Catching up with Danny Rosenbaum

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With the Nationals experiencing an inordinate amount of injuries this season, a revolving door of opportunity has opened up for players in their minor league system. Through 62 games in 2013, they have already produced five major league debuts and needed eleven total call-ups.

Specifically with pitching, the Nationals have already needed more reinforcements for their starting rotation than they did all of last season. They have called on veteran Zach Duke out of the bullpen, rookie Nathan Karns from Harrisburg, and are expected to bring up Ross Ohlendorf from Triple-A for Wednesday in Colorado.

Still waiting for his own call-up is Syracuse lefty Danny Rosenbaum, who is as close to realizing his MLB dream as he’s ever been. In his fifth year as part of the Nationals’ minor league system, Rosenbaum is 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA for the Chiefs this season. He has succeeded at each of the Nats’ affiliates with a career 2.91 ERA in the minors.

Knowing it could happen any day now, Rosenbaum is trying to focus on the task at hand and taking care of business at Syracuse. He said it can be distracting to think about it too much and believes it affected his performance last year.

“It’s really good to see all these guys get called up,” he said. “But it’s something that I can’t really stress about or worry about. I think that’s what I did last year and that’s when I started getting in trouble. I was thinking about all the wrong things. I need to stay focused on what we’re doing and just keep pitching.” 

Nats double up vs. Twins

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The Nats entered Sunday two games under .500, fresh off an extra innings loss, after seven consecutive games where they had scored three runs or less. With a day-night doubleheader against the Twins in store, there was an unusual opportunity in their sights. They could gain some traction and do it quick.

Manager Davey Johnson took stock of the situation and called a team meeting in the morning. It was short and simple, a story from his playing days. But the message resonated and, judging by the outcome, must have worked.

The Nats scored a total of 12 runs on the day, which was more than all their previous games in June combined. The first win, a 7-0 drubbing of Minnesota, was a complete beatdown. The fifth inning alone brought five runs across, more than they had scored in an entire game since May 29.

Davey downplayed the move after the blowout, but will take the result.

Instant Analysis: Nats 5, Twins 4

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Game in a nutshell: The Nationals went down early thanks to an unfortunate outing by starter Nathan Karns, but rallied to chip away the lead and eventually leave with the series win. It took almost their entire bullpen and even featured a bizarre 12-minute rain delay as the Nats kept the game close before Ian Desmond drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning. He followed up an Adam LaRoche double with a two-bagger of his own, putting the Nats up 5-4 and extending his career-best hitting streak to 12 games.

Hitting highlight: Roger Bernadina had easily his best game of the season, providing just what the doctor ordered out of the two hole. He quietly reached base in his first four at-bats with two hits and two walks, coming home to score twice off Jayson Werth singles. He has struggled all season, but stepped up in a game the Nats desperately needed.

Karns strong in debut, will start Sunday

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Nathan Karns was in Harrisburg on Monday night, preparing to pitch against Class AA Reading, when coaches told him his start would be pushed back a day. No real reason was given, and instead of studying the Senators' next opponent (the Akron Aeros), coaches wanted him to take notes on the Nationals' big-league game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Karns said he didn't know what to think, but went ahead and got started on charting the Orioles.

"I was kind of thrown off by that," he said. "I was like, 'OK, I'll chart the big-league game and we'll see how this is going to help me against Akron.'"

Soon after he started jotting down notes, Harrisburg manager Matt LeCroy walked into the room and gave him the real reason for his unexpected homework assignment: Karns was getting called up to Washington, to face the very same Orioles the very next day.

Game 52: Orioles at Nats

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Nate Karns and Kevin Gausman face off tonight at Nationals Park.

Neither team designed it this way, but circumstances dictated that the Nationals and Orioles will each be sending rookie right-handers to the mound for the second game of their interleague series. Neither Nate Karns nor Kevin Gausman had pitched above Class AA prior to this season, and neither spent a day at Class AAA before getting promoted to the big leagues (Gausman's call-up coming five days before Karns).

So it should be a good matchup between these two young fireballers. One thing to watch in particular: How do they fare against the opposing lineups the second time around? Gausman struggled in that department last Thursday in Toronto. We'll see if he's made an adjustment, and we'll see if Karns is able to overcome that issue against a very tough Baltimore lineup.

Bryce Harper once again is out of the Nationals' lineup. Davey Johnson is going with the same group that yesterday produced only two runs, hoping to get a little more thunder against Gausman.

Updates to come, please check back...

BALTIMORE ORIOLES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), WTEM (980 AM), XM 184
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 78 degrees, Wind 7 mph out to LF

NATIONALS (26-25)
CF Denard Span
2B Steve Lombardozzi
3B Ryan Zimmmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Previewing Karns' MLB debut

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Right-hander Nate Karns was 4-2 with a 4.60 ERA at Class AA Harrisburg.

Nate Karns wasn't supposed to the be first minor-league pitcher summoned by the Nationals to start a big-league game this season, but circumstances made him the best choice for tonight's surprise outing against the Orioles.

With their Class AAA Syracuse rotation struggling mightily through the season's first two months, the Nationals elected to dip down into the ranks at Class AA Harrisburg, plucking the 25-year-old Karns and throwing him to the wolves tonight in Washington.

Not that Karns hadn't earned the opportunity. This is, after all, the organization's reigning pitcher of the year and the fifth-rated prospect in the entire system entering 2013 (according to Baseball America). He also impressed this spring in his first big-league camp, allowing one earned run in 3 2/3 innings of relief against the Mets and Cardinals.

"I caught him a couple of times, and he's got a good arm," catcher Kurt Suzuki said. "Obviously, spring training is really early, and he

Nats call up Karns to start Tuesday

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In need of a spot start with lefty Ross Detwiler on the disabled list, the Nationals will call up right-hander Nathan Karns to make his major league debut on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles.

Karns, 25, is heading to Washington from the Double-A Harrisburg Senators. Relief pitcher Xavier Cedeno will be optioned back to Syracuse to make room on the roster.

The Nationals’ 2012 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Karns will be thrown right into the mix to face the second highest scoring club in the majors. He will be tasked with shutting down the Orioles who beat the Nats 6-2 on Monday behind 12 total hits.

Davey Johnson referred to Karns as one of the team’s top three choices to make the start. The Nats’ skipper liked what he saw out of him in spring training and now wants to see what he can bring to the major league level.

“He’s one of the good young arms in the organization. He’s been throwing the ball pretty good lately,” Johnson said. “It’ll be a good test. We’ll find out.”

Rendon among morning cuts

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Anthony Rendon hit .375 with a team-high four homers and 11 RBI this spring.

VIERA, Fla. -- The Nationals made their second round of spring training cuts this morning, sending top prospect Anthony Rendon and six others to minor-league camp.

Rendon was optioned to Class AA Harrisburg, where he'll open the season. Right-hander Nathan Karns, the organization's pitcher of the year in 2012, also was optioned to Harrisburg, along with catcher Sandy Leon. Outfielder Eury Perez (currently playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic) was optioned to Class AAA Syracuse. Infielders Matt Skole and Will Rhymes and left-hander Patrick McCoy, meanwhile, were re-assigned to minor-league camp.

Though he excelled in big-league camp, hitting .375 (12-for-32) with a team-high four homers and 11 RBI, Rendon knew all along he would open the season in the minors after missing most of last year with an ankle injury. He'll return to Harrisburg, where he closed out 2012, but could get promoted to Class AAA Syracuse in short order and could reach Washington sometime this season.

"He just needs to go and play," manager Davey Johnson said.
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Nats add Karns, Davis to 40-man

The Nationals purchased the contracts of Nathan Karns and Erik Davis tonight, adding both right-handers to their 40-man roster and protecting them from being selected in next month's Rule 5 draft.

All major-league clubs were required to finalize their 40-man rosters before midnight, with any eligible players who were not added to the roster now available to other clubs via the Rule 5 draft.

Among those left unprotected by the Nationals were left-hander Danny Rosenbaum, second baseman Jeff Kobernus and outfielder Destin Hood.

The Nationals were more worried about Karns and Davis being plucked away in the draft, which requires the player's new club to keep him on the big-league roster for a full season or else offer him back to his former organization.

Karns, who turns 25 on Sunday, earned organizational pitcher of the year honors after going a combined 11-4 with a 2.17 ERA in 24