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Wire Taps: Nationals Links, Gio Gonzalez's Home Run Sprint + More

The Washington Nationals and New York Mets play the series finale at 1:10 pm EDT this afternoon. Before you settle in for the game, here are all the Nats-related links we could find including some interesting minor league links and notes...

By Patrick Reddington
Elsa

Washington Nationals' skipper Matt Williams was impressed with Gio Gonzalez's work on the mound last night in the Nats' 5-1 win over the New York Mets.

The Nats' 28-year-old lefty gave up three hits and one earned run in six innings of work in which he struck out six Mets. Though Gonzalez struggled with his command early, it all came together as the game went on.

"It just starts with his fastball," Williams told reporters after the win, "so once he established his fastball command then everything worked off of that, so he did that tonight, settled in, was able to find that command and use his other stuff too."

"He was in the strike zone all day," Williams said, "and he swung the bat pretty good too."

As for his baserunning? Well. Gonzalez wasn't sure the fifth inning fly ball he hit to left off Bartolo Colon actually went out. It did, however, striking the railing above the outfield wall and falling back into play.


"The ball came straight down off the rail," Williams explained. "The second base umpire signaled 'homer' but by that time Gio was kind of running around the bases trying to get three and then didn't stop. So, it's good, you can't assume anything. You don't know. So, we don't want him running that hard all the time though."

Luckily for Gonzalez, the inning went on for a little while after his baserunning adventure.

"It was good that we had a longer inning that inning so he could catch his breath before he went back out there," Williams admitted. Gonzalez, of course, smiled through it all, at least until he got back on the mound and started talking/yelling at himself again. Just another fun day in the life of Gio Gonzalez.

Links and lots of them, starting... RIGHT NOW!!!:

• THE BIG STORY!!!:

• "Start with the fact the left-hander had crushed Bartolo Colon’s pitch more than 370 feet to left-center field, a rarity in and of itself. Throw in several switching of gears around the bases..." - "Gio Gonzalez’s 'epic' sprint around the bases highlights Nats’ 5-1 win" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• NATS BEAT:

• "Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos underwent surgery to repair the hamate bone in his left wrist on Wednesday morning and will be sidelined from 4-5 weeks." - "Nationals making adjustments already with Wilson Ramos sidelined 4-5 weeks" - Brian McNally, Washington Times

• "The Nationals announced that Ramos’s hamate bone surgery, performed by hand/wrist specialist Kenneth Means in Baltimore, was successful." - "Wilson Ramos has successful hamate bone surgery" - James Wagner, Washington Post

• "Lobaton spoke to Ramos on Tuesday and tried to cheer Ramos up. In turn, Ramos told Lobaton to play hard and try to win games." - "Lobaton feels bad for friend, teammate Ramos" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News

• "Storen made seven Grapefruit League appearances this spring, working 6 2/3 innings. He allowed nine hits and six runs." - "Nationals Pastime: Storen starts 2014 where he left off in 2013" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Not wanting to push his starter too far in the season’s first week, manager Matt Williams turned things over to his bullpen for the final three innings. That unit didn’t disappoint." - "Instant analysis: Nats 5, Mets 1" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "When he first came into the league, in 2009, Zimmermann thought too much about strikeouts, which affected his pitch count." - "Washington Nationals at New York Mets - April 3, 2014" - Bill Ladson, MLB.com Preview

• "Gonzalez struck out six and the Nationals’ bullpen punched out seven more Mets in three scoreless innings." - "Gio Gonzalez, Ian Desmond homer as Nationals handle New York Mets, 2-0" - Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post

• "Storen made seven Grapefruit League appearances this spring, working 6 2/3 innings. He allowed nine hits and six runs." - "Nationals Pastime: Storen starts 2014 where he left off in 2013" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Storen said he was pleased there was a provision in the new rules that allows for a program in which players with be provided with year-round access to approved supplements." - "Drew Storen, the Nationals’ players union rep, on the new drug suspension rules" - James Wagner, Washington Post

• "Opening day had a little bit of everything. Today's win was a bit less chaotic for Nats manager Matt Williams." - "Nationals Pastime: Williams discusses Nats' 5-1 win" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "As for Wheeler, he will face the Nationals for the fourth time in his career. He has allowed eight runs in 18 1/3 innings against Washington." - "Washington Nationals at New York Mets - April 3, 2014" - Bill Ladson, MLB.com Preview

• "Doug Fister has rested his strained right lat muscle for six days and could resume playing catch as soon as Thursday, Nationals Manager Matt Williams said." - "Doug Fister could resume playing catch Thursday, Erik Davis has Tommy John surgery" - James Wagner, Washington Post

• Your Daily Message from the Dalai Lama on Twitter (@DalaiLama):

• NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

• "Former Duluth Huskie Aaron Barrett made the Washington Nationals active roster out of Spring Training and debuted in relief for the Nationals on Opening Day." - "Aaron Barrett Makes it to the Major Leagues" - NetNewsledger.com

• "Granderson ran his tally to 0-for-9 with five strikeouts for his new team..." - "Hitless Granderson booed as Mets fall to 0-2" - Mike Puma, New York Post

• "The season is long and things will change for the better. The Mets will not strike out over 2,500 times..." - "Washington Nationals at New York Mets - April 2, 2014" - Anthony DiComo, MLB.com NYM Recap

• "It was hard to tell watching live on TV that pitcher Gio Gonzalez had hit a home run for the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Wednesday night..." - "Gio Gonzalez unnecessarily and hilariously sprints around bases after hitting homer" - David Brown, Big League Stew - Yahoo Sports

• "Ruben Tejada likely wouldn't have scored, anyway." - "Notes: 'He didn't know what to do'" - Danny Knobler, Mets Blog - ESPN New York

• "The Mets are off to an 0-2 start for the first time in seven years, and Wednesday night's 5-1 loss to the Nationals came packaged with another injury." - "Rapid Reaction: Washington Nationals 5, New York Mets 1" - Danny Knobler, ESPN New York

• "It certainly did not appear as if Harper was feeling any concussion symptoms when he walked into the clubhouse bobbing his head while wearing headphones." - "Passing Concussion Tests, Harper Returns to Lineup" - Jorge Arangure, Jr., NYTimes.com

• "Every case is different, but General Manager Sandy Alderson indicated that the Mets would review how they handled pitchers and their rehabilitation programs." - "Mets Fall as Their Pitching Concerns Grow" - Tim Rohan, NYTimes.com

• "Zack Wheeler wanted the Opening Day start. He draws just as tough an assignment in Game 3." - "Morning Briefing: Wheels up for '14 debut" - Adam Rubin, Mets Blog - ESPN New York

• NATS MINORS:

• "Opening Day!" - Luke Erickson, NationalsProspects.com

• "While injuries, promotions, and scuffles relating to development are trademarks of a minor league season, these four teams look promising on paper." - "Federal Reserve: Ranking The Farm" - Zach Spedden, The Nats Blog

• "Tony Renda went hitless in four at-bats. That in itself flustered a kid known for getting on base." - "Tony Renda's drive rooted in his upbringing" - David Fawcett, INSIDENOVA.COM

• "Now fully healed, the 24-year-old corner infielder hopes to pick up where he left off in 2012, when he was named the Nats’ minor league player of the year..." - "New Harrisburg Senators' season brings second chance for slugger Matt Skole" - Dave Sottile, PennLive.com

• "The first pitch of the Syracuse Chiefs' 2014 season Thursday at NBT Bank Stadium will mark far more than just the start of a new schedule." - "Syracuse Chiefs' opening day signals new era: Here are nine things that are different" - Lindsay Kramer, syracuse.com

• "The Syracuse Chiefs held their final practice on Wednesday, before the 2014 season opener Thursday against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre." - "Get in the batting cage with Syracuse Chiefs prospect Brian Goodwin (video)" - Stephen SD. Cannerelli, syracuse.com

• "RHP Lucas Giolito, Hagerston Suns: The 16th pick in the first round of the 2012 draft is the Washington Nationals' No. 1 prospect according to Baseball America." - "Savannah Sand Gnats open season Thursday night" - The State

• "Instead of performing in front of the camera, Giolito performs on the mound, where many believe he'll be a star in Major League Baseball one day." - "Giolito hoping to star for Hagerstown" - Eric Jones, journal-news.net | News, sports, jobs, community information for Martinsburg - The Journal

• NATSTOWN:

• "Video: Gio Gonzalez's home run sprint" - Nats Enquirer

• "Gio Gonzalez got the win and hit his third career home run in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Mets." - "Gio Gonzalez is the Babe Ruth of the Nationals pitching staff" - Scott Allen, DC Sports Bog

• "Get To Know A Nat 2014: Tanner Roark (Not Roark)" - Nationals 101

• "The Nats pounded out 13 hits in total. Jayson Werth went 4-for-5 on the day, while Denard Span and Anthony Rendon, hitting 1-2 in the order, both had a pair of hits." - "Washington Nationals Game 2 Review: Gio paves the way against the Mets" - Dave Nichols, District Sports Page

• NL EAST UPDATES:

• Braves: "Atlanta beat Washington five times in five meetings last April, swinging the National League East race in the Braves' favor." - "Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals - April 4, 2014" - Joe Morgan, MLB.com Preview

• Phillies: "OK, OK. Jonathan Papelbon was neither 'shaky' or 'god-awful,' last night." - "Papelbon: a closer in rapid decline?" - Ryan Lawrence, Philadelphia Daily News

• Marlins: "Marlins skipper Mike Redmond made history on Wednesday night by making the club's first challenge using Major League Baseball's new instant replay system on a call at second base." - "Miami Marlins' first instant replay illustrates kinks in the system" - Paul Washington, Fish Stripes

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