District Daily: Williams Pushing Right Buttons in Nationals’ Bullpen, Zimmerman Takes BP
By Pablo Roa
Sep 7, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals manager
Matt Williams(9) removes Washington Nationals starting pitcher
Gio Gonzalez(47) from the game against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit:
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Good morning DoD readers! Start off your day with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web in our District Daily!
Williams pushing right buttons in Nats’ bullpen
WASHINGTON — Nationals manager Matt Williams stays on message. Each game is important, he says. No game is more important than any other. He’s not going to approach a stretch-run game in September any different than he did a game in April.
Except that it really isn’t working out that way. Through some happenstance — the funk that closer Rafael Soriano is trying to correct by taking a step back from that role, a bullpen stuffed with September callups — he’s deployed his relievers differently in taking two straight against the Braves, including a 6-4 win at Nationals Park on Tuesday night, than he has most of the season. Read full article here.
Zimmerman takes BP; running is key test
WASHINGTON — Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman took batting practice for the first time in public at Nationals Park on Tuesday afternoon. He was in the hitting group that included teammates Ian Desmond, Bryce Harperand Jayson Werth.
Although it was batting practice, Zimmerman was hitting the ball with authority. One ball Zimmerman hit reached the batter’s eye in center field. Zimmerman, who is on the disabled list because of a Grade 3 strain in his right hamstring, said the biggest test will come when he starts running the bases. Read full article here.
Desmond OK after exiting with lower back tightness
WASHINGTON — Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond left Tuesday’s 6-4 victory over the Braves in the sixth inning because of lower back tightness. The injury is not considered serious. In fact, Desmond indicated that he could play against Atlanta in the series finale Wednesday afternoon. Read full article here.