MLB Extra Innings
Washington Nationals Team Page

Team Name: Washington Nationals Hometown: Washington, D.C. National League » Team History     » Team Schedule

Don't miss the action! MLB Extra Innings, exclusively from DIRECTV, lets you follow your favorite team all season long, no matter where you live.

• MLB Extra Innings from DIRECTV broadcasts up to 60 MLB games every week.*
• MLB Extra Innings from DIRECTV offers special feature like the all-new Scores and Stats.
• Add SuperFan to your MLB Extra Innings and get over 10 games per week in glorious High Definition, plus Game Mix and the Strike Zone Channel!

2008 Washington Nationals Schedule

All times are US/Eastern

» Return to MLB Extra Innings

Washington Nationals History

An expansion franchise, the club was founded in Montreal, Quebec in 1969. Then the Montreal Expos, the team was the first team in Canada, and played its home games at Jarry Park, then later, in Olympic Stadium. The team saw very little success, their most successful season coming in the strike-shortened season of 1994, which cancelled the end of the season, stopping the Expos from making it into the postseason. It is considered that this is what killed baseball in Montreal, and the team would eventually leave in 2005, moving to Washington to become the Nationals. This was the first complete relocation in Major League Baseball since 1972, when the Washington Senators left DC to become the Texas Rangers. They are one of four teams to have never played in a World Series, never having won a league championship. They have only made it to one league championship series, their only playoff appearance, which was under the strange circumstances of the 1981 season.

The team is expected to move into a new ballpark, located in Southeast D.C. near the Anacostia River and with views of the Capitol building, in the spring of 2008.

After losing four starters (Livan Hernandez, Tony Armas, Ramon Ortiz and Pedro Astacio) from 2006, the Nationals invited an extraordinary 36 pitchers to spring training. On Opening Day 2007, the Nationals lost their starting shortstop (Cristian Guzman, hamstring) and center fielder (Nook Logan) for five weeks. At the end of April, one of their starters, Jerome Williams hurt his ankle while batting and was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Then, in the space of just 10 days in May, Shawn Hill, John Patterson, and Jason Bergmann went on the disabled list. Jerome Williams returned, pitched one game, and went back on the DL with a shoulder injury. The Washington Post's wrote: "Almost everything that could sink a team's attitude has befallen the Nats. They started the year 1-8, then they lost eight in a row to drop to 9-25."

They pressed journeymen Mike Bacsik, Micah Bowie (a relief pitcher), Tim Redding, and Jason Simontacchi, along with rookie reliever Levale Speigner into the starting rotation, amidst predictions that the 2007 Nationals might equal the 1962 Mets' record of futility of 120 losses in one season. The Nationals were also able to top the worst record in the American League set by the 2003 Detroit Tigers season of 43 wins and 119 losses during the same predictions on the season. But the Nationals bounced back, going 24-18 in their next 42 games through June 25. But on that day, a day in which Bergman made his first start off the DL, the Nationals received the news that shortstop Cristian Guzman, their leadoff hitter (and second on the team with a .329 batting average) was lost for the rest of the season due to a thumb injury he received the day before tagging out a runner.

The Nationals finished the 2007 season 73-89, improving their record by two more wins than in 2006. In September, the Nationals won five out of six games with the New York Mets, contributing to the Mets' collapse out of first place.

Information excerpted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_nationals. All Rights Reserved.

^**A D10 (or later model) interactive DIRECTV Receiver is required.

^***DIRECTV DVR hardware and service are required for MLB Extra Innings Highlights-on-Demand and are sold separately. UltimateTV service not eligible for MLB Extra Innings Highlights-on-Demand.

^†Not included with MLB Extra Innings for commercial customers.

^††To access DIRECTV HD programming, a triple-LNB Multi-Satellite dish, along with a DIRECTV HD Receiver, HD television equipment and HD Access fee ($9.99/mo.) is required. In some markets, a five-LNB Dish and H20 model DIRECTV Receiver are needed to receive HD local networks delivered by DIRECTV.

To receive sports programming, all DIRECTV Receivers must be continuously connected to the same land-based phone line. MLB Extra Innings and MLB Extra Innings SuperFan automatically continue each year, provided DIRECTV carries these services, unless customer calls to cancel prior to the season. Programming consists of all Sunday games broadcast on FOX and CBS at 1pm and 4pm ET. However, games broadcast by your local FOX or CBS affiliate will not be available in MLB Extra Innings. Commercial locations require an appropriate licensee agreement. Signal theft is subject to civil and criminal penalties. "MLB," the MLB logo design, "MLB Extra Innings" and its respective logo are registered trademarks of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. and its affiliates. Team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. ©2006 Getty Images. Programming, pricing, terms and conditions subject to change. For complete details, visit directv.com. ©2007 DIRECTV, INC. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, INC. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.