By Bud L. Ellis
Since moving from Montreal to the nation’s capital for the 2005 season, the Washington Nationals have finished out of the NL East cellar just once in six seasons.
The Nationals hope to begin climbing up the ladder in the East this season. A 10-win improvement in 2010 followed back-to-back 59-victory seasons, and Washington hopes to move closer to .500 in 2011. (Read More…)
Friday, March 25, 2011 at 9:48 pm by bud
Tags: Adam LaRoche, Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, Jayson Werth, Livan Hernandez, Major League Baseball, Philadelphia Phillies, Rick Ankiel, Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals news, Washington Nationals schedule, Washington Nationals tickets
By Bud L. Ellis
Nobody expected Livan Hernandez to turn back the clock a decade, for Matt Capps to hit double-digits in saves already this season.
Then again, nobody expected the Washington Nationals to be in contention as April closed.
Sure, it’s early, but when you lost 103 games a year ago, being just one game out of first place as May arrives is cause for excitement. And that’s where the Nats are at following a 13-10 April that saw Washington close the month with four wins in five games.
Even though Washington lost to Florida 7-1 to open May, Washington’s 13-11 record after 24 games was markedly better than last season, when the Nats started 7-17 en route to a 59-103 finish.
Pitching has been the difference. Hernandez, 35, went 3-1 with a 0.87 ERA in four sparkling starts. Reliever Tyler Clippard (who had just eight career wins in 49 career games before the season) also won games in April. Capps, given up on after a lousy season in Pittsburgh in 2009, is a perfect 10-for-10 in save situations.
The Washington offense has been as good as expected. Ryan Zimmerman, Josh Willingham and Adam Dunn each have at least three homers. Nyjer Morgan has stolen six bases and hit five triples. Future Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez, brought in to guide the pitching staff, is hitting .400 with seven doubles.
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Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 8:59 am by bud
Tags: Adam Dunn, Florida Marlins, Ivan Rodriguez, Josh Willingham, Livan Hernandez, Major League Baseball, Matt Capps, NL East, Nyjer Morgan, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ryan Zimmerman, Tyler Clippard, Washington Nationals
