--1B Nick Johnson is making progress in his recovery from a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist. Johnson, who missed the final 4 1/2 months of the season, has been doing underwater therapy and should be ready to resume hitting off a tee by mid-November. The Nationals remain confident the 30-year-old first baseman will be ready for the start of spring training.
--RHP Shawn Hill, who had elbow surgery in September, was re-examined by orthopedist James Andrews recently and has been cleared to start a throwing program. Hill hopes to be ready for the start of spring training, but the Nationals will monitor him closely. --LHP Ryan Buchter was traded to the Cubs for LHP Matt Avery in a swap of minor league pitchers. Buchter, a 2005 draft pick, was 2-2 with a 3.26 ERA in 13 relief appearances with low Class A Hagerstown (Md.). Avery, a former college teammate of Washington 3B Ryan Zimmerman at Virginia, went 4-2 with a 4.46 ERA in 32 relief appearances with Class AA Tennessee.
--The Nationals signed three teenage prospects from the Dominican Republic: RHP Pedro Encarnacion, 16; OF Aridio Rodriguez, 19; and INF/OF Jairo Bernabel, 17. Encarnacion is considered the best of the prospects, with a chance to become a back-end starter in the majors.
--The Nationals unveiled some new uniforms for the 2009 season. The biggest change is to their road gray jerseys, which now will feature the word "Washington" across the chest in red script lettering instead of blue block lettering. Also new for 2009 are a pair of alternate jerseys: one that is red with a white "curly W" logo on the left breast, one that is navy blue with an interlocking "DC" logo on the left breast filled in with stars and stripes. The white home jersey, with the block "Nationals" across the front, remains virtually unchanged for 2009.
BY THE NUMBERS: 3 -- Nationals who got at least 400 at-bats in 2008: 3B Ryan Zimmerman (428), SS Cristian Guzman (579) and OF Lastings Milledge (523).
QUOTE TO NOTE: "If you look around the league, too many uniforms look alike." -- Manager Manny Acta, after the Nationals unveiled their new jerseys for the 2009 season.
