Yahoo! Sports

Nationals buy out Kearns for $1 million (AP)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:34:54 PST

The Washington Nationals have declined their $10 million option on outfielder Austin Kearns and are paying a $1 million buyout, presumably ending his disappointing tenure with the team. The 29-year-old Kearns hit only .195 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 174 at-bats this season, when he was hampered by a thumb problem.

Top pick Strasburg (neck) scratched from start (AP)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:56:43 PST

The Washington Nationals say No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg has a strained neck muscle and is being scratched from his scheduled start in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars game. The team says the right-hander is being held out of Saturday's game for precautionary reasons. The Nationals are listing Strasburg's status as day to day and are not sure when his next Arizona Fall...

Nationals Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:07:17 PST

It may have been a wretched season for the Nationals as a team, but for Ryan Zimmerman, 2009 represented a major breakthrough.

Washington's young third baseman flourished in his fourth big-league season, both at the plate and in the field, earning his first All-Star Game berth and setting himself up to win his first Gold Glove award. Zimmerman set career highs in home runs (33), hits (178), runs (110), batting average (.292) and on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.888). His 30-game hit streak in April and May was the longest in the majors all year.

Now Zimmerman must prove his fabulous season wasn't a fluke and must establish himself as one of the sport's best players year in and year out.

The 25-year-old has the right attitude to do it.

Nationals claim LHP Slaten off waivers (AP)

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:42:51 PST

The Washington Nationals have claimed left-handed reliever Doug Slaten off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Slaten, who will turn 30 before the start of next season, is a middle reliever who spent most of 2009 at Triple-A Reno, going 3-2 with nine saves and a 3.09 ERA in 39 appearances. He had a 7.11 ERA with no decisions in 11 appearances with the Diamondbacks this season.

Livan Hernandez returning to Nationals? (Yahoo! Sports)

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:29:57 PST

The agent for Livan Hernandez is saying that his client wouldn't mind returning to the lowly Washington...

Don Mattingly passes on managerial interview with Washington Nationals (Yahoo! Sports)

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:27:27 PST

Former New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly really, really wants to be a manager in the big leagues, but...

Nationals add ex-GM Schueler to front office (AP)

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:03:42 PST

The Washington Nationals have hired former Chicago White Sox general manager Ron Schueler as special adviser to GM Mike Rizzo and promoted Bill Singer to director of professional scouting. Schueler worked for the San Francisco Giants the past two seasons. He was GM of the White Sox from 1990-2000. Singer's new duties include overseeing Washington's major league, minor league and winter...

Dominican court orders Nationals to pay $40K (AP)

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:06:59 PDT

A Dominican Republic tribunal has ordered the Washington Nationals to pay $40,000 in damages to a scout who was fired after signing a prospect who lied about his age. Jose Baez, the Nationals' former director of operations in the Dominican Republic, sued the team for what he said was an unjustified firing.

Nationals add McKeon, Robertson to front office (AP)

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:11:47 PDT

The Washington Nationals have made two more additions to their rebuilt front office, hiring Kasey McKeon as director of player procurement and Jay Robertson as special assistant to the general manager. McKeon, son of former major league manager Jack McKeon, spent the past seven seasons with the Colorado Rockies, where he was assistant to the GM.

Padres hire Hoyer as GM (CBC.ca)

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:41:25 PDT

Jed Hoyer was hired Monday as the new general manager of the San Diego Padres.

Astros made offer to Indians' new manager, Manny Acta (Yahoo! Sports)

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:35:40 PDT

The Cleveland Indians have named the fella that managed to "lead" the Washington Nationals to a...

Cleveland Indians hire Manny Acta as manager; beats out Bobby Valentine (The Canadian Press)

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:25:37 PDT

CLEVELAND - Manny Acta's record didn't overwhelm the Cleveland Indians. They looked much deeper than at his wins and losses - lots of losses.

Houston Astros' potential managerial list down to four (Yahoo! Sports)

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:31:13 PDT

Houston Astros GM Ed Wade used to run the Philadelphia Phillies and was responsible for drafting Ryan Howard,...

Padres close to hiring Hoyer as GM (Yahoo! Sports)

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:07:19 PDT

The San Diego Padres didn't want Kevin Towers to be the general manager anymore so they canned him three...

Sledge hits grand slam in Japanese playoffs (AP)

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:18:42 PDT

Former major league player Terrmel Sledge hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday to lift the Nippon Ham Fighters to a 9-8 win over the Rakuten Eagles in the first game of Japan's Pacific League championship series. With the Fighters trailing 8-5 at Sapporo Dome, Sledge connected off Eagles pitcher Kazuo Fukumori to give his team a dramatic win in Game 1 of the...

Mattingly in second round of Indians' managerial search (Yahoo! Sports)

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:22:13 PDT

Four of the candidates that have been asked to go to the second round of interviews for the open managerial job...

Red Sox coaches on Astros managerial list (Yahoo! Sports)

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:02:58 PDT

The Houston Astros have got a managerial slot to fill and it's looking like it could be a member of the...

Mike Hargrove wants to manage Cleveland again (Yahoo! Sports)

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:12:52 PDT

The Cleveland Indians are looking for a new manager and Mike Hargrove would apparently like to be considered for...

Strasburg has strong debut in Fall League (AP)

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:18:44 PDT

Washington Nationals high-priced prospect Stephen Strasburg reached 99 mph with his first pitch Friday night and worked 3 1-3 scoreless innings in his Arizona Fall League debut. Strasburg, who signed a record $15.1 million, four-year contract with the Nationals as the first player taken in the June draft, gave up only two singles and a walk while striking out two for the Phoenix Desert Dogs.

Nats' Strasburg to pitch in Arizona on Friday (AP)

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:11:51 PDT

Stephen Strasburg is going to stick with the same plan he employed throughout college when he makes his first appearance in the prospect-rich Arizona Fall League on Friday. Strasburg, selected by the Washington Nationals with the No. 1 overall pick in June's amateur draft, pitched inside when he competed for San Diego State and is hoping to continue that strategy in the pros.

Former Nats manager Acta getting interviewed in Cleveland, Houston (Yahoo! Sports)

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:39:00 PDT

The Cleveland Indians want to get over its losing ways so it has shown interest in bringing former Washington...

Three-man rotations: The good, bad and ugly (Yahoo! Sports)

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:22:00 PDT

The Yankees are considering using three starters in the ALCS. History indicates they should proceed with caution.