Game #57
Nats (27-29) vs. Cincinnati Reds (31-24)
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If I were a catcher for the Nats I’d probably start making offerings to Jobu. Seriously. Maybe some cigars. Maybe some rum. Because back-up catcher Carlos Maldonado is now hurt and headed to the disabled list. Maldonado was only in Washington because of an injury to Ivan Rodriguez (back) and because the Nats’ catching insurance signed in the offseason – Chris Coste (elbow) and Jamie Burke (knee) – were both hurt, too. Add in Jesus Flores, who is still recovering from last year’s shoulder surgery, and you have an absolute demolition of a team’s catching corps. Four of Washington’s top six catchers were on the disabled list entering Saturday and Burke just returned from knee surgery late last month and has appeared in just six Triple-A games with Syracuse so far.
Maldonado took a foul tip off his right thumb during the series against Houston and suffered a cracked bone. He can still swing the bat, according to manager Jim Riggleman. He just can’t throw. And that would be a problem. Flores is nowhere near returning. The Nats actually released Coste on Saturday. He had undergone Tommy John surgery on his elbow last month.
Rodriguez is close to returning. His sore lower back has responded to treatment while on the 15-day disabled list. He ran and played catch before the game tonight against the Reds, throwing to second base with no problem. If Rodriguez still feels okay on Sunday after a batting-practice session and running the bases then the Nats plan for a rehab start for five or six innings at Single-A Potomac at 7 p.m. on Monday. Pass that final test and Rodriguez should start Tuesday when rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg makes his major-league debut. So will Rodriguez push it to make it back in time for that game?
“No because I got to be 100 percent before I catch in a game,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t want to go in just because I want to play Tuesday – it’s nice to catch Tuesday because Stephen’s pitching. It’s going to be great to get on the field with him. That’s what I’m hoping. Right now the way I’m going Monday is a big day. If everything goes good I’ll be catching Tuesday. But if not then Wednesday, Thursday or Friday I’ll be playing.”
But for now the Nats need a back-up to Wil Nieves. Burke had knee surgery in March, made his minor-league debut in late May and will fill in on an emergency basis for a few days. He was added to the roster on Saturday.
For now, the Nats are getting set to host the Reds in Game #2 of this three-game set at 7:05 p.m. Washington took last night’s opener 4-2 with a pair of unearned runs in the seventh inning. They face 22-year-old Mike Leake, a right-handed pitcher who was drafted No. 8 overall behind Strasburg in the 2009 draft. But he was considered so polished coming out of Arizona State the Reds decided to add him to the rotation the first time they needed a No. 5 starter on April 11. He’s already made an impact despite being the first draft pick to go straight to the big leagues since Xavier Nady (Pittsburgh) in June, 2000. Only 21 players have done that since the draft began in 1965. Leake is already 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 starts. He is opposed by Luis Atilano (5-1, 4.70 ERA). Here are the lineups for both clubs.
Reds:
Cabrera – SS
Phillips – 2B
Votto – 1B
Rolen – 3B
Gomes – LF
Bruce – RF
Stubbs – CF
Hernandez – C
Leake – P
Nationals:
Guzman – 2B
Morgan – CF
Zimmerman – 3B
Dunn – 1B
Willingham – LF
Bernadina – RF
Desmond – SS
Nieves – C
Atilano – P
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