Outfield situation unclear

The Nats still are not sure who will be their starting outfielders in 2009, with spring training coming up shortly. Who I think will be their starters is Dukes in right, Milledge in center, and Willingham in left. They have a ton of righty outfielders, including Milledge, Willingham, Dukes, Kearns, Wily Mo Pena, Justin Maxwell, and if they sign him, Corey Patterson. Austin Kearns will compete for a outfield spot, although he is just a joke. He couldn't or wouldn't hit anything last year. It's ridiculous how the ownership, when being asked about Kearn's pathetic play, said he listens to his coaches and never complains. That absolute crap right there. So that means he is making four million dollars every year to be nice to the coaches, and make the Nats lose 10 more games? I've had enough with him. Every year they say he is going to post 20 home runs and 80 RBIs, and he's never close.Oh and yay, see that plan!(above) just stop right in front of the catcher! great idea! Just look at his numbers last year...... .217 average, .316 slugging percentage, only 7 home runs to go with 63 strikeouts... Wily Mo Pena is even less likely to win a starting spot, yet being a much better hitter than Kearns. Pena is a really underrated player. Going back to the last time he was healthy, he hit .293 with 7 home runs in 120 at-bats with the Nats at the end of the '07 season. Unlike Kearns, Pena actually does have an excuse for his poor play in 2008, playing with a shoulder injury the whole season. Even though the management hates him, I think they should at least him him a shot at starting, to see if he could do what he did in late '07, but I don't see that happening. Let's just hope the Nats don't sign Corey Patterson, as he has sucked in his career and is no more than a pinch-runner.
What looks like the three starting outfielders for the nats are all righties, so that means Willie Harris and Roger Bernadina will see lots of action. Thats just what I think the outfield will be going into spring training, but lots could happen, including still a possibility of signing a major free agent, such as Adam Dunn or Orlando Hudson. As I mentioned last post, they could've just said they had no intreast in him just to bring their price down, consitering Stan Kasten said recently Dunn and Hudson price was too much. Having a righty outfield means Nick Johnson has to stay healthy, or another righty in Willingham will take his place. The nats need another left-handed first basemen in case Johnson gets injured, consitering Da Meat hook gets released and Kory Casto is terrible. Overall, even if the nats don't get anybody, they still have a solid outfield for 2009. In other news.....................................

• I will be going to the first natsfest on sunday with my son!
  

Bowden Screws up again, Patterson retires

Again.
A few days ago, he said the Nationals are no longer running for major free-agents, including second basemen Orlando Hudson and left fielder Adam Dunn. This means another year of Nick Johnson getting injured and Ronnie Belliard, or even Dmitri Young playing their pathetic first base. Dunn or Hudson would've been great fit for Washington, lacking a power hitter or a true leadoff hitter. After Johnson gets injured, maybe what would not be so bad is Willingham move to first, Dukes move to left, Milledge in center, and Austin Kearns or Wily Mo Pena in right. Even though Bowden said this, he could've only said it to lower the price of Dunn and Hudson, and then possibly sign either one to a longterm deal. Although it may seem like that would happen, don't forget how close they were to getting Texeiria, when Texeiria said he was favoring the Yankees the whole time. Also it looks like the Cubs, who were once the lead runners, are no longer running for Dunn after signing Milton Bradley, another left-handed hitting outfielder, but you can't be sure after the Red Sox, Angles, and Orioles said they officialy dropped out of Texeiria but then came back in the race. I am really mad at Bowdon if they don't get anyone, considering they said they would get someone good.
Also, John Patterson, a former starting pitcher for the Nats, retired from baseball the other day. His career came to an end when he started to throw in early January, and his arm started to hurt again. He was a great pitcher when healthy, his best season in 2005 when he went 9-7 with a ERA of 3.13 and 185 strikeouts. In 2006 was when the injuries got in the way, going 1-4 with a 4.51 ERA. He struggled more in '07, and the Nats released him in '08 after a arm injure.
" I don't know what went wrong. I wish I had a chance to have a few more healthy seasons," He said recently. What I would have done is just take 2 or 3 years off, then spend the next year in the minor leagues, and then return to the majors and see what happens. In other news............

• Tim Redding signed a 1 year, 2.25 million deal with the Mets.
• The Nationals said they are willing to give Jordan Zimmermannnnnnnnnnnn a shot at starting next year.