St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Edward Mujica (44) celebrates with catcher Yadier Molina (4) after beating the Washington Nationals 2-0 at Nationals Park

The Washington Nationals lost their fifth straight game at home, falling to 10-10 overall, as this nightmarish start to a once-promising season continues -- mostly because the Nats bats have gone utterly silent. Pitcher Adam Wainwright of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals blanked the Nats 2-0 for his fourth consecutive win of the season, giving up only five hits and one walk against 9 strikeouts in 8 and 1/3 innings. 

Left fielder Bryce Harper managed two hits and reached on a walk, but he didn't have much help, as Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond and Adam LaRoche all went 0-4 at the plate. Harper's double was the only extra base hit of the night for the Nationals. 

With Adam LaRoche hitting so poorly [.172 avg, .262 OBP], the Nats are really missing Ryan Zimmerman's bat right now, Anthony Rendon, went 0-3 tonight and is now batting .091 for the season. LaRoche is a legendary slow-starter, but the Nats can't afford that right now with other bats also silent or just out of the lineup. 

Manager Davey Johnson was clearly angry and frustrated during a terse press conference after the game, but he did make it clear that changes are coming and he will shake up the lineup tomorrow. 

Ross Detiler got the start on the mound and while he wasn't as dominant as he has been in other starts this season, he certainly pitched well enough to win tonight. He gave up four straight hits in the fourth inning, which accounted for the Cardinals' offense, but other than that, Detwiler was strong and consistent, giving up 2 runs and 8 hits in 6 innings. He was pulled not for performance but so the team could get a pinch hitter in the 7th and try to inject some punch into the anemic offense. 

Speaking of pinch hitters, Roger Bernandina is now 0-16 with 7 strikeouts this season. 

About the only good thing to say about the Nationals tonight, apart from some good pitching, was the defense. Coming into the game last in the Majors in fielding, the Nats committed no errors and turned 4 double plays. Maybe they're getting that fixed. 

The Nationals will try to salvage something from this series and take the final game tomorrow afternoon, with a 1.05 start. Stephen Strasburg has lost three straight games, thanks, in part, to poor support, and he will try to turn it around on Wednesday. 

This is the fifth in a series of articles analyzing the needs of the Washington Redskins and how they should be addressed in the 2013 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday. Previously published: Quarterbacks and Running Backs and Wide Receivers and Tight Ends.

Next up: RIGHT TACKLE

ON THE ROSTER NOW

Starter: Tyler Polumbus

Top reserves: Tom Compton, Tony Pashos, Jeremy Trueblood 

Draft Needs 

The Redskins have had problems at right tackle for years, mostly due to Mike Shanahan's poor decision to repeatedly rely on Jammal Brown's whose chronic hip condition limited his playing time and effectiveness in Washington, cost him the entire 2012 season and has likely ended his NFL career. Tyler Polumbus got the starting job last year when Brown predictably couldn't go and while Polumbus stayed mostly healthy, he didn't distinguish himself in his first extended playing time in the pros. Polumbus graded out as easily the worst lineman on the team and one of the worst right tackles in the NFL. He didn't clear a lot of holes for the running game and repeatedly allowed QB Robert Griffin III to be pressured, hit or sacked, due to poor pass-blocking. Polumbus seems like a serviceable backup, but it's not a good idea for him to start virtually an entire season again -- unless he makes incredible progress this offseason. 

The Redskins signed veterans Tony Pashos and Jeremy Trueblood to compete for the starting right tackle job. Pashos was a decent starter when last he played, but he missed all of last season with injuries and we don't know if he'll ever be a starting-caliber right tackle in the NFL again. He's on the wrong side of 30 and his recent injury history is not encouraging. Trueblood is healthy, but was so terrible in 2012 that the Buccaneers benched him in the middle of the season. It's not clear if either veteran is a real upgrade over Polumbus, which isn't encouraging. 

Tom Compton was drafted in the 6th round last year out of a small South Dakota college. He performed well in college, starting all 4  years, but against mostly inferior competition. He was relatively well-regarded by draftniks in 2012, though, and some expected him to go as high as the 4th round. Compton was raw out of college, but he's got good size and athleticism and is quick off the snap. He has good footwork and does a great job of getting to the second level, which is precisely the talent linemen need in the Shanahan zone blocking system. In fact, it's that footwork and ease getting to the second level that probably got him drafted by the Redskins. I believe Compton will get a genuine chance to win the starting job in training camp and if he does, it'd be a huge lift to the Redskins. Washington needs a solid, young, inexpensive starter at right tackle and Compton, if he's up to it, would fit the bill. 

Draft Prospects

If the Redskins address desperate needs in the secondary in the second and third rounds, there will still be some viable draft prospects in the mid-to-late rounds that could help the Redskins. I think Xavier Nixon of Florida would be a solid pick for the Redskins. Nixon had an up-and-down college career and suffered an injury at the Senior Bowl which kept him out of the Combine. He's very talented, but inconsistent. Nixon would play well against top opponents like LSU and Florida State, but got benched against Kentucky. He's a road-grading talent as a run blocker, but he struggles in pass protection. If he does not sound perfect, that's why he should be available in rounds 4-5. He might not be ready to start immediately, but if Mike Shanahan can light a fire under Nixon's ample backside, he could be a steal. 

Luke Marquardt is a huge man from a tiny school, Azusa Pacific. [Where?] Marquardt is almost 6'9" and weighs over 320 pounds. He's a former basketball player and you can see that athleticism in the way he moves on the gridiron. He's not a big drive blocker, but that's not a huge deal in the Shanahan system. What matters more is that he is nimble for his size and can get to the second level. The downside is that he's done and seen nothing in college to prepare him for an NFL pass rusher and that means a team taking Marquardt has enough confidence in the right tackle position to let him sit and learn for at least one season. However, he'd be a wise investment in the sixth round or so because he will be a ferocious force on the offensive line if he can figure out how to play in the NFL. Obviously, his height can cause leverage problems, but proper technique can neutralize that problem. 

The Washington Capitals. After starting the shortened season with a dismal 2-10 record and left for dead, rallied late in the season to surge back and win the Southeast Division, capped off with a win over Winnipeg tonight.  The Caps win tonight did not only secure their fifth division title in six seasons, but effectively eliminated the Jets from the NHL playoffs.  

The Caps got on the board first with a gutsy goal by Matt Hendricks near the net.  Hendricks goal came just a little over three minutes into the game and was assisted by Jay Beagle.  The Caps took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission after Jason Chimera scored at the 17:53 mark.  It was Chimera's third marker of the season and was assisted by Mathieu Perreault and Mike Green. 

The Jets came out early in the second period and put the Caps on their heels, getting an Evander Kane goal just 16 second into the second period to narrow the Caps lead to 2-1.  Blake Wheeler tallied at the 14 minute mark to knot the game at 2-2.  However, the Caps rallied late in the period to regain their two goal lead.  Nicklas Backstrom joined Alex Ovechkin in a rush to the net and deflected in an Ovechkin pass to put the Caps up 3-2 just 37 seconds after Wheeler tied it up.  Perreault gave the Caps a two goal lead at the 17:34 mark of the second period to give the Caps the 4-2 lead.  Jack Hillen and Chimera added helpers.  

The Jets pulled to within one goal at the 11:50 mark of the third period on a Nik Antropov goal.  Mathieu Perreault went to the penalty box on a high stick penalty with 5:16 left in the game.  The Caps PK unit successfully killed a crucial penalty by not allowing a single shot.  Alex Ovechkin scored in the empty net to give the Caps the 5-3 win. It was Ovi's league leading 31st goal and provided the nail in the Jets coffin.

CAPS ARE SOUTHEAST CHAMPS AND PLAYOFF BOUND!!!

no comments

First, Jason Chimera takes a pass from Matthieu Perreault and puts the Capitals up 2-0 over the Jets Second, Nicklas Backstrom takes an incredible pass from Alex Ovechkin and puts the Capitals up 3-2 in the second period. Third, Matthieu Perreault fights through traffic in front of the Jets' net to push a goal through. The Capts took that 4-2 lead into the third period.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) reacts after getting injured during the fourth quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks at FedEx Field.

The Washington Redskins are finally going to take a hint from the entire football-loving planet and do something to fix the rotten and dangerous natural grass turf at FedEx Field. Per Chris Russell, the Redskins plan to re-sod the turf during the middle of the 2013 season.

 

As just reported on @espnradio980 the #Redskins will re-sod the middle of @fedex Field for the 1st time in stadium history starting on 11/4.

— Chris Russell (@Russellmania980) April 23, 2013

 

This turf, you may recall, was widely blamed for causing or contributing to two injuries during the NFC Wild Card playoff game played at FedEx Field last January between the Redskins and the Seattle Seahawks. [The Seahawks won the game 24-14.] The Redskins, of course, lost QB Robert Griffin III to ACL and LCL injuries in his right knee. Less famously, Seahawks DE Chris Clemons suffered a serious knee injury, which many in Seattle blamed on the poor turf conditions at FedEx Field. 

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons (91) lies on the ground after being injured against the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter in the NFC Wild Card playoff game at FedEx Field.

This isn't anything new. Visiting teams and Redskins players themselves have long complained about the turf. Here is wideout Pierre Garcon on the field conditions at FedEx a month BEFORE the playoff game. 

"It is something to worry about. It is tough. But we have long spikes, we have spikes to hopefully keep our footing better on the field. But the field, it is what you see. It's pretty nasty out there. I don't know, that gives us an advantage - when teams come from playing on turf to playing on grass, I guess that slows them down a little bit more than it slows us down."

Here is more: 

This is prepostrous. The Redskins are one of the richest and most profitable professional sports franchises on the planet. The club is worth well in excess of one billion dollars. The turf at FedEx Field should be nothing less than first class -- the absolute best natural grass turf can possibly be. Considering what team owner Dan Snyder charges people to get in the building -- not to mention eat or drink or do almost anything else there -- maintaining a safe football field should be a piece of cake. 

After all, isn't the safety of the athletes on the field of paramount importance to Dan Snyder? He's not so obsessed with money that he'd endanger the health of his players by penny-pinching on the turf, would he?

 

The Wizards will be looking to build upon strides made during the 2012-'13 season, using a combination of signing their own free agents and adding college talent in the NBA draft.

 

Wizards Under Contract for 2013-'14

C- Nene, Kevin Seraphin

F- Trevor Booker, Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton

G- John Wall, Bradley Beal

 

Wizards Free Agents

C Emeka Okafor- Okafor is expected to exercise his player option and return.

F Trevor Ariza- Ariza is also expected to extend his contract one more season with the player option.

G Garrett Temple- Played very well and appears an ideal backup for Bradley Beal.

F Martell Webster- Very popular player had a breakout season, but will draw interest from other teams.

 

2012 NBA Draft

G Tomas Satoransky- Showed promise in the Summer League, may need another year in Europe.

 

2013 NBA Draft

Whom the Wizards target in the 2013 NBA draft depends on several variables. The Wizards are likely to have Okafor and Ariza back and it is out of their hands. Both veterans have hefty player options available and are likely to extend. If Ariza opts to return and Webster is re-signed, small forward is set, at least for the short term. Temple and Satoransky could be added, but backcourt depth remains a priority. Lastly, and most importantly is the draft lottery, where the Wizards could pick anywhere in the top ten. If the percentages hold true, Washington will select eighth. The Wizards also hold a pair of second round selections, their own and the New York Knicks pick.

Post Players

Cody Zeller Indiana- 7'0" 240 Sophomore

Alex Len Maryland- 7'1" 255 Sophomore

Rudy Gobert France- 7'1" 235

Trevor Mbakwe Minnesota- 6'8" 240 Senior (2nd round)

Ryan Kelly Duke- 6'11" 230 Senior (2nd round)

 

Swingman (SG/SF)

Anthony Bennett UNLV- 6'7" 240 Freshman

Victor Oladipo Indiana- 6'5" 210 Junior

Shabazz Muhammad UCLA- 6'6" 225 Freshman

Deshaun Thomas Ohio State- 6'7" 220 Junior (2nd round)

Tim Hardaway Jr. Michigan- 6'6" 185 Junior (2nd round)

 

Point Guard

Myck Kobango Texas- 6'1" 165 Sophomore (2nd round)

Peyton Siva Louisville- 6'0" 185 Senior (2nd round)

Nate Wolters South Dakota State- 6'4" 195 Senior (2nd round)

Phil Pressey Missouri- 5'11" 165 Junior (2nd round)

Michael Carter-Williams Syracuse- 6'5" 170 Sophomore

 

no comments

This is the fourth in a series of articles analyzing the needs of the Washington Redskins and how they should be addressed in the 2013 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday. Previously published: Quarterbacks and Running Backs and Wide Receivers.

Next up: TIGHT ENDS

ON THE ROSTER NOW

Starter: Fred Davis

Top reserves: Logan Paulsen, Niles Paul

Also on the roster: Deangelo Peterson

Draft Needs 

The Redskins could use an upgrade at the tight end position, or at least a young player to develop into a starter in a year or two. Davis is a good starter, but he's signed for only one year, is coming off a serious tear of his Achilles Tendon, and has a history of drug abuse that will leave him banned for one season if he tests positive one more time. So he's a risk. Davis isn't a great blocker, but he's become good enough and his ability to get open and gain yardage after the catch makes him a valuable part of the offense. He was the team's leading receiver when he was lost for the season in week seven. Logan Paulsen was re-signed so the team likes him and I do, too. He's a good blocker and doesn't drop any passes, but he's limited athletically. The offense has to scheme for him to get open, he can't really do it on his own and he won't gain a ton of yards in the open field because of his lack of speed. Paul is a converted wideout who really struggled to make the conversion to tight end last season and it seemed he made more of a contribution on special teams and returning kickoffs than he did as a tight end. He needs to improve his blocking and hands and get open more often. The coaching staff obviously sees in him the chance to create a Shannon Sharpe-type of small, pass-catching tight end. The Redskins would benefit enormously if Paul can make this happen. 

Draft Prospects

The Redskins could return to UCLA, where they got Paulsen, and draft Joseph Fauria, the nephew of Christian Fauria, who played tight end in the NFL for 13 seasons. Fauria is huge, almost 6'8", making him a difficult target to cover for defenses. He caught only 47 passes last year, but 12 of them were for touchdowns and he was very tough to stop in the red zone. The Skins could definitely use a reliable red zone target and Fauria has good hands. He's also a pretty good athlete so getting open is something he should be able to do. He doesn't gain a ton of yards after the catch, but that's not a huge problem for a red zone target. He struggles as a run blocker, which isn't surprising for a man of his height. The Redskins really want their tight ends to block for the run, so they'd have to coach him up on that since the running game is such a huge part of Washington's offfense. Fauria should be available in rounds 6-7 and might not be drafted at all. If he's not, signing him to a free agent contract on the first day would be wise. 

If the Redskins prefer to look for a replacement for Davis, they can shop a bit higher in the draft. Someone like Dion Sims of Michigan State, will probably go somewhere in the fourth round. Sims is a gigantic man and probably the best blocking tight end in the entire draft. He's had legal and injury troubles, but has real ability, power and potential. He has good hands and is more athletic than one might think for a man his size. Sims is a former basketball player and you can see he knows how to box out and use his body to shield an opposing player from the ball. Those are very useful traits for a tight end to have. He's not afraid of contact and will make plays over the middle. If the Redskins draft Sims they should look for him to start in 2014 and move on from Davis -- unless the team plans to really invest in the position, re-sign Davis, and attack defenses with a 2-TE set the way the Patriots do on a regular basis. 

 

This is the third in a series of articles analyzing the needs of the Washington Redskins and how they should be addressed in the 2013 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday. Previously published: Quarterbacks and Running Backs.

Next up: WIDE RECEIVERS

ON THE ROSTER NOW

Starters: Pierre Garcon, Josh Morgan

Top reserves: Santana Moss, Leonard Hankerson, Aldrick Robinson

Also on the roster: Dezmon Brisco, Darius Hanks

Draft Needs 

The Redskins could definitely use an upgrade or two at wideout. Garcon was superb when he played -- the Redskins won 9 of 10 games in which Garcon appeared -- but he was injured much of the time and will probably have to play through pain for the entirety of the 2013 season, as well. In fact, he may have to play through pain for the rest of his career, particularly since he seems reluctant to have foot surgery. This could limit his effectiveness in the future, though that is not certain. Morgan did reasonably well, but he doesn't stretch the field or create many big plays -- Garcon is the only one who did that. Moss caught 7 TD and had something of a rebirth with RG3, but he's old and could fall off the cliff at any time. He's also expensive, but the Skins are not strong enough to just cut him. They did force him to take a pay cut by converting some of his salary into performance bonuses. Hankerson continues to be inconsistent and unreliable. It would help if he would become the big, strong receiver the Skins drafted him to be, but that cannot be counted on. Robinson is a speedster who creates big plays, but not many of them. On a better receiving corps he probably wouldn't see the field much outside of special teams. 

Draft Prospects

The Redskins need to focus on the secondary with their second and third round picks so looking for a receiver in the middle rounds makes the most sense. I like Aaron Mellette of Elon in the 4th or 5th round, assuming he falls that far. He's got great size and good top-end speed. He was enormously productive at a small college, so the question about Mellette is whether or not he can play in the NFL against the superior talent he will face every week. The Redskins could also consider college QB Denard Robinson, who lacks size and durability, but has proven playmaking ability and is the sort of versatile player NFL teams should be shopping for. He's a bit raw as a wideout, but the potential is obvious and he would make an interesting fit in Washington's read-option offense. 

Here are your current Washington Nationals minor league system stat leaders. 

DOUBLES:  Tony Renda (A) 7, Brandon Miller (A) 6, Adrian Nieto (A) and Kevin Keyes (A) 5

TRIPLES:  Brian Goodwin (AA) 3, Billy Burns (A) and Mike McQuillan (A) 2

HOME RUNS:  Chris Marrero (AAA) and Jason Martinson (AA) 5, Zack Walters (AAA) 4

STOLEN BASES:  Jeff Kobernus (AAA) 6, Billy Burns (A) 5

RUNS: Billy Burns (A) 16, Brian Goodwin (AA) 14, Jason Martinson (AA) 13

RBI: Chris Marrero (AAA) and Jason Martinson (AA) 15, Wander Ramos (A) 14

SLUGGING: Chris Marrero (AAA) .660, Wander Ramos (A) .645, Jason Martinson (AA) .635

INNINGS:  Taylor Jordan (A) 24.1, Robbie Ray (A) 23, Dixon Anderson (A) 22

STRIKEOUTS (Starters):  Robbie Ray (A) 26, Nathan Karns (AAA) 24, Paul Demny (AAA) 23, Dixon Anderson (A) 22

ERA (Starters): Brett Mooneyham (A) 0.63, Blake Schwartz (A) 1.26, Taylor Hill (A) 1.42, Taylor Jordan (A) 1.48, Danny Rosenbaum (AAA) 1.62

GAMES:  Aaron Barrett (A) 8, JC Romero (AAA) 7, Ian Krol (AA) 7

BULLEPN ERA:  JC Romero (AAA) and Trevor Holder (A) 0.00, Ian Krol (AA) 0.90, Chris Bates (A) 0.96, Richie Mirkowski (A) 1.13

BULLPEN STRIKEOUTS: Matthew Swynenberg (A) 18, David Fischer (A) 14, Tyler Herron (A) 14

SAVES:  Robert Benincasa (A) 3, Aaron Barrett (A) 2

no comments

 

Washington Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa (8) forces out St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Allen Craig (21) at second and throws to first to complete a double play during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. The Cardinals won 3-2.

Losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in Nationals Park is fraught with memories of the catastrophe of last fall and the Washington Nationals and their fans got a taste of it again last night. With the chilly night air bringing back memories of the same cold from game 5 of the NLDS last year, the Nationals fell behind early, tied the game in the middle innings, but then could not hold on as, once again, the pitching faltered and the offense failed to produce hits and runs when needed. The final score last night: 3-2. It's Washington's fourth straight loss at home, after the humiliating sweep by the Braves last week, and drops the Nats' record to a pedestrian 10-9. 

The Nats managed only five hits all night and no player claimed more than one of them, a sign that the whole team is struggling against Cardinals pitching. 

The Cardinals got things started in the third inning when Pete Kozma and Matt Carpenter reached base and were driven home when Allen Craig doubled to deep center field, just out of the reach of Denard Span, to plate both baserunners. It seemed an ominous beginning for pitcher Dan Haren, who has struggled mightily this season after signing a one-year contract with the Nats worth $13 million. However, Haren slammed the door shut in the third after that and cruised through the fourth and fifth innings without trouble. With only two earned runs in the first five innings, it was Haren's best outing of the season.

The lofty expectations were broad, weren't they?  Much of the lofty expectation for the 2013 Washington Nationals were because the team was loaded from stellar starting pitching to a fearful offense.  However, the Nationals have been getting average pitching and the offense has disappeared.  Last night was no different. 

The Nats collected just 5 hits and 2 runs and dropped a 3-2 decision to the St. Louis Cardinals to drop their second straight game.  They have now lost 3 of their last 4 and dropped to 10-9 overall.  Both Nats runs came in the fourth inning.  Ian Desmond doubled in Jayson Werth to narrow the Cards lead to 2-1.  Prospect Anthony Rendon, filling in for an injured Ryan Zimmerman, collected his first major league hit and RBI, when he doubled in Desmond to tie the game at 2-2. 

Dan Haren (1-3) could not hold the lead, getting into trouble in the sixth inning to allow the Cards to take a 3-2 lead.  Craig Stammen relieved Haren in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and no outs.  Stammen forced a double play, started at home plate, then fanned Shelby Miller to get out of the sixth without further damage.  Unfortunately for the Nats, that was all the damaged that was required. Haren's ERA for the season sites at 7.36, clearly not what the Nats anticipated when inking Haren to a nice free agent deal. 

Stammnen, Ryan Mattheus, and Drew Storen pitched 4 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just 2 hits.  But again, the Nationals offense simply disappeared. 

The Nats played game two tonight against the Cards.  Ross Detwiler will face Adam Wainright.