J.D Martin News

Through two years of epic losing, the Washington Nationals had both a clear deficiency (they lacked a quality veteran pitcher) and a clear objective (they needed to find one). More specifically, the Nationals needed a veteran who could anchor the top of their rotation, lighten the burden on their younger pitchers and just maybe win a few games in the process.

On Monday, with the signing of free agent right-hander Jason Marquis, Washington closed its greatest hole and fulfilled the primary aim of its offseason. Marquis, an all-star in 2009, agreed to a two-year, $15 million contract, pending a physical, according to three sources. The deal immediately places Marquis atop the team's pitching rotation, establishing him as the legitimizing presence on a starting staff that will try to improve on last season's 4.97 ERA.

The Nationals agreed to terms with free agent right-hander Jason Marquis on Monday, according to two baseball sources.

Numbers don't always tell the whole story. If they did, fans of the Nationals might not have much reason to feel optimistic, after their big league team suffered through its second consecutive 100-loss season .

In 2007, John Lannan came out of nowhere. An 11th-round afterthought in 2005, Lannan climbed the minor league ladder quickly, going a combined 12-3, 2.87 before finishing the season with the Nationals where the 22-year-old went 2-2, 4.15. Since then, Lannan has won 18 games and been the team's presumptive ace.

The most consistent slugger in Baseball came up two home runs short of his usual benchmark.

If one looks at Josh Bard's offensive numbers this year, they are below average.

A day after giving up three runs in a 6-3 loss to the Braves in 10 innings, Nationals closer Mike MacDougal had a pep talk with interim manager Jim Riggleman, who wanted to make sure MacDougal didn't lose his confidence.

AP Washington Nationals' Ian Desmond, center, is congratulated by teammate J.D. Martin , after scoring 2 hrs 52 mins ago WASHINGTON Pinch-runner Justin Maxwell scored the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning thanks to two wild throws, and the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 4-3 on Tuesday night .

Mike Pelfrey will try to pick up his first road victory in almost three months this evening, when the New York Mets continue a three-game series with the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.

At the beginning of the year, it was the key to whether the Washington Nationals would be improved enough to reach the realm of respectability.

The Washington Nationals' 100th loss had plenty of elements from the first 99. A starter who needed five batters to record an out and was gone before the fourth inning.

As Cole Hamels battled through his struggles this season, pitching coach Rich Dubee and others in the Phillies organization thought the young left-hander might be hitting a wall.

Josh Bard drove in three runs to help the Nationals defeat the Mets, 6-5, at Citi Field on Friday night.

NEW YORK, Sept. 18 -- Only a season of unrelenting ugliness permitted J.D. Martin, age 26, to become a major league baseball player this year. By the time he joined the Washington Nationals in late July, promoted from Class AAA Syracuse, Martin was filling a void no healthy team should have. Months earlier, Martin was 10th or 12th -- maybe even lower -- on the organization's starting pitcher depth chart. If Martin has since become a feel-good story, one must first forget the circumstances that brought him here.

Towering right-hander Mike Pelfrey can get to the .500 mark against the Washington Nationals and get beyond it for the season tonight, when the Mets entertain their visitors in the first test of a three-game set at Citi Field.

Pinch-hitter Mike Morse broke a tie in the sixth inning with a two-out, two-run double for the Nationals, who had lost their six previous games at Florida this year.

Mike Morse has been to Land Shark Stadium before, but on Friday night, the 27-year-old delivered the blow that resulted in a 5-3 victory against the Marlins, his hometown team while growing up.

Before he was promoted to the big leagues on Aug. 28, infielder Pete Orr was having a disappointing season with Triple-A Syracuse, hitting .245 with nine home runs and 50 RBIs.

Ryan Zimmerman ended the Nationals' eight-game losing streak in dramatic fashion.

J.D. Martin may or may not ultimately prove to be a successful big league pitcher.