Inbox Infusion

I'm condensing the last 3 inboxes into one, so here they are!
1/18/10

Will the Nationals make Nyjer Morgan upgrade his sliding technique?
-- Dave C., Arlington, Va.

Ladson passes along the following quote from Tony Plush in November: "If I have to make the change, I'm definitely prepared to make the change. But I'm not going to stop my aggressiveness on the basepaths. I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing out there. If I have to change my slide for the team's sake, I will. We have something brewing and it will be special. I just want to be on board with everybody."

If Nyjer's willing to make the move, I'm all for it. But if he starts getting caught more often than not in Spring Training/April, don't be surprised to see him change back.

Would you rather have the Nationals sign Orlando Hudson, or play Ian Desmond and spend money on pitching instead?
-- Alex C., Montreal

I'm all for signing Hudson. I think if a Hudson deal happened, Guzman would get about 20% of the PT at 2B and 40% at SS. I don't see the Nats naming either Guzman or Desmond the full-time starting SS if Hudson signs; both have too many question marks IMO.

Adam Dunn has proven to be a real asset. Yet, you seem to want him gone because his defense isn't that great. How in the world are you going to replace 30-something home runs and a guy who lets Ryan Zimmerman see better pitches to hit? I like the direction the team is going and I hope that includes a slugger like Adam for years to come.
-- Tim H., Virginia Beach, Va.

Adam Dunn is an asset offensively, but he is not a long-term option. It might sound silly, but I think the Nats could (and should) take a run at somebody like Miguel Cabrera. His value is at its all-time lowest with his alcoholism problems, but his worth as a player is still incredibly high. He'll only be 27 in April and can handle 1B relatively well. For more on the topic, check out Matt Klassen's FanGraphs article from November about Cabrera's trade value.

By adding Jason Marquis, do you think the Nats will have a much stronger five-man rotation in 2010?
-- Thomas B., Boston

Umm...yes? Marquis instantly brings stability to the rotation. 200 IP of 4.50 ERA ball is better than most of what the Nats have gotten from their rotation since, oh, 2005.

Is there a place for Leo Mazzone in the Nats' organization? He has an excellent reputation as a pitching coach.
-- John H., Wyalusing, Pa.

I could see the Nats bringing Mazzone in as a roving instructor of some sort, but I think they're happy with Steve McCatty as the big league pitching coach for now.

What about platooning Willie Harris and Alberto Gonzalez at second base?
-- Bill P., Arlington, Va.

Like Ladson, I don't see it happening. Desmond and Guzman are the upper tier of Nats MI's right now and Harris and Gonzalez are the lower tier. If the Nats don't sign Hudson and Desmond or Guzman flop big-time, I might reconsider my position. But if we're talking about where we stand today, I can't see this happening.

1/27/10

I think Willie Harris is underrated. I would put him at second base and Ian Desmond at shortstop. Do you agree?
-- Ben M., Silver Spring, Md.

Harris is a solid backup at 2B, somebody you can count on in a pinch. But let's be serious: he is not a starting 2B. He hasn't even played 200 innings there in the last 4 seasons! He is significantly more valuable to the team as a super-sub or starting LF than a starting 2B.

Where does left-hander Ross Detwiler fit in with the Nationals? I saw you didn't include him in your possible rotation scenarios. Could he get a real chance in 2010, or are the Nationals grooming him for future years? Being a St. Louis native, I would love to see that talent in a Cardinals uniform.
-- Josh K., St. Louis

With the signing of Marquis, Detwiler won't be rushed/forced into a starting role. If the Nats think it's better for his development to send him to the minors, they will. I don't expect him to throw more than 100 IP in the majors this year, but at the same time, I expect him to pitch there at least a little bit. Unless he has a very solid Spring Training, I think he'll start in Syracuse or Harrisburg.

The Nats decided to non-tender Mike MacDougal, who had 20 saves with a 3.60 ERA and sign Matt Capps who had 27 saves with a 5.80 ERA. Why is this so smart?
-- Glynn P., Falls Church, Va.

Because MacDougal sucks. You're about 10 years behind in your logic; rather than signing guys based on what they have done, sign them based on what they can and will do. Invest in the future, not in the past.

Why didn't the Nationals go after Jon Garland? He could have provided another veteran arm and guided the young pitchers who aren't quite ready.
-- Dylan P., Shiloh, Ohio

I don't know why, but I'm not a big Garland fan. Ladson noted that the Nats did make an initial push for him, though, and you can't sign somebody that doesn't want to sign with you.

Why not add Pedro Martinez to the rotation? He looked good with the Phillies last year. I think he has enough gas left in the tank. It would be a great fit.
-- Phil F., Quebec City, Canada

Here's what I said at the end of June: "

I campaigned hard for the Nats to sign him a while ago, but every day he sits in free agency he makes less and less sense. They've found some nice young pitchers that need time in the majors. Maybe it could happen if he wants to take an offer to build up his value over the offseason in late August or early September when the young guns need to be shut down for innings totals but not now."

Here's what I said at the end of October: "

I doubt (the Nats will make a run at Pedro this offseason). They didn't go hard after him this season and he's only going to be more expensive and a year older next year."

One thing to consider: sample size. Pedro's "good" 2009 (3.63 ERA, 4.28 FIP) occurred in only 9 starts and 44 and 2/3 innings while his "bad" 2008 (5.61 ERA, 5.18 FIP) took place in more than twice the starts and innings (20 starts and 109 innings, respectively). And he averaged less than 5 innings per start in 2009. At this point, I think I'll pass.

Who is battling for a bullpen spot this Spring Training? Might we see Mock or Balester in the bullpen if they don't make the team as starters?
-- Alex C., Montreal

Here's my abbreviated bullpen outlook:

Locks (75-100% chance of making the roster): Capps (100%)

Semi-Locks (50-75% chance): Batista (~50%), Bruney

(~75%)

, Burnett (~75%), Clippard

(~65%)

, Walker

(~65%)

Bubble (25-50% chance): Bergmann (~40%), Mock (~30%), Slaten (~25%), Speier (~40%)

Outside looking in (<20%>

Thoughts:

Why isn't Clippard a lock? Compare his 2009 to Steven Shell's 2008. An extremely lucky year in both cases leads to unrealistic expectations.

The Nats wouldn't trade for Bruney only to have him not make the roster, right? Wrong. Even if you're looking solely at sunk costs, the Nats didn't really give up anything for him, with a pretty weak Rule 5 crop this year. If Bruney doesn't impress during Spring Training, they won't be afraid to show him the door. At the same time, though, I expect that he will do what he needs to do to break the Opening Day roster.

I think Batista will be a heavily-used member of the Nats' bullpen this year. Maybe not good, but heavily-used.

Feel free to ask/challenge any of my guesses in the comments.

2/1/10

What do you think about Justin Maxwell playing right field on a regular basis for the Nationals?
-- Michael W., Silver Spring, Md.

I think that's a terrible idea. There's this guy who plays there now (you might have heard of him) named Elijah Dukes who is both more talented and more projectable. And anyways, Maxwell still has to do better than a >30% K rate and a <.250 batting average in the minors before he even sniffs regular ML time (not considering injury of course).

Is there any possibility the Nats bring in Johnny Damon to solidify the third outfield position?
-- Andrew G., Fairfax, Va.

Ladson says there is no chance, but if the Nats trade Willingham, it wouldn't surprise me. While Damon was brutal in LF for the Yanks in 2009, he wasn't far off from Willingham. I would much rather have a solid young pitcher and Johnny Damon than just Josh Willingham.

Will Willingham get traded?
-- Jennifer W., Gaithersburg, Va.

Yes. Rizzo isn't satisfied with the current state of pitching, and it's a whole lot easier to acquire a bat for the future than an arm. Willingham's value is at its highest, and Rizzo would be foolish to hold onto him long enough to risk that changing.

How does Matt Chico fit into the Nationals' plans in 2010? Do you see him competing and winning a rotation spot?
-- Benjamin C., Gaithersburg, Md.

I don't think he'll even compete for a rotation spot. His 2007 season was nothing special (below average, really) and he's been hurt since then. Do you really expect him to be better? Even his 2007 status would be a downgrade compared to most of the other guys competing for the starting job.

Do you think the Nationals will acquire a veteran starter before Spring Training?
-- Joy M., Washington

Yes. I don't know that it will be one that will be guaranteed a spot, but I am willing to bet that they'll acquire somebody in the Livan Hernandez tier at the very least.

How much better will the Nationals be if they acquire second baseman Orlando Hudson?
-- Kenny I., Baltimore

A ton, but not for the reasons that you might think. On the surface, Hudson would boost the offensive and defensive numbers from the past at 2B. If you look further, signing him would also give the Nats a contingency plan if Desmond needs more minor league seasoning or Guzman bottoms out. The one thing the Nats generally seem to lack is quality depth, and a Hudson signing would allow them to keep a ML-starting caliber middle infielder on the bench in either him, Guzman or Desmond in every single game.

Another Intelligence-Insulting Inbox

I'm a little late to the party this week, but here is your Inbox!

What are the chances of Cristian Guzman being traded this offseason?
-- Ross B., Washington

I was surprised when they didn't trade him at the deadline. The emergence of Ian Desmond makes it likely that they will try to move him, but will anyone actually want to take on that salary?

If you were in general manager Mike Rizzo's shoes, what you would do to make the Nationals better?

-- Ron J., Washington

"I would trade Dunn, Guzman or Josh Willingham to get more pitching and speed. You may have to trade two of the three to get what you want. Nyjer Morgan's absence has proven that they are too slow on the bases."-Ladson

Bill, you're wrong. You need to trade all 3 of them, plus Slothburg (0 career stolen bases) and Zimmerman (only 2 stolen bases this year).

In all seriousness, the Nats need to add 2 starting pitchers, 3 relief pitchers (one being a closer), a catcher and a second baseman to be competitive. A little too long of a list for me to predict a huge improvement next year.

You said that next year's rotation is still unknown except for John Lannan. What about Stephen Strasburg?
-- Alex C., Montreal

Ummm...really? He hasn't thrown a single pitch in the Nationals organization. Tony Gwynn said he was not ready for the big leagues. He might not be worse than what we've got, but we're not exactly in a "win now" mode.

Right-hander Shairon Martis has more wins in a short period of time than all the other Nationals' starters. He should have been called up to the big leagues this month.
-- Stan C., New York

Have you even been to Nationals.com in the last month? There was an article about Martis being shut down and it was mentioned in the last Inbox. And unfortunately, you're not the only person in the world who uses wins as the primary rating for pitchers. Ugh.

I really liked the competitive spirit of Jamey Carroll when he played with the Nationals. Pete Orr reminds me of Jamey in that way. What do you think?
-- Jim T., Beaufort, S.C.

Competitive spirit, yes. Talent, no. Pete Orr is miles away from Jamey Carroll talent-wise, and that's saying something.

I've heard lots of talk about the Nats going after second baseman Orlando Hudson. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see Hudson in a Nationals uniform. But what do you think the chances are they will really signing him?
-- Matt H., Tallahassee, Fla.

5%. The Nats may throw a lot of money at him, but so are 29 other teams.

Bill Ladson=Joe Morgan

From yesterday's inbox:

Bill Ladson: "I don't think the offense is in great shape. With Nyjer Morgan out of the lineup, this team is too slow on the basepaths. It needs more speed. It shouldn't rely on just the home run."

From a chat today at ESPN.com (via FanGraphs):

What do the Oakland A’s need to do be competitive again?

Joe Morgan: "Become more athletic. Sometimes, when I look at the A’s players, I think they’re playing softball. They have some big guys who try to hit the ball out of the ballpark. They strike out a lot. They just are not in position to make things happen on the basepaths. They’ve never really been a team to run or steal bases, bunt guys over or hit and run. They’ve always tried to hit the big home run. Now they have one guy in Davis. Their philosophy was working for a while, but now that philosophy doesn’t work any more. You have to be more athletic, steal some bases in order to be a well rounded team. You don’t have to steal a lot of bases, but you have to have the threat there."

Oh, the joy of thinking the old-fashioned way.

Less to complain about than we're used to

I don't think "spoiled" is an appropriate description of Nats fans right now, as our team is still way in last place, but the month of August has been a fun time to cheer on the boys wearing red, white and blue. And with Logan Kensing being DFA'ed today, there's less to complain about.

But that being said, what's a blog without some whining? Here are a few things on my mind:

Strasburg will sign a "fair offer." There is still no doubt in my mind that if the Nats really did offer him a contract with a $17 million signing bonus, he'll sign it. I don't mind him holding out till the last second to squeeze a little more out of the Lerner's pockets, because it keeps the Nats from pitching him too much this year. He's not ready for the majors, and him holding out until mid-August pretty much guarantees he won't be here in September.

Riggleman should not be the manager beyond 2009. I love Riggleman as a guy and as a bench coach, but we can find a better manager. I don't want to get nit-picky and blame everything that goes wrong on him, but in a game like yesterday the Nats basically won in spite of his managing. I'm not begging for Manny back...I just think the "interim" should stay on Riggleman's title.

Rizzo should be the General Manager beyond 2009, but will he be? We've been telling ourselves that Rizzo's handling of the Strasburg negotiations will be the make or break point of his audition for full-time GM. Once tomorrow strikes and Strasburg is officially a National, it's time to name Rizzo GM. If they don't remove the interim within the next week, I don't believe he'll be back becuase if that's the case, I don't think he's their guy. After tonight, he's got nothing else to prove...either commit to him now or let him loose.

Bill Ladson is a pretty good reporter. I've been harsh on him in the past, but I'd like to point out publicly that his blog is becoming a must-check for breaking Nats news. Now, this doesn't mean I'm retiring my inbox/mailbag answering post...it really means I'm having trouble being snarky, as Bill has been leaving me with nothing to snark at!

Chico Harlan is a really good reporter. Reading his stuff almost makes me feel sophisticated and well-read...but then I remember that I am neither. Still, Chico is well on his way to being the food critic or whatever it is that he has always wanted to be. I will be happy for him but sad for the Nats coverage the day he leaves the beat.

Inbox

It's Ladson inbox time!

What's the deal with Strasburg? Will the Nationals sign him?
-- Jeff G., Esperance, N.Y.

Without a doubt, yes.

How do you think Adam Dunn is doing at first base right now?
-- Yu-Hung S., Chiayi, Taiwan

He's better than I expected he would be...I'll take him over Dmitri. Still would like to see Willingham get some PT there as well, though, because he might end up being a good defensive 1B rather than the liability that Dunn still is.

The Nationals have been a totally different team after the All-Star break. How has Jim Riggleman changed the attitude and approach of the ballclub?
-- Asher K., Birmingham, Ala.

I'm not going to lie-I'm a fan of managers like Riggleman rather than Acta. It seemed like nobody cared about losing when Acta was around...now the players seem to me like they're more into games and are enjoying winning more than before.

I was surprised by your answer that sticking with Austin Kearns too long was former manager Manny Acta's worst move, even though I totally agree. Weren't you the first to defend him all the time, saying that he was a superstar and could hit 40 homers?
-- Alex C., Montreal

"I never said Kearns was a superstar and could hit 40 homers. I often complimented Kearns for his work ethic. Last year, for example, it always stuck out because there were players on that team who didn't give it their all."

I looked into this and Ladson's telling the truth as far as I can tell. He once said "There is no question that he must produce with the bat this year. I would like to see him hit 35 home runs and drive in 110 runs. I've been told many times by members of the Nats' front office that Kearns is the club's second-best player behind Ryan Zimmerman. Now it's time for Kearns to put up Zimmerman-type stats." I think people misconstrued that to be a prediction rather than the challenge it looks like in retrospect.

How much longer do the Nationals have Nyjer Morgan under contract? I think he's the answer in center field and in the leadoff spot. He could contribute for many years in D.C.
-- Chris M., Springfield, Va.

As Ladson noted, he can be auto-renewed for 2 more years and then is arb-eligible for 3 years after that...so he's ours for quite a while.

I have a great admiration for Bard for playing in such pain. But why do the Nats keep playing him when he is obviously injured?
-- Roy H., Fredericksburg, Va.

They don't really have another option to call up, so I guess they're just doing what they can with what they have. If he says he can play, who are they to tell him no?

I think the Nationals have a nice young core of young starting pitchers. If the Nats could add a veteran through free agency this offseason, who would be a good fit?
-- Bryan A., Fairfield, Conn.

John Lackey, Jason Marquis and Randy Wolf are 3 guys who stick out to me as reasonable candidates. MLBTR has a list of 2010 free agents here.

I was wondering the status of catcher Jesus Flores. How is he doing in his rehab?
-- Roy H., Charleston, S.C.

In his NJ interview from late July, Flores sounded very gung-ho about being back for Winter League, but didn't sound like he would be back this year...so prepare for more Bard/Nieves.

And all I have to say on ZNN-crap. We're pulling for you, Jordan...we'll be ready for you in ST 2011.

Ignorant Inbox

That's the best title I could come up with...without further awkwardness, here's your Inbox:

Are the Nationals interested in Martinez or Glavine? They would do well as starters or relievers. They also can be mentors to young pitchers such as Jordan Zimmermann, Ross Detwiler and Shairon Martis.
-- Yu-Hung,Su, Chiayi,Taiwan

Ladson says neither are coming. Glavine is just not worth having on a team anymore as a player-he's not half of who he used to be. If he were willing to be a player-coach, I could see them signing him in the last month or two of the season when the youngsters start to hit their innings maximums, but I do not see him lasting as a FA that long without retiring.

Martinez is still an intriguing option in my opinion, but if he's still on the market, he probably isn't worth having around.

Do you like Wil Nieves or Josh Bard in the lineup while Jesus Flores is on the disabled list?
-- Brandon A., Vienna, Va.

"I like Nieves because he can play defense and is a better hitter. In the long term, Nieves is a backup and will be that way when Flores recovers from his right shoulder injury."-Ladson

Huh? Nieves is a better hitter? His career .225/.267/.290 line is obviously other-wordly, as Bard sits far below him at .264/.331/.394. Ladson, you've said some strange things before, but are you really going to try and tell us that Wil Nieves is a better hitter than Josh Bard? I mean, even Bard's .239/.301/.373 line from this year is better than Nieves' .259/.299/.296, and that's without considering Nieves' .080 advantage in BABIP that will spread the gap even more throughout the year.

When Willingham plays, it seems like good things happen for both him and the team. Do you see him becoming an everyday player at some point this season?
-- Douglas, H., Huntsville, Ala.

I'm guessing he'll start every 3 of 4 games when he comes back from the bereavement list. This next week or so is Kearns' last chance to break into the rotation for a while.

Do you think Lastings Milledge should have been sent to the Minors?
-- Daniel R., Philadelphia

Yes.

With the bullpen problems, why have the Nationals not gone after Chad Cordero?
-- Rafael B., Miami, Fla.

Because he's not a free agent?

The Nats have the most errors in baseball. That, to me, reflects heavily on the coaching staff. Has Manny Acta taken any steps to address this?
-- Terry C., Harpers Ferry, W.Va.

Nope. Zimmerman and Johnson need to step it up, but it's not like we can really expect more out of Willingham, Dunn, Belliard, Guz, etc.

The Nationals are keeping Kearns because he works hard and never complains. Why does that matter at all if he can't hit?
-- Scott N., Bethesda, Md.

Incorrect. They're keeping Kearns because they have no other options (Maxwell simply has not been doing well this year and Milledge/Bernadina are hurt). He's a good fielder and his bat will come around. Be patient because he's not going anywhere soon.

Don't you now think after two-plus months of everyday playing, Orlando Hudson should have been signed? He doesn't appear to be injured at all and is hitting extremely well.
-- Peter G., Vancouver, BC, Canada

He's looked great after two months, yes, but I am going to take Ladson's word for it that he failed his physical with the team. Hindsight is 20-20, but I think it would be irresponsible for the Nats to sign a guy who failed his physical. That being said, I'm not sure what caused him to fail a physical-perhaps he refused to get his wrist checked out and that was a deal-breaker. I can't fault the Nats here without knowing everything about his physical, but there is another side to the story as well I'm sure.

Before I misplace the link, check out The Hardball Times' interview with Rich Gale, the newly promoted Syracuse pitching coach.

Nats roster almost finalized

According to Ladson, Alex Cintron has accepted an assignment to AAA Syracuse. He also notes that Josh Bard and Wil Nieves will probably both make the team and Kory Casto will be waived today or tomorrow. That leaves the bullpen as the only place not yet decided. 

Chico was right that Bard and Nieves would stay and Cintron and Castro would go and predicts Tavarez, Shell, Hinckley and Bergmann will be the remaining 4 relievers (with Colome, Mock and Ledezma losing out). I think it should be Bergmann, Mock, Colome and Shell, but I think it will be Bergmann, Mock, Shell and Hinckley.

Bergmann has to be a lock now with a 0.00 ERA in 11 and 1/3 innings (although he has allowed 4 unearned runs). I'd have to think Mock's chances are pretty good as well, with a 2.42 ERA in 26 IP as a reliever last year and 3.94 in 16 ST innings this year, so he hasn't done anything to lose his spot. Shell is in the same boat, with a 2.16 ERA last year and a 4.09 in Spring Training. I'd like to see Colome make the team, despite my dislike of his "Human Rain Delay" tactics. He has allowed 1 run in 10 innings in ST and has an impressive 9:0 K:BB ratio (yes, that's right, Colome has not walked anyone in 10 straight innings!). Tavarez has simply sucked in his 2 games and probably needs more seasoning before he plays in the majors this year, so I don't see why he would stick with the big club (and waste another 40-man spot). I don't see why Hinckley would win a spot over Ledezma (although I don't think either should make the team). But there's my rant.

In Ladson's article, he also mentions a possible competition between Elijah Dukes and Austin Kearns as the starting RF. While I love Elijah Dukes, I do think that Kearns has earned a job at least every other day somewhere-he's an outstanding fielder and will improve greatly with the bat (he was playing hurt last year, that's why his numbers were so terrible). While Dukes' numbers haven't been terrible in Spring Training (and not that it would matter anyways, because ST stats mean very little), his K rate is alarming-43% of his at-bats! He's being overmatched by pitchers (and Spring Training pitchers at that)...does that not scare anyone else? 

Ideally, I'd like to see Willingham traded and have the ratios go like this:

1B: Johnson-80% of starts, Dunn-20% of starts

LF: Dunn-70% of starts, Kearns-25% of starts, Harris-5% of starts

CF: Milledge-70% of starts, Dukes-15% of starts, Harris-15% of starts

RF: Dukes-60% of starts, Kearns-40% of starts

Giving Johnson starts in 4/5 games, Dunn starts in 9/10 games, Harris in 1/5 (plus some 2B/3B time), Kearns in a little more than 3/5, Milledge in 7/10 and Dukes in a little more than 7/10. We've got 5 good outfielders, we just need a time and place to use them.

Thursday Inbox: Bowden's ghost continues to haunt the Nats

First off, here's your inbox:

Kearns is having a good spring, hitting .333 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Do you think he is having success because he's back with his buddy Dunn?
-- David M., Woodbridge, Conn.

No, he's having success because he's not hurt anymore. And whatever Ladson said about his stance and Eckstein and stuff.

Bill, here's your $1 million question: Will the Nationals become playoff contenders in 2009?
-- Alex C., Montreal

No. They still don't have enough pitching. 2010 isn't out of the question and 2009 will be an improvement, but I think .500 is about the most realistically optimistic we can be.

Is Willy Mo Pena still in the running to get on the 25-man roster?
-- David, W., Arlington, Va.

He can't be. His power never returned (1 XBH in Spring Training). He's worthless in the field. Without power, he's nothing, and right now, he is without power.

Jordan Zimmermann is the real deal. He is the savior to this franchise. What are your thoughts on him?
-- Brent N., Hamel, Minn.

ZNN is NOT the savior to this franchise. I'm sorry for being such a Debbie Downer today, but he hasn't even thrown an inning above AA! Why put so much pressure on him? Just let him pitch and call him a "savior" after the season if that's what he ends up being.

If Nick Johnson gets hurt this season, will Dunn move to first base?
-- Jack S., Washington, D.C.

Apparently, Dmitri Young might snag some AB's as well. The team is going to put him back onto the 40-man (Thanks, Bowden). I'm guessing that if Johnson got hurt, assuming health for everyone else, Dunn would get about 65% of the playing time at 1B with Dmitri getting the other 35%. (Side note on Young-I think it's funny that Rizzo is going to honor Young's "handshake agreement" with Bowden, considering Bowden himself probably wouldn't honor it. "(Jeff) Shaw claimed at the time that Bowden had agreed not to trade him as part of a contract that involved Shaw taking less money from the Reds than he could have gotten elsewhere. “We had a handshake deal that he wasn't going to trade me,” Shaw said. “Three months later, he traded me. ... If I had been in the room with him, I would have killed him.").

The Nationals can't possibly go north with Elijah Dukes, Lastings Milledge, Dunn, Kearns, Pena and Josh Willingham on the 25-roster. Who is going to get cut or traded?
-- Bobby M. Gaithersburg, Md.

Cut: Pena. Trade: Willingham