Kuzul

It is only May 11, but the Washington Nationals have already activated a couple players from their 40-man roster to deal with injuries.The most notable of these minor league call-ups was prized prospect Anthony Rendon.But which Nationals prospects could be among the September call-ups?Here are are the five Nationals' prospects who can most impact the roster during a late season push for the MLB Playoffs. Note: All statistics updated through May 10 courtesy MLB.com unless noted otherwise. Begin Slideshow

The 2012 Washington Nationals finished atop the NL East, winning the team's first division title since they moved to Washington in 2005. But things can change in a hurry during the offseason. The Nationals' negotiations with recent Gold Glove winner Adam LaRoche are going slowly, and he is the free agent target of at least one other team.  And Washington is probably done with last season's fourth starter in the rotation, Edwin Jackson. But the Nats will welcome back catcher Wilson Ramos from injury. These and other changes could affect the on-field product for the Washington Nationals. Of course, the other teams in the division will change as well.  The second place and Wild Card-winning Atlanta Braves expect to lose their leadoff hitter and center fielder Michael Bourn, with his replacement as of yet unknown.  The third place Philadelphia Phillies shed significant salaries ...

The Washington Nationals had a historic season in 2012.  The Nats made the playoffs for the first time since moving to Washington in 2005.  It was the first playoff appearance for the Nationals/Expos franchise since 1981.  And it was the first playoff appearance for a Washington baseball team since the Senators lost the World Series in 1933.  But if the Nationals' dream season had gone according to plan, then Washington would have won the first World Series in the city's history since 1924. Now, as the current World Series is being played, let's take a look back into baseball lore and revisit the 1924 World Series.  The 1924 Washington Senators were managed by player-manager Bucky Harris, and finished with a 92-62 record.  They won the American League pennant by 2.0 games over the New York Yankees.  The Senators faced off with the New York Giants, who were managed by one of the ...

The Washington Nationals signed pitcher Lucas Giolito to a professional contract on Friday, locking up the 16th overall from the 2012 MLB Draft (LA Times)Lucas attended Harvard-Westlake School in southern California and was a teammate of Max Fried, the San Diego Padres' seventh overall pick at this year's draft.  Giolito was clocked at 100 MPH on opening day of his senior season (Max Preps), and also has a devastating curve ball (CSN Washington). The 17-year-old was originally considered one of the top prospects for this year's draft. But leading up to the draft, there were two major obstacles to his major league stardom: signability and injury history.Signability was an issue because Major League Baseball was not the only option for Lucas Giolito after graduating from high school.  Despite being a top prospect, Giolito had already signed with in-state power UCLA.  So, the Nationals had stiff competition for this prized pitcher, in ...

Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper are the future of the Washington Nationals. Strasburg will be the ace of a formidable starting rotation for years to come, and Bryce Harper will anchor the outfield and the lineup with his five-tool talent. The future is in good hands. Here are seven reasons why the Washington Nationals need to quickly sign both players to long-term contracts to ensure the successful future of the franchise.Begin Slideshow

The Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles got interleague baseball off to a fantastic start on Friday night in Washington, DC.The regional rivals played a well-pitched, defensive baseball game that went into extra innings.  The Orioles won the game 2-1 in the 11th inning after the Nationals could not successfully mount a comeback in response to Nick Markakis' impressive solo home run in the top half of the frame.Friday's game should set the tone for another great series.  The record in interleague games between the two teams is now 20-17 in favor of the Orioles.  And for once, this series means something.  Both teams are above .500 entering the series for the first time since their interleague rivalry began in 2006. But there is much more importance attached to the Nationals and Orioles than simply how they perform in an interleague series.  Here are five reasons why the success of both the ...