Daily Nats Blurbs

[CAPtainawesome]

andreas04: close to attraction

[Lets Go Rays]

Julian Tavarez left for the Dominican Republic to acquire a work visa on Wednesday, which will allow him to play in Nationals' exhibition games upon his return.
Tavarez, who signed with Washington March 13, has only been allowed to participate in minor league and intrasquad games thus far. He is expected to return to the team on Friday.

Source: Washington Post

[Lets Go Rays]

Dmitri Young (back) had two hits in a minor league game Friday, but wasn't able to run the bases.

[Lets Go Rays]

Rule 5 pick Terrell Young is unlikely to open the season on the Nationals' 40-man roster.

Anderson Hernandez, who left Wednesday night's game with a strained hamstring, is expected to try some running or jogging on Monday.

[Kingdom]

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals - Recap - March 14, 2010 - ESPN

Strasburg had another good outing, then again, David Freese is not Albert Pujols.

[Kingdom]

Strasburg was sent to AA. Jayson Stark estimates he'll be back by Memorial Day, as Washington will save a bunch of cash and get that extra year in the arbitration game.

Only 2 runs allowed this spring.

[DirtyKash]

Why Double-A and not Triple-A?

[realmofotalk]

Why Double-A and not Triple-A?

Because he needs alcoholic counseling and not travel service? But seriously, it's because Triple-A is full of Quadruple A hitters who dominate much younger, inexperienced pitchers.

[BuckFoston]

[love_that_reefer]

Bryce Harper is batting .353 with a home run and four RBI through 17 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League.
The 18-year-old phenom is playing on the Scottsdale Scorpions' taxi squad, meaning he starts only two games a week. Still, Harper has done some impressive things in limited action and against a high level of competition. He's likely to start the 2011 season at a high level of Single-A.

Not bad for a kid everyone thought was going to be overmatched and didn't deserve to go to the AFL.

[love_that_reefer]

Nationals prospect Bryce Harper is batting .343 with a 1039 OPS through nine games in the Arizona Fall League.
The Nats were hesitant about sending Harper down to the prospect-packed AFL because they were worried that he might flop against a tough level of competition. But he's proven himself ready for the big stage and seems likely to kick off the 2011 season at Single-A rather than rookie ball.

Nats fans have to be pleased. For a kid his age to start at Single A would be impressive.

[love_that_reefer]

Ian Desmond will hit leadoff for the Nationals this season.
The Nationals needed a new leadoff man after Nyjer Morgan lost the starting job in center field and was subsequently traded to the Brewers. Desmond is an interesting choice in that he walked just 28 times in 574 plate appearances last season.

Desmond has a lot of speed but has a long way to go on his OB skills, not that Morgan was better. Nats really don't have an ideal leadoff man so Desmond will have to do.