--LHP Charlie Manning was claimed by the St. Louis Cardinals off waivers, the Nationals announced Oct. 15. Manning had a 1-3 record with a 5.14 ERA in 57 appearances for the Nationals last season, but he struggled with his control late in the year and fell out of favor as a left-handed specialist with the emergence of Mike Hinckley.
--OF Ryan Langerhans was outrighted to Class AAA Syracuse (N.Y.) on Oct. 15, sending him back to the minors after a season in which he shifted back and forth between Class AAA and the major leagues. He hit .234 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 73 games with the Nationals last season. --RHP Levale Speigner was outrighted to Class AAA Syracuse (N.Y.) on Oct. 15. There was little chance of Speigner remaining on the 40-man roster after a disastrous September call-up, in which he appeared in seven games but gave up 10 runs in eight innings and walked six batters.
--The Nationals hired Deric Ladnier as national cross-checker and special assistant to the general manager. Ladnier, 44, had been the Kansas City Royals' senior scouting director for the past nine seasons and will be heavily involved in next June's draft, in which Washington has the No. 1 and No. 10 picks.
--1B Nick Johnson has started to resume baseball activities for the first time since tearing the tendon sheath in his right wrist in May, giving him less than four months to get healthy before trying to come back from yet another season-ending injury next spring. The 30-year-old Johnson has spent time on the disabled list in each of the past nine seasons.
BY THE NUMBERS: 1 -- Coaches currently on manager Manny Acta's staff, nearly a month after general manager Jim Bowden announced that every coach but pitching coach Randy St. Claire would be replaced. Bowden had yet to hire any new staff members, and he was also looking for a new medical director after Ben Shaffer resigned.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Deric is among the elite talent evaluators in baseball, and we are excited to add him to our staff." -- Nationals GM Jim Bowden, on the addition of former Kansas City Royals senior scouting director Deric Ladnier to the Nationals' front office. Ladnier, who oversaw the drafting of prospects such as Alex Gordon, Luke Hochevar and Zack Greinke in Kansas City, will be heavily involved with next June's draft.
