DC native Josh Morgan is only one in a long line of distinguished pro athletes from Washington, D.C., but he's the rare one that actually gets to play in the town of his birth for the people who knew him growing up. 

But there is no pro athlete — not in football or basketball, not in baseball or hockey — who is currently more of the District than Joshua Morgan, born at Washington Hospital Center 1985, graduated from H.D. Woodson High ’03, signed with the Washington Redskins in 2012. He owns a house in Leesburg, closer to the Redskins’ Ashburn headquarters. But he has the bars and stars of the District flag, the area code 202, the dome of the U.S. Capitol, the initials D.C. tattooed on his left forearm not for show, but because the city is as much a part of him as the skin underneath those images. He’s the one who can speak to groups of kids here — as he has dozens of times since he joined the Redskins — and truly, without risk of being labeled a poser or a fraud, say he has walked where they walk.

 

“I know where they’ve been,” he said. “I know what they’ve been through.”

Brian Orakpo, still rehabbing from a torn pectoral muscle that cost him virtually all of 2012, says winning Defensive Player of the Year is a "very obtainable" goal for him. That'd be nice for him and the Redskins, considering the team needs Orakpo's pass rush and Orakpo is heading into a contract season and needs a big performance and a healthy season. I'm not impressed by this sort of talk, though. Save it for the field, Brian.

RB Jawan Jamison, a 7th round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Rutgers, is no stranger to adversity: 

Jamison’s father was killed in a single car accident in the summer of 2010, right before he enrolled at Rutgers. Then, last summer, his mother and biggest supporter, Shanda Davis, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Jamison entered the draft early this year to support his mother, but a 7th round pick is never a sure thing to make an NFL roster. Jamison talks confidently, but Mike Shanahan knows what will be required: 

“With running backs and safeties, a lot of times it’s hard to tell until you get into that first game or second game,” Shanahan said. “It’s a very tough position to evaluate until you get the pads on. He’s going to get his opportunity in a short time to show us what he can do. But right now, he’s just trying to learn the system, the blocking scheme, the combinations, so that when he does play in a game, he doesn’t have to think, he can react.”

Speaking of safeties and the draft, the Redskins picked two of them in April, Phillip Thomas in the 4th round and Baccari Rambo in the 6th round. Washington's pass defense was 30th overall last season and was clearly the weakest link on the entire team. The Redskins need Thomas and Rambo to be part of the solution this year, but the move from college to the NFL is, as Shanahan noted above, not an easy one for safeties.

“We’re rookies,” Thomas said after Organized Team Activities at RedskinsPark last Thursday.

 

“We’re just getting into the playbook real heavy, trying to learn everything so we can get that communication down so everybody can be on the same page.”

 

Communicating an NFL defense can be like learning a new language for some rookies, especially with exotic blitz and coverage packages built to counter up-tempo offenses and the rising use of the spread option in the NFL.

 

“All the plays, the different things they’re throwing at us, all the communication, it’s a little slow right now,” Thomas said. “They’re throwing a lot of things at us.”

 

During OTAs, Redskins defensive backs coach Raheem Morris often talks with the rookies. At times the conversations turn to yelling, especially when the players look out of position.

“We just got to go out there. All of us have these great ball skills, it’s going to allow us to make plays,” Rambo said. “Once we get on the same page we’re just going to fly around and make plays and have fun.” 

Thomas is trying to win the starting job at strong safety, but veteran Reed Doughty won't give it up easily. 

“There are some vet things I can do, being solid in a lot of different situations,” Doughty, said of his knowledge base and comfort level in the Redskins’ defense. “So he’s definitely going to have to come in and earn it.”

The beat up Washington Nationals have recalled 1b/OF Chris Marrero from Syracuse.  Marrero, the Nats 2006 first round pick, is having a fine season at AAA.  In 55 games this season is batting .306 with a .502 slugging percentage.  He also has 9 doubles, a triple, and 10 home runs.  

Marrero was at one time the top prospect in the Nats system but has been beset by injuries, mainly a torn hamstring in 2011, after a promising 2011 showing in Washington.  The emergence of Tyler Moore has also been a hindrance to Marrero in DC.  

His reemergence this season at AAA has put Marrero back in the spot light of the Nats front office brass.  Rightfully so.  With the Nationals offense struggling and with Bryce Harper, Danny Espinosa, and Wilson Ramos out injured, the Nats are looking for additional offensive production.  Marrero may just be a double header call up, but nevertheless, it is an opportunity for Marrero to re-showcase himself to the Nats are the major league level. It was also a call up well deserved because of his production this season.  

At this point, CF Denard Span will not play Game 1 of today's double header, as he rests a sore ankle from a foul ball yesterday.  The Nats are hoping Span will play in Game 2.  

As for Harper, the Nats do not appear to be concerned about his knee, even though he will be examined by Dr. James Andrews for persistent left knee swelling. 

Maryland basketball coach Mark Turgeon puts extreme focus on recruiting and it continues to pay dividends.

No longer are local stars like the Carmelo Anthony's, Kevin Durant's or Rudy Gay's going to escape the Baltimore- Washington metro area without a hard push from the Terrapins.

The latest addition is Oxon Hill shooting guard Dion Wiley. A five-star talent according to ESPN, Wiley joins Bishop O'Connell point guard Romelo Trimble headlining the Terrapins class of 2014. Trimble a consensus four-star, along with Wiley give the Terps the top talent in Virginia and Maryland respectively. Perhaps more importantly, they are also the star players of the top two AAU clubs in the area, something Maryland failed to tap in to during the Gary Williams era.

Four star point Roddy Peters (District Heights) joins Team Turgeon this Fall and will be expected to contribute immediately with the surprising transfer of senior point guard Pe'Shon Howard. Peters, Seth Allen and Nick Faust will be called on to play heavy minutes as the Terps continue to search for a transfer to help bridge the gap to 2014 when Wiley and Trimble arrive. Sam Cassell Junior is a potential target, but he remains a year away from eligibility and qualifying.

Today was Day 2 of the MLB Draft.  Yesterday the Nats only had one pick, which was at the end of the second round.  With that pick, they selected right hander Jake Johansen.  Here are some briefs on Day 2 draft picks.  Washington did not wait long at all.  Rather than waiting close to the signing deadline, the Nats have already inked Johansen. 

3rd round (105th pick):  3B Drew Ward.  Ward became eligible for the MLB Draft as he graduates from an Oklahoma high school in 2013, although originally a member of the 2014 class.  The 6'4" third baseman batted .556 this season with a .765 on base percentage.  Ward scored 55 runs and drove in 35 runs in 31 games played at Leedy High Scool.  Ward is just 19 years old and will have plenty of time to grow in the Nats system.  Many scouts believe Ward can solidly develop into a 25 home run third or first baseman.  Having been expected to graduate in 2014, he was widely expected to be a first rounder in the 2014 class. 

DREW WARD

4th Round (136th Pick):  P  Nicholas Pivetta. Pivetta is a junior right hander out of New Mexico Junior College.  Pivetta posted a 9-2 record with a 3.36 ERA over 13 starts.  Six of those thirteen starts saw Pivetta go the distance.  Pivetta is another tall, hard throwing right hander.  The 6'5" right hander touches between 95 and 97 MPH consistently on his fast ball. 

NICHOLAS PIVETTA

5th Round (166th Pick):  P Austin Voth.  Pitched in 17 games and made 15 starts for Washington in 2013.  His 105.1 innings ptiched sits at the sixth all time slot in Washington Husky history.  He also recorded 98 strikeouts, which was seventh most in school history.   This season Voth was 7-6 with a 2.99 ERA.  Opposing batters batted .45 against Voth.   The 6'1" right hander throws consistentyl between 87 and 92 with fastballs touching 94 MPH.  

AUSTIN VOTH

6th Round (196th Pick):  3B Cody Gunter.  Gunter is in his first season at Grayson County College in Texas.  Gunter was drafted in the 19th round of the MLB Draft out of high school last year by the Maimi Marlins, but did not sign and instead chose junior college.  He opted for junior college instead of a four-year school so he would be eligible again this year.  Gunter plays third base, but cal also pitch, as he served as closer for Grayson. Gunter has a fstball that tops off in the low-90s with a pretty good slider as well.  In 49 games, Gunter batted .321 with 7 homers and 39 RBI with 50 runs scored.  As closer, Gunter was 2-0 with 5 saves and posted an ERA of just 0.56 though 16 innings.  

CODY GUNTER

7th Round (226th Pick):  1B James Yezzo.  Yezzo is a junior first baseman our of the Univeristy of Delaware.  Yezzo put up impressive numbers in his sophomre season, batting .410.  Yezzo's .410 batting average was third overall in the NCAA, Division I.   Yezzo added 28 doubles and was second in his league in home runs with 13 home runs.  Yezzo drove in 64 runs.  Defensively, Yezzo committed just one error in 515 chances at first base last season. He led the Colonial Athletic Association in batting average, hits, doubles, RBIs, total bases and slugging percentage (.714).  He was selected as the 2013 CAA Player of the Year, and was named a Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American.

JAMES YEZZO

8th Round (26th Pick):  P Dave Napoli.  Napoli is a senior left-hander out of Tulane.  Following the Nats preference for hard throwers, Napoli recorded a 5-3 record with a 3.00 ERA in 66 innings.  Through 66 innings, he only allowed only 39 hits while fanning 51.  Napoil appeared in 15 games, making 10 starts.  Opposing batters batted just .176 against him. 

DAVE NAPOLI

9th Round (286th Pick):  P Jake Joyce.  Joyce is a right-handed pitcher out of Virginia Tech.  Joyce went 7-1 with a 4.16 ERA and recorded three saves during his senior season with the Hokies.  Joyce is a reliever and appeared in 30 games out of the Hokie bullpen.  He recorded 56 strikeouts in 62.2 innings of relief. 

JAKE JOYCE

10th Round (316th Pick):  SS Brennan Middleton.  Middleton is a senior out of Tulane University.  Middleton was a four-year starter at Tulane.  Through 4 years, he posted a .297 career batting average with 31 doubles, 80 RBI and 28 stolen bases.  This season Middleton led Tulane with a .295 batting average. He recorded 8 doubles, 1 triple, scored 35 runs and posted a .372 on base percentage.

BRENNAN MIDDLETON

Yesterday I was a guest on NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt to discuss the disappointing Washington Nationals and the growing steroid/doping scandal in baseball. Have a look. 

Robert Griffin III was asked if it is realistic for him to be ready for training camp in late July. His response: 

“One, it is a mindset, and then two, it is just how I felt and how it’s progressed. Like you said, over the last three weeks, you know, I’ve had a lot of progress and I feel a lot better. So, if you think -- I think training camp’s a month, month-and-a-half away? Two months? -- I feel really good about that and the start of the season is even farther than that. I feel good about that and that’s why I say without a doubt.”

Then he was asked about coming back from a serious knee injury successfully and quickly, as Adrian Peterson did last season. RG3 said this: 

“Yeah, I mean, I’m not Adrian, but when it comes to the pressure of coming back from the injury, it’s like the old saying, ‘You only feel pressure when you don’t know what you’re doing or you’re not confident in what you’re doing.’ I feel confident in what the coaches are going to do with me, I feel confident in what I’ve been working with, with Larry -- Larry Hess in the training room -- and those guys. I feel confident in my body and the way it has been responding, so there is no pressure there. It is just a matter if I am ready, I go. If I am not ready, I sit.”

Mike Shanahan was cautious when discussing RG3's health and having him back by the first preseason game. He said this: 

“Well, you always want somebody to have goals, that’s for sure. You want him to come back as soon as he is ready to go, but the doctors have got to OK him. From the beginning they have talked about the recovery time being anywhere from seven months to nine months. I think August 9 is seven months, and so we will just have to wait and see.”

RG3 doesn't seem too interested in Donovan McNabb's opinion that Griffin is "overexposed." Redskins beat reporter Rich Campbell, who does a terrific job for the Wash Times, believes RG3 would be better off taking veteran advice from Rex Grossman, Washington's 3rd string QB and the man who succeeded McNabb as the starter in burgundy and gold. 

In very good news for Redskins fans, Roy Helu has returned to the practice field and is feeling healthy. Helu's pass-catching ability, as well as speed and elusiveness after the catch, would make him a real third down threat in the Washington offense.

The Redskins are trying out free agent WR Dante Stallworth, who played for the Skins in 2011. Stallworth played only one game last year, for the Patriots, in which he caught a 63-yard TD pass from Tom Brady. Why would the Skins be trying out Stallworth? Probably because they currently only have 10 wideouts on the roster and teams usually go into training camp with 12 or so at that position.

Should the Redskins change their offense to throw more, as RG3's father would like, or should they stick with what made them the number one offense last year in yards per play? Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler debate it.

Alfred Morris is just a cool guy who plays paintball with fans. 

In a Babe Ruth-ian moment, London Fletcher called an interception and then made an interception.

Former Aussie rules football star and current Redskins punter Sav Rocca is feeling good after offseason knee surgery.

The Washington Nationals did not have a first round draft selection due to the free agent signbing of Rafaeil Soraino.  With their first pick of the draft, the 68th pick overall, the Nationals selected right-hander Jake Johansen. 

Johansen is a 6'6" right hander out of Dallas Baptist University.  He made 15 starts in 2013 season and posted a 7-6 record with an ERA of 5.40.  The hard throwing started fanned 75 batters in 88.1 innings.  Johansen posts regular 94 MPH fastballs and tocuhes triple digits at times.  The Nats are known to like hard throwing pitchers.  The Nats believe they have a late bloomer who can be a mid-rotation starter. 

Today is the first day of the 2013 MLB Draft.  What better day than today to give you an update on the statistical leaders in the Washington Nationals minor league system.  So here are your leaders (we note that we do not keep those on here that are currently ont he Nats roster, such as Jeff Kobernus, Ian Krol, and Anthony Rendon). 

BATTING LEADERS

DOUBLES:  Tony Renda (A) 22, Michael Taylor (A) 17, Adrian Neito (A) 14

TRIPLES:  Brian Goodwin (AA) 6, Francisco Soriano (A) 4 and Billy Burns (A) 4

HOME RUNS:  Zack Walters (AAA) and Brandon Miller (A) 11, Chris Marrero (AAA) 10

RUNS:  Tony Renda (A) 43, Brian Goodwin (AA) 40, Billy Burns (A) 37

STOLEN BASES:  Billy Burns (A) 28, Michael Taylor (A) 18, Brian Goodwin (AA) 12

RBI:  Chris Marrero (AAA) 43, Jason Martinson (A) 36, Michael Taylor (A) 35, Justin Bloxom (A) 33

BATTING AVERAGE:  Eury Perez (AAA) .312, Tony Renda (A) .305, Chris Marrero (AAA) .301

SLUGGING:  Corey Brown (AAA) .574, Brandon Miller (A) .512, Chris Marrero (AAA) .500, Josh Johnson (AA) .472

ON BASE PERCENTAGE: Billy Burns (A) .414, Will Pwinica-Worms  (A) .408, Wander Ramos (A) .407

PITCHING LEADERS

WINS:  Blake Schwartz (A) 7, Taylor Jordan (A), Blake Treinen (AA), Caleb Clay (AA), and Danny Rosenbaum (AAA) 5

INNINGS:  Blake Treinen (AA) 70.1, Ross Ohlendorf (AAA) 66.1, Taylor Hill (A) and Dixon Anderson (A) 64.1

STRIKEOUTS: Robbie Ray (A) 81, Paul Demny (AAA) 64, Ross Ohlendorf (AAA) 62, AJ Cole (A) 61

ERA:  Taylor Jordan (A) 1.17, Blake Schwartz (A) 1.29, Pedro Encarnacion (A) 2.18, Robbie Ray (A) 2.32, Dixon Anderson (A) 2.80

BULLPEN WINS:  Derek Self (A) 4

SAVES:  Aaron Barrett (A) and Robert Benincasa (A) 8

HOLDS:  Michael Crotta (AAA) 5

BULLPEN STRIKEOUTS:  Tyler Herron (A) 46, David Fischer (A) 33, Jeff Mandel (AAA) 31

BULLPEN ERA: Matthew Swynenberg (A) 1.93, Richie Mirkoswki (A) 2.05, Chris Bates (A) 2.25,

GAMES: Aaron Barrett (A) 24, Michael Crotta (AAA) 21, Derek Self (A) 20

Transactions:  Paul Demny was promoted from Harrisburg (AA) to Syracuse (AAA).  Brett Mooneyham was activated fromt he DL for Hagerstown.  In 4 starts, Mooneyham was impressive with a 1-1 record and a 2.40 ERA.  Pedro Encarnacion was also activated from the DL.  He is having a fine season with 9 starts and a 4-3 record with a 2.18 ERA. 

South Atlantic League All Stars:  Hagerstown Suns had 4 players named to the South Atlantic League All Star Team.  OF Brandon Miller is batting .256 in 211 at bats with 19 doubles, 1 triple, and 11 hoem runs.  He also has scored 33 runs and drive in 32 runs.  He has an impressive slugging percentage of .512.  2012 second round pick 2B Tony Renda is having one of the more impressive seasons in the system.  Renda could be the future answer at second base in DC.  In 223 at bats, he is batting .305 with 22 doubles, 3 triples and a homer.  He leads the system in doubles and runs scored with 43.  He has a .444 slugging percentage and a .369 on base percentage.  Starting pitcher Dixon Anderson is 4-3 with a 2.80 ERA in 12 starts.  Through 64.1 innings, Anderson has 20 walks and has fanned 54.  Reliever Robert Benincasa has appeared in 16 games and is 0-1with 8 saves.  He has posted a 3.24 ERA as the Suns closer. 

The Washington Nationals placed ace pitcher Stephen Strasburg on the 15 day disabled list.  Strasburg is recovering from a strained lat muscle he suffered in his start Friday against the Braves.  Strasburg will not be eligible to come off the disabled list until June 16.  Strasburg was originally scheduled to make a start this weekend against the Minnesota Twins. 

he Nationals will look to another starter to make the appearance this weekend.  A strong possibility could be Syracuse starter Danny Rosenbaum.  Rosenbaum has an ERA of 3.48 with a 5-1 record at AAA. 

The Nationals are already down one starter with Ross Detwiler on the DL with a similar lat strain on the opposite side.  Detwiler is scheduled for a rehab minor league start on June 10.