The Nationals' attempts to upgrade their roster didn't slow down after general manager Jim Bowden resigned on March 1. Acting general manager Mike Rizzo signed LHP Joe Beimel to a one-year deal on March 22, adding another veteran to the group Bowden acquired in the offseason (OFs Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham, as well as LHP Scott Olsen). The Nationals also saw the emergence of RHPs Jordan Zimmermann and Shairon Martis, appointed CF Lastings Milledge their new leadoff hitter and watched Anderson Hernandez move toward becoming the everyday second baseman (before he landed on the disabled list).
PLAYER NEWS: --SS Cristian Guzman is off to another strong start following his 2008 All-Star season. He was 6-for-14 in the Nationals' first three games of the season against the Marlins, also scoring three runs. Guzman hit .316 in 138 games last year, ranking fifth in the National League with 183 hits.
--RF Austin Kearns hit .273 with a homer and four RBIs in the Nationals' first series. The homer in particular was a sign to manager Manny Acta that Kearns has rebounded from a nightmarish 2008 season in which he hit .217 in 86 games and missed nearly half the season with a pair of injuries. "Most of his home runs the last couple of years were on off-speed stuff," Acta said. "(Tuesday) he was able to turn around on a mid-90s fastball and hit it a long way. That tells us that he's probably going to be back to his old self."
--3B Ryan Zimmerman, a career .233 hitter in March and April, went 2-for-14 in the Nationals' opening series against the Marlins, though both of his hits were doubles. Zimmerman struck out four times and scored one run.
--2B Willie Harris could get some extra playing time this weekend in Atlanta with Ronnie Belliard nursing a sore back. He started Wednesday to give Belliard a day off and would share any time Belliard misses with Alberto Gonzalez.
MEDICAL WATCH:
2B Ronnie Belliard (sore back) left the April 8 game. He hopes to return April 10.
1B Dmitri Young (strained back and hip) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 1. Young, who has been working himself back into shape while trying to manage diabetes, will remain at extended spring training in Viera, Fla. The Nationals hope he'll be ready to go on a rehab assignment at some point in late April and perhaps return to the big-league roster soon after that.
2B Anderson Hernandez (strained left hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He is expected back by mid-April.
RHP Terrell Young (inflamed right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27.
LHP Matt Chico (Tommy John elbow surgery in July 2008) went on the 60-day disabled list March 28. He will miss at least the first half of the season.
ROTATION:
1. LHP John Lannan
2. LHP Scott Olsen
3. RHP Daniel Cabrera
4. RHP Shairon Martis
BULLPEN:
RHP Joel Hanrahan (closer)
LHP Joe Beimel
RHP Saul Rivera
RHP Steven Shell
RHP Julian Tavarez
RHP Mike Hinckley
LHP Wil Ledezma
LINEUP:
1. CF Lastings Milledge
2. SS Cristian Guzman
3. 3B Ryan Zimmerman
4. LF Adam Dunn
5. RF Austin Kearns
6. 1B Nick Johnson
7. C Jesus Flores
8. 2B Ronnie Belliard
RESERVES:
C Josh Bard
C Wil Nieves
OF/INF Willie Harris
OF Elijah Dukes
OF Josh Willingham
INF Alberto Gonzalez
