Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is on the inside flap of the most recent issue of Sports Illustrated, along with the class of the '05 MLB Draft...Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, Arizona's Justin Upton, Troy Tulowitzki from Colorado, Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz of Boston...and then...THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Ryan Zimmerman, who stands legs crossed and looking down at Buchholz's personalized cover variant of what I believe was SI's Spring Training Preview edition...

Inside the Sports Illustrated Baseball Preview, SI writers predict a 4th Place finish in the NL East for the Nationals, with a (73-89) record, leading Florida by just one game to claim the Runner-Up To the Runner-Up to the Runner-Up spot behind New York, Philadelphia, and Atlanta, first to third '08.

As for Zimmerman's profile, Sports Illustrated writer Ben Reiter writes that, "He reached the big leagues in only 86 days...and hit .397 in 20 games in 2005..." and then Mr. Reiter recounts Zimmerman's sophomore struggles which Zimmerman sums up thoughtfully:

"The second year, [pitchers] know your strengths and weaknesses, and they attack your weaknesses."

...And Nationals' GM Jim Bowden is at his hyperbolic best telling the SI writer, Mr. Reiter:

"He's also a tremendous defensive player, a top-two third baseman who could probably play shortstop. He's got the action on the quickness...He could've been Cal Ripken at shortstop."

If Mr. Bowden was just trying to rile up Orioles' fans up north of DC in Baltimore, that quote should do it.

Mr. Reiter, you'll note, seems to think the Nationals should trade Chad Cordero. For shame. The Flat-Brimmed Closer is here to stay. (I hope.)

IMPORTANT FEDERALBASEBALL.com NEWS-- (ed. note- "Federalbaseball.com Will Undergo Construction starting just after Midnight tonight and lasting through the morning, but it will be back tomorrow night with a new look and a new format that should make building a real DC Baseball Community much easirer. For frequent visitors, you might just have to reclaim your old name and password for access, while any one else trying to comment? (Anyone?)...can set up a new account and join in the fun, post blogs of your own, share pictures, Cheer for Milledge...It should be great...See you on the other side(site)..." -e chigliak)

XM 175 is live from Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, the site of the Grapefruit League action between the visiting Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at the Cards' Spring home. "Opening Night" Odalis Perez is on the hill in what will be his final Spring start before Sunday night's domestic Season Opener, and the Cards counter with Anthony Reyes, St. Louis' flat-brimmed starter...

The Washington Nationals' starting lineup...

Felipe Lopez SS
Lastings Milledge CF
Ryan Zimmerman 3B
Nick Johnson 1B
Austin Kearns RF
Ronnie Belliard 2B
Rob Mackowiak LF
Jesus Flores C

...Felipe Lopez swings at the first pitch from Anthony Reyes amd grounds it to third where Tony La Russa-approved third baseman Troy Glaus makes the play. Lastings Milledge goes down. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to Skip Schumaker in right, and Anthony Reyes has one scoreless. Odalis Perez retires the Cards in order to end the first.

1 on, 1 out for Ronnie Belliard in the second, Belliard grounds to shortstop Cezar Itzuris, to second and around the horn for the inning-ending DP. Troy Glaus doubles through third to start the Cardinals' second. Rick Ankiel grounds to Belliard who takes the out at first. Jason LaRue grounds out. Glaus scores. A double + two groundouts = 1-0 St. Louis.

Washington goes down in order in the third. Still 1-0 Cards after five innings of play. Odalis Perez singles with one out in the sixth. (Only the 2nd DC hit off Reyes.) Felipe Lopez K's. Lastings Milledge lines a single to left. Ryan Zimmerman up with two on, two out. Zimmerman pops out to the infield.

The Cardinals add the their lead in the home half of the sixth after Rob Mackowiak loses a pop fly in the sun in spite of his sunglasses, bringing up Thee Albert Pujols with runners on second and third...Pujols singles up the middle, two runs cross, 3-0 Cardinals.

Ryan Franklin replaces Anthony Reyes after 6.0 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 1 walk and 2 K's, and Franklin continues to dominate Washington's batters holding the Nationals scoreless through seven. Lastings Milledge comes up against lefty Cardinals' reliever Ron Villone with 2 on, 2 out in the eigth...full count...Milledge stares at a third strike, though he doesn't agree with the call. 3-0 St. Louis after eight. Jason Isringhausen comes on to close it for the Cardinals and retires the Nationals in order. Final score 3-0 St. Louis.

Chris Schroder and Saul Rivera pitch a scoreless inning each in relief of Odalis Perez, whose last start of the Spring is a 6.0 inning outing in which the veteran lefty allows 7 hits, 3 runs and 1 walk, while striking out five for a 4.96 Grapefruit League ERA heading into Sunday's showdown with Atlanta live on ESPN from Nationals Park in Washington, DC as the Nationals try to win their first Opening Day game since arriving in DC...('05 8-4 loss in Philly...'06 3-2 loss in NY...'07 9-2 loss at home against Florida)...

...Milledge, Nick Johnson, Pete Orr and Odalis Perez have the only hits of the day, all singles, off St. Louis. Tomorrow it's Matt Chico on the mound against the Braves in a game that's going to be available on MLB.tv...

So...according to MLB.com writer T.R. Sullivan's article entitled, "Rangers sign pitcher Patterson", John Patterson has agreed to a Minor League deal with the Texas Rangers, which returns Patterson to within around 250 miles of his birthplace in Orange, Texas, which is located east of Beaumont and south of Arlington, according to the city's wikipedia.org site.

Federalbaseball.com, and e chigliak in particular wish John Patterson nothing but the best of luck in Texas...unless it's a Nationals/Rangers World Series this season...What? It COULD happen...

MLB.com's Bill Ladson is with the Nationals in their Spring home of Viera, Florida, and he's reporting in an article entitled, "Hill's forearm pain a mystery", that Shawn Hill experienced pain in his right forearm before an appearance in a Minor League game against Los Angeles, as Mr. Ladson recounts, Hill:

"...was in serious pain before the game started, but said that the pain subsided once he started warming up. Hill is currently on the disabled list because of the forearm."

...and no one involved, from Hill, to the team, to the several doctors Hill's said to have seen, appears to know exactly what is wrong with his surgically-repaired arm...

MEANWHILE...Washington Times writer Mark Zuckerman reports that the "medical report" on Tim Redding's ailing back is back and the diagnosis, Mr. Zuckerman writes, in a post at "Chatter: A Nats Blog" entitled, "Redding's injury: Thoracic spasm?", is quite simply that:

"...he has spasms in the right part of his upper back.

Doesn't sound terribly serious, but we'll have to wait and see what Redding has to say and how he looks. For now, he's just getting treatment and is being monitored.

...and continuing on this tour of the Nationals' starting rotation, Jason Bergmann's record dropped to (1-2) as he gave up 7 hits, 3 runs, (2 earned), and 2 walks, while striking out 4 in the Nationals' 5-3 loss this afternoon in another Spring Training tilt with the Tigers. Bergmann now has a 2.70 ERA in 4 starts and 16.2 innings this Spring, while Detroit got 5.1 IP today from their starter, Nate Robertson, (1-0), who allowed 4 hits, 1 run and 2 walks while striking out three to lower his ERA to 1.26 in 3 starts and 14.1 innings.

Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run home run in the eigth inning of today's game off Tigers' reliever Zach Miner, for Zimmeran's 11th and 12th RBI's of the Spring. 1 for 4 with a run scored and 2 RBI's on the day for Zimmerman. Lo Duca's 2 for 3 with a double, which is where Washington Post writer Barry Svrluga picks it up in a post entitled, "Bergmann: Pecked to death", at his "Nationals Journal" blog today, in which Mr. Svrluga writes:

"And if you wanted to see the most remarkable sight of spring training, you had to see Paul Lo Duca hit a double down the left-field line in the second, and then watch Dmitri Young take off from first. He huffed, and he puffed, but he scored standing up. A remarkable accomplishment."

But did DY knock off his helmet coming around second?

Lastings Milledge? The Lastings Milledge Fan Club is happy to report that Milledge went 2 for 3 against Detroit with a walk and a run scored, for a .355 AVG, 22 hits in 62 at bats, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 9 RBI's, 6 steals, and a .420 OBP, though the L.M.F.C can't get behind Milledge's 12 K's, which are tied for second on the team with Ryan Langerhans' own 12, and both of the two are 2 K's behind Elijah Dukes, who has struck out 14 times in 40 AB's while accumulating 4 doubles, 1 triple and 1 HR and 3 RBI's in 15 Grapefruit League games with the Nationals.

Tomorrow it's off to Jupiter, Florida, where the Nationals' lefty, "Opening-Night" Odalis Perez takes on Flat-Brimmed Anthony Reyes of the St. Louis Cardinals in a day game I'll be tuning in to on XM Radio...(ed. note- "No idea what Matt Chico did today, sorry.")

I was prepared for problems with both Shawn Hill and John Patterson this Spring, (though not prepared for Patterson's departure, more on that in a minute), but I was not prepared for the shock I felt momentarily when I read the headline today proclaiming that Washington righty Tim Redding had suffered back spasms and been removed from the mound in the middle of an inning during today's Easter Sunday affair with the Florida Marlins.

Now normally this news would have launched me into paroxysms of defeatist rhetoric, but instead as I read the reports I was soothed by the calming influence of the Nationals' Manager Manny Acta, who was quoted in MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article entitled, "Redding injures back, leaves game", calmly stating:

"'Obviously, you have to be concerned, but we have options this year. It gives you more peace of mind,' Acta said. 'Maybe somebody will have to pitch with an extra day of rest. That's about it.'"

Isn't that honestly reassuring? What I found interesting was the list of pitchers Mr. Ladson then listed, as he wrote, "...the Nationals can rely on their prospects such as right-handers Collin Balester, Tyler Clippard, Garrett Mock and Mike O'Connor to help sometime during the season."

I assume John Lannan's not included in that list because he hasn't officially been reassigned to any Minor League affiliate, but Washington Post writer Barry Svrluga wrote just the other day in a post entitled, "And your Opening Day starter is..." on his "Nationals Journal" blog, that:

"...it seems pretty clear the Nationals have already tabbed him (Lannan) to start the season in Class AAA Columbus, with Matt Chico winning the last spot in the rotation."

As for Tim Redding, Mr. Svrluga reports at his washingtonpost.com blog, in a more recent "Nationals Journal" post entitled,"Redding: "I'm going to be ready" that Redding may have been injured running out a bunt an inning before he left today's game, and the post quotes Mr. Redding who provides his own diagnosis:

"There's a noticeable bulge, I guess. It just feels like it's a knot, nothing major, day-to-day. It could go away tomorrow. It could be there a day or two and then go away. It's a muscle spasm."

As for today's game, Redding gave up 4 runs on 3 hits and a walk in 3.1 IP before leaving the game with the Nationals down 4-2, the score by which they eventually lost to the Marlins. Relievers Ray King, Chad Cordero and Eude Brito combined for 4.2 scoreless with only Brito surrendering a hit to the Marlins. Cristian Guzman collected his 11th RBI of the Spring with a sac fly off Florida starter Rick VandenHurk and ended the day batting .296 in Grapefruit League games. Lastings Milledge was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Aaron Boone 2 for 3, Nick Johnson 1 for 4, and Ronnie Belliard was 0 for 3, but he's still hitting .383...

Tomorrow it's Washington vs Detroit as the Tigers travel to Space Coast Stadium, in sunny Viera, Florida, the Nationals' Spring home, where Jason Bergmann will take the mound against the Tigers' Nate Robinson. 1:05 pm start...MLB's Gameday Audio should have the game...and XM Radio has Tuesday's game against the Cardinals...

Oh...and as for the aforementioned John Patterson news, Newark Star-Ledger baseball writer Dan Graziano mentions Patterson's release in his "Weekly Bottom Three" feature of his Sunday Sports page column entitled, "Dan Graziano on MLB", in which Mr. Graziano writes:

"3. John Patterson- Last year, he was the Nationals' Opening Day starter. This week, they released him. Tough fall. Not even 2007 Yankees Opening Day starter Carl Pavano has been released. Of course, you can't release a guy who's on the disabled list."

Now, first of all, I'll say that I applaud the possessive apostrophe attached to the "...Nationals' Opening Day starter,"...but I have to wonder about the lack of an apostrophe with the Yankees'?...(ed. query- "Is there some rule of baseball writing I remain unaware of at work here?")

...But more importantly why bring up Carl Pavano when discussing the release of yet another Expos' prospect in Patterson, and only compound the pain DC/Montreal fans are feeling by bringing up one of the two players (Pavano and Tony Armas) Montreal received in return for Pedro Martinez, when they traded their Cy Young Award-winning starter to Boston in 1997, the year after he'd first earned the distinction as baseball's best...

Thanks for ruining my Easter breakfast...

In two consecutive starts, the Washington Nationals' young left-handers John Lannan and Matt Chico showed anyone who may have wondered, why the Nationals were willing to part with John Patterson, and enter the '08 season with the one of the two second-year pros and in the starting rotation.

Matt Chico (1-1, 3.58 ERA on the Spring), went 4.1 scoreless innings against the real New York Mets' squad, (minus Mets' catcher Brian Schneider), allowing just 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out two New York batters, before the Mets rallied for an 8-2 win over Washington. Today it was John Lannan who threw 6.0 innings of 3-hit ball for the Nationals, allowing 1 ER and 1 walk while striking out 2 Atlanta Braves' batters in a 4-1 Washington win, that improved Lannan's record to (2-0), with a 2.45 ERA this Spring.

After Chico's start, Nationals' Manager Manny Acta told Washington Post baseball writer Barry Svrluga, as quoted in a "Nationals Journal" post entitled, "Chico out of game, but in rotation" that, "We haven't made the final decision yet," as to who would be in the Nationals' starting rotation, but:

"'...I don't think a good or bad start is going to change our mind.' According to Acta, Chico, 24, 'went out the whole season for us last year and competed well under [difficult] circumstances, coming up from Double-A at such an early age. I think he did what he had to do last year. Our decision is almost made.'"

(ed. note- "...and check out the comments section of Mr. Svrluga's post to see the anger generated by Felipe Lopez's recent comments..."

John Lannan, for his part seemed to agree with his Manager's opinion, telling MLB.com's Bill Ladson, in an article entitled, "Lannan, Chico battling for No. 4 spot", that:

"'Chico was the workhorse last year. Whoever they pick deserves it," Lannan said. "They are all great pitchers. I don't even look at numbers. He went out there and had a good year. Last year, he was [almost] in the same boat as I was. He never pitched above Double-A. Given that, I thought he threw pretty well. He deserves to be up there."

New Nationals' catcher Paul Lo Duca also gave Chico a good review after Lo Duca debuted during Chico's start on Friday, and told Washington Times Sports writer Ben Goessling, in an article entitled, "Chico kicks it old school", that from behind the plate he observed:

"'I like it. He's getting the ball down in the strike zone, and he's throwing all four pitches for strikes,' said Paul Lo Duca, who caught Chico for the first time in a major league game yesterday. 'He's the kind of guy I like. He's definitely not scared, and that's huge.'"

But it's another Nationals' lefty, Odalis Perez, who's slated to start on Opening Night in Nationals Park against the Atlanta Braves and starter Tim Hudson one week from today in Washington, DC's new ballpark. Manager Manny Acta was the one who told an appreciative Odalis Perez the news, according to WTOP Radio sports writer Craig Heist, who quotes Perez in an article at www.wtop.com entitled, "Nats Beat the Braves; Perez named the Opening Day Starter", in which Perez recounts:

"'Manny called me in and told me, you're the number one,' said Perez. 'You will be the guy who gets the ball in game one. When he said those words to me, it was great and a great feeling. It makes me happy to be a part of this system and this organization.'"

Manny Acta tells Washington Post Sports writer Dave Sheinin, in an article entitled, "Veteran Perez Gets Start on Opening Day", that the veteran left-hander has:

"'...won more games [eight] than any one of our starters last year in the big leagues,' Manager Manny Acta said. 'He's the only one of our staff who has won 15 games before [in 2002]. And he has pitched well in spring training, too.'"

That 15-win season of Odalis Perez's was in '02 in Los Angeles, when the then-twenty-five year old from Las Matas de Farfan in the Dominican Republic had posted a (15-10) record with a 3.00 ERA and 155 K's in 222.1 IP on the mound. But the 30-year old is coming off an (8-11) season in Kansas City, where he pitched to a 5.56 ERA in 26 starts with 64 K's and 50 walks.

Odalis Perez, Shawn Hill (if healthy), Tim Redding, Jason Bergmann, and Matt Chico? This rotation is not exactly going to strike fear in the opposition, but when combined with an above-average bullpen, is it good enough to allow the Nationals to compete in the NL East? I assume Lannan will be right back up if Hill comes up injured or is at all delayed? We'll know for sure one week from tonight...

The Washington Nationals travel to Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie, Florida to take on the New York Mets, who throw Pedro Martinez against Nationals' lefty Matt Chico.

Pedro Martinez gets Cristian Guzman to pop out to short, and then faces his former catcher Paul Lo Duca, who's making his first start as a National this Spring. Lo Duca's quickly down 0-2, but Pedro gets too much plate and Lo Duca reaches on a grounder deep in the hole at short that Jose Reyes can't come up with. 1-2 fastball high and outside and Zimmerman goes the other way to right, Lo Duca to third, Zimmerman goes for second, Ryan Church comes up throwing...and NAILS Zimmerman at second. CHURCH!!! DY's dialed-in at the plate but two offspeed strikes have Young lunging as he strikes out to end the top of the first.

Matt Chico takes the mound. Chico's sporting a few days growth on his chin and a leg kick Randy St. Claire gave him back, according to Mets' announcer Ron Darling, who recounts how the Arizona Diamondbacks had taken his leg kick away while he was in their system. Chico strikes out Reyes, and pops up Luis Castillo for the second out of the first. David Wright hits a top-spin lob to left for a two-out single. Carlos Beltran beats Zimmeran to the third base line with a hard hit double, Wright moves to third. Carlos Delgado is next in the Mets' unforgiving order. Delgado grounds to first, DY bobbles and tosses Chico who tags the bag to end the first.

Austin Kearns takes a fastball off the hip and takes first for his suffering. Elijah Dukes turns around on a Pedro fastball and rips a double to left, one-hop off the base of the wall. Felipe Lopez is batting in the six-spot, and the Mets' announcers are all over his recent comments about not wanting to ride the pine. Lopez hits a low liner to first that Delgado wrangles and throws to first in time to meet the covering Pedro, Kearns scores, 1-0 Nationals. Ryan Langerhans swings over a slow full count change for strike three.

Matt Chico grounds out to short. 1-0 after one and a half. New York outfielder Angel Pagan beats out a ground ball to short when Guzman's throw is a step late. Ryan Ch-Ch-Ch Church looks awful in a Mets' uniform. Church stares at strike three from Chico. Mets' catcher Raul Casanova grounds to third, Zimmerman throws sidearm to second, to Guzman to DY at first for the DP to end the second.

Pedro Martinez tantalizes Guzman with a two-strike change. Paul Lo Duca flies out to center. Zimmerman does the same. Martinez through three, and then up at bat to lead off the bottom of the frame with a pop out to center that Ryan Langerhans handles. Jose Reyes pops up behind the plate. Luis Castillo lines a two-out single to left. David Wright singles to center. Carlos Beltran rips one to left, Dukes' falls on the first step but recovers in time to make the grab ending the third. 1-0 Nationals.

DY starts the fourth with a groundout. Austin Kearns takes an inside fastball out of the park on a long fly ball to left and off the fence of the field behind the main park, 2-0 Nationals. Elijah Dukes is robbed by Angel Pagan on a low liner to left. Felipe Lopez misses a two-strike fastball for the third out of the fourth.

Matt Chico backs Delgado up with a two-strike fastball inside and then gets a groundout for the first out of the Mets' fourth. Matt Chico loses Angel Pagan and issues his first walk of the afternoon. Lo Duca throws a wild ball to second as Pagan steals a bag. Church grounds out to Guzman at short. Raul Casanova flies out to center. 2-0 Nationals. Four scoreless for Chico.

Ryan Langerhans is ready for the two-strike change this time and he hits Pedro's offering back up the middle. Chico squares to bunt...and pops the second attempt to the catcher who throws to first for an easy DP. Guzman grounds to second to end the top of the fifth. Pinch hitter Caleb Stewart replaces Pedro, grounding out to DY to start the Mets' half of the frame. Jose Reyes doubles to left off Chico on a high fastball, and Chico's done for the day, replaced by Chris Schroder. (cue "Peanuts" intro). Reyes tries to take third and Lo Duca guns him down. Luis Castillo grounds weakly to second and Felipe Lopez sails the throw to first for an error. David Wright takes a full-count fastball to left to tie the game at 2-2 in the fifth. Carlos Beltran bloops one just out of the reach of Felipe Lopez's glove for a single. Carlos Delgado tosses his bat in disgust as he pops out to the infield to end the fifth.

Ricardo Rincon takes over for Pedro in the top of the sixth. Lo Duca strikes out swinging. Zimmerman goes down looking. DY from the rigth side, grounds out to short. Schroder's back to face the Mets left field replacement du jour Angel Pagan, who triples over Austin Kearns glove in right and off the wall. Ryan Church takes four straight Schroder for a walk. Raul Casanova swings through a change for strike three. Marlon Anderson doubles off the wall in right. Pagan scores. Church to third. 3-2 NY. Jose Reyes finds the gap in left and knocks in two before the relay from Dukes to Guzman beats Reyes to third. 5-2 Mets. Two down. Damion Easley lines out to Dukes in left. 5-2 after six.

Pedro Feliciano gets a groundout from Kearns to start the seventh. Elijah Dukes hits an excuse-me grounder to first that Anderson tosses to Feliciano covering. Felipe Lopez gets a high chopper through short for a single. Langerhans grounds out to third to end the top of the seventh. Washington lefty Jason Stanford gets David Wright to fly to left, but Rob Mackowiac can't track it as the wind gives Wright a double. Endy Chavez lines to right, Wright to third. Former Expo Fernando Tatis flies to center, Justin Maxwell doesn't even pretend to throw home. Wright scores. 6-2 Mets. Brady Clark hits a grounder that Zimmerman bobbles but plays. Anderson Hernandez lines to short left. Gustavo Molina up as the Mets clear the bench. Molina hits an RBI single over second. 7-2 NY. Marlon Anderson lines to right. 8-2 Mets. Ruben Gotay walks to load the bases. (Stanford might want to take off the sunglasses.) Damion Easley grounds to short, Guzman backhands and throws to second. 8-2 NY after seven.

Aaron Boone starts the eight at bat against Scott Schoeneweis with a line-out to third. Cristian Guzman flies out to left. Wil Nieves grounds to second. Ray King will pitch in the bottom of the eigth for DC. Rafael Arroyo bats for the Mets. Arroyo drops a single in left. Endy Chavez grounds out to short. Fernando Tatis grounds to third where Pete Orr plays it. Brady Clark strikes out to end the eigth.

Mets' reliever Matt Wise comes on to end it. Pete Orr pops out to right center. Matt Whitney flies out to right. Rob Mackowiac walks. Justin Maxwell grounds out to second. 8-2 Mets win.

GAME NOTES
Lost in the all the New York scoring is Chico's outing which was impressively poised as always with the Nationals' young lefty. Chico's line...4.1 IP, 6 hits, 0 ER, 1 walk, 2 K's, 3.50 ERA on the Spring.

Did Chris Schroder hurt his chances to stay in the bullpen with a blown save and the loss in today's game?

Was Dukes injured again running out his double? Dukes got a visit from Manny Acta and the trainer but stayed in the game...

Is that the performance Felipe Lopez wanted to follow his incendiary comments in the press?

Lo Duca goes 1 for 3 with a single, one steal against, one caught stealing in Nationals' debut.

Odalis Perez, Chico, and John Lannan? Which lefty won't make it? Or can all three stay in DC?

The Flat-Brimmed Closer Chad Cordero has two outs on the Houston Astros in the bottom of the ninth today. Geoff Blum comes up with a man at second and the Washington Nationals holding on to a one-run lead over the Astros, ahead 3-2 after responding in both the first and fourth innings to retake leads after Houston rallied twice to tie the game...

...Lastings Milledge goes 1 for 4 with a run scored. Ryan Zimmerman's 1 for 3 with a run scored and 2 RBI's on a 2-run blast off Astros' reliver Chris Sampson, and Sampson also gives up Nick Johnson's first HR since returning to the field. Johnson goes 1 for 4 with 1 RBI. Ronnie Belliard has a 1 for 4 evening and his Spring average is at .439...Odalis Perez goes 6.0 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 runs and 1 HR while striking out 6 batters...Luis Ayala and Jon Rauch follow Odalis Perez with scoreless relief innings, and the Nationals call on their closer, Chad Cordero...

...Danny Classen leads off the ninth against the Flat-Brimmed Closer. Cordero gives up a single up the middle. David Newhan grounds to second, Belliard takes the out at first. One down. Runner to second. Cordero gets two strikes on Edwin Maysonet, and gets a groundball for the second out of the ninth. Geoff Blum...takes a ball low from Cordero, who then throws a curve that can't find the plate, fastball...Uh-Oh!...Blum lifts it out of the park, and the Astros take a 4-3 lead on a 2-run Blum blast. Astros righty Chad Moeller comes back out for his second inning of work and retires the Nationals in order to walk away with the win. 4-3 Astros.

...When the Washington Nationals signed Bret Boone to a Minor League deal on February 18th of this year, the 38-year old infielder's intentions were relayed in an article by MLB.com writer Bill Ladson entitled, "Nats sign Boone to Minor League deal", in  which Mr. Ladson wrote:

"Boone made it clear that he wants to be the starting second baseman and is not willing to stay in the Minor Leagues for a lengthy period of time. That may be hard to do because the Nationals already have competition at middle infield.

...And now it appears that the Nationals are set to test Mr. Boone's definition of  a "lengthy period of time" as Bill Ladson is reporting in an article at washington.nationals.mlb.com, "Nats reassign Boone to Minors", that Boone was sent to the Triple-AAA Columbus Clippers, the Nationals Minor League affiliate, where Boone will get as many AB's as possible, while the Nationals decide what to do at second base with either Felipe Lopez or Ronnie Belliard?...

Tomorrow afternoon Washington takes on the New York Mets for the second time this week with Matt Chico on the mound for the Nationals at Port St. Lucie, Florida's Tradition Field, the Mets Spring home, against the Mets' Pedro Martinez, who has one 4.0 inning start this Spring, giving up 0 runs, 4 hits, and striking out 4 in a 7-4 win over Detroit, while Chico, (1-1, 4.61 ERA) in 4 starts this Spring, has given up 7 runs in 13.2 innings, over which he's walked 7 and K'd 8.

?'s for Nationals' Fans

John Lannan or Matt Chico for the starting rotation? Who should the Nationals choose?

Will Paul Lo Duca makes his Major League level Spring debut against his former team tomorrow?

Can Chico nail down a spot in the rotation with a good outing?

Is anyone worried about Chad Cordero?

With Bret Boone gone, does the starting spot at second belong to Ronnie Belliard? And what about Felipe Lopez telling MLB.com's Bill Ladson yesterday, in an article entitled, "Lopez adamant about starting role", that as far as he's concerned, he should be starting:

"'Being on the bench? No. [Heck] no,' Lopez said. 'I feel good out there. The numbers are not showing it, but I'm hitting the ball hard. I'm playing great defense. I feel good. I would like to stay here, but I would not be happy on the bench.'"

Ronnie Belliard told Mr. Ladson, in the same article, that he knows all he can do is go out and play since the decisions out of his hands:

"'It doesn't matter to me. Whatever they decide. I already said that to them. I'm not going to get upset," Belliard said. "They gave me the chance to play when Cristian went down. Whatever my role will be, I'll take it."

Is a trade necessary to solve the second base logjam?

As the Washington Nationals prepare take the field at Space Coast Stadium in the Grapefruit League home of Viera, Florida against the Houston Astros in another Spring Training tilt, John Patterson is preparing to relocate to another team as the Nationals announced today that they had released the 29-year old, oft-injured, right-handed starter and were prepared to go ahead with a young starter like Matt Chico or John Lannan rather than waiting to see if Patterson could ever returned to his '05 form.

GAME REPORT...Miguel Tejada hits a line-drive dinger off Nationals' starter Odalis Perez with two down in the top of the first giving the Astros a 1-0 lead. Perez strikes out Lance Berkman to end the top of the first. Lastings Milledge lines a single over second baseman Geoff Blum's head. Ryan Zimmer... THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Ryan Zimmerman hits an opposite field blast that allows Milledge to walk home and gives the Nationals a 2-1 lead after one.

...According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article entitled, "Patterson released by Nationals", the release was, "...based on the pitcher's lack of performance," and Mr. Ladson quotes Nationals' GM Jim Bowden states "clearly":

"'Obviously, we thought we could get him back to where he was three years ago, and it never happened,' Bowden said."

Patterson, for his part, has no ill will toward his former employer, as he's quoted in a post by Washington Post writer Barry Svrluga in Mr. Svrluga's "Nationals Journal" post entitled, "John Patterson Released [With Update]", in which Patterson tells the press:

"'I have great memories of D.C. and this organization. I'll always remember what it feels like to wear this uniform.  Jim (GM Bowden) stuck by me as long as he could stand by me.'"

Perhaps it was all the starts Patterson made in the Arizona organization over 7 seasons in which he started 124 games, going (31-43) before he returned to Montreal...(the team that had originally drafted and then embarassingly lost Patterson's rights)...that took their toll on Patterson's arm and resulted in the repeated injuries and surgeries that led to his release.

Patterson debuted in Montreal in 2004, posting a (4-7) record in 19 starts with a 5.03 ERA in 98.1 IP, over which he accumulated 99 K's, but it was the '05 season, the Nationals' first in DC, for which Patterson will be remembered in Washington, as the lanky righty went (9-7) with a 3.13 ERA in 31 starts and recorded 185 K's in 198.1 innings.

Nationals' Manager Manny Acta told Washington Post sports writer Barry Svrluga in another post on washingtonpost.com's "Nationals Journal", entitled, "Management's side", that the:

"...decision came down to 'the fact the progress wasn't there, and it was to a point where he was going to [try to] rehab at the major league level, and we'd rather let the younger kids go out there and develop. This had nothing to do with one particular start or outing. It was the whole spring training.'"

The Nationals reportedly told Patterson that he was welcome to return to the organization and work his way up from the Minors...

GAME REPORT...NICK JOHNSON GOES DEEP...with his first HR of the Spring to give the Nationals a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth, after the Astros had tied the game on another Miguel Tejada hit in the top of the frame...

More on Patterson...Bret Boone's Demotion...and the rest of tonight's game with the Astros later tonight...

The New York sports media got their first crack at Paul Lo Duca this past Monday when the Mets and Nationals, (but not the injured Lo Duca), met for the first time on the field since the 36-year old catcher signed with DC this winter, leaving the Mets after two years of service in Queens. The desire to part ways was apparently not mutual, with Lo Duca claiming in a widely-circulated interview that stories about he and the Mets failing to agree on a deal after a stalemate over years and numbers, a fact which did appear in most articles on the Mets' catching situation this offseason, is patently false, or as Lo Duca tells Newark Star-Ledger Staff writer Lisa Kennelly in her article, "Ex-Met seeks revenge":

"'Are you kidding me with that?' Lo Duca said. "Seriously. There was never a phone call."

MLB.com writer Marty Noble's article from 11/17/07 entitled, "Mets end talks with catcher Torrealba", would seem to substantiate Mr. Lo Duca's claim that the Mets never called, by simply reporting the silence on the situation from Mets' GM Omar Minaya, as Mr. Noble writes:

"Minaya declined to say whether he planned to renew contact or if he had made contact with Paul Lo Duca's agent, who seemingly had been eliminated as a candidate to catch next season."

Now taking for granted that there would be an implied, and ubiquitous, follow-up quote from Mr. Minaya...(and all MLB GM's for that matter) stressing that the Mets, as a policy, don't discuss contract negotiations, the fact that the Mets' GM quote, "...declined to say...if he had made contact..." with Lo Duca, and the fact that Willie Randolph told another MLB.com writer, Anthony DiComo, two days earlier, on 11/15/07, in an article entitled, "Randolph praises Lo Duca", that:

"'I thought he brought a lot to the table this year, but that doesn't mean that you hold onto a guy because of that,' Randolph said of Lo Duca. 'You hope you can bring other guys in that maybe can pick up that slack. But each year is totally different.'"

...a quote which would seem to justify Mr. Lo Duca's sense of rejection...and later in Mr. DiComo's article, he quotes the Mets' Manager again, with Mr. Randolph making the disputed claim:

"'He (Lo Duca) wants three or four years, and we have to look at that and see how that fits into our plans,' Randolph said of his old catcher. 'But I like Lo Duca. I think Paulie's the kind of player that knows how to win, and that gives me all that he has every day.'"

"'Are you kidding me with that?' Lo Duca said. "Seriously. There was never a phone call."

A varitation of the Mets' claim also appears in another Marty Noble article at newyork.mets.mlb.com from 11/20/07 entitled, "Mets deal for veteran catcher Estrada", in which Mr. Noble writes, (after catcher Johnny Estrada signed with New York as a free agent...):

"Lo Duca earned $6.25 million last season and was seeking a raise and a contract covering more years than the Mets were willing to afford him."

"'Are you kidding me with that?' Lo Duca said. "Seriously. There was never a phone call."

New York Daily News Sports Writer Adam Rubin backs Lo Duca's claims in his 3/18/08 article, "Paul Lo Duca can't mask irritation with Omar Minaya and wounded feelings", in which Mr. Rubin reports:

"The Mets have suggested Lo Duca's reps were seeking an unpalatable three-year deal, but it's clear there never was any negotiation or legitimate interest."

...Prompting Mr. Lo Duca to state, quite conspiratorially, as quoted by Mr. Rubin:

"'Maybe I wasn't the first choice to begin with,' Lo Duca noted, referring to his Dec. 5, 2005, arrival in Flushing during a Marlins fire sale."

At nypost.com, New York Post sports writer Mark Hale quotes Paul Lo Duca, in a punnily titled article, "METS TOOK LO ROAD", (subtitled, "MIFFED CATCHER: AMAZIN'S NEVER CALLED ME"), in which Mr. Lo Duca explains the kind of treatment he expected from the Mets:

"'I wouldn't have been as upset if they would have just come to me and said we're going in a different direction,' Lo Duca said.

'And that's it. Regardless of what you read, there was no communication, no offer, no nothing.'"

..and Paul Lo Duca continues to openly express his opinion in a New York Times' article by sports writer Charlie Nobles entitled, "Hard Feelings Emerge as Mets Face Lo Duca", which quotes an obviously disappointed Lo Duca admitting to what he:

"...described...as an odd and frustrating feeling of wanting to stay in New York and not having the sentiment reciprocated.

"'Any time in your lifetime when you're not wanted, it's tough,' he (Lo Duca) said. "But that's it. It's on to a new start."

Lo Duca had previously claimed to be over his time in New York, as he was quoted by MLB.com's Bill Ladson in Mr. Ladson's article, "Nats sign backstop Lo Duca", from 12/11/07 which reported on Lo Duca's $5.1 million, 1-year deal with DC, and quoted the catcher stating soberly:

"'It's water under the bridge," Lo Duca said. "The older I get, the less upset I get. I'm excited to be with the team that wants me going into a new ballpark -- that's going in the right direction. That's the way I look at it. It was disappointing [to leave the Mets]. It's over with -- this game is full of disappointments."

What should get Nationals' fans excited with Lo Duca's Nationals' debut still pending, (but expected any day), are some of the other quotes Mr. Lo Duca provided Bill Ladson for the same washington.nationals.mlb.com article, in which Mr. Ladson writes that Lo Duca is, "...looking forward to playing the Mets 18 times," and then quotes the catcher, who gives his best wishes to the Mets for their future success:

"I hope they lose every game, because I want to win every game. If they lose every game, that means we are going up the ladder. That's the way I look at it. It's tough love, so be it."

...and as for why Paul Lo Duca chose the Nationals? According to Mr. Ladson's article, Lo Duca felt that in his opinion:

"'...the Nationals wanted me more. That's the way I looked at it. A big part of it was staying in the National League, knowing the National League East, and [the fact that we will] play the Mets 18 times. That has a lot to do with(sic).'"

If Paul Lo Duca can hit for his career .288 AVG, that would be a significant offensive improvement over Brian Schneider, who hit for a .252 AVG over his 8 seasons in Montreal and DC, with an average of 10 HR's and 63 RBI's over that time, according to Schneider's baseball-reference.com profile's 162-Game Average projections, while Lo Duca's averaged 13 HR's and 74 RBI's per.

As for my feelings for Lo Duca, as a Nationals' fan...I'll wait to see how Lo Duca recovers from surgery on his knee and helps the Nationals this season before I decide whether or not to forgive him for pretending he tagged Soriano out on that Opening Day play...

The Washington Nationals are in Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida, the Detroit Tigers' Spring home with DC righty Tim Redding on the mound against Tigers' starter Jeremy Bonderman in a game broadcast live on ESPN. The game will be played under near-perfect conditions in midday March sunshine with a few clouds dotting the Florida sky...

The Washington Nationals' Starting Lineup...

Cristian Guzman SS
Lastings Milledge CF
Nick Johnson 1B
Dmitri Young DH
Austin Kearns RF
Felipe Lopez 2B
Justin Maxwell LF
Wil Nieves C
Willie Harris 3B

Huh?...Interesting...Maybe a move to the AL is all the Nationals need to solve the first base battle. The Senators were once an American League team...

Jeremy Bonderman gets a fly ball from Cristian Guzman, strikes out Lastings Milledge and then throws a change-up hip-high and outside that gets too much of the plate allowing Nick Johnson to smoke a line drive up the middle. DY does the same with a single Detroit second baseman Placido Polanco can't reach. Austin Kearns gets a hold of  a 3-1 fastball but it ends up in the glove of Detroit left fielder Jacques Jones to end the top of the first. Nationals' righty Tim Redding gives up a leadoff double to Curtis Granderson. Redding gets a ground ball from Polanco which allows Granderson to take third. Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez floats one into left, Granderson's going....Justin Maxwell throws a lollipop home and high over the plate, Wil Nieves retrieves it and dives back for the tag and the inning ending DP.

The Nationals go down in order in the top of the second. Tim Redding walks leadoff hitter Gary Sheffield to start the bottom of the frame. Jacques Jones drops a single into center moving Sheffield to second. Marcus Thames takes a third strike with the bat on his shoulder. Edgar Renteria, the Tigers' new shortstop, grounds to second, Felipe Lopez flips to Guzman, to Johnson at first, another DP ends the second.

Willie Harris singles to start the third and then gets picked off first. Cristian Guzman is robbed of a blooper on an awkward head first dive by Jacques Jones.  1-1 pitch from Bonderman to Milledge...fastball high...CRACK...GONE!!! A no-doubter from Milledge puts the Nationals up 1-0. DY has to leap to avoid colliding with Tigers' first baseman Marcus Thames, who falls into the basepath after catching a weak throw from Polanco. Everyone's OK...1-0 Nationals after two and a half. Redding gives up a one-out single to Timo Perez in the bottom of the inning. Curtis Granderson blows a high chopper through second baseman Felipe Lopez. Polanco grounds into a force at second, Pudge flies out to right. Three in the book, 1-0 DC.

Justin Maxwell works a two-out walk in the top of the fourth, but Bonderman gets Wil Nieves to fly out to center ending the Nationals' half. Gary Sheffield explodes on a fastball for a line drive over short. Tim Redding retires the next three batters for his fourth scoreless frame. 1-0 DC.

Willie Harris works a leadoff walk to start the fifth, and wastes his second out of the game as he gets gunned down trying to steal second. Cristian Guzman rips a single to right. Lastings Milledge takes strike three...Jeremy Bonderman's done for the day...Left-handed reliever Tim Byrdak gives up an opposite field double to Nick Johnson that bounces off the left field wall allowing Guzman to score from first. 2-0 Nationals. DY from the right side goes down swinging to end the Nationals' fifth. Brandon Inge grounds out to short. Timo Perez flies out to Milledge. Granderson gives Justin Maxwell work with a high fly to left for Redding's fifth scoreless.

Tim Byrdak's back for the sixth and Austin Kearns lines to right for a leadoff single. Felipe Lopez rips a singles through the right side of the infield. Justin Maxwell takes a 2-1 Byrdak breaking ball inside and lifts it to left for a three-run blast into the outfield grass. 5-0 Nationals. Wil Nieves flies out. Willie Harris works a one-out walk. Ronnie Belliard blasts a 1-0 fastball to left for a two-run HR and a 6-0 lead. Lastings Milledge breaks his bat and sends the barrel and the ball towards third, where Brandon Inge calmly makes the play while avoiding the flying wood. Nick Johnson singles for his third hit of the game. Byrdak's out. Clay Rapada gives up a double to DY on the first pitch he throws, pinch runner Matt Whitney scores from first so Nick Johnson doesn't have to...8-0 Nationals. Austin Kearns singles on a grounder into left. DY to third. Kearns takes second on a throwing error. Felipe Lopez walks. Justin Maxwell takes a full-count slider for ball four and a 9-0 lead after five and a half.

Joel Hanrahan replaces Redding and throws two scoreless innings in relief for a total of 10.2 scoreless this Spring. Ray King's got 5 scoreless innings of his own, with only 2 hits allowed, one of them today. Jesus "Everyday" Colome gives up the only Tigers' run of the game on a two-out HR from Thames in the ninth, but that's all Detroit musters in a 9-1 DC win.

GAME NOTES

Cristian Guzman 1 for 3 with a run scored. Ronnie Belliard's 1 for 3 with a HR and 2 RBI's. Milledge 2 for 5 with a HR. Nick Johnson's 3 for 3 with a double an RBI and a walk. Dmitri Young's 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI. Justin Maxwell 1 for 3 with 4 RBI's.

Tim Redding improves to (2-0) in Grapefruit League action allowing 5 hits and 1 walk with 1 K and a 2.81 ERA, and the Nationals bullpen continues to impress. Joel Hanrahan, Ray King, "Everyday" Colome, Luis Ayala, Jon Rauch, Chad Cordero...and then some combination of Saul Rivera, Ryan Wagner and Chris Schroder should give the Nationals one of best bullpens in baseball.

The Nationals have tomorrow off...which might make for a good time to discuss Paul Lo Duca's recent rant against his former employer...The Mets...