In 1997, Davey Johnson was named the AL Manager of the Year with the Baltimore Orioles. The same day he resigned over disagreements with owner Peter Angelos.

The night after Bryce Harper was named the National League Rookie of the Year and fifteen years later, it’s a different.

This time Davey Johnson was named the National League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America and wasn’t fired. Johnson also became one of the few managers to win the award in both leagues.  He received 23 out of 32 first-place votes, scoring 131 total votes and beating Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy.

Johnson came out of managerial retirement to manage the Nationals in 2011 after Jim Riggleman abruptly resigned. In 2012 he led the Nationals to their first winning season as well as their first trip to the playoffs. Johnson more than aptly managed the young rookies such as Bryce Harper and Tyler Moore, while juggling injuries on the roster (including but not limited to injuries to the starting third baseman, right fielder, and shortstop). He instilled confidence in those slumping, gave opportunities to succeed and led with expectations of being better. Johnson even told the Nationals they could fire him if the team didn’t make the playoffs.

Davey Johnson’s leadership was not lost on his team. Of his manager, outfielder Jayson Werth said, “When Davey took over the middle of the season and kid of did things his own way, and went about business the way Davey goes about business, you could start to sense and see the ship was turning around.”

Next season will be Johnson’s last managing before he transitions to being a consultant.

UPDATE (11/10/12, noon): Johnson’s return is now official: the Nationals baseball media relations department (@NationalsPR) has tweeted that Davey Johnson will return to the role of field manager for 2013. It will be his last season as manager. In 2014 Johnson will shift to being a consultant to GM Mike Rizzo.

As reported by the Washington Post yesterday, the Nationals and manager Davey Johnson are getting close to closing a contract for the 2013 season. Johnson initially planned on retiring, but cited “unfinished business” from 2012 as his reason for returning.

Nothing has been formally announced yet, however both sides agreed that the 2013 season will be Johnson’s last season managing. In 2014 Johnson will become a special adviser to General Manager Mike Rizzo. Afterwards, Mike Rizzo has said he would like Johnson successor to come from within the Nationals organization.

Johnson became manager in June 2011 after Jim Riggleman resigned. He’ll turn 70 in January, becoming the oldest manager in baseball.

Davey Johnson led the Nationals to their first ever National League East title as well as managing the team’s veterans to rookies in a way that built the successful season. He’s currently a finalist for the NL Manager of the Year by the BWAA.

In other news, first baseman Adam LaRoche declined the Nationals offer of one-year and $13.3 million on Friday per the MLB Players Association and the Washington Post.

LaRoche won a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger with the Nationals this season. The team is still able to sign him, however if he doesn’t and signs with another team, the Nationals will receive a compensatory draft pick.

Today also marks one year since Wilson Ramos was held after being kidnapped in Venezuela. The catcher was taken from his family home on November 9, 2011 and became the first Major League Baseball player to be kidnapped. Ramos was held for 51 hours and rescued in a gun fight in the mountains of Venezuela.

Ramos is now rehabbing from his two knee surgeries from his injury on May 12 in which he torn his meniscus and damaged enough to need another surgery to repair another torn ligament. He stayed in Washington over the off season to be able to visit his physical therapist and work out.

Since his kidnapping Ramos has not been back to Venezuela, but he plans to return to spend time with his family once he’s finished with rehab. He says he still loves his country as well. Understandably, Ramos said it’s hard to forget about his ordeal. The promising catcher of the future says even though it will always be a part of his life, he doesn’t want the event to define him.

After a deflating, frustrating loss in Game 5 of the NLDS against the Cardinals, the Nationals packed their bags for the off season while the Cardinals went on to the NLCS. After such a memorable season, the way the season ended for the Nationals seemed incomprehensible to many and brought many questions in attempts to answer what happened after coming so close.

Now, the baseball season is officially over and there’s other matters to take care of: a rotation spot to fill, manager to re-sign, as well as determining the lineup for next season. Also now, baseball’s form of the ‘best of’ awards is finally here.

Today Adam LaRoche, Ian Desmond, and Stephen Strasburg each won Silver Slugger awards in the National League for first base, shortstop, and pitcher respectively. LaRoche hit 33 home runs with 100 RBI and had a .510 slugging percentage while Desmond hit 25 home runs with 73 RBIs and a .511 slugging percentage. For a pitcher, Strasburg had impressive numbers at the plate: he hit .277 with 7 RBIs. He composed one of the best seasons at the plate for a pitcher in the past 30 years according to the Washington Post.

Adam LaRoche also won his first career Gold Glove for first base in the National League. LaRoche had a .995 fielding average and didn’t make an error all season. He is the only National to win the award since Ryan Zimmerman won in 2009. Ian Desmond, was also a finalist for the award for his position at shortstop, but was beat out by the Phillies Jimmy Rollins.

Other Nationals are also finalists for awards. Leading the team’s nominations from the Baseball Writers Association of America is Davey Johnson as a candidate for National League Manager of the Year. Also nominated is Gio Gonzalez for the NL Cy Young Award who led the majors with 21 wins and Bryce Harper for the NL Rookie of the Year Award.

Johnson already won Sporting New’s NL Manager of the Year several weeks a go.

Each of the Nationals’ award finalists and winners played a intricate role in the Nationals’ historic season. In games that Gio Gonzalez started, the Nationals were 24-8. For Harper, he finished second in home runs among rookies with 22 and fourth in RBIs. Both players have stiff competition in candidates such as R.A. Dickey for the Cy Young and Todd Frazier for Rookie of the Year. Not to be forgotten is Davey Johnson who more than aptly managed a young team that was burdened by injuries at times and led the Nationals to their first division title and first-ever trip to the playoffs. Johnson’s competition is Bruce Bochy (San Francisco Giants) and Dusty Baker (Cincinnati Reds).

Other off season links:

• Davey Johnson seems to be close to returning to the Nationals as manager for 2013. Of the official agreement on the contract, General manager Mike Rizzo says, “I’m thinking anytime now.”
• The Nationals made a qualifying offer to Adam LaRoche but not Edwin Jackson. LaRoche has a week to accept or reject the offer.
• In less baseball related news, Davey Johnson won a fishing tournament. Also, some other Nationals are on a boat.
• Check out who’s making what with the Nationals’ 2013 payroll.

The Nationals haven’t clinched their wild card spot in the postseason, or at least not just yet. Last night they made the game interesting after coming back from being down 6 runs, but weren’t quite able to pull out the win. Starter John Lannan didn’t have his best game, and a missed call by the umpires cost the Nats a run. The Dodgers ultimately won 7-6.

Tonight, as the Nats wrap up the series against the Dodgers, they have another chance to clinch a postseason spot and to cut down their magic number to win the NL East. If the score holds, (currently 4-1 Nats in the seventh inning), the Nationals will have clinched their first postseason berth in 79 years.

Even though getting a spot in postseason baseball is worthy of celebration, the Nationals aren’t quite ready to celebrate, and are focused on the current big picture: clinching the National League East.

“It’s been a rewarding experience, the whole season. I’m not here to talk playoffs or clinching or anything like that until it happens, or if it happens. But I think it’ll make a great statement in the city,” General Manager Mike Rizzo said.

“The only thing that’s going to mean anything to me is when we clinch the pennant. That’s the only number I’m concerned with,” manager Davey Johnson said.

Hopefully tonight the Nationals can cross off another number.

Other good stuff (in case you missed it):

• That missed call? Oh yeah, umpire Alan Porter apologized to Davey Johnson for it.
• Chien-Ming Wang will be starting on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
• Also, here’s to two very happy birthdays to Ian Desmond and Steve Lombardozzi. Here’s to players drafted and developed through the Nationals!

Via the MLB facebook.

What’s the only thing more interesting than one benches clearing incident? Well, two benches clearing incidents, with a brawl thrown in for good measure. For the Nationals who’ve lost large leads that looked out blowouts before, they didn’t take any chances, beating the Cubs 9-2 and overall outscoring them 31-9 over four games. For the Cubs, it became a little bit too much to take and frustration spilled out onto the field leading to ejections for both teams.

In yesterday’s sweep of the Chicago Cubs, the Nationals once again blew out their opposition, maintained a 7 1/2 game lead in the NL East, and dropped their magic number to win the National League East down to 18.

The first benches clearing incident happened in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jayson Werth was batting with the bases loaded and the Nats up 7-2. Cubs catcher Clevenger went to the dugout to change his glove when Nats third base coach Bo Porter approached the Cubs dugout yelling. Yet first before Porter approached the dugout, replays showed Cubs bench coach Jamie Quirk pointing and yelling at Porter.

Eventually players ran out onto the field from the dugouts and bullpens and the fracas was subdued by the umpires without any further incident. Quirk was ejected from the game for his actions, while Porter remained in. Later after the game umpire Jerry Layne stated that Quirk instigated the shouting match by yelling at Porter.

The fun didn’t end there. The next inning  when Bryce  Harper was batting, Cubs pitcher Lendy Castillo threw an inside pitch. Harper wasn’t hit by the pitch, but with bad blood already brewing, tempers flared.  As Harper started walking towards the mound he had to be restrained by catcher Clevenger and umpire Jerry Layne.

» Continue reading “Benches clear; Nats still sweep”

John Lannan was supposed to be the fifth starter in the rotation for the Nationals this season. Davey Johnson changed his mind last minute, giving the spot to Ross Detwiler.  That left Lannan to twiddle his thumbs in AAA…until now.

According to Mark Zuckerman, Lannan will return to the Nats for a start on Saturday.  However, with Stephen Strasburg on an innings limit and Chien-Ming Wang’s health what it is, we could see Lannan on a regular basis down the road.

Just when the Nats won’t want him.

Rumors say the Nats are shopping for another starter, something they seem to have an abundance of already.  But when Strasburg is inevitably shut down, they will need another arm, and the options they have aren’t great.

Barring a trade and a remarkable health turnaround for Wang, the Nats could turn to two main sources: Lannan or Tom Gorzelanny. Yeah, that’s the situation we’re dealing with.

» Continue reading “Lannan’s Return…Not Too Exciting”

Last night’s game between the Nationals and Rays came and went without incident or any carryover from pine tar gate. Stephen Strasburg, the team’s ace played stopper again and the Nationals snapped a four game losing streak winning 3-2 against the Rays. Even with the pine tar incident and war of words slowly fading from memory, it seem like it’s getting out of hand now. And about Twitter. Or Tweeter, if you’re Davey Johnson.

“I don’t want to get in a shouting match with Joe. I looked him up on the Internet and found out he has a Tweeter, so he can get to more people than me,” Johnson told the media.

While Davey took a route to lay relatively low and end the verbal war, Maddon had his own ideas about Twitter. Or Tweeter. Now which one is it, now?

“Most men have Tweeters. I would never use my Tweeter to an unfair advantage,” Maddon refuted.

Um, well take that as you will.

The only thing that could have made Davey Johnson’s ‘Tweeter” media session better is if he found a way to work in ‘that’s a clown question, bro.’ But the Nationals still have to play the Rays one last time tonight.

Check out the compilation video from CSNWashington. And after tonight, the Nationals won’t have to see the Rays for a very long time, hopefully. (Unless it’s in the postseason.)

Game time is 7:05 at Nationals Park.

Third base umpire Chris Guccione takes Joel Peralta's glove with the "foreign substance" to the umpire's room.

The Nationals and Rays may not exactly be sworn enemies, considering they’re in completely different leagues and see each other every few years. However, considering the pine tar shenanigans that occurred last night and the comments that followed afterwards, I doubt either team is willing to go on a bonding retreat or something of the sort.

After last night, baseball’s code and ethics are suddenly thrown into the spotlight in DC and in the baseball world. Yesterday, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Tampa Bay Rays reliever Joel Peralta came in to pitch. Before Peralta, a former National, even threw a pitch, Davey Johnson asked umpire Tim Tschida to check Peralta’s glove.

After Tschida checked Peralta’s glove, the glove was confiscated and Peralta was ejected for what Tschida said was a “significant amount” of pine tar in his glove. In the end, it seems to have worked out for the Rays. Reliever Jake McGee was called to pitch in place of the ejected Peralta and retired all three Nationals in order. The Rays went on to win the ballgame 5-4.

Now the glove is en route to New York to be checked by Major League Baseball, but this is far from over. After the game Rays manager Joe Maddon had a few thoughts of his own about what transpired.

» Continue reading “What’s a little pine tar between enemies?”

No one is infallible, especially in sports.  You aren’t always going to play the best and there is always going to be someone who comes along who is better.  Superman had Kryptonite, and apparently, Stephen Strasburg has…Hot Stuff?

Strasburg registered his first loss of the season in an eventual 6-1 loss to the Padres. He allowed 4 earned runs (including a homer) in just 4 innings of work before being pulled, walking 2 and striking out 5.

Strasburg was noticeably out of sync, and when he was asked about it after the game, Davey Johnson alluded to some Hot Stuff that was…um…misplaced.

Apparently, Strasburg had put some Hot Stuff (similar to Icey Hot) on his shoulder for the game.  Some how, some of it apparently made it’s way to his groin area, creating a less than pleasant outing for the young star.

There is no report of foul play involved.

» Continue reading “We’ve Found Strasburg’s Kryptonite!”

The Nats continue their West coast trip against the Padres today, this time at a more reasonable hour for those not currently in college and up anyway doing finals. Here’s what you need to know for today.

-Chien-Ming Wang continues his return to the lineup with another rehab start on Saturday. [Nats Journal]

-It’s what many had feared when Ryan Zimmerman didn’t seem to be getting better…the franchise third baseman will get an MRI on his shoulder. [Wash Times]

-GM Mike Rizzo released a letter to Pudge Rodriguez to the press.  Good for a great guy who made a difference in his brief time in the District. [Federal Baseball]

-So, Wang had an affair, called a press conference to apologize for it that was generally ignored in the States…but here it is on Taiwanese television. This is why I love the internet. [Nats Enquirer]

-A transaction update on the farm. [Nats Prospects]

-And a THIRD Wang story…pretty soon, the Nats are going to have to choose between Wang and Ross Detwiler for who gets the last rotation spot.  Detwiler has been great. [Nats Blog]

-D.C. will always be a football town first. Right now, it’s a football town, then a hockey town, then a baseball town. But I like where Davey Johnson’s head is at anyway! [Federal Baseball]