Location: Washington, D.C. | Ballpark: Nationals Park (41,222) | Spring Training: Viera, Fla.
Managing Principal Owner: Theodore N. Lerner | GM: Jim Bowden | Manager: Manny Acta | World Championships: 0
--LF Elijah Dukes rejoined the Nationals after being activated from the 15-day disabled list, striking out twice after coming into the game in the seventh inning. Dukes, who has missed the whole season with a strained right hamstring, said he is 100 percent and isn't feeling any pain in his leg. "I had no troubles running and stuff like that, so that was the most important thing -- being able to run and run hard and not have to think about it," Dukes said. "I didn't think about it, so I felt good."
--C Jesus Flores will start Saturday after being called up from Class AAA Columbus (Ohio). Flores will get the majority of the starts while Paul Lo Duca and Johnny Estrada are on the disabled list, with Wil Nieves seeing one or two games a week.
--RHP Chad Cordero, who tore his right latissimus dorsi muscle on April 29 against the Braves, said his rehab is on schedule so far. He is still expected to be out another month, but began a weight program to strengthen his shoulder Friday. "I'm trying to do a little bit more, but trying not to do it to the point where it's going to hurt or anything like that. Everything we're doing right now is to make sure it's getting stronger, stretching out and nothing else gets worse."
--LHP Matt Chico pitched two scoreless innings in his first relief appearance, allowing two hits and throwing 35 pitches. Chico was removed from the rotation earlier this week in favor of Mike O'Connor, who will start Saturday's game against the Marlins. "I was just trying to relax, go out and throw, which is what I've been trying to find since I was starting," Chico said.
--3B Ryan Zimmerman struggled on the heels of an 8-for-14 series against the Astros, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Zimmerman hit two home runs at Houston's Minute Maid Park, but struck out in the first inning and flied to right in the fifth, angrily flipping his helmet when he reached first base.
BY THE NUMBERS 42 -- Hits in the first 31 games by SS Cristian Guzman, who is hitting .309.
QUOTE TO NOTE "It was a pained vacation. Not a paid vacation, a pained vacation." -- Young, on the five weeks he's been out of the Nationals' lineup with a lower back sprain.
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Please, please, please - somebody, anybody, fire Jim Bowden. From the Washington Post account, it's hard to know who screwed up the worst (agent or Bowden) on this Aaron Crow deal, but the failure to communicate earlier in the process left little room for error when it came to the 11th hour. Things keep happening on Bowden's watch (e.g., failing to trade Soriano in 200
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The Washington Nationals traded for minor league shortstop Alberto Gonzales yesterday. You have got to be kidding me. I thought Mr. Gonzales had been "released" from the administration. I realize he has had trouble finding a legal job, but playing baseball for the Nats. However, given our team's ineptitude, and his legal i
If the Nationals season wasn't bad enough already, they failed to sign first round pick Aaron Crow to an entry-level contract. He was the 9th overall pick, a right-handed pitcher from Missouri.
The Nats will now most likely have 2 Top 10 picks for the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft, which will out of all likelihood, include the
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Can anyone tell me who this guy is that coaches third base for the Nationals? He has sent runners home each of the last two games against the Astros with both (Zimmerman & Pena) thrown out at the plate by a great margin in key situations . He has also had similar instances earl
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