WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Starting Lineup
CF Lastings Milledge: hasn't quite lived up to the hype but will still be just 24 years old in 2009 UPDATE 3/22 - looks like he'll be leading off for the Nats
SS Cristian Guzman: had a career year at age 30 (.316 BA, 9 HR, 35 2B), which helped earn him a nice two-year contract extension
3B Ryan Zimmerman: should bounce back after injury-riddled season
LF Adam Dunn: Nats finally able to make a big splash in the free agent market although they're still way behind the Phillies and Mets
1B Nick Johnson: 30 year-old likely to be traded now that Dunn as been signed to play 1B UPDATE 3/8 - appears to be healthy as he has 2 HR's in his first 14 AB's of the spring; the Nats will likely move Dunn to LF to accomodate Johnson with Willingham coming off the bench and playing 1B or OF against LHP's
OF Austin Kearns: big disappointment since being acquired in '06; signing of his good buddy Dunn pretty much guarantees he won't be a starter UPDATE 4/2 - still in the mix for the starting RF job UPDATE 4/4 - will be the starting RF
2B Ronnie Belliard: he'll provide solid depth at all four infield positions if he doesn't win the 2B job outright UPDATE 4/1 - will be the starting 2B while Anderson Hernandez is on the DL
C Jesus Flores: the 24 year-old hit 8 HR's and had 59 RBI's in only 90 games and threw out 27% of attempted base stealers so the potential is there

Bench
C Josh Bard: UPDATE 3/21 - signed to a minor league deal, he'll try and beat out Nieves and Valentin for the backup job; all three are solid major league backups UPDATE 3/28 - the backup job is down to Bard and Nieves
C Wil Nieves: provides little offensively but is a solid defender and capable backup UPDATE 4/2 - looks like the Nats could go with 3 catchers to start the season
IF Alberto Gonzalez: UPDATE 3/8 - vying for a backup IF job in 2009; hit .347 in 49 AB's with the Nats in '08 and is off to a 6-for-15 start this spring UPDATE 4/1 - looks like he'll make the team
1B/OF Josh Willingham: offseason acquisition, who has a career OBP of .361, will likely play LF UPDATE 3/11 - if the season started today, he would on the bench
RF Elijah Dukes: this super-talented outfielder is only one explosion-free, healthy season away from becoming a star UPDATE 4/4 - beaten out by Kearns for the starting RF job
UTL Willie Harris: super-utility man had a career season in '08 (13 HR, 13 SB); should get at least 300 AB's again

Starting Rotation
LHP John Lannan : posted a 3.91 ERA, 182 IP, and a 9-15 record in his first full ML season UPDATE 3/17 - named opening day starter
LHP Scott Olsen: solid mid-rotation starter will be #1 in the Nationals rotation, not a good sign in a tough NL East
RHP Daniel Cabrera: Still a miniscule chance he can turn into a good starting pitcher but the 27 year-old will need to learn to throw strikes
RHP Shairon Martis: UPDATE 3/8 - 21 year-old has allowed just one hit and no runs through 4 IP this spring UPDATE 3/14 - allowed 1 ER in 4 IP in his latest outing and is in the running for a rotation spot
UPDATE 3/24 - continues to make a statement with 6 shutout innings today UPDATE 3/28 - officially named the team's #4 starter

Bullpen
RHP Joel Hanrahan: finished the season as the closer, saving 9 games and striking out 93 in 84.1 IP; front-runner to be 2009 closer
LHP Joe Beimel: UPDATE 3/18 - signed to a 1-year deal today; Acta says he'll serve as the 8th inning set-up man
RHP Saul Rivera: posted a 3.96 ERA in 76 games; allowed only 3 HR's in 84 IP
LHP Michael Hinckley: pitched 13.2 IP for the Nats in '08 (all in September) and did not allow an earned run; could compete for a rotation spot but at least locked down a bullpen spot with his impressive debut
RHP Steven Shell: one of the few bright spots on the pitching staff in '08, the 25 year-old posted a 2.16 ERA with only 34 hits allowed in 50 IP UPDATE 4/4 - appears to have made the opening day roster
RHP Julian Tavarez: UPDATE 3/13 - 35 year-old inks a minor league deal; he pitched in 9 games for Boston in '08, 7 games with Milwaukee, and finished up with the Braves (3.89 ERA, 34.2 IP, 35 K) UPDATE 4/4 - made the opening day roster
LHP Wil Ledezma: great stuff but can be erratic; could blossom on a team without expectations like the Nats UPDATE 3/25 - making a strong case for a bullpen job UPDATE 4/4 - made the team

Disabled List
LHP Matt Chico: out until at least late July recovering from an elbow injury
2B Anderson Hernandez: acquired in the Luis Ayala deal, he will be given a shot to win the 2B job but he'll have to hold off Ronnie Belliard UPDATE 4/1- will start the season on the DL with a strained hamstring
1B Dmitri Young: UPDATE 3/25 - still in the mix for a bench job UPDATE 4/2 - will start the season on the DL
RHP Terrell Young: top pick in the Rule V Draft, the Nats will try to stash the talented 23 year-old on the roster for the entire season and use him in long relief UPDATE 3/7 - so far, so good UPDATE 3/25 - will have an MRI on his right shoulder UPDATE 4/4 - placed on the 15-day DL, retroactive to March 27

Released
RHP Shawn Hill: made only 12 starts in '08 before being shut down with shoulder problem UPDATE 3/14 - hadn't pitched in a game since 2/25 because of forearm soreness but he felt no pain after a bullpen session yesterday UPDATE 3/18 - the Nats have given up on the 27 year-old after 37 starts over parts of four seasons

Optioned to AAA
OF Roger Bernadina: hit just .211 in 76 AB's for the Nats in 2008 but he had a big minor league season, hitting .335 with 9 HR's and 54 RBI's between AA and AAA UPDATE 3/7 - chances have increased to make the team because of injuries to Kearns and Pena and is playing very good this spring, according to his manager
RHP Colin Balester: the 22 year-old pitched a few good games down the stretch for the Nats but will have to pitch well in the spring to win a roster spot UPDATE 3/1 - click here for more on the competition for the last rotation spot UPDATE 3/28 - optioned to AAA after losing out to Martis and Zimmerman in the competition for a spot in the rotation
RHP Jason Bergmann: lost his rotation spot during a dismal '08 season; will be competing for a middle relief job, according to Manager Manny Acta UPDATE 4/4 - optioned to AAA
RHP Garrett Mock: a starter in the minors, he pitched pretty well in relief in his first ML stint with the Nats; could battle for the #5 spot in the rotation or a middle relief job UPDATE 4/4 - optioned to AAA

Reassigned to Minor League Camp
LHP Justin Jones: 24 year-old trying to make the team as a reliever after spending his entire minor league career as a starter UPDATE 3/6 - Manager Manny Acta was pleased with his recent outing
RHP Preston Larrison: 28 year-old sinkerballer keeps the ball in the park and has excellent minor league numbers
RHP Josh Towers: spent 2008 in Colorado Springs (AAA), posting a 6.27 ERA UPDATE 3/15 - headed for minor league camp
IF Freddie Bynum: speed and versatility a plus but still a longshot to make team
IF Pete Orr: career .261 batter in 444 ML AB's will battle for a backup job
OF Ryan Langerhans: will battle Cory Patterson, Pena, and others for a backup OF spot
1B Brad Eldred: UPDATE 3/13 - long shot to make roster despite starting the spring with 5 hits in 15 AB's including 3 HR's and 6 RBI's
LHP Gustavo Chacin: had a promising start to his ML career (22-13 in '05-06) before injuries
OF Cory Patterson: running out of chances but could fit in as a backup centerfielder UPDATE 3/28 - reassigned to the minors
IF Jose Castillo: UPDATE 3/8 - former Pirate is 5-for-14 this spring as he tries to win a spot on the bench UPDATE 3/28 - reassigned to the minors
RHP Ryan Wagner: did not pitch in the majors in 2008 UPDATE 3/30 - reassigned to the minors
RHP Gary Glover: 32 year-old veteran has a career 5.03 ERA; trying to earn a spot on what would be his 7th ML team UPDATE 3/31 - reassigned to minor league camp
IF Alex Cintron: has gotten at least 133 AB's in the majors each season since 2003, when he had his best season with a .317 BA and 13 HR's for the D-Backs UPDATE 4/2 - reassigned to the minors
1B Kory Casto: has yet to show much at the plate in his first 217 AB's in the big leagues (.194 BA) UPDATE 3/12 - out of options and with a slim chance of making the team, he could find himself elsewhere by opening day UPDATE 3/25 - the news that the team will carry an extra position player improves Casto's chances of sticking, at least until April 19th when the #5 starter will be recalled UPDATE 4/2 - likely to be placed on waivers today or tomorrow UPDATE 4/4 - cleared waivers and outrighted to AAA
RHP Jordan Zimmerman: Washington's Minor League Pitcher of the Year and #1 prospect, according to BA, will get a look in the spring and should get his first big league start by mid-season. Zimmerman, 22, and 22 year-old lefty Ross Detwiler give the Nat's a future 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation that could finally lift them back into contention in the NL East UDPATE 3/18 - the release of Hill should improve Zimmerman's chances of cracking the rotation - after all, he hasn't allowed a run in 12.1 IP this spring while walking just two batters and striking out 16 UPDATE 3/25 - the team will carry an extra bench player because they don't need a 5th starter until April 19th; this means that whoever is the designated #5 starter (Zimmerman, Martis, or Balester) will likely start the season in AAA UPDATE 3/28 - named the team's #5 starter; will pitch in the minors until he's needed on April 19th UPDATE 4/4 - reassigned to minor league camp but will be back by April 19th
RHP Jesus Colome: posted a 4.31 ERA with 61 hits allowed in 71 IP for the Nats in 2008 UPDATE 3/8 - has yet to allow a baserunner in 4 IP this spring UPDATE 3/13 - appears to be the front runner for the 8th inning job UPDATE 4/4 - reassigned to the minors

Released after declining Assignment to Minor League Camp
C Javier Valentin: veteran switch-hitter is a good complement for the right-handed hitting Flores UPDATE 3/28 - became a free agent after declining a minor league assignment
OF Wily Mo Pena: if he isn't hitting HR's (only 2 in 195 AB's in '08), he is pretty useless, but he is owed $2 million so he'll likely be back UPDATE 3/28 - placed on waivers; if gone unclaimed, he can report to AAA or become a free agent UPDATE 3/31 - released after declining minor league assignment