Bryce Harper Takes Elbow To The Face At Home Plate

In the first inning of Thursday's late afternoon matchup with Miami, the Marlins' catcher Rob Brantly gave Bryce Harper an elbow to the face on a play at the plate causing Harper to writhe in pain on the ground by home plate.

Ryan Zimmerman hit a deep ball to center with Werth on 2nd and Harper on first. (after Harper singled to begin his season on a 3 game hit streak getting a hit on 5 of his first 9 at bats)  Werth held at second for a minute and Bryce Harper tried to lap JW on the bases as the Zimmerman hit fell into the outfield for a hit.

Gio Gonzalez Has Brain Freeze, Gio Gonzalez Goes Yard, Makes Love To His Hand?

After the first inning of Wednesday Night's contest between the Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins, a sleeveless (its freakin' cold out there) Gio Gonzalez walked off the mound appearing to be in pain.  Gio grimaced as he put his hand to his temples, looking to have a headache of some sort.  Gonazlez was shown walking down into the locker room (probably to grab some Advil)

When asked after the game about it, Gio responded:

"My head felt like it was getting nailed right in there like a freaking sledgehammer...every inning I was going down there and (inaudible) was massaging it and massaging it, he's got the lucky fingers right now"

And about the cold weather?

"I felt like I was making love to my hand"

FP Santangelo suggested it could be a "brain freeze" and then asked Bob Carpenter if he ever got a brain freeze from drinking a slurpee.  Bob replied with a little dig at the relationship of himself and FP:

Injury Update

Here's a quick injury update as major developments have happened with two injured Nats.

First, we have some exciting news to share with you, of the Jayson Werth variety.

If you listened to last nights MASN broadcast you might have caught FP talking about watching Jayson Werth participate in the pre-game batting practice.  That's right, the man with a broken wrist was taking live swings, and apparently hit a handful out of the park.

Werth is ahead of schedule right now and should begin rehab in Potomac on Friday.

Second, Drew Storen pitched in his 5th rehab game on July 17th.  He has been activated from the DL and replaces Rick Ankiel DFA on the roster.  T-clip gave up two homeruns last night on his way to a save, so maybe he is feeling some pressure knowing Storen is on his way to Washington.

It looks like both of these guys will be back on the field sooner, rather than later, and could have a major impact on the playoff race down the stretch.   

Help On The Way: Injury Report

With the league gearing back up for an exciting second half of baseball, lets take a look at some injured Nats who hope to make an impact.

Back Soon:

• Xavier Nady: 15 day DL with wrist soreness.  Played in rehab game July 8.
• With Nady returning decisions have to be made about Moore's,or possibly another bench player's, place on the team.
• Drew Storen: 60 day DL with elbow bone chip.  Played in rehab game July 9.
• What will happen to T-clip and Burnett in the pen?  Storen will most likely slide into the set-up roll.
• Chad Tracy: 15 day DL with groin tear. Held out of rehab game July 7 with soreness. 
• After undergoing surgery on May 28, soreness is expected.  Ahead of schedule to return.  

Back Later:

• Chien-Ming Wang: 15 day DL with hip strain. Rehab game scheduled July 13.
• Despite struggles, Nats need Wang and Lannan in top form with a Strasburg shutdown looming.

Back Eventually:

• Jayson Werth: 60 day DL with broken wrist. Will start swing a bat again after All Star Break.
• When Werth returns Davey will have to adjust how he uses guys like Lombardozzi.

Injury Update

Let's take a look at what is going on at Nats Hospital...

At The Exits

Roger Bernadina: (Day-to-Day) -Tweaked his right hamstring -Back Any Day

  
Mark DeRosa:  (15 Day DL) Oblique - Ready to begin minor league rehab - Back This Week


Ryan Mattheus:  (15 Day DL) Foot -Throwing simulated games- Back Late June


Chris Marrero:  (Rehab) - Could be back soon, where does he go? - Back Soon

In The Distance


Drew Storen:  (60 Day DL) Elbow - Throwing off the mound, still targeting the All-Star break for return - Back Late July


Jayson Werth:  (60 Day DL) Wrist - Surgery from broken wrist, now just waiting to heal -  Back Late July-Early August


Chad Tracy:  (15 Day DL) Groin - Recovering from successful surgery - Out For 2 months...or the year...


Finished

Wilson Ramos:  (Doneski) Torn ACL -Had 1st of 2 surgeries successfully -  Never Coming Back

Weekly Fan Poll: Injured Nationals

Each week we will ask you a question to see what you think about the Nats organization.  So vote, leave comments, tweet us, etc and we will discuss the results next week.

Last Monday we asked you who you would rather see pitch if you could only choose 1 guy for 1 game.  The results were 75% in favor of Gio Gonzalez with only 25% going with Stephen Strasburg.

I know that Gio has been pitching lights out lately.  In fact he was the MLB Pitcher of the Month for May.  But do you really want to take Gio over Stephen Strasburg?  Remember when Strasburg pitched his first Major League Game?  You aren't taking him?

I would like to ask the same people who participated this same question again now, after Strasburg's gem and Gio's letdown this weekend.  I bet it would flip completely.  Although how can you not vote for Gio Gonzalez for anything.

But I don't want to ask that question.  I could probably ask it all year.  Instead, this week's question will focus on injuries.  With Michael Morse coming back finally, I was thinking about some of the other guys that were on the DL with him.

Your answer doesn't have to be the biggest impact player.  It just has to be the player on the team that you hate not seeing out on the field.  So...

Which Injured Nat Do You Miss The Most?

Nats Injury Update

The injuries keep piling up...let's take a look at what is going on at Nats Hospital...

At The Exits

Michael Morse: (Rehab) Lat - Morse is starting his rehab assignment today in Potomac.  He hit 2 homers in his previous rehab game in "extended spring training".  Back Soon


Mark DeRosa:  (15 Day DL) Oblique - Recently took batting practice - Back This Week


Jesus Flores:  See Below

Mid-Term

Ryan Mattheus:  (15 Day DL) Foot - A few weeks in a boot - Back- Mid-Late June


Drew Storen:  (15 Day DL) Elbow - Back Mid-July


Brad Lidge:  (15 Day DL) Hernia - Recently threw some bullpen sessions - Back Mid-July


Chad Tracy:  (15 Day DL) Groin - Reports had him out for the year, FP Santangelo said Tracy texted him and said 6 weeks - Out For 6 Weeks...or the year...


In The Distance

Jayson Werth:  (60 Day DL) Wrist - Surgery from broken wrist, now just waiting to heal.  Just transferred to 60-day.  Back Early August


Chris Marrero:  (60 Day DL) Shoulder - Having problems in rehab.  Back Late Season

Catchers Ward

Wilson Ramos:  (Doneski) Torn ACL - Starting catcher out for the season.  Never Coming Back

Jesus Flores:  (Day to Day) Hammy - With Ramos out, Maldanado a poor hitter, a new catcher coming up, Flores needs to play through tight hamstrings.  While he does let's hope they don't get worse.  Could Play This Week

Sandy Leon:  (60 Day DL) Ankle - One Game, One At Bat, One Strikeout, Done.  Back Mid-July At Earliest


Carlos Maldanado isn't injured, but he is a poor hitter, so Nats brought up the next guy Jhonatan Solano just in case.