On the Hill...

The Philadelphia Phillies arrive in Washington, DC on Monday, 1.0 game behind the second-biggest Florida-based surprise of the young season*, The NL East's 1st Place Florida Marlins, who held on to sole ownership of first place, in spite of getting pounded by the Royals on Sunday, when the Phillies lost a rain-soaked affair with Toronto. Washington lost two of three this past weekend, but after taking three of four in New York, the Nationals end up winning 4 of 7 on the road trip, and Washington heads back to DC on a high note after John "Cool Hand" Lannan's dominant performance in Baltimore yesterday afternoon. 

Tonight, the Nationals turn to right-hander Tim Redding (5-3. 3.55 ERA), who has already beaten the Phillies once this season, back on April 2nd in Philadelphia, where Redding allowed just 1 hit in 7.0 scoreless innings of a 1-0 DC win. In his career, Redding's (3-2) in 7 starts opposing the Phillies, and he's surrendered 29 hits, 13 ER, 3 HR's and 19 walks, with 32 K's in 43.2 IP against Philly's finest. Redding's coming off a fine performance in NY last week, in which he lasted 6.0 innings and allowed just 2 hits and 1 run on a HR for his fifth win of the '08 campaign. 

Philly righty Brett Myers pitched the first game of that series against the Nationals in late-March/early-April, (in which Redding earned his 1st win), but Myers didn't pitch well in his own trip to the hill, allowing 5 hits, 3 ER and 2 walks over 5.0 innings pitched, and receiving no decision in a lopsided 11-6 DC win. Myers has faced the Nationals/Expos 27 times in his 7-year MLB career, and he's made 17 starts against the franchise, compiling a (7-7) record with 4 saves in 110.0 innings over which he's posted a 4.91 ERA. 

Nationals' #'s Against Brett Myers...

Cristian Guzman - 9 for 16, .316 AVG, 1 RBI. 

Felipe Lopez - 7 for 21, .333 AVG, 3 2B, 2 walks.

Ryan Zimmerman - 9 for 22, .409 AVG, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBI's. 

Austin Kearns - 7 for 18, .389 AVG, 2 2B, 4 RBI's. 

Season Series and Recent Successes/Failures...

The Nationals took two of three on the road in Philly as part of Washington's 4-1 start to the season, before the wheels temporarily came off, with an eight-game losing streak following DC's 3-0 start, but they've yet to meet the Phillies again since the opening week of the '08 schedule. The Nationals are 3-4 in their last seven home games, (against Pittsburgh and Florida), while the Phillies spilt four in Arizona against the D-Backs and dropped 2 of 3 in San Francisco on the team's last road trip. 

Get the Starting Rotation Speculation Started Again...

With MLB.com's Bill Ladson reporting that, "Hill likely to miss next start", in his article on right-handed starter Shawn Hill's sore elbow, the Nationals are once again going to be looking for a starting pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Phillies. Mr. Ladson writes that, "...Matt Chico is a candidate," but neither Mr. Ladson or Nationals' Manager Manny Acta, who is quoted in the article, are willing to commit to any particular pitcher.

Could this finally mean the long-awaited call-up of one of DC's prized-prospects? Or will the Nationals turn to Chico and leave the bullpen sans un gauchiste?

Dukes In Right Again On Sunday With Kearns Injured...

According to various reports, Austin Kearns was scratched from Sunday's game in Baltimore because of a sore right elbow which he apparently injured during batting practice on Saturday. In Washington Times writer Ben Goessling's article on the injuries to both Hill and Kearns entitled, "Acta: Hill likely to miss upcoming start", Austin Kearns sounds optimistic as he's quoted stating:

"It was just from swinging,' Kearns said. 'I would think [I'd be able to play today]. We'll see how it feels, but I would think it'd be all right."

Elijah Dukes may find himself getting all the at bats he needs if Kearns is sidelined for an extended period, but the young outfield of Wily Mo Pena, Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes had better learn to communicate quickly before these full-sized outfielders hurt one another in a collision that may make people finally stop showing Johnson collide with Kearns...

Tomorrow night's game gets underway barring any delay, at 7:10 pm EST in Washington, DC's Nationals Park, where the Phillies visit the Nationals for three straight. Redding vs Myers. Ryan Zimmerman? - All of April...26 for 108, .241 AVG, 6 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI's...May 1-18...17 for 64, .266 AVG, 2 2B, 5 HR, 11 RBI's. DY in 50 games against Philly, .292 AVG, 13 2B, 7 HR, 28 RBI's. Myers is in trouble...

* - The #1 Florida surprise...The Tampa Bay Devil Rays.