HAPPY 27th BIRTHDAY ROGER BERNADINA!

Photos © Cheryl Nichols Photography/Nats News Network.
All Rights Reserved.

Press Release:

The Washington Nationals will launch their 2010 Youth Clinics presented by Smithfield on Thursday, July 8, when they host 100 children from the DC RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) Program at Nationals Park. As part of the Nationals’ efforts to stimulate involvement in youth baseball and softball programs in the District of Columbia and surrounding areas, the Nationals will host a series of youth baseball clinics throughout the season. These clinics are free of charge and include hands on instruction from Nationals coaches who will offer tips on the art of batting, fielding and pitching, as well as participate in a Q&A about baseball and life.


Following the clinic, Nationals Outfielder Roger Bernadina will sign autographs for the kids in attendance. Each participant will also receive two tickets to an upcoming Nationals game, lunch and a co-branded equipment bag, courtesy of Smithfield.


The following Nationals coaches are scheduled to participate*:
o Rick Eckstein, Hitting Coach
o Tim Foli, Special Advisor to the GM, Player Development
o Jim Lett, Bullpen Coach
o Pat Listach, Third Base Coach
o Jose Martinez, Bullpen Pitcher
o Julian Martinez, Bullpen Catcher
o Steve McCatty, Pitching Coach
o Mike McGowan, Assistant Athletic Trainer
o John McLaren, Bench Coach
o Dan Radison, First Base Coach
o Nilson Robledo, Bullpen Pitcher
*Subject to Change


2010 YOUTH CLINIC SCHEDULE
· Saturday, July 10 – Dreams for Kids
· Wednesday, July 28 – Youth Softball
· Wednesday, August 11
· Saturday, August 14


For more information on Nationals Youth Baseball Clinics presented by Smithfield, or to sign up, please email community.relations@nationals.com.

HAPPY 26TH BIRTHDAY ROGER BERNADINA!

Photos 2010 © Cheryl Nichols Photography/Nats News Network.
All Rights Reserved.

CONGRATULATIONS ROGER BERNADINA!

(New Nats Slugger and Silver Elvis)

It is always exciting to see a player reach a milestone in baseball.  Career firsts are extra special in my book. 

Roger Bernadina has been playing very well for the Nationals which has kept him in the starting lineup for many games.  His speed and fabulous diving catches have saved a few runs in the outfield and his bat seems to have caught on fire. 

Before the game on Wednesday morning, he had never hit a home run in the bigs. Wednesday, May 12, 2010 will be a day Roger will remember.  The day Bernie hit not only his very first career home run, but his first TWO career home runs.

Bernadina's first career home run was a solo blast into the right-field stands putting the Nats up by one run over the Mets in the top of the fourth inning. [VIDEO]

With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Roger made a diving catch to rob Jeff Francoeur of hero status at Citi Field.  [VIDEO]

Roger Bernadina wasn't done for the day yet.  Bernie hit a go-ahead, two-run shot to right field in the top of the ninth to put the Nats in the lead 6-4. His second career home run was hit off of K-Rod (Francisco Rodriguez)! [VIDEO]

The Nats held the Mets and went on to win 6-4 giving Clippard another win and Capps another save.  Tyler Clippard now has a MLB leading 7 wins (and Clip is a reliever, not a starter!) and Matt Capps has a MLB leading 14 saves.  Incredible.

Bernadina talked to MASN'sDebbi Taylor after the game [VIDEO] and about wearing the Silver Elvis wig [VIDEO].  Nats Enquirer has a picture of Roger in the wig.

Baseball in DC is really fun right now, isn't it?

All Photos 2010 © Cheryl Nichols Photography/Nationals News Network.

All Rights Reserved

Congratulations Roger Bernadina!

Press Release:

Bernadina honored as International League Batter of the Week

Syracuse outfielder Roger Bernadina has hit safely in 12 of the 13 games he’s played this season at the Triple-A level, including all seven games during the past week. Five of his last six games were multi-hit efforts, giving him a League-best 13 hits to go along with a .464 average for the week. He had just one hit Monday at Lehigh Valley, but it drove in the winning run in the 8th inning. He then reeled off games with multiple hits on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and again on Friday, a game which included his second home run of the year. Saturday against Rochester, Bernadina got just one hit, but he also walked twice, stole two bases, and drove in two runs. He put a ribbon around his week yesterday afternoon, going 3-6 and making two outstanding defensive plays to save the game for the Chiefs. The center fielder threw out a runner at the plate to end the 10th inning, then made a leaping catch against the wall in the 12th in what would become a 13-inning Chiefs victory. Bernadina is now 3rd in the League with 22 hits and a .393 average on the year.

25-year-old Roger Bernadina is in his ninth season of professional baseball, still playing for the organization that drafted him in 2002. He first reached the Triple-A level in 2007 with Columbus before going on to play for Syracuse. He made his Major League debut with the Nationals in 2008, but last year he fractured his ankle making a catch against the Marlins, derailing most of his 2009 campaign. Bernadina is a native of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles.

                 G    AVG    H     AB   R   2B   3B   HR     RBI     SLUG    BB    SB
Week:     7    .464    13   28      5     1     0     1       6      .607       5      3
Season:  13    .393   22   56    8     2     1     2       8      .571       6      7