http://www.nationalslocker.com Daily Blog for Washington Nationals Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:53:17 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en 25-year old righty swinging Elijah Dukes will have to fend off 25-year old righty swinging Justin Maxwell this spring for the starting job in RF. Dukes played in 107 games for the Nationals last season and he was 91 of 364 (.250 avg, .729 OPS) with 38 runs scored, ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/03/08/elijah-dukes-will-have-to-win-the-rf-job-for-the-washington-nationals-in-2010/ Center field belongs to 29-year old leffty swinging Nyjer Morgan. Morgan played in 49 games with the Nationals after coming over from the Pirates in a trade last summer and he was 67 of 191 (.351 avg, .831 OPS) with 35 runs scored, 1 homer, 12 RBIs and 24 ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/03/08/center-field-is-all-about-speed-for-the-washington-nationals-in-2010/ The Nationals have 7 legit left fielders in spring training. Make no mistake though, 31-year old righty swinging Josh Willingham will be the starter. Willingham played in 133 games for the Nationals last season and he was 111 of 427 (.260 avg, .863 OPS) with 70 runs scored, ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/03/08/the-washington-nationals-have-a-crowd-in-lf/ The Washington Nationals have re-signed 35-year old righty starting pitcher Livan Hernandez to a minor league deal. Hernandez pitched in 31 games (all starts) for the Nationals & Mets last season and he was 9-12 with a 5.44 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. He has pitched his best ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/02/25/the-washington-nationals-re-sign-livan-hernandez/ 25-year old righty swinging Ryan Zimmerman is on the rise for the Nationals as he is coming off his best season in the majors. Zimmerman played in 157 games for the Nationals last season and he was 178 for 610 (.292 avg, .889 OPS) with 110 runs scored, 33 ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/02/20/ryan-zimmerman-is-on-the-rise-for-the-washington-nationals/ The Nationals talked all winter long about adding a shortstop and converting Christian Guzman to 2B but it didn't happen. Guzman played in 135 games for the Nationals last season and he was 151 for 531 (.284 avg, .696 OPS) with 74 runs scored, 6 homers, 52 RBIs and ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/02/20/christian-guzman-will-be-back-at-ss-in-2010-for-the-washington-nationals/ The Nationals have placed 23-year old righty starting pitcher Jordan Zimmerman on the 60-day disabled list to make room on the roster for Chien-Ming Wang. Zimmerman will likely miss most if not all of the 2010 season as he underwent Tommy John surgery last August. Zimmerman pitched in ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/02/19/the-washington-nationals-place-jordan-zimmerman-on-the-60-day-dl/ The Nationals have re-signed 40-year old lefty reliever Ron Villone to a minor league deal. He pitched in 63 games (0 starts) for the Nationals last season and he was 5-6 with 1 save, a 4.25 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. Villone has now pitched in 717 games ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/02/19/the-washington-nationals-re-sign-ron-villone/ The Nationals have signed 29-year old righty starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang to a 1-year deal. Wang will likely miss the first month or two of the 2010 season as he continues to rehab from a shoulder injury. Wang pitched in 12 games (9 starts) for the Yankees last ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/02/16/the-washington-nationals-sign-chien-ming-wang/ The Nationals have signed 28-year old righty swinging Willy Taveras to a minor league deal. The Nationals are only on the hook for $400,000 bucks if Taveras makes the team and the A's are responsible for the other $3.6 million bucks that he will make in 2010. Taveras ... http://www.nationalslocker.com/2010/02/15/willy-taveras-signs-on-with-the-washington-nationals/