District Daily: Gio Scheduled to Play Catch, Nats’ Draft Representatives Announced
By Pablo Roa
May 17, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher
Gio Gonzalez(47) throws during the first inning against the New York Mets at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit:
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Start off your Thursday with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web:
Gio scheduled to play catch at end of the week
WASHINGTON — Gio Gonzalez, who is on the disabled list with inflammation in his left shoulder, will travel with the Nationals to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night and then play catch on flat ground at PNC Park two days later.
The Nationals placed Gonzalez on the 15-day DL on Sunday after he allowed five runs in three innings against the Mets the previous day. Read full article here.
Boone, Livan to represent Nationals at Draft
WASHINGTON — Bob Boone and Livan Hernandez will represent the Nationals — who have the 18th overall pick — during the 2014 First-Year Player Draft on June 5.
Boone, who is currently the vice president of player personnel, was one of the best defensive catchers in the 1970s and ’80s. He was drafted by the Phillies in the sixth round of the 1969 First-Year Player Draft.
Hernandez was never drafted, but he signed as a free agent with the Marlins in 1996 and went on to win the ’97 World Series MVP Award. Hernandez is arguably the most popular pitcher in Nationals history. Read full article here.
Stammen looks back on big league debut
WASHINGTON — On May 21, 2009, right-hander Craig Stammen made his Major League debut against the Pirates at Nationals Park. He pitched six innings and allowed four runs on four hits against the Pirates in a 5-4 victory.
It would have been a much better debut for Stammen if not for a Pirates first baseman named Adam LaRoche, who hit a home run against him that day.
“It was a fun day. I received really good advice from Cat [pitching coach Steve McCatty] when I got called up from Triple-A,” Stammen said. “He said, ‘Do the exact thing that you did in Triple-A.’ I took that advice up here in the big leagues. It was real easy the first couple of innings. It was a day I will never forget. It was a goal that I finally reached. I wasn’t really nervous. I was excited.” Read full article here.