Long-standing Washington Nationals “face of the franchise” Ryan Zimmerman was in the home clubhouse before Tuesday’s game, fielding question after question about newly signed No. 1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg.

Nats sign No. 1 pick just before midnight deadline.

CHICAGO — Mark Buehrle pitched the 18th perfect game in major league history, and Chicago White Sox center fielder DeWayne Wise got the assist.

WASHINGTON — Rich Harden allowed three hits over six innings, Derrek Lee homered and the Chicago Cubs beat Washington 6-2 on Thursday night, spoiling the debut of Nationals’ interim manager Jim Riggleman.

Baseball’s All-Star game winner is always the same.

Fielder wins Home Run Derby

So much for the plan to have Manny Acta’s patient optimism lead the Washington Nationals out of the doldrums. The abysmal won-loss record became too much to stomach, costing him his job at the All-Star break and adding another layer of instability to the worst team in baseball.

The loss was like many others suffered by the Washington Nationals this season. The starting pitcher dug himself a big hole in the first inning, the bullpen made things worse, and the lineup couldn’t get a timely hit.

WASHINGTON
Ryan Zimmerman’s 30-game hitting streak counts as one of the few-and-far-between bright spots in what otherwise has been the latest Nationals Disaster of a season for the capital’s last-place baseball team.

WASHINGTON — Jeremy Hermida hit a three-run homer in the 11th inning after tying it with a two-run shot in the ninth, and the Florida Marlins beat the Washington Nationals 9-6 Saturday for their sixth straight win.

The Washington Nationals would like a restart. The Atlanta Braves just want to keep the winning pace they’ve set during the first week of the season.

BALTIMORE — Melvin Mora drove in three runs, Mark Hendrickson won in his Baltimore debut and the Orioles ended a run of 12 straight losses to the Tampa Bay Rays with a 5-4 victory Friday night.

The Florida Marlins’ new leadoff hitter is so fast he can beat out a home run.

PHILADELPHIA — The championship banner that’ll hang above Ashburn Alley and those shiny rings they’ll soon receive will be a constant reminder that the Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Series champions.

VIERA, Fla. — Alex Cintron tripled, doubled and drove in four runs, leading the Washington Nationals past the Houston Astros 6-3 on Saturday.

MIAMI — Team USA manager Davey Johnson already knows what he would do if injuries got so bad in the World Baseball Classic that he ran out of certain position players: He would forfeit.

JUPITER, Fla.  — Jordan Zimmermann looks ready for the big leagues.

MIAMI — Team USA manager Davey Johnson already knows what he would do if injuries got so bad in the World Baseball Classic that he ran out of certain position players: He would forfeit.

SAN DIEGO — Dice-K is more than OK with the World Baseball Classic — and Petco Park.

Barry Bonds is open to making a comeback. Whether any team wants him, that’s the tricky part.

VIERA, Fla. — Done with his spring training rest, Anderson Hernandez got to hit.

JUPITER, Fla.  — Baseball union head Donald Fehr began his annual tour of spring training camps Monday with steroids back in the spotlight.

VIERA, Fla.  — Manny Acta leaned back in his office chair Sunday and chuckled at the question: Is this the best team the Washington Nationals have brought to spring training since he became their manager?

NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez admitted Monday that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-03, saying he did so because of the pressures of being baseball’s highest-paid player.

NEW YORK — A day after Alex Rodriguez was linked to steroids, another All-Star offered this suggestion: Make public the entire list of players who failed drug tests.

NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in his MVP season of 2003 with Texas, according to a report by Sports Illustrated.

MILWAUKEE — Baseball commissioner Bud Selig says the game’s economic structure has come a long way and still could use some tinkering.

NEW YORK— Nick Markakis reached a preliminary agreement on a $66 million, six-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles, and Ryan Madson struck a $12 million, three-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies as players and teams rushed Monday to settle salary arbitration cases.

CHICAGO — Cubs chairman Crane Kenney said again he expects the team’s sale to be completed by opening day and the list of potential buyers could be down to one by the end of the month.

NEW YORK — Rickey Henderson almost certainly will get a ticket to Cooperstown. The question is if baseball’s career leader in runs and stolen bases will have any company.