Kevin Dunleavy

Published: Wed, May 15, 2013

Struggling ace starter to pitch in San Diego Pitching for the first time as a major leaguer in his hometown on Thursday night, Stephen Strasburg returns to San Diego not as much a conquering hero as a troubled star facing fresh questions about his ability handle the mental side of the game....

Kevin Dunleavy

Updated: Tue, May 14, 2013

Injury-free rotation gives Nats advantage Until Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Dodgers weren't sure who would start their series finale against the Nationals -- Zack Greinke or Matt Magill. Uncertainty has been a constant this season for the Dodgers, who used nine different starting...

Thom Loverro

Updated: Tue, May 14, 2013

The Washington Nationals began their road trip Monday night with the start of a three-game series against the Dodgers, who, under former Nationals president Stan Kasten, have become the Dodgers again -- at least off the field. Under former owner Frank McCourt, the franchise was a disaster,...

associated press

Published: Sun, May 12, 2013

Suzuki's error in ninth lets Cubs steal a win Welington Castillo got his bat on the ball at precisely the right time. Even though it was a complete accident and Castillo didn't get credit for a hit, his bat essentially won the game for the Chicago Cubs. Alfonso Soriano scored the...

Kevin Dunleavy

Published: Sat, May 11, 2013

As Stephen Strasburg has muddled through his longest stretch in the major leagues without a win, there has been a litany of diagnoses ranging from elbow stiffness, to a lack of command, to a change in throwing motion, to first-inning woes, and even to bad body language. But as Strasburg has...

Phil Wood

Updated: Fri, May 10, 2013

Just before Opening Day, I used this space to opine that the Nationals should think seriously about making converted pitcher Micah Owings their righty-hitting backup first baseman/outfielder/pinch hitter in 2013. Owings had signed a minor league contract last winter and turned in an impressive...

Brian McNally

Updated: Fri, May 10, 2013

Nationals Report Haren tries to turn it around It's been a roller-coaster ride already for Nationals starting pitcher Dan Haren. The team took a gamble when it let Edwin Jackson go in the offseason and turned a spot over to Haren, one of the game's steadiest pitchers for years but one...

Rick Snider

Updated: Thu, May 9, 2013

Rainouts are the worst. Greedy team officials are second. Sitting in Memorial Stadium as a young lad on the rare occasion dad took me to a Baltimore Orioles game, we'd wait for the official cancellation during rain hoping for a miracle. The ticket stubs were only good for the next day, and we...

Kevin Dunleavy

Updated: Thu, May 9, 2013

Nationals power past Tigers in 5-4 victory A Dennis Green like pronouncement might be premature. But so far this May, the Washington Nationals are worthy of the words the former Arizona Cardinals coach who famously used after a loss to the Chicago Bears: "They are who we thought they were."...

HARVEY VALENTINE

Updated: Thu, May 9, 2013

Washington (AP) -- Bryce Harper hit a solo homer and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly, Jordan Zimmermann won his NL-leading sixth game and the Washington Nationals beat the Detroit Tigers 3-1 Wednesday night. Denard Span added a triple and a single for Washington, which has won five...