District Daily: Nationals News 4/18
By Pablo Roa
Apr 14, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder
Bryce Harper(34) connects for an RBI triple during the first inning agains the Miami Marlins at Marlins Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Checkout some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web:
Results positive for Fister in simulated game
WASHINGTON — Right-hander Doug Fister pitched in a simulated game on Thursday and worked two innings without any problems, according to manager Matt Williams.
Fister will have another simulated game in five days, pitch three innings and hopefully start a rehab assignment after that. Fister, who is on the disabled list because of a lat strain, could return to the Nationals within 20 days. He will have at least two rehab starts before returning to the club. Read full article here.
Reasons to be concerned about the Washington Nationals, even if they won’t last
(Thomas Boswell, Washington Post)
April is the month for panic. Why waste it? By May much of this fun will be null and void. So let’s go!
Are the Nationals choking dogs, even if they are our choking dogs? Will they ever stand up to a team of roughly equal talent such as the Braves and Cardinals?
The Nats’ bench cleared this week in Miami, a rarity. Nothing happened. Are they just inert?
Is Matt Williams over his head as a manager, sending runners to their demise and stars such as Ryan Zimmerman to the disabled list in a bizarre quest for a few extra bases with crazy over-aggression? Why send a promising rookie with a 0.00 ERA to the minors just to get a fresh arm for one day? Hyper much?
…It would be easy to go on about this National abomination except the team is 9-7 despite tons of injuries. Read full article here.
Bryce Harper talks about his change of approach at the plate
(James Wagner, Washington Post)
Bryce Harper went hitless in the April 5 loss to Atlanta, sending his season-opening slump to its nadir at .143 through five games. The slugging outfielder declared he was “lost” at the plate. He slammed his helmet down after a strikeout. He threw his bat in the dugout tunnel. He turned for guidance to his father Ron, his unofficial hitting coach growing up. The words his father offered stuck.
“He was just like, ‘Man, you need to stop thinking so much. Just go out and hit the baseball. Plain and simple,’” Harper recalled this week. “It’s sometimes where you start slow and that’s just part of the game and there’s nothing you can do about it. Just have fun, smile, laugh. Just be as happy as you can all the time and good things will happen.” Read full article here.