Kissimmee votes against spring facility

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Updated at 8:03 p.m.

CHICAGO — The Nationals' long-standing attempt to find a new spring training home took another hit Monday night when a plan to construct a $98 million facility in Kissimmee, Fla., was struck down by Osceola County commissioners.

In a 4-1 vote, the commissioners resoundingly rejected the Nationals' latest ballpark proposal, leaving the club to start over again in its attempt to relocate spring training headquarters from Space Coast Stadium in Viera.

"While the Washington Nationals are sorry that we couldn't come to an agreement with Osceola County, we recognize this was just one option toward finding the right site, deal and partner to build our one-of-a-kind, family-friendly Spring Training and fan experience facility," the Nationals said in a statement released Tuesday night. "We would like to thank Osceola County for approaching us about this project and for their professionalism and good spirit throughout the negotiations. We will continue to talk with other interested counties in Florida and Arizona and believe that the appropriate combination of site and investment will pay dividends for the right community long into the future."

The Nationals revealed their intention to leave Viera two years ago, citing their long travel times to other Grapefruit League facilities. No other club trains within one hour of Space Coast Stadium, and only

Rodriguez/Romero decision still on tap

VIERA, Fla. -- It looks like the final roster decision the Nationals must make before Opening Day -- Henry Rodriguez or J.C. Romero in their bullpen? -- will go right down to the wire.

Manager Davey Johnson again was noncommittal when talking about the two relievers this morning before the Nationals' final game in Florida, saying only that Romero will come north with the club for tomorrow's exhibition game against the Yankees but leaving the door open where the left-hander will go from there.

"J.C. Romero is going to go with us to D.C.," Johnson said. "And barring anything -- an injury or anything -- he'll go from there to Syracuse."

That injury could be to Rodriguez, who is returning from elbow surgery and complained of soreness earlier this week. The right-hander is scheduled to pitch tomorrow against New York. If he emerges healthy, he will make the roster. If not, he would start the season on the disabled list and Romero would make the club.

Nats vs. Mets -- 3/28/13

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Space Coast Stadium hosts its final game of the spring today.

VIERA, Fla. -- And so the last day of spring training has arrived. I'd like to tell you there were plenty of tears shed inside an emotional Nationals clubhouse this morning, but that would be a flat-out lie. These guys have been ready to get out of Dodge for weeks, so there was an extra kick in everyone's step as they prepared to face the Mets in their Grapefruit League finale.

All the regulars will get one or two at-bats today, Davey Johnson said, except for Jayson Werth, who is sitting this one out after getting hit with a pitch in the funny bone yesterday. He's fine and should play tomorrow against the Yankees in D.C., but they figured no sense taking a chance today. Bryce Harper's thumb also appears to be fine, and he is in the lineup today, hoping not to get jammed too badly on any pitches.

Gio Gonzalez is on the mound for the Nationals, his final tune-up before he faces the Marlins for real on Wednesday. He's opposed today by somebody named Domingo Tapia. Your guess is as good as mine.

ESPN has today's game on the air, and it is available in the Washington area. I'll, of course, have plenty of updates here as well...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Space Coast Stadium, Viera
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EST
TV: ESPN
Radio: None
Weather: Sunny, 65 degrees, Wind 8 mph out to CF

NATIONALS
CF Denard Span
RF Roger Bernadina
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman

Ramos pushing for Opening Day nod

Associated Press

Wilson Ramos watches his second homer of Wednesday's game fly over the fence.

VIERA, Fla. -- He'd already passed every other test presented to him this spring -- catching his first bullpen session, serving as designated hitter in a game, blocking pitches in the dirt, sliding into bases without putting his surgically repaired knee in danger, starting a game behind the plate and ultimately playing a full game back there -- so the only hurdle left for Wilson Ramos to cross was connecting for his first home run since he tore his ACL last May.

Ramos managed to knock down that final barrier yesterday, lofting a solo homer to right in the third inning of the Nationals' 11-2 exhibition win over the Braves. Then he knocked it down again one inning later, crushing a three-run homer to deep left-center.

It was a triumphant way for Ramos to finish off his spring, one that proved far more encouraging than even his most ardent supporters could have predicted.

"Every action, he has looks perfect to me," manager Davey Johnson said. "Blocking balls, the speed with which he picked it up, it's even better than it was last year [before he got hurt]."

Nats vs. Braves - 3/27/13

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Ross Detwiler faces the Braves today at Space Coast Stadium.

VIERA, Fla. -- As they were introducing the Nationals' starting lineup just now, the background music could only be described as "The Chipmunks Sing AC/DC." Is it time to go home yet?

Nope, we've still got two more games down here, starting today with the Braves. Fredi Gonzalez is using only relievers in this one, so Eric O'Flaherty will actually start and then pitch only one inning. Ross Detwiler starts for the Nationals. This is actually Stephen Strasburg's day to throw, but instead of facing a division rival, he already pitched in a minor-league game this morning, his final tune-up before Opening Day.

Bryce Harper, as you know, isn't in the Nationals' lineup. All the other regulars are, though. As opposed to the split-squad game taking place simultaneously in Jupiter against the Cardinals. There are no regulars down there, not even anyone from big-league camp.

Plenty of updates from this one to come...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Space Coast Stadium, Viera
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EST
TV: None
Radio: Braves radio via MLB Gameday Audio
Weather: Sunny, 57 degrees, Wind 8 mph out to CF

NATIONALS
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Swollen thumb sidelines Harper

VIERA, Fla. -- Bryce Harper will likely miss the Nationals' final two Grapefruit League games while letting his swollen left thumb heal, but the 20-year-old outfielder hopes to play Friday against the Yankees in Washington in advance of Opening Day on Monday.

Harper has been dealing with the issue since Friday, when he first was jammed by a pitch from Tigers left-hander Drew Smyly. He took one day off, returned to the lineup Sunday and continued a torrid streak at the plate in which he recorded nine consecutive base hits to raise his spring training batting average to .476.

But Harper again was jammed on a pitch from Marlins right-hander Henderson Alvarez during yesterday's game in Jupiter and was in considerable pain, though he was in better shape this morning.

"When I woke up this morning, it felt fine," he said. "Yesterday, it kind of got me a little. I thought it was going to be a lot worse when I woke up this morning. It wasn't. If I was in the lineup today, I could play."
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The dog days of March

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Dan Haren served up four homers in six innings yesterday.

VIERA, Fla. -- With Opening Day now so tantalizingly close, it's perhaps a real mental challenge for the Nationals to slog their way through these last few days of the spring.

"Few days?" Ryan Zimmerman said with a smirk yesterday when I asked him that. "Yeah, this is awful. I mean, I don't want to sound like a broken record, but it's pretty hard to get excited to play a game for the seventh week in Melbourne, Fla. We've been down here a while."

Yes, they have. And it's safe to say they are absolutely champing at the bit to get out of Florida, head north and begin this season already.

We probably saw evidence of that yesterday during the Nationals' 8-5 loss to the Marlins in Jupiter. Aside from Bryce Harper's torrid streak at the plate -- 9 for his last 9 with a walk -- and Dan Haren getting his final six innings of the spring in the books, there wasn't a whole lot else that piqued many people's interest at Roger Dean

Red-hot Harper still has sore thumb

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Bryce Harper connects for one of his two hits this afternoon.

JUPITER, Fla. -- You wouldn't know it based on the results he's had at the plate, but Bryce Harper continues to be bothered by a swollen left thumb and may need to take the last couple days of spring training off to ensure he's completely healed in time for Opening Day.

The Nationals' second-year outfielder initially hurt himself on Friday when he was jammed by a pitch from Tigers left-hander Drew Smyly. He was held out of the following day's game but returned strong on Sunday and has been on a tear ever since.

Harper's third-inning RBI single to right field this afternoon against the Marlins was his ninth consecutive hit, raising his Grapefruit League batting average to a hefty .476. Turns out he got jammed again on that hit, though, and had to consider not coming up to bat again two innings later.

"He got jammed a little bit," manager Davey Johnson said. "I might have to give him a couple days off, I don't know. Usually those are just kind of nagging injuries ... but if it gets real bad, you give him a little cortisone in there and that quiets it down. But I don't know if it's that bad."
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Nationals release Young

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Chris Young posted a 2.25 ERA in four starts with the Nationals.

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Nationals granted Chris Young his unconditional release this morning, making the veteran right-hander a free agent and allowing him to sign a big-league contract with another club.

Young had filed paperwork to opt out of his minor-league deal last night after pitching against the Astros in Kissimmee. The Nationals then had 24 hours to either put the 33-year-old on their 25-man roster, pay him a $100,000 retention bonus or release him.

Though the Nationals were hoping to keep Young in the organization as an emergency starter at Class AAA, and though he expressed a desire to stay last night, the two sides couldn't find

Could Romero take Rodriguez's spot?

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J.C. Romero looked sharp in his first Nats appearance last night.

VIERA, Fla. -- From the moment they arrived for spring training six weeks ago, the Nationals knew they had perhaps one spot on their Opening Day roster up for grabs: The final spot in their bullpen.

As the spring played out and several potential contenders either succumbed to injury (Christian Garcia) or were shipped to minor-league camp (Bill Bray, Will Ohman), that roster spot appeared not to be up for grabs at all. The job would go to Henry Rodriguez.

But as the clock winds down on the longest camp in franchise history, the Nationals aren't talking about Rodriguez's status with any level of certainty. And after the right-hander endured though yet another erratic outing last night, only to watch as the recently signed J.C. Romero cruised through a 1-2-3 inning of relief, there's reason to wonder whether this spot really is up for grabs after all

Young opts out, still hopes to stay

Associated Press

Chris Young allowed one unearned run in four innings tonight.

Updated at 10:25 p.m.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Chris Young filed paperwork today to opt out of his minor-league contract with the Nationals, but the veteran right-hander said he's still hopeful something could be worked out to keep him in the organization.

Young, who started tonight against the Astros and allowed one unearned run over four strong innings, will return to Viera after the game and wait to learn tomorrow whether the Nationals will put him on their Opening Day roster. He knows that's not going to happen, barring a last-minute injury, but he's been in talks with them about finding another way to remain with the organization.

"I'm realistic. I know the roster's full," he said outside the clubhouse at Osceola County Stadium. "I understand that. We've talked about maybe trying to work something out to where I can stay. We're not there right now. But there's interest from other clubs. I just have to weigh all the options and see what's best for me and my family and my career."
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Rodriguez scheduled to pitch tonight

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Nationals reliever Henry Rodriguez, held out of yesterday's game due to elbow soreness, is scheduled to pitch tonight against the Astros, manager Davey Johnson said.

Rodriguez met with Johnson yesterday and told his manager the elbow soreness he'd been feeling wasn't a product of pitching, but rather stretching in the trainer's room.

"It doesn't bother him to throw, it just bothers him stretching," Johnson said. "They do a lot of stuff in there when they're stretching, so he's sore. Every time I go in there, they stretch me and I'm sore. I computed that in, and he says he's fine."

After surgery last summer to remove bone chips from his right elbow, Rodriguez still lags behind the rest of the Nationals' relief corps. He was held back early in camp but has ramped up his work recently and appeared in five games in nine days from March 14-22.
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Nats vs. Astros - 3/25/13

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nationals face Bo Porter and the Astros tonight at Osceola County Stadium.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- We are officially less than one week away from Opening Day -- check out the countdown clock to the right -- and most of the Nationals' spring decisions have been made. One of the few remaining big ones, though, should come later tonight, when Chris Young decides whether or not to opt-out of his minor-league contract. (The educated guess here: He will opt-out, with some other club offering him a spot on their big-league staff.)

First, Young will take the mound this evening to face the Astros in what could very well be his final start for the Nationals. The veteran right-hander has progressively gotten better with each outing this spring, culminating with five scoreless innings last time out against the Marlins. We'll see how he handles Bo Porter's Houston squad tonight.

All the regulars are in the lineup for the Nationals. In fact, every position player still in camp besides Kurt Suzuki made the trip to Kissimmee for this one.

Updates to come, please check back...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee
Gametime: 6:05 p.m. EST
TV: MLB.tv (live), MLB Network (delayed at 3 a.m.)
Radio: Astros radio via MLB Gameday Audio
Weather: Sunny, 67 degrees, Wind 14 mph out to RF

NATIONALS
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman

Big day for Zimmermann, Espinosa, Harper

Associated Press

Danny Espinosa is congratulated by Kurt Suzuki after homering.

VIERA, Fla. -- A massive line of storms struck Space Coast Stadium in the top of the eighth inning yesterday, sending everyone fleeing for cover and bringing an abrupt halt to the Nationals' 9-3 victory over the Braves. But before we all got to experience the end of the world, there were several highlights.

Such as ...

Jordan Zimmermann once again looked mighty sharp on the mound. The right-hander entered this game having not allowed a hit since the very first batter of his previous start, and he didn't allow any today until Andrelton Simmons singled to left in the top of the fourth.

Thus ended a stretch in which Zimmermann recorded 27 outs between allowing hits. Yes, you read that correctly. He essentially threw a no-hitter, spread out among two games.

Garcia to DL, Rivero outrighted to AAA

VIERA, Fla. -- The Nationals made a pair of roster moves this afternoon, placing right-hander Christian Garcia on the 15-day disabled list with a strained forearm tendon and outrighting infielder Carlos Rivero to Class AAA Syracuse.

The Garcia DL move was anticipated because the right-hander had yet to appear in a Grapefruit League after injuring himself during early camp workouts, but the Rivero move did come as a bit of a surprise because it means the utilityman cleared waivers and was not claimed by another club.

Because he's out of options, Rivero was required to pass through waivers before being sent to the minor leagues. The Nationals talked up the utilityman this spring, and the sense was that another team would claim him if exposed. Instead, the Nationals get to keep Rivero in their system while also removing him from the 40-man roster.

Garcia had hopes of making the Opening Day roster out of the bullpen, or perhaps going to Syracuse to be a starter and

Young will pitch tomorrow, then decide

Associated Press

Chris Young tossed five scoreless innings on Wednesday.

VIERA, Fla. -- Chris Young will make his scheduled start tomorrow night against the Astros before deciding whether to opt out of his minor-league contract with the Nationals and sign with another club.

The Nationals must decide today whether to add Young to their 25-man roster, and they don't intend to unless one of their five starting pitchers gets hurt. Young then has until the end of the day tomorrow to either opt out or stay with the Nationals and agree to open the year at Class AAA Syracuse.

Though the veteran right-hander wouldn't get into specifics this morning, he strongly indicated he's got offers to pitch for major-league teams, which would prompt him to opt out.

"I'm not going to get into the details of it, but there's opportunities," he said. "I'm just trying to decide what the best fit is, in a lot of different ways. There's just so many considerations. I can't get into every hypothetical. Once I have all the information, I'll evaluate and see."
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Nats vs. Braves - 3/24/13

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Jordan Zimmermann and the Nats host the Braves today at Space Coast Stadium.

VIERA, Fla. -- It's a gray and very windy afternoon here at Space Coast Stadium, but it looks like the rain will hold off until later in the day, so the Nationals and Braves shouldn't have trouble getting today's game in. But the way the wind is howling out to left field, don't be surprised if there are a bunch of deep drives. In other words, be careful about judging today's pitchers.

So it'll be quite a challenge for Jordan Zimmermann, not to mention Kris Medlen, as each right-hander makes his penultimate start of the spring. Zimmerman is coming off a fantastic, six-inning outing against the Tigers and looks poised to open the season on a strong note.

All the regulars are back in the Nationals' lineup, including Bryce Harper, who said his jammed left thumb is still sore but not enough to keep him from playing. He planned to take BP wearing a rubber ring around the thumb that many players use for cushioning, but he was worried it wouldn't be comfortable and figured he probably wouldn't use it in the game.

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

WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Space Coast Stadium, Viera
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EST
TV: MASN
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM)
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 80 degrees, Wind 27 mph RF to LF

NATIONALS
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman

Rodriguez dealing with sore elbow

VIERA, Fla. -- Henry Rodriguez is dealing with "soreness" in his throwing elbow, and though the Nationals insist it's nothing serious, it does at least create the possibility of an available job in the club's Opening Day bullpen.

Rodriguez, who had surgery last summer to remove bone chips in his right elbow, has been brought along slowly this spring but has seen his workload increase over the last week. He pitched five times in a nine-day span from March 14-22 and over his last three innings has allowed three runs while issuing six walks.

Manager Davey Johnson said he's been expecting Rodriguez to experience some soreness with the increased workload and wasn't surprised to learn of the problem this morning.

"It's probably a little inflammation from throwing a lot," Johnson said. "I was expecting that earlier."

Catchers likely to split time 50-50

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Wilson Ramos appears to have made a full recovery from a torn ACL.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Though he won't reveal yet who will start behind the plate on Opening Day, Nationals manager Davey Johnson did strongly suggest today he plans to give Kurt Suzuki and Wilson Ramos equal playing time to begin the regular season.

The Nationals opened camp six weeks ago believing Ramos would need time to build himself back up after tearing the ACL in his right knee last May. Though he was expected all along to be ready for Opening Day, he figured to defer to Suzuki for playing time early on, then gradually increase his workload until he re-assumed the No. 1 catching job.

But Ramos has impressed since he arrived for spring training and has progressed perhaps faster than most assumed.

"He was doing the same stuff everyone else was doing from day one, actually more so," Johnson said. "He never missed a day on anything. We held him out of games [early] because the doctor was scheduled to see him again ... but he passed all those things with flying colors, as well as sliding. He's been basically on pretty much the same path that Suzuki's been on. I look at both pretty much being on equal footing going into the year right now."
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Harper scratched after getting jammed

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Bryce Harper jammed his left hand on an inside pitch yesterday.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Bryce Harper was scratched from the Nationals' lineup against the Mets today after getting jammed by an inside pitch during yesterday's game against the Tigers.

Manager Davey Johnson said Harper's left thumb was swollen after he lined a fourth-inning slider from Detroit's Drew Smyly into right field for a single. He was pulled from the game for precautionary reasons.

Harper was scheduled to make the trip to Port St. Lucie and bat third in today's game against New York, but Johnson informed the 20-year-old outfielder this morning he was being held back in Viera.

"I scratched him," the manager said.

Johnson said he's not worried about the extent of the injury and said he expects Harper to return to the lineup tomorrow when the Nationals face the Braves.