. And it's only fitting one of the first teams on the field is the one that pulled off the most dramatic comeback to get here. The Tampa Bay Rays did the unthinkable Wednesday night, storming back from a 7-0 deficit to tie the New York Yankees with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, then winning in the bottom of the 12th on Evan Longoria's walk-off homer.

The Rays arrived in Texas flying high, but they can't live in the past. They're facing a daunting challenge in the defending AL champs, who knocked them out in the Division Series last fall. Rangers manager Ron Washington has his rotation lined up exactly how he wants it, with lefty C.J. Wilson on the mound for Game 1 tonight. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, meanwhile, is taking a bold risk: Rookie Matt Moore, the organization's top prospect, will make only his second career start tonight.

How will this all play out? Scroll down for my series prediction...

AL DIVISION SERIES - GAME 1
TAMPA BAY RAYS at TEXAS RANGERS
Where: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Gametime: 5:07 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WSPZ (570 AM), XM 181
Weather: Sunny, 84 degrees, Wind 12 mph LF to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
RAYS
SS Sean Rodriguez
CF B.J. Upton
3B Evan Longoria
2B Ben Zobrist

Top 5 offseason storylines

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Davey Johnson's status is priority No. 1 for the Nats this fall.

For the Phillies, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Yankees, Tigers, Rangers and Rays, the postseason begins today. For everybody else, the offseason has commenced.

Which means the Nationals need to get to work addressing all of their various issues between now and Opening Day 2012.

They need to decide who will manage the club next season. They need to decide which of their pending free agents they will attempt to re-sign. They need to decide which free agents from other clubs they will attempt to pursue. They need to make sure their injured players are healing and rehabbing on schedule. They need to keep tabs on anyone playing fall or winter ball.

Baseball, of course, has become a year-round sport. There's no such thing as a quiet offseason anymore. So with that in mind, here are the top five issues facing the Nationals before pitchers and catchers report for spring training...

1. CHOOSE A MANAGER
Obviously, this is priority No. 1, though it shouldn't be a terribly complicated process and it shouldn't take very long to be completed.

Davey Johnson wants to return. Mike Rizzo loves Davey Johnson. The team responded well to him, especially down the stretch. He's already got the framework of a contract in place that will pay him a nice
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Revisiting those predictions

So, you may recall back on Opening Day, I and my counterparts on the Nationals beat made some predictions for the 2011 season. Easy stuff like, you know: How many games will they win this year, and what will their exact home attendance be for the season?

It's only fair, of course, that we now hold ourselves accountable to those predictions, as terribly wrong as we were. Hey, how could I sleep at night letting you all believe I predicted Tyler Clippard would make the All-Star team and Ryan Zimmerman wouldn't? (Oh wait, that's not at all what I predicted.)

So without further ado, here's a look back at what we all guessed back on Opening Day, and what actually happened...

Who will represent the team at the All-Star Game?
Mark Zuckerman (CSNWashington.com) -- Ryan Zimmerman
Adam Kilgore (Washington Post) -- Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth and Sean Burnett
Dave Sheinin (Washington Post) -- Ryan Zimmerman
Amanda Comak (Washington Times) -- Ryan Zimmerman
Ben Goessling (MASNsports.com) -- Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth
Pete Kerzel (MASNsports.com) -- Ryan Zimmerman
Bill Ladson (MLB.com) -- Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth and Danny Espinosa
Craig Heist (WTOP) -- Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth
WINNER: No one. Nobody had Tyler Clippard, though I suppose Kilgore gets some credit for picking a setup man, just the wrong one.

What will total home attendance be?
Craig Heist -- 2,512,759
Bill Ladson -- 2,500,000

End-of-season report card

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Michael Morse gets an A for his breakthrough year.

As a collective effort, the Nationals deserve high marks for their performance this season. A club that experienced plenty of ups and downs over the course of six months found a way to finish strong, come within a gnat's eyelash of a .500 record and set themselves up to enter 2012 with lofty expectations.

But what about on an individual basis? How would you grade each player on the roster? Obviously, there were some fantastic individual seasons (Michael Morse, Tyler Clippard). And obviously, there were some not-so-fantastic individual seasons (ahem, Jayson Werth and Doug Slaten).

Now that 2011 is in the books, it's time to hand out some season-ending report cards...

WILSON RAMOS -- B+
By all accounts, a fine rookie season for the catcher. He was excellent behind the plate and finished strong at the plate, hitting .358 in September.

JESUS FLORES -- C+
The mere fact he returned to the big leagues after missing most of two seasons with a shoulder injury was reason to celebrate, but his game

Ready to take the next step

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Stephen Strasburg was brilliant in his final start of the season.

What the Nationals have accomplished the last two seasons -- improving from 59 wins in 2009 to 69 wins in 2010 to 80 wins in 2011 -- is commendable.

Think about the state of this franchise just a few short years ago. The lack of talent on the big-league roster. The lack of prospects in the minor leagues. The lack of respect the organization got around baseball.

Now think about where this franchise stands right now, on the final day of the season. They've got talent up and down the roster, more impact players coming up the pipeline and the respect of people throughout the game who suddenly are talking about the Nationals as a team to watch in 2012.

And they have every reason to feel that way. This is a ballclub that made significant strides over the course of the season, finished on a high note by winning 14 of its last 18 games and has positioned itself to take another leap forward next year.

But for anyone who just assumes the Nats can make the jump from 80 wins to 90 (or whatever number is necessary to contend for a playoff
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Beltway Baseball Live - 9/28/11

The Nationals just wrapped up their 2011 season in style, with Stephen Strasburg striking out 10 over six brilliant innings and Drew Storen shutting the door on a 3-1 victory over the Marlins. Just like that, they reached the 80-win mark for the first time since 2005, a significant accomplishment for this franchise.

If you're still aglow from the late-season surge and aren't ready to say goodbye to baseball for the winter, you're in luck. Chase Hughes and I had a live episode of Beltway Baseball at 7 p.m., discussing what happened this year and what to expect next year. We also answered your questions from earlier, and there were some interesting subjects raised.

If you missed the show live, no worries. Here's the entire episode, broken into two parts. Click on the jump below for Part 2...

Game 161: Nats at Marlins

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Sun Life Stadium hosts its final baseball game this afternoon.

And so the end has arrived. The 2011 season closes today for the Nationals, who also get the honor of closing down Sun Life Stadium (and not a moment too soon). The Marlins expect a large crowd today, and there will be plenty of familiar faces in attendance for their fans, including former Florida World Series heroes Livan Hernandez and Ivan Rodriguez.

Pudge, in fact, will be in the lineup for what is likely his final game with the Nationals. Whatever the future holds for him, I'd just like to say what an absolute pleasure it was covering him these last two seasons. I've dealt with big-name players near the end of their careers who grumbled about playing time and clearly were interested more in their own personal situation than their team. That was never the case with Pudge, who was a consummate professional and a fantastic teammate through it all. If this is it for him in D.C., he will be missed.

It's perhaps filling that Rodriguez will be behind the plate on last time with Stephen Strasburg on the mound. The two have paired up plenty of times over the last two years, even in the minors, and Pudge has been a great mentor for the young right-hander.

Two noticeable voids in the Nats' lineup today: Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse. Zimmerman is dealing with a minor hamstring strain, and Davey Johnson felt it just wasn't worth risking anything worse happening. Morse has dealt with nagging stuff himself, but I have a feeling this is Davey just wanting to ensure Michael ends the season with a .303 batting average (not to mention 31 homers and 95 RBI).

As you know, I'm not in Florida for this one. But stick around here after the game, because we're actually going to have a live episode of Beltway Baseball, talking about today's finale, handing out season awards, looking ahead to the offseason and, of course, taking your questions. You can find the live stream of the show on the homepage shortly after today's game ends...

NATIONALS at MARLINS
Where: Sun Life Stadium
Gametime: 4:10 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: WFED (1500 AM), WHFS (1580 AM), XM 189
Weather: Partly cloudy, 85 degrees, Wind 9 mph in from RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (79-81)
SS Ian Desmond
LF Roger Bernadina
RF Jayson Werth
1B Chris Marrero

Game 160: Nats at Marlins

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John Lannan and the Nats try to keep the winning streak alive tonight.

At this point, you know what's at stake for the Nationals tonight at Sun Life Stadium. They're in search of their fourth straight win, their 10th straight on the road, a .500 record and a shot at finishing the season with a winning record.

In order to accomplish all that, the Nats will need a strong outing from John Lannan (in search of his 11th victory). And they'll need to find a way to do something nobody has done for the last month: Beat Javier Vazquez. Over his last five starts, the Marlins' veteran right-hander is 5-0 with an 0.25 ERA. Yeah, that's right. He's allowed one total run over his last five starts (one of which was a shutout of the Nationals in D.C.).

As if the challenge wasn't tough enough already, the Nats don't have Ryan Zimmerman in the lineup tonight. It appears he's getting the day off so Steve Lombardozzi can get a start at third base. Zimmerman, of course, will be available off the bench, so he could still provide the same kind of heroics he displayed in Philadelphia last week in a similar situation.

Enjoy the game and the conversation...

NATIONALS at MARLINS
Where: Sun Life Stadium
Gametime: 7:10 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 188
Weather: Scattered storms, 80 degrees, Wind 4 mph in from RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (79-80)
SS Ian Desmond
RF Roger Bernadina
CF Jayson Werth
LF Michael Morse

Rare numbers for Morse and the Nats

Associated Press photo

Michael Morse clubbed his 30th homer of the season last night.

Michael Morse raised his arm and began smiling about, oh, three-thousandths of a second after he made contact with Edward Mujica's 1-1 changeup in the top of the ninth inning last night.

And why shouldn't he have? Morse had every reason in the world to be beaming at that moment. Not only because his three-run homer gave the Nationals a 6-4 lead over the Marlins and kept their hopes alive for a winning record in 2011. But also because the blast solidified what we already knew was a fantastic season for one of baseball's biggest breakout players.

That was Morse's 30th home runs of the year, a number that in the post-steroids era represents the demarcation between the game's best power hitters and the rest of the bunch. There are 20 players in the majors this season with 30 homers (five others are sitting on 29 right now and could join the group by tomorrow) and Morse is one of them.

But it doesn't stop there. Only 15 of those players also have at least 90 RBI this season (Morse now has 94).

But it doesn't stop there. Only eight of those players also own a batting average of at least .300. The members of the .300-30-90

Game 159: Nats at Marlins

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Sun Life Stadium hosts its final three ballgames this week.

Not that anyone is going to miss Joe Robbie Pro Player Dolphin Dolphins Land Shark Sun Life Stadium, but the Nationals REALLY won't miss that place, which hosts its final three baseball games this week.

The Nationals have gone an abysmal 16-35 at the home of the Marlins since 2006, not to mention sat through countless rain delays, battled shoddy field conditions and played in front of literally dozens of fans at times.

But the Nats arrive in Miami for this final series riding the wave of their late-season surge. They've won 12 of 15 and still can finish with their first-ever winning record if they sweep these three games. Tommy Milone takes the mound for his fifth big-league start (the Nats have won all of his previous four). He'll be opposed by right-hander Anibal Sanchez.

Much as I wish I could be there, it just wasn't possible to travel with our newborn son. Enjoy the game and the conversation as always...

NATIONALS at MARLINS
Where: Sun Life Stadium
Gametime: 7:10 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM, JIP at 8:30), WHFS (1580 AM), XM 188
Weather: Scattered storms, 84 degrees, Wind 5 mph RF to LF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (78-80)
SS Ian Desmond
CF Rick Ankiel
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Henry's sheer dominance

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Henry Rodriguez was electric during the seventh inning yesterday.

On a day full of electric moments at Nationals Park, Henry Rodriguez provided what might well have been the biggest jolt of all.

Rodriguez's sheer dominance of the Braves in the top of the seventh had the ballpark buzzing throughout and the had just about everyone in the Nationals' clubhouse in awe, even an hour later.

"I've never seen anything like it," closer Drew Storen said. "It was unfair. That's a tough act to follow. One-oh-one every pitch? You've got to tip your cap. We gave him a standing O in the bullpen, and I don't think anybody's doing that for anyone else."

Truth be told, Storen was exaggerating a bit about Rodriguez thrown 101 mph every pitch. But not that much.

Here are all of Rodriguez's 11 pitches in the inning, with velocity and result...

BATTER: JASON HEYWARD
1: 99 mph, strike looking
2: 99 mph, strike looking

Leaving them wanting more

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The Nats had plenty of reason to celebrate after today's 3-0 victory.

As the crowd of 37,638 roared and members of the Nationals doffed their caps one last time before disappearing down the dugout steps, Jayson Werth turned to Michael Morse and offered up a prediction.

"This is how it's going to be," Werth told his teammate.

If there's one thing to take away from Sunday's 3-0 victory over the reeling Braves in the season's home finale -- and there's plenty to take away from it -- that ninth-inning scene stands out above all else.

A near-capacity ballpark had been cheering all afternoon, applauding Ross Detwiler for pitching out of a couple of jams, giving Morse a curtain call after he clubbed his 29th home run, roaring for Henry Rodriguez with each 101 mph fastball, chanting "Drewwwwww" when closer Drew Storen entered from the bullpen and then exploding for the team as a whole when it wrapped up its final home win of the season.

At that moment, Washington felt like a real baseball town. Not because of some special event, an Opening Day or a rookie flamethrower's debut. No, this was a genuine celebration of an improving ballclub that is closing out 2011 in fine fashion.

"This is what our goal is, to be in this kind of atmosphere," Morse said. "They're looking at a good team out there and cheering us on every
Read more

Managerial search will be brief

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Davey Johnson is likely to return as Nationals manager next season.

The Nationals' formal search for their 2012 manager will be a brief process and include only a handful of candidates, headlined by Davey Johnson.

General manager Mike Rizzo said today he doesn't anticipate this search to be as far-reaching or take as long to complete as previous ones he and the Nationals have conducted.

"Because we've done this exercise before, we've got a very streamlined group of high quality candidates that we're going to talk to," Rizzo said before the club's home finale against the Braves. "I anticipate the process being much quicker, because we've already identified a lot of the candidates that we're going to talk to."

Johnson, who took over as manager for the rest of this season on June 27 after Jim Riggleman abruptly resigned over a contract dispute, remains the heavy favorite to retain his position. Rizzo attempted to sign Johnson to a long-term contract in June, but Major League Baseball requires clubs to conduct full, formal managerial searches
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Game 158: Braves at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Ross Detwiler faces the Braves today in the Nationals' 2011 home finale.

And so we have reached the final home game of the season, one last chance for fans to see their team in person and one last chance for the players to thank their supporters. As they've done every year since arriving in town, the Nationals will give away the jerseys off their backs following today's game, and there will be other special moments and surprises.

At the same time, this game means everything to the Braves, who are clinging to a two-game lead over the Cardinals for the NL wild-card. So Davey Johnson still has to treat this as a competitive exercise, and thus he's got all regulars in the lineup against Atlanta left-hander Mike Minor.

Ross Detwiler is on the mound for the Nats, looking to finish his season on a strong note. The young lefty has definitely turned some heads over the last six weeks or so, perhaps to the point where he'll enter 2012 as a favorite to win a rotation spot (he'll be out of minor-league options).

Of course, there will be plenty of time to discuss that and more all winter. For today, just enjoy the home finale. Plenty of updates to come...

BRAVES at NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 184
Weather: Cloudy, 75 degrees, Wind 6 mph in from RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (77-80)
SS Ian Desmond
CF Jayson Werth
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Wang, Pudge share spotlight one final time

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Ivan Rodriguez gets a hug from Drew Storen at the end of the Nats' 4-1 win.

The notion of Chien-Ming Wang and Ivan Rodriguez serving as batterymates for a late-September victory over a division rival fighting for its playoff life would have sounded ludicrous only a few months ago.

Yet there were the veteran right-hander and catcher Saturday afternoon, pairing up to lead the Nationals to a 4-1 win over the fast-fading Braves and energizing a crowd of 33,986 that seemed to appreciate every moment the two provided.

It's been a long and winding season for both Wang and Rodriguez, heading in opposite directions as the finish line fast approaches. Wang, after missing more than two years with a major shoulder tear, looks stronger and stronger each time he takes the mound and with six sterling innings on Saturday may have ensured his return to Washington in 2012.

Rodriguez, on the other hand, has barely played since straining an oblique muscle before the All-Star break and on Saturday was given a chance to make one final start at Nationals Park before he is cut loose
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Werth wins presidents race

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Jayson Werth was declared the winner of today's presidents race.

Jayson Werth's disdain for Teddy Roosevelt's losing ways in the nightly presidents race at Nationals Park is well-documented. Earlier this season, the veteran right fielder openly campaigned for the club to let Teddy win a race for the first time ever, suggesting that might actually help the Nationals start winning more games.

This afternoon, Werth finally decided to get into the act himself in what ultimately proved to be a fruitless attempt to get Teddy across the finish line first.

When the middle of the fourth inning between the Nationals and Braves arrived, Werth and center fielder Rick Ankiel waited around for the presidents to emerge, then tried to hold off Thomas Jefferson from taking the lead. Several members of the Nationals bullpen also joined in, leading to a scrum of flailing bodies and giant foam heads in the right-field corner.

Alas, Teddy fell down and never had a chance to pull off the victory. Neither did any of his fellow presidents, who gave up on the race

Game 157: Braves at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Chien-Ming Wang faces Brandon Beachy today at Nationals Park.

The final home series of each season always includes a few bittersweet moments, and one of those will probably come today in the penultimate game at Nationals Park this year. Ivan Rodriguez is in the lineup and behind the plate for the first time since July 4, after which an oblique strain threw a wrench into his 21st big-league season.

Davey Johnson wanted to make sure Pudge got an opportunity to start two more games: This one and Wednesday's finale at Florida, where Rodriguez was a World Series hero in 2003. Given the progress Wilson Ramos and Jesus Flores have made this season, there is no realistic chance the Nats will re-sign Pudge for 2012. So that makes this his swan song, and hopefully the fans here will recognize it the way they did last night when he came up to pinch-hit and got a standing ovation.

Chien-Ming Wang also makes his final appearance of the season today, his 11th start since returning from major shoulder surgery. Like Rodriguez, Wang is due to become a free agent. Unlike Rodriguez, he appears likely to return; the two sides have begun preliminary talks on a new contract.

Updates to come, so please check back...

BRAVES at NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:05 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 184
Weather: Chance of rain, 76 degrees, Wind 4 mph in from RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (76-80)
SS Ian Desmond
CF Rick Ankiel
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Waiting to be set free

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Stephen Strasburg struggled early but rebounded to retire 10 of 11 Braves batters.

A three-run first inning should not be a death sentence for most pitchers, who typically have plenty of time to work through their problems and often salvage a quality start out of the early carnage.

The Nationals, though, can't afford Stephen Strasburg the kind of rope right now that would allow him to overcome a shaky opening act. Still on a strict pitch limit in his first month back from Tommy John surgery, the right-hander knows that his margin for error is razor-thin and that one bad inning can doom an entire outing.

"It's definitely tough," he said. "But I know there's going to come a time where they let me stay out there longer. If I give up three runs in the first and put up zeroes the rest of my start, I'm going to be happy."

Strasburg did just that during Friday night's 7-4 loss to the Braves. He battled his way through a three-run first inning, digging the Nationals into an early hole, then rebounded to retire 10 of 11 Atlanta batters through the fourth.

Unfortunately, he had already reached the 75-pitch mark at that point, ending his night just as he was starting to feel comfortable again. What probably could have become a solid-if-unspectacular start
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Game 156: Braves at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The forecast doesn't look promising tonight at Nationals Park.

What could be the most significant game the Nationals play this season -- Stephen Strasburg and the red-hot Nats vs. Tim Hudson and the wild-card-leading Braves -- could be affected by something totally out of both teams' control: the weather.

The forecast, plain and simple, does not look good. There's a 100 percent of rain until 7 p.m., then a 40 percent chance from 7-8 p.m., a 15 percent chance from 8-9 p.m., then a 90 percent chance the rest of the night. Is that enough of a window to get this game in? I don't know.

Then again, we all remember how bad the forecast looked a couple weeks ago for Strasburg's return from Tommy John surgery. And they wound up playing the full game. So who knows?

I'll do my best to update everyone along the way, so please check back throughout the afternoon and evening...

BRAVES at NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 184
Weather: Rain, 70 degrees, Wind 4 mph in from RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (76-79)
SS Ian Desmond
CF Rick Ankiel
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

A turning point for this franchise?

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Ryan Zimmerman congratulates Michael Morse following his eighth-inning homer.

By any measure, what the Nationals just accomplished in Philadelphia was nothing short of remarkable.

A four-game sweep of the five-time NL East champs, on the road, with their four starting pitchers combining to allow three runs? Nobody saw that coming.

Nor did anyone see the Nationals' season-long handling of the Phillies coming. Folks, the Nats just won the season series from the best team in baseball, winning nine of their last 11 to finish 10-8. Yes, they won 10 games against Philadelphia, four more than anyone else in the sport. The only other opponents to post winning records against the Phillies this year? The Cardinals (6-3) and Mariners (2-1).

So a round of applause is in order for Davey Johnson's squad, which suddenly sits at 76-79 and still has visions of finishing above .500 for the first time since the franchise arrived in Washington.

Of course, there is a caveat to all this: The Phillies weren't exactly a motivated bunch this week. Having already clinched the division title, they rested plenty of regulars. And those who did play probably were more concerned with staying healthy than padding their stats

Game 155: Nats at Phillies

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Can the Nats finish off a four-game sweep at Citizens Bank Park?

In their nearly seven-year existence, the Nationals have swept only a pair of four-game road series: the season-ending Oct. 1-4, 2009 series in Atlanta and last week's series in New York. With a win tonight, they would do it again, this time at a most unlikely site: Citizens Bank Park.

In order to pull this one off, the Nats will need a solid outing from rookie Brad Peacock (making his second career start) and some timely hits against Roy Oswalt, who has struggled against this franchise in the past and has battled through an up-and-down season himself.

Couple of notable absences from the Nationals' lineup. Jayson Werth is sitting out his second straight game after getting hit in the right elbow with a throw. Roger Bernadina is again in right field. And Chris Marrero, who had started 22 consecutive games at first base, gets a night off. Laynce Nix will get some rare playing time in the infield.

Enjoy the game...

NATIONALS at PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 185
Weather: Cloudy, 74 degrees, Wind 5 mph out to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (75-79)
SS Ian Desmond
RF Roger Bernadina
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Beltway Baseball Live - 9/22/11

They've won four in a row, nine of 11 and tonight have a chance to pull off a stunning, four-game road sweep of the Phillies. Oh, and somehow they still have a mathematical chance to finish the season with a winning record (they need to go 6-1 the rest of the way to go 81-80).

Seems like a good time to talk about the suddenly resurgent Nationals, who appear determined to push hard to the finish line and not let up until there no outs left to record.

Earlier today, Chase Hughes and I talked about this winning streak in Philadelphia, the performances of young pitchers Tommy Milone, Ross Detwiler and Brad Peacock and the impressive first season as closer for Drew Storen. I also got a bit animated when shooting down (yet again) the Prince Fielder-to-D.C. rumor.

If you missed the show live, no worries. Here's the full episode, broken into two parts. Check out Part 2 below the jump...

Game 154: Nats at Phillies

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The Nats try to win their third game in 36 hours at Citizens Bank Park.

OK, if you've been following the Nationals at all, you know the storyline by now: John Lannan can't beat the Phillies. Well, actually he's done it once in 16 starts against that hated ballclub from up Interstate-95. But he's never done it at Citizens Bank Park, where he's 0-5 with a 7.40 ERA.

So tonight, Lannan gives it yet another shot, looking in the process to give the Nats their third straight victory over the Phillies and their eighth win in 10 ninth win in 11 games. He'll be facing a Philadelphia lineup without Ryan Howard, Hunter Pence or Carlos Ruiz (all dealing with nagging injuries).

The Nationals, meanwhile, will be without Jayson Werth tonight after he got struck in the right elbow with a throw. Rick Ankiel is in center field, with Roger Bernadina in right field.

Enjoy the game...

NATIONALS at PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 185
Weather: Cloudy, 72 degrees, Wind 7 mph out to LF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (74-79)
SS Ian Desmond
RF Roger Bernadina
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Tuesday's sweep by the numbers

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Drew Storen notched saves No. 39 and 40 yesterday in Philadelphia.

Well, that turned out to be quite an eventful Tuesday doubleheader for the Nationals, didn't it?

In sweeping the Phillies -- winning 4-3 in 10 innings in the opener, then 3-0 in the nightcap -- the Nats pulled off one of their most impressive feats of the season. True, Philadelphia played few regulars in the first game and might not have been as motivated as usual since they've already clinched the NL East and the home-field advantage in the playoffs.

But Cliff Lee sure didn't appear to be going easy on the Nationals last night, and Drew Storen did retire Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco and Shane Victorino in the bottom of the ninth.

So let's give the Nats their due credit here and run through some of the most impressive aspects of yesterday's sweep by the numbers...

1 -- At-bat for Ryan Zimmerman in the opener, the only one he needed to drive in the winning run with a pinch-hit, RBI single.

2 -- Batters faced (and retired) by Henry Rodriguez in the eighth inning of the nightcap. Rodriguez entered with a man on and one out and promptly struck out Carlos Ruiz and got Ross Gload to ground

Game 153: Nats at Phillies

File photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nats look to sweep today's doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park.

Did you know the Nationals (after today's 4-3, 10-inning win) are 7-8 against the Phillies this season? Seriously, they've managed to hold their own against the five-time NL East champions. They're also 7-8 against the Braves and 10-8 against the Mets. Unfortunately, they're 5-10 against the Marlins. If they old took care of business against Florida, this team would have a winning record in 2011.

The Nats will try to reach the break-even mark with Philadelphia tonight, but to do that, they'll have to beat Cliff Lee and the Phillies' regular lineup (as opposed to today's opener, which featured tons of backups on both sides).

Ross Detwiler starts the nightcap, facing a mighty challenge. He'll have his best players behind him, though, including Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse and Jayson Werth.

Enjoy another game and even more conversation...

NATIONALS at PHILLIES (Game 2)
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 185
Weather: Partly cloudy, 70 degrees, Wind 9 mph out to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (73-79)
SS Ian Desmond
CF Jayson Werth
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Game 152: Nats at Phillies

File photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Tommy Milone faces the Phillies in Game 1 of today's doubleheader.

Remember when the Nationals' scheduled series finale at Citizens Bank Park on Aug. 14 was rained out? Well, they're back in Philadelphia today for an attempted day-night doubleheader to make up for that postponement. Problem is, the forecast for this afternoon's opener isn't so great (though it's supposed to clear up tonight).

If and when they get this first game underway, the Nationals will be fielding an, um, interesting lineup. Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse and Jayson Werth all have this game off (presumably they'll start the nightcap). That leaves a heart of the order boasting Rick Ankiel, Chris Marrero and Laynce Nix. Yep.

Fortunately, the Phillies (who clinched their fifth straight NL East title on Saturday) are playing a ton of backups as well. They're sending Kyle Kendrick to the mound today (though Cliff Lee is slated to go tonight).

I'm not in Philadelphia for this series, so enjoy the game and the conversation...

NATIONALS at PHILLIES (Game 1)
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 1:05 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: WFED (1500 AM), WHFS (1580 AM), XM 185
Weather: Chance of storms, 70 degrees, Wind 9 mph out to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (72-79)
SS Ian Desmond
RF Roger Bernadina
CF Rick Ankiel
1B Chris Marrero

Rank the rotation candidates

US Presswire photo

Tom Milone earned his first career win last week in New York.

Perhaps the most interesting development around the Nationals this September has been the open tryout among a number of starting pitchers seeking to make their case for a spot in next season's rotation.

Davey Johnson is currently using a six-man rotation, with only two of those six names guaranteed of jobs in 2012: Stephen Strasburg and John Lannan. (Jordan Zimmermann, of course, already secured his spot before being shut down for the season a few weeks ago.)

The other four guys getting a chance to audition this month: Chien-Ming Wang, Ross Detwiler, Brad Peacock and Tommy Milone. Each has shown something to suggest he deserves a shot next year, though none has been consistent enough to lock down a spot.

Wang is the most-accomplished member of the group, a 31-year-old who has started 114 big-league games in his career, posting a 58-29 record and 4.17 ERA. He's also made the most progress over the last two months, all but eliminating any remaining questions about the

Wang makes his case for 2012

Associated Press photo

Chien-Ming Wang earned his third win with 6 2/3 strong innings.

The way he's throwing these days, it's easy to forget just how far Chien-Ming Wang has come in a short time.

Only two months ago, Wang was laboring through a couple of rehab starts at Class AAA, raising some questions about his ability to ever recapture the form it would require to win again at the big-league level.

"In Syracuse when he was rehabbing, you saw glimpses of it, but the velocity wasn't there," said Tommy Milone, who has now shared a rotation spot with Wang in both the minors and majors. "He was still mid-80s, and his sinker was working occasionally. I think now, just from throwing every fifth day, he's back to what he used to be."

If Wang hasn't completely resurrected himself into the pitcher that won 19 games for the Yankees in both 2006 and 2007, he sure seems close to it. And during the Nationals' 4-3 victory over the Marlins Sunday afternoon, he took another key step toward completing that comeback, recording 20 outs and throwing 93 pitches for the first time in three years.

It was by no means a perfect outing, and it certainly ended on a sour note -- Brett Hayes belted a two-run homer with two outs in the top of the seventh -- but it did provide further evidence of how much Wang has progressed and how he has positioned himself to return to the
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Game 151: Marlins at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Chien-Ming Wang faces Brad Hand today at Nationals Park.

The Marlins' dominance of the Nationals -- they're now 49-18 against Washington since 2008, not to mention 26-8 at Nationals Park since it opened, 7-1 this season -- defies explanation. So I'm really not going to try to surmise why this has been the case. All I'll say is this: If the Nats are serious about ascending in the NL East, they simply have to start beating Florida.

The challenge will be upon Chien-Ming Wang this afternoon to try to reverse the trend. The right-hander continues to tease us with glimpses of what he can be, though aside from one dominant outing in Chicago, he's struggled to put it all together.

Rookie left-hander Brad Hand (1-7, 4.02 ERA) gets the start for the Marlins. He'll face a Nats lineup that includes Jayson Werth in center field and Jonny Gomes in right field.

Updates to come...

MARLINS at NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m.
TV: MASN2, Ch. 50
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 186
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 66 degrees, Wind 13 mph in from RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (71-79)
SS Ian Desmond
CF Jayson Werth
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Dominant but not satisfied with losing

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Stephen Strasburg dominated for six innings but wound up with another no-decision.

He blew away one of baseball's best young sluggers with a 99 mph fastball. He displayed remarkable efficiency that allowed him to complete six innings on a mere 61 pitches. And his command of the strike zone was dazzling, resulting in yet another walk-free outing.

Stephen Strasburg had every right Saturday night to stand before reporters and cameras and gloat about his triumphant return from Tommy John surgery. Yet the right-hander's postgame demeanor -- terse and unemotional -- suggested a level of disgust that didn't jibe with his earlier dominance on the mound.

Why? Because the Nationals ultimately lost another game to the Marlins, this one by a 4-1 count in 13 innings.

Competitor that he is, Strasburg wasn't about to pat himself on the back inside a clubhouse of otherwise frustrated teammates.

"It felt good out there," he said. "Unfortunately, we battled hard and they just got the best of us, so it was a tough game."

Sure, the only stat that truly counts from Saturday's game was the final score, the latest in a ever-growing list of losses to the Marlins. When reliever Collin Balester surrendered three runs in the top of the 13th, the Nationals dropped their second straight to Florida and fell
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Game 150: Marlins at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Stephen Strasburg makes his third start of the season tonight.

Tonight marks the 15th start of Stephen Strasburg's big-league career, a small sample of outings that has seen the right-hander face 13 different opponents. In fact, there's only franchise that has gone up against Strasburg more than once: the Marlins, who tonight see him for the third time.

Interestingly enough, Strasburg has already enjoyed both significant success (six scoreless innings) and endured a significant beating (six runs in 4 1/3 innings) against Florida. Not that the current incarnation of the Marlins looks like the one that faced him in 2010; only Mike Stanton, Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison have batted against him before tonight.

We'll have to see if Davey Johnson lets his prize right-hander go a bit deeper in this game than he has his first two starts of the season. I suspect Strasburg's pitch limit will be roughly 70, so if he can be a bit more efficient than his last time out, he should be able to get into the fifth inning.

Plenty of updates to come, so please check back...

MARLINS at NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 186
Weather: Partly cloudy, 66 degrees, Wind 7 mph in from RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (71-78)
SS Ian Desmond
RF Roger Bernadina
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Momentum killer

US Presswire photo

John Lannan suffered his sixth loss in seven starts.

Perhaps it's a sign of the legitimate progress they've made -- or, at the very least, the impressive sweep they just pulled off in New York earlier this week -- that a game like the Nationals slogged their way through Friday night felt so lackluster.

Truth be told, this 3-0 loss to the Marlins hardly qualified as a disaster of a ballgame. Sure, John Lannan struggled early, but he still managed to go six innings allowing three runs (the minimum definition of a "quality" start). A lineup that pounded out 10 runs Thursday afternoon at Citi Field didn't come close to producing one run in the opener of this weekend series, but Marlins starter Javier Vazquez deserves some credit for tossing the eighth shutout of his career.

"The thing is," Lannan said, "you run into a buzzsaw every once in a while."

And a finely tuned buzzsaw can kill all the momentum you thought you had going for you during a five-game winning streak.

"Just because we lost the game doesn't mean it's not going to carry over," shortstop Ian Desmond said. "Lannan came out and did a good job: Six innings, three runs. We didn't play bad, I don't think.
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Morse's mini slump

Michael Morse found himself Friday night in an unusual place: sitting on the Nationals' bench. Then again, he also found himself in an unusual situation: slumping at the plate.

Easily the Nationals' most-consistent offensive player this season, Morse has endured through a mini-slump this month. In 13 September games, he's batting a scant .189 with a .232 on-base percentage and 19 strikeouts.

So manager Davey Johnson decided to give Morse (along with right fielder Jayson Werth) a rare day off for the opener of a weekend series against the Marlins.

What has prompted this decrease in production? Is Morse simply wearing down at the end of his first full season as an everyday big leaguer?

"That can happen," Johnson said. "He's a big guy and plays hard. A change of position, that can also happen. And I would've liked to
Read more

Game 149: Marlins at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nats try to extend their winning streak to six tonight against the Marlins.

If you've set foot outside at all today, you know there's a hint of fall in the air. The temperature has dropped, the humidity is down, the sun is starting to set earlier in the evening. Which also means baseball season is winding down.

The Nationals are down to their final four series of the year, beginning tonight against the Marlins. They'll travel to Philadelphia next week, host the Braves next weekend, then travel to Florida for the final three games of the year.

John Lannan will be on the mound tonight, looking once again to secure his career-best 10th win. He'll be opposed by veteran Javier Vazquez, who is 3-0 with an 0.45 ERA over his last three starts.

I'm back at the ballpark all weekend, so please check back for updates throughout...

MARLINS at NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 186
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 63 degrees, Wind 4 mph in from RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (71-77)
SS Ian Desmond
LF Roger Bernadina
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Laynce Nix

Series preview: Marlins at Nats

Friday, 7:05 p.m. -- RHP Javier Vazquez (10-11, 4.13) vs. LHP John Lannan (9-12, 3.65)
TV: MASN2 Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, XM 186

Saturday, 7:05 p.m. -- RHP Chris Volstad (5-12, 5.31) vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg (0-0, 1.13)
TV: MASN2 Radio: 106.7 FM, 1580 AM, XM 186

Sunday, 1:35 p.m. -- LHP Brad Hand (1-7, 4.02) vs. RHP Chien-Ming Wang (2-3, 4.35)
TV: MASN2, Ch 50 Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, XM 186

MARLINS UPDATE
It's been a frustrating and at times bizarre season in South Florida, and it's only gotten more frustrating and more bizarre as it winds down. Mired in last place in the NL East, the Marlins come to D.C. having lost four straight, including both ends of yesterday's doubleheader in Philadelphia.

They've now officially lost Hanley Ramirez for the rest of the season after the star shortstop underwent "open" surgery to repair his left shoulder yesterday. Ramirez hurt himself diving for a ball in early August, then re-injured it while on a minor-league rehab assignment. He had arthroscopic surgery on the same shoulder in 2007, but this time orthopedist James Andrews felt it necessary to perform the more invasive surgery. Recovery time is typically four-to-eight months, which could put Opening Day 2012 in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, the strange and sad saga of Logan Morrison continues with a new twist. Morrison was stunningly optioned to Class AAA last month after reportedly failing to appear at a meet-and-greet function with fans. The Marlins claimed the talented outfielder was sent down

Game 148: Nats at Mets

File photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nats go for a four-game sweep this afternoon at Citi Field.

Fresh off Brad Peacock's first career win last night, the Nationals are back in New York today looking to pull off a rare, four-game sweep of the Mets. To do that, they'll probably need another quality pitching performance from another September call-up: Tommy Milone.

Milone won't be an unknown quantity to the Mets; he made his big-league debut against them 12 days ago at Nationals Park and allowed four runs over 4 1/3 innings. So this could be a good test for the young lefty, the first chance he gets to face a lineup for the second time.

The Mets are sending their own rookie to the mound in right-hander Chris Schwinden. The 24-year-old went 8-8 with a 3.87 ERA in 28 combined games between the Mets' Class AA and Class AAA affiliates this season.

Enjoy the matinee ballgame; I'll be back on the beat from Nationals Park tomorrow for the start of the series against the Marlins...

NATIONALS at METS
Where: Citi Field
Gametime: 1:10 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 183
Weather: Cloudy, 73 degrees, Wind 8 mph out to RF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (70-77)
SS Ian Desmond
CF Rick Ankiel
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Game 147: Nats at Mets

File photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Brad Peacock makes his first career start tonight at Citi Field.

Couple of significant (or not-so-significant, depending on your point of view) things could happen tonight in New York. 1) With a win, the Nationals would get to 70 for the season, surpassing last year's total. 2) With a win, the Nats would be tied with the Mets for third place in the NL East.

And the third thing, of course, is that Brad Peacock is making his first career start, hoping to bounce back from a ragged big-league debut out of the bullpen on the night Stephen Strasburg returned from Tommy John surgery. Peacock, who dominated at both Class AA Harrisburg and Class AAA Syracuse, doesn't seem like the type who would let that one shaky outing get to him. I would expect a solid performance from him tonight.

Typical lineup from Davey Johnson, the only exception being Jesus Flores behind the plate instead of Wilson Ramos (who will probably start tomorrow afternoon's series finale).

Enjoy the game and the conversation...

NATIONALS at METS
Where: Citi Field
Gametime: 7:10 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 183
Weather: Chance of storms, 77 degrees, Wind 8 mph out to CF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (69-77)
SS Ian Desmond
CF Rick Ankiel
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Nats open '12 at Cubs, home opener vs. Reds

For the first time since the franchise arrived in Washington, the Nationals will open a season against an opponent from outside the NL East.

Major League Baseball announced its 2012 schedule this morning, a slate that will open for the Nationals on April 5 at the Cubs. Following three-game series in both Chicago and New York against the Mets, they'll host the Reds in their April 12 home opener.

In each of the previous seven seasons, the Nationals had opened against division rivals: the Phillies (2005, 2010), Mets (2006), Marlins (2007, 2009) and Braves (2008, 2011).

The 2012 interleague schedule has the Nationals facing all five teams from the AL East, including the Yankees (June 15-17) and Rays (June 19-21) at home and the Red Sox (June 8-10) and Blue Jays (June 11-13) on the road.

The annual Battle of the Beltways series against the Orioles takes place May 18-20 at Nationals Park and June 22-24 at Camden Yards.

The season will conclude at home Oct. 1-3 against the Phillies.

Here's the full schedule...

April 4, 6-7 at Cubs
April 9-11 at Mets
APRIL 12-15 VS REDS
APRIL 16-19 VS ASTROS

Game 146: Nats at Mets

File photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Chien-Ming Wang faces Dillon Gee tonight at Citi Field.

It's no secret what Chien-Ming Wang's biggest bugaboo has been this season: The first inning. For whatever reason, the right-hander hasn't been able to consistently navigate his way through that opening frame without suffering some kind of damage. Wang's ERA in the first inning in eight starts: 12.38. His ERA in every other inning: 2.70!

So the difference in tonight's game might very well come in the first 15 minutes, as Wang attempts to set down the top of the Mets lineup without putting his team in a hole. If he can do that, he and the Nationals should be in business.

Rookie right-hander Dillon Gee is on the mound for New York, in search of his 13th win (that's four more than anyone on the Nats staff currently has).

As you know, I'm not in New York for this series. Enjoy the game and the conversation...

NATIONALS at METS
Where: Citi Field
Gametime: 7:10 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 183
Weather: Clear, 77 degrees, Wind 10 mph out to CF

STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (68-77)
SS Ian Desmond
CF Rick Ankiel
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Beltway Baseball Live - 9/13/11

It had been a couple of weeks since our last Beltway Baseball show -- that pesky new baby thing kind of got in the way -- but we returned today with an all-new live episode. CSNwashington.com's Chase Hughes and I discussed Stephen Strasburg, Ross Detwiler and Chris Marrero, among other topics. We also answered your questions.

If you missed the show live, no worries. Here it is, in its entirety. Part 1 is above; Part 2, where we answer your questions, is below the jump...