Only 22 days...

[CanesSkins26]

until pitchers and catchers report for the Nationals. With all the nonsense going on with the Redskins' coaching search, I thought it would nice to focus on the Nats. Anybody want to venture a prediction as to the opening day lineup and pitching staff?

Here's how I see it...

C - LoDuca
1b - Dmitri Young/Nick Johnson...if Nick the Stick is healthy they'll split ab;s
2b - Lopez
ss - Guzman
3b - Zimmerman
lf - willy mo
cf - milledge
rf - kearns

rotation
Hill
Bergmann
Redding
Chico
Patterson (depending on healthy). If he isn't healthy insert Clippard.

[welch]

I feel somewhat the same way...who knows where the wind blows through Snyder's brain? We'll see the coaching staff when he organization is good and ready to tell us.

Meanwhile, I mostly agree:

C - LoDuca
1b - Dmitri Young/Nick Johnson...if Nick the Stick is healthy they'll split ab;s
2b - Lopez
ss - Guzman
3b - Zimmerman
lf - willy mo
cf - milledge
rf - kearns

rotation
Hill
Bergmann
Redding
Chico
Patterson (depending on healthy). If he isn't healthy insert Clippard.

Although:

- Nick Johnson is a fine hitter, but that leg...No matter what optimistic words we hear in the off-season, I'l believe he can play when he does play. Maybe never. If he's healthy, I will wish that D Young had lost about 25 pounds (OF)

- Add Belliard to 2B. The middle IF is a question: one guy had a single good half-season before riping his thumb; the other deserved to be benched if the team had had another shortstop. But Belliard is trustworthy.

- Not convinced Willy Mo is much better than Church, but he should be as good. Milledge is an improvement. Kearns still looks like a good fielding .250 hitter with a little power. Maybe I don't trust players who complained about the size of RFK?

- Agree about the starters, although maybe Lannan?

Overall, another "hold the fort" year, but with better pitchers and more depth.