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Team to injured vets: Go heal up
Nationals notebook
Date published: 9/18/2008
BY RICH CAMPBELL WASHINGTON-- The Washington Nationals' injury-marred season may be nearing its conclusion, but the negative injury news isn't letting up. Yesterday, it was a quadruple whammy.The Nationals announced that catcher Jesus Flores (sprained left ankle), right fielder Austin Kearns (broken left foot), infielder Ronnie Belliard (strained right groin) and first baseman Dmitri Young (strained left hip) will not play again this season. "They're just going to take their time, heal properly, and we'll see them next year in spring training," manager Manny Acta said. "I don't think it makes any sense at this point to have a guy start playing at less than 100 percent or to have a guy work so hard to get to 100 percent and play the last two games of the season without having at-bats for so long." The news, though not particularly surprising, was fitting, considering the horde of injuries that have debilitated the Nationals this season. Eight of the nine members of the Opening Night lineup, and 17 different players overall, have spent time on the disabled list. That has forced Acta to use 114 different lineups this season, excluding pitchers. In spite of the constant turnover, Acta and general manager Jim Bowden believe they can properly evaluate the team this offseason and determine projections for 2009. "I think we all have a pretty good idea of what people's potential and talent are, the injured players," Bowden said. "We had the opportunity to see other players and younger players and see how they fit in for next year. I think we all have a pretty good feel of what the players are when they're healthy and what the risks are for the players that were not healthy." Kearns and Young, in particular, now enter the offseason with questions surrounding their ability to contribute in 2009. Kearns finishes the year with a .217 average, seven homers and 32 RBIs in 86 games (313 at-bats). His previous career-low average was .230 in 64 games with Cincinnati in 2004. "It's tough," Kearns said. "You've got to roll with it. Things happen that are out of your control, and that's part of it."
Date published: 9/18/2008
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