Game #31 Could this #Nats line-up be what we see on Opening Day?

Anthony Rendon is also known as “Tony Two Bags”. Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

In today’s line-up, Nationals’ manager Dave Martinez has gone off-script and has moved Anthony Rendon into the coveted two-hole and has pushed Trea Turner back to the six-hole for this game. Could this be a foreshadowing of the Opening Day line-up or Davey just doing some experimenting? The players in this line-up certainly look like the starting eight position players we will see on Opening Day in four days in Cincinnati if Ryan Zimmerman is not at 1st base. Continue reading

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Almost all of the #Nats non-roster invitees are gone!

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Game #30 Scherzer’s final tune-up before Opening Day in 5 days!

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On the concluding Saturday of Spring Training, Max Scherzer will get his final tune-up to get him ready for Opening Day in five days in Cincinnati. The plan is for Scherzer to pitch to real game conditions and keep him at 100 pitches or less. Scherzer was bombed for 6 earned runs with 3 home runs surrendered in his last start.  Nationals manager Dave Martinez could have other ideas to go easy on Scherzer who has been pitching without extra rest since his March 13th start. Continue reading

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Game #28 & #29 Cole vs Cole and the debut of Jeremy Hellickson in split squad games!

The pitchers in the photo above are the current clubhouse leaders  in ERA (sort of). It is hard to compare apples to apples because Fedde has done most of his work in relief and is actually tied with Tommy Milone in ERA at 2.45. This also goes to the constant discussion of process versus results. Tonight, Jeremy Hellickson makes his Nationals debut in a split squad game versus the Marlins in Jupiter, and A.J. Cole appears in a game of Cole vs. Cole which seems like a divorce headline although this is against Gerrit Cole in a matchup in the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches tonight. Continue reading

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Game #27 Nationals have a night game for last Grapefruit trip outside of Palm Beach County

Tim Tebow strikes out swinging. (Photo by Stan for TalkNats)

The early season games against the New York Mets had Tim Tebow in the starting line-up against the Washington Nationals. By the time Tebow was sent down to the the minor leagues, he was batting .056 with a shocking 61.1% K rate. Tebow’s only hit of the spring actually was against Erick Fedde of the Nationals. For tonight’s game, the Nationals will see a Mets line-up that will more closely resemble who the Nats will face in the regular season on April 5th at the Nationals home opener. Continue reading

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The Tommy Show on 94.7 Fresh FM are hosting a #Nats pep rally

Despite winter’s rude refusal to go away, real baseball is poised to start next week. In order to get everyone pumped up for the regular season, our friends at The Tommy Show on 94.7 Fresh FM are hosting a #Nats pep rally on Monday, March 26, and you (yes, you!) are invited! Continue reading

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Game #26 Only 3 regulars in the line-up; Ryan Zimmerman not in the cards

Photo by Craig Nedrow for TalkNats


Opening Day is a week from tomorrow, and Daniel Murphy finally told us what we already knew that he would not be on the roster as he nurses his knee back to health. Ryan Zimmerman will be on the roster, and here is your Ryan Zimmerman sighting in the photo above — only don’t expect Zim in today’s line-up. There are only three projected Opening Day starters in today’s line-up: Adam Eaton, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper. Continue reading

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Tewksbury gives away many pitching secrets in his book, “Ninety Percent Mental”

Bob Tewksbury cover art

Starting pitcher turned mental skills coach Bob “Tewks” Tewksbury authored Ninety Percent Mental, which hits bookstores on March 20. Peppered with stories from his starts over his career and conversations he has had with players, the memoir details his life as a Major Leaguer, what it took for him to get to and stick in The Show, and how after retirement he became part of MLB’s growing movement towards focusing on the mental side of the game. If the title sounds familiar it is an homage back to Yogi Berra who said “Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical.”  We can debate the math. We can debate how important mental coaching is in today’s game. Continue reading

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Game #25 the Nationals play the Marlins in West Palm Beach

Jeremy Hellickson threw his first bullpen session on Saturday; Photo by Lee Heiman for Talknats

The Nationals will send Stephen Strasburg to the mound to face the Marlins’ rightie Odrisamer Despaigne. Yesterday the Nationals got smoked by these Marlins as they put up a 6-spot on Max Scherzer and tacked on 3 more against Shawn Kelley who gave up 2 home runs in one inning. Continue reading

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The Nationals offense is racking up the hits! Long and Dillon are new-age coaches!

Kevin Long with Daniel Murphy. Photo by Lee Heiman for TalkNats

When Kevin Long was hired as the Nationals new hitting coach, many of the Nats players were very much aware of who he was based on his reputation and what they had heard about Long through their teammate Daniel Murphy. There was reason to smile, but the players were trying to remain neutral about the hiring out of respect for the departed former hitting coach Rick Schu who was liked and respected during his tenure with the Nationals. Continue reading

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