--C Josh Bard signed a minor league deal with the Nationals less than a week after he was released by the Red Sox. He will compete with Wil Nieves and Javier Valentin for the job as Jesus Flores' backup.
--RHP Shawn Hill was released by the Nationals on March 18, just two days after making a one-inning start that had the oft-injured pitcher believing his frequent arm troubles were finally behind him. Hill had been penciled in for a rotation spot if he were healthy, but acting general manager Mike Rizzo said the team couldn't count on Hill to be healthy for a whole season. Hill signed a minor league deal with the Padres on March 23.
--LHP Joe Beimel signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Nationals on March 18. He likely will be the setup man for new closer Joel Hanrahan. Beimel went 5-1 with a 2.02 ERA for the Dodgers last season. "I have my eighth-inning guy," manager Manny Acta said.
--RHP Julian Tavarez signed a minor league deal with the Nationals as the team continued to look for veteran arms to fortify its bullpen. The 35-year-old was coming off an impressive stint with the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. He said he'd had other minor league offers last fall but didn't consider them until the winter went by without him landing a contract.
--1B Dmitri Young could be running out of time to make the Nationals' roster. The 35-year-old has been sidelined most of the spring with tightness in his lower back, and while manager Manny Acta said Young started to hit on March 20, he conceded the 2007 NL comeback player of the year would have a difficult time getting up to speed by Opening Day.
--RHP Collin Balester struggled again on March 20, giving up four runs in the third inning of a loss to the Tigers. He allowed nine hits and five runs in four innings, leaving him spring ERA at 7.80. "It's just inconsistency," Balester said. "I'm trying my hardest, and maybe that's a bad thing. I'm working hard to try to get out of this. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of it."
BY THE NUMBERS: 37 -- Starts Shawn Hill has made since 2004. The right-hander, released March 18, has battled a variety of arm troubles throughout his career, and the Nationals cut ties with him because they decided they couldn't count on him being healthy for a full year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "(This move) is probably the toughest I've had to make here. He's the type of guy (where) every manager wishes to have 20 of him." -- Manager Manny Acta on RHP Shawn Hill, who was released after several years of arm trouble.
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