Mike Harris

Bad outing is only pain in neck for Jordan Zimmermann as Nats swept

Zimmermann earned an All-Star spot with a 12-3 first half but a pain in the neck kept him from pitching in that game. The worry when he was pulled after a dreadful second inning Sunday was that something more serious might be wrong. Nope. Just a very, very bad day. Published July 21, 2013

Dodgers provide an example for Nationals that a season can change course quickly

It looks more hopeless with each loss, with each runner left on base, with each strikeout looking, with each wasted pitching performance. The season is flashing by, and the Nationals can't seem to catch up with it. Published July 21, 2013

HARRIS: Sen. Lindsey Graham’s call for boycott of Sochi Olympics is out to lunch

Graham's overall point may be spot on. The solution of possibly using an Olympics boycott is about as far from spot on as you can get. It is, frankly, foolish. As were previous Olympic boycotts. The games and politics don't mix and shouldn't mix. Ever. Published July 17, 2013

HARRIS: Nationals’ best trade deadline move? Standing pat

Would a quick fix of some sort help? Perhaps, but it is no guarantee. And a quality quick fix would probably require the team to break up part of the core that makes the Nats a viable contender well beyond this season. Published July 16, 2013

HARRIS: Bryce Harper will put on show, and not mess up his swing, in HR Derby

Let's not dissect every possible movement the kid can make and try to find a smidge of possible negative. Let's enjoy the Home Run Derby for what it is and have some fun watching Bryce Harper try to blast a few balls out of Citi Field in New York. Published July 9, 2013

On a busy day at Nationals Park, Drew Storen keeps it brief and effective

For everything that went on at Nationals Park on Saturday, the five pitches Drew Storen threw might have gone unnoticed. His boss definitely noticed. Published July 6, 2013

Bryce Harper, Jordan Zimmermann are NL All-Stars, Desmond on final player ballot

Two Nationals have definitely made the All-Star team. Starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann will take his 12-3 record to New York for the July 16 game, courtesy of the players' vote. Left fielder Bryce Harper will start, thanks to the fan ballotting. Ian Desmond could still get onto the National League roster. Published July 6, 2013

On baseball’s back fields, independent leaguers still dream of majors

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs' immaculate Regency Furniture Stadium is only 27 miles from Nationals Park and the distance provides a fitting metaphor for what ex-National Charlie Manning and the others in the league face. It is pretty close, though not always easy to get there. But it can be done. Published July 3, 2013

From Eckersley to Clippard, relief pitchers tend to be made, not born

Starting, Steve McCatty said, "always has been the Cadillac job in the big leagues. Everyone wants to do it. That's where most of the glory is and, if you can be a good starter, that's what you want." But you can't always get what you want. Someone has to pitch in relief. Published July 2, 2013

HARRIS: Vincent Lecavalier, Matt Hendricks should top Capitals’ shopping list

They are two moves that are on opposite ends of the star power spectrum. The line for Lecavalier will be long, with good reason. It will be a "splash" signing. The return of Hendricks may go unnoticed by all but the diehard fans. It may be as important as any big move the Caps might make. Published July 2, 2013

HARRIS: Eric Maynor will make Wizards better on, off court

Maynor became a free agent when the Portland Trail Blazers, the team that acquired him from Oklahoma City late in the season, decided not to extend a qualifying offer. Published July 1, 2013

HARRIS: Time for new crystal ball after revisiting MLB preseason predictions

With the Nationals below .500 after 75 games, revisiting my preseason projections seemed like a good idea. Well, that's if your idea of a good idea is one where you get proven wrong repeatedly. Published June 24, 2013

HARRIS: Alex Len as No. 1 pick in NBA draft? That’s a stretch

Some credible buzz has been building that the Cleveland Cavaliers may use the No. 1 pick to take the former Maryland center. If that creates a "Say what?" reaction, it probably should. Published June 20, 2013

HARRIS: Michael Morse trade not to blame for Nationals’ slump

There is neither time nor space to get into much detail about all that's gone wrong. But let's disavow ourselves of the notion that the offseason trade of Morse belongs on the list of things to blame for a disappointing 2013 season. Published June 18, 2013

HARRIS: RG3, Bryce Harper should be fine, but knee injuries still a bit scary

The Skins and Nats plan on RG3 and Harper being key components for an awfully long time, something the local fan base wouldn't mind. There's no solid reason to expect they won't become fixtures. Except for those knees. Published June 13, 2013

HARRIS: Donte Stallworth tries to stay in game after death-defying accident

Fresh off a workout Tuesday with the Redskins during their minicamp, Stallworth showed a discolored spot on his arm, a burn scar from the same hot-air balloon accident in March that left his posterior in flames. The other scar, he assures his small audience, is something no one wants to see. Published June 11, 2013

HARRIS: Bruins, Blackhawks boast intangibles Caps lack

What they have is something that is clearly missing around these parts. The troubling thing is it can't be obtained in a draft, a trade, by waving a magic wand. Or maybe it can, if you manage to put together the right collection of players. Published June 6, 2013

HARRIS: Danny Espinosa needs to have shoulder surgery now

More than two months into the season, the Nationals finally placed Danny Espinosa on the disabled list Tuesday. It was one of a flurry of moves the team needed to make, mostly with its pitching staff, as it attempts to regain some of its luster that's been lost in a 28-29 start. Published June 4, 2013

HARRIS: Stephen Strasburg’s recovery from mental lapse a promising sign

As it turns out, he's fine. Bad day, bad reaction, sure. But if what happened that day helped make Strasburg a better pitcher, a tougher pitcher, May 11 may ultimately go down as one of the team's best days of the season. Published May 28, 2013

Stephen Strasburg, Nationals roll past Phillies

"The last two starts, that's the best we've seen him since he's been here," shortstop Ian Desmond said of Strasburg, who struck out nine in eight innings. Published May 26, 2013