"I like to tell people we were unsure until about 11:58:42," then-team President Stan Kasten joked with reporters in August of 2009 after the Washington Nationals had signed '09 no.1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg to a 4-year/$15.1M dollar major league deal just moments before the deadline to sign that year's draft picks. Asked if he felt he would be back in the same position the next August with another no.1 pick from the 2010 Draft to negotiate with, Kasten laughed and said, "God, I hope not. That's why I want to win every game. I do not want the no.1 pick next year or ever again. Having said that, 'Do I think whoever we're picking will be a negotiation that goes down to the last minute?' It's certainly possible, until we fix the system the sensible way that it needs to be fixed. Like the NBA did a decade ago. They had the same problem, and the problem is players don't get out and start working on their career. That's the no.1 problem, and that's now resolved in the NBA and I'm confident something akin to that will be the end result here in baseball."

"Will the owners make that a priority in the next CBA?" a reporter asked.

"I think so, yeah," Kasten responded.

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Michael Morse is in right field for the Potomac Nationals tonight, hitting third in the P-Nats' lineup in his third game with the Nats' Class-A Carolina Leauge affiliate. The 30-year-old Nats' slugger is 3 for 6 so far on his rehab stint as he continues to work his way back from a lat issue which had kept him out of competitive action until this week. Despite rumors to the contrary this afternoon, no decision has been made on when he'll return to the majors, but the seven-year MLB vet told Potomac Nationals' radio announcer Tim Swartz today he thinks he's ready right now. "I think every day I'm getting a little bit better and better when it comes to my timing. I know my swing and I've played this game long enough that it's just a matter of a couple days and I'll feel normal. So, I mean, I'm pretty much there already, so it doesn't take long for me to get it back."

Nats' skipper Davey Johnson was excited about the possibility of Morse's bat returning to the lineup when he spoke to reporters yesterday and hinted that Morse could be back as soon as Friday night when the Nationals start a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves. From what both Johnson and D.C. GM Mike Rizzo have said in the last few days, the presumptive left fielder when Spring Training began might end up in right when he finally does return to the majors as part of a Steve Lombardozzi, Bryce Harper, Morse outfield. The last hurdle is Morse's ability to throw since he's said all along that he never had a problem swinging. As he explained again this afternoon, he feels 100% and is no longer having issues throwing. "It feels really good," Morse said, "I don't feel any pain. No discomfort. And my throwing... I guess, 'technique' is better than it's ever been. I guess there's a positive out of this whole thing, that I'm paying attention [to] my form and everything now. So, that's a plus."

• Listen to the entire interview here courtesy of the Potomac Nationals' official twitter (@PNats42). Morse also talks about Nats' hitting coach Rick Eckstein helping transform his swing; having to continue to prove that he's capable of playing at the major league level and working to get where he is now. Good stuff:

Michael Morse talks before tonight's game with Myrtle Beachsoundcloud.com/potomacnationa…

— Potomac Nationals (@PNats42) May 31, 2012

• If you're starved for baseball, you can listen to Morse play with the P-Nats at 7:05 pm EDT tonight. Here's a link to the audio.

The Washington Nationals finished their nine-game road trip with a 5-4 record though they arrived in Miami 5-1 after six. The sweep by the Marlins ended a 21-8 May for Miami that saw the Fish go from 9-14 and 5 games out on May 1st to 29-22 and a .5 game back on the 31st. But Jhonatan Solano threw Hanley Ramirez out twice last night!!! TWICE! It was a rough end to a strong road trip. But the Nationals are still in 1st place in the NL East as they head home to face the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets in a quick six-game road trip. No game tonight, of course, so instead of rambling on, we'll take a moment before the links start to feature what's really the BIG STORY of the day...

• THE BIG STORY!!!: "This was for Vicky. Victoria Cabrera, the 13-year-old ray of light [Wilson] Ramos has come to consider a little sister. The slight, bespectacled, brunette girl whose ever-present smile does well to hide the turmoil going on inside her chest." - "Nationals' Ramos gives 13-year-old friend the gift of love" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times

For those who read Vicky Cabrera's story (bit.ly/JRDZu2) and want to help, donation information is at the bottom of the story.

— Amanda Comak (@acomak) May 31, 2012

• The rest of today's links starting with the NATS BEAT... RIGHT NOW!!!

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Michael Morse was 0 for 1 with a walk and a K when rain delayed the completion of Tuesday night's game between the Class-A Carolina League's Potomac Nationals and Myrtle Beach Pelicans (TEX). The two teams picked things up tonight as part of a doubleheader at the P-Nats' home, Pfitzner Stadium. Morse ended up 1 for 3 with an RBI, driving in the Nats' high-A affiliate's fifth run in a 5-3 win in game one. In game two tonight, the 30-year-old Nats' slugger was 2 for 3 w/ a double, leaving Morse 3 for 6 in his first two rehab starts as he works his way back from a lat injury that's kept him on the sidelines through the first two months of the season. Earlier this afternoon, an excited Nationals' manager Davey Johnson told reporters in Miami that he thought Morse was close to returning to the nation's capital's Nats' lineup.

As the Washington Times' Amanda Comak reported, the Nats' skipper said there was an "outside possibility" of the right-handed middle-of-the-order bat returning this weekend when Washington welcomes the Atlanta Braves to Nationals Park. And if he's ready, Johnson told the Times' Ms. Comak, he'd have no problem working Morse right back into the lineup:

"'I'd throw him right out there,' Johnson said. 'If he's able to go, I'll throw him in right away. He might connect and hit one hard. It'd be a welcome addition.'"

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• #LomboLobby pt.1: Washington Nationals' leadoff man Steve Lombardozzi lined to short right-center, just over Miami Marlins' second baseman Omar Infante's outstretched glove for a leadoff single to start tonight's game. One out later Lombo took second on a Ryan Zimmerman single through short. Adam LaRoche, who's 0 for 7 so far this series, and 3 for 18 with eight K's in his career against Fish right-hander Josh Johnson, K'd for the ninth time in 19 at bats and was 0 for 8 in the series after swinging over an 86 mph 2-2 slider for out no.2. Johnson pounded Ian Desmond away for the first seven pitches of the Nats' shortstop's two-out at bat, then threw a 93 mph heater up and in on pitch no.8 to get a swinging K and out no.3 of a 20-pitch, 16-strike first. Omar Infante "doubled" off Nationals' starter Chien-Ming Wang with one down in the Marlins' first, flying to short right where Roger Bernadina dove and missed, and Infante then took third on a groundout by Hanley Ramirez before scoring on a two-out single by Giancarlo Stanton that put Miami up 1-0 in the finale of the three-game set with the visiting Nats...

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• For A Florida Marlins Fan's Perspective, Check Out The SB Nation's Marlins Site: Fish Stripes.

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Even as he announced that 32-year-old, seven-year veteran Chien-Ming Wang would pitch out of the bullpen upon returning to the majors following a long rehab for a hamstring injury suffered this Spring, Nats' skipper Davey Johnson was sure to mention that he thought Wang was a major-league caliber starter. Ross Detwiler had earned his role in the starting rotation, however, the manager explained, but that didn't change his opinion on Wang. "I don't look at [Wang] as a reliever," the manager said, "I look at him as a quality major league starter." Wang made one relief appearance, his first since 2009, and Detwiler made another in a string of rough outings before the manager decided to change his mind and bring Wang back as the Nationals' no.5 behind Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann and Edwin Jackson.

Detwiler took the decision well, telling reporters, including the Washington Times' Amanda Comak, that though he'd rather start, he was looking at it as a move from best rotation in baseball to the best bullpen. Wang's first turn in the rotation comes around at 7:10 pm EDT tonight as the Nats' right-hander tries to help the Nationals avoid losing their third straight to end a nine-game road trip on which they're 5-3 thus far. Wang will be throwing to Jhonatan Solano (aka Onion), the Nationals' 26-year-old backstop who made his MLB debut with a two-out pinch hit double in the top of the ninth last night. After 474 minor league games, Solano makes his first major league start tonight, batting eighth in the lineup Davey Johnson hopes will save the Nationals from a sweep at the hands of their NL East rivals. Here's the rest of tonight's lineup:

#Nats Lineup: Lombardozzi LF, Harper CF, Zimmerman 3B, LaRoche 1B, Desmond SS, Espinosa 2B, Bernadina RF, Solano C, Wang RHP

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 30, 2012

"'My primary lineup is Lombo leading off,'" Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore quoted Nationals' manager Davey Johnson saying yesterday in an article entitled, "Steve Lombardozzi becoming a leading man for the Nationals." "Lombo" is, of course, 23-year-old Nats' utility man Steve Lombardozzi, who so far this year has a .313/.376/.384 line with seven doubles, seven walks and six K's in 37 games and 112 plate appearances, over which he's been worth +0.7 fWAR. Lombardozzi got a start at second last night in the second game of three with the Marlins in Miami, but he's seen most of his playing time in left field recently. With injured outfielder and big middle-of-the-order bat Michael Morse coming back, however, and with the WaPost's Mr. Kilgore writing that, "... Johnson has no plans to cut into [Danny] Espinosa’s playing time," some have started to wonder just where Lombardozzi will be playing when Morse returns to the lineup sometime in the next week... if all goes as planned with his rehab?

The Nats' 69-year-old skipper told the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore this morning, in another article on the Nats' second baseman's struggles entitled, "Davey Johnson wants Danny Espinosa to change his approach", that he, "... continues to believe the Nationals’ best lineup contains Espinosa," though as the title hints, Johnson says Espinosa needs to break some of the bad habits that have left him with a .213/.306/.349 line, eight doubles and five home runs after 48 games and 195 plate appearances in which he's collected the league's 4th highest K total with 59, behind only free swinging players like Adam Dunn, Carlos Pena and Rickie Weeks.

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21-year-old Washington Nationals' 2011 3rd Round pick Matt Purke made his minor league debut this morning with the Nats' Class-A affiliate, the Hagerstown Suns. MASNSports.com's Byron Kerr reported in recent weeks that the former TCU Horned Frogs' lefty who had a (21-1) record with 54 walks and 203 K's over two seasons in college after he was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 1st Round of the '09 Draft and failed to sign, had begun to pitch in extended Spring Training games in the last few weeks as he worked his way back from shoulder issues which plagued him in his sophomore year. Injury and signability concerns resulted in the pitcher falling to the 3rd Round where the Nationals selected him last June.

The Nationals signed Purke to a well-above slot 4-year/$4.15M dollar major league deal which included a $2.75M dollar signing bonus with Nats' GM Mike Rizzo describing him in an ESPN980 interview at the time as a, "... power pitcher that has good command of his four pitches," that they thought would be, "... a quick-to-the-big-leagues college-type of pitcher." Purke started his minor league career this morning with 5.0 innings of work in which he allowed seven hits, a disputed home run, five walks and five runs, all earned. After a 1-2-3 1st, the left-hander gave up four singles, two walks and two runs in the third. A 1-2-3 4th was followed by a 5th inning in which Purke gave up a two-run home run (the Suns thought was foul) after a leadoff walk and a two-out RBI double. MASN's Mr. Kerr (@BKerr32) reported on Twitter that Purke threw 83 pitches and topped out at 91mph (unofficially).

Brent Keys gifted a HR that was foul.... called fair by HP ump...GBO scores three runs in 5th and takes 5-3 lead into 6th vs Purke and Suns

— Hagerstown Suns (@HagerstownSuns) May 30, 2012

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The Washington Nationals once again failed to beat Miami Marlins' right-hander Anibal Sanchez last night. The 28-year-old starter improved to (9-0) in 19 career starts against the Marlins' NL East rivals. The Nationals wlll look to avoid getting swept in the three-game series in Marlins Park tonight, but they'll have to win game three against another pitcher they have never beaten (or get to the Marlins' bullpen). In 15 games, 14 starts, 28-year-old '02 4th Round pick Josh Johnson is (7-0) against the Nationals with a 3.14 ERA, 27 walks (2.93 BB/9) and 82 K's (8.89 K/9) in 83.0 innings. Johnson's (2-3) in 10 starts this season, with a 4.87 ERA, 3.11 FIP, 18 walks (2.83 BB/9) and 45 K's (7.06 K/9) in 57.1 IP. The Marlins' starter has won two of his last three starts, and the Marlins have won all five of the right-hander's outings in May. Chien-Ming Wang, making his first start of the year, is undefeated in his own career against the Fish at (2-0) in two starts. Can he help the Nats beat the Marlins and avoid the sweep? Find out at 7:10 pm EDT. Til then, it's links and lots of them... RIGHT NOW!!!:

• THE BIG STORY!!!:

• "Given an opportunity to hit with the bases loaded and one out during what was at that point a one-run game, [Bryce] Harper struck out on three pitches..." - "Failures of execution doom Nats" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com

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The rain that brought about an end to Washington Nationals' outfielder Michael Morse's first rehab start with High-A Potomac was audible on the recording of the post game press conference the Nats' minor league affiliate released tonight. Morse, who's been out all season recovering from a lat injury sustained this Spring, was the P-Nats' DH tonight. The 30-year-old slugger, who signed a 2-year/$10.5M dollar extension after a breakout year in 2011, walked in his first live AB since he was shut down following a few minor league games earlier this season. The second time up in the Potomac third, Morse K'd swinging at a 2-2 pitch (slider) from 21-year-old right-hander Roman Mendez, a Texas Rangers' prospect throwing for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. When rain ended the game in the 5th, the P-Nats led the Pelicans 3-0. They'll reportedly finish this game tomorrow night as part of a doubleheader.

• Listen to Michael Morse's Post Game Press Conference Below via Potomac's Official Twitter account (@PNats42):

Michael Morse's postgame press conference after tonight's game.soundcloud.com/potomacnationa…

— Potomac Nationals (@PNats42) May 30, 2012

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• Anibal Is Unbeatable: It's unavoidable. You can't ignore Miami Marlins' starter Anibal Sanchez's numbers against the Washington Nationals. The 28-year-old right-hander is (7-0) against the Marlins' divisional rivals from D.C., with 85 hits, 32 runs (26 ER), seven HR's and 46 walks (3.71 BB/9) allowed in 18 games, 18 starts and 111.2 IP in which he's recorded 95 K's (7.66 K/9) and posted a 2.10 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and .209 BAA. The Nats almost figured out a way to beat Sanchez when they faced him in the nation's capital back on April 12th, outlast him. Ian Desmond and Jayson Werth hit solo home runs off the Marlins' right-hander and the Nationals and right-hander Stephen Strasburg took a 2-0 lead into the 9th, but Brad Lidge blew the save when he walked Hanley Ramirez to start the inning and gave up two-run home to Logan Morrison in the next at bat. The Nats rallied to win on a Desmond sac fly in extra innings, but they didn't beat Sanchez, who received a no-decision, as did Strasburg, who had been in line for the win.

Tonight it was Nationals' right-hander Edwin Jackson facing the Fish, and he retired the first two batters in order (after a 12-pitch, 1-2-3 first by Sanchez) before giving up a two-out double to left by Hanley Ramirez. Jackson walked Nat-killer Giancarlo Stanton in front of Logan Morrison, who lined to short right where Nats' second baseman Steve Lombardozzi made a leaping (run-saving) grab to end the first. 13-pitch, six-strike inning for E-Jax. Anibal Sanchez needed 18 pitches to get through the second with Adam LaRoche and Ian Desmond working long at bats, but after Rick Ankiel grounded out to second the Marlins' starter had set the first six down...

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• For A Florida Marlins Fan's Perspective, Check Out The SB Nation's Marlins Site: Fish Stripes.

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24-year-old outfielder Erik Komatsu, who was acquired by Washington in a July 30, 2011 trade with Milwaukee for utility man Jerry Hairston, Jr. and selected by St. Louis Cardinals in this past winter's Rule 5 Draft, didn't stick with the Cardinals or the Minnesota Twins who claimed Komatsu when the Cards designated him for assignment back on May 1st. Therefore, the Washington Nationals accepted the outfielder back this afternoon as per the rules of the Rule 5 Draft. Komatsu was left unprotected by the Nats after putting up a .234/.298/.297 line in 31 games and 142 plate appearances at Double-A Harrisburg after the trade last year. He had a .211/.286/.211 line in 15 games and 21 plate appearances with the Cardinals and a .219/.297/.219 line in 15 games and 37 plate appearances with the Twins. According to the Tweet by the Nationals this afternoon, the left-handed hitting and throwing outfielder will report to Triple-A Syracuse now that he's back in the Nats' organization:

BREAKING: #Nats accept contract of OF Erik Komatsu, assigned outright per Rule 6 guidelines to @SyracuseChiefs, from @Twins

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 29, 2012

• The Nationals also noted in a press release on the move that Komatus is not on the 40-Man Roster.

The Washington Nationals placed 32-year-old bench bat Chad Tracy on the DL yesterday as they announced that they'd called Triple-A outfielder Corey Brown up to the majors. Tracy injured his groin on Friday night while running the bases following an RBI double to left-center that drove in Ian Desmond for what was eventually the winning run in the Washington's win over Atlanta. Davey Johnson told reporters he hoped it was just scar tissue from a previous surgery popping, but Tracy told reporters this weekend he feared it was a separate injury. After seeing doctors today, it was confirmed to be worse than originally expected as Nats' manager Davey Johnson told reporters tonight before the second of three with Miami:

Nats bad luck continues: Chad Tracy needs surgery, will miss at least two months, perhaps all year, Davey said.

— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) May 29, 2012

Davey: Chad Tracy had surgery today for a torn groin muscle. Could be out for season.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) May 29, 2012

As a pinch hitter this season, Tracy has a .333/.435/.556 line with a double, home run and nine RBI's in 23 games. A Nationals' spokesmen clarified after Johnson spoke to reporters that Tracy's scheduled recovery time is six-to-eight weeks. It's yet another blow to a Nationals team that has seen Drew Storen, Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse, Brad Lidge, Jayson Werth, Wilson Ramos and more go down already this season while still managing to stay not only competitive, but at the top of the NL East for most of this year. Can they continue to overcome these injuries?

Tracy will have surgery on Thursday. Out 6-8 weeks the #nats say.

— Amanda Comak (@acomak) May 29, 2012

As expected, the Washington Nationals officially called 26-year-old catcher Jhonatan Solano up this afternoon while Jesus Flores recovers from a hamstring issues that left the Nats a backstop short yesterday in the first game of three with the Marlins in Miami. Solano's not in the lineup tonight, however, but Corey Brown is. The 26-year-old outfielder, who made the final out of Monday's game, will get a start in left field tonight. Steve Lombardozzi's starting at second, with Danny Espinosa on the bench as the Nationals get set to face right-hander Anibal Sanchez. Espinosa's .180/.267/.278 line in 152 PA's from the left side might have made this an easy decision for Nats' manager Davey Johnson. Both infielders are switch hitters, but the 23-year-old Lombardozzi has a .372/.430/.449 line from the left side in 87 plate appearances so far in 2012. Left-handed hitting Corey Brown hits everyone. At least he did a Triple-A, where the former Oakland A's prospect, acquired along with Henry Rodriguez in the deal that sent Josh Willingham out west, had a .268/.412/.537 line with a triple and three home runs in 41 at bats against lefties and a .306/.395/.597 line with nien doubles, three triples and nine home runs against right-handers. Brown will be making his first major league start tonight. Here's the Nats' lineup for game two of three with the Fish which features Edwin Jackson on the mound vs the virtually unbeatable Anibal Sanchez (via the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore):

Nats lineup, day off for Espinosa: Lombardozzi 4, Harper 9, Zim 5, LaRoche, Desmond, Ankiel 8, Brown 7, Maldonado 2, Jackson

— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) May 29, 2012

• The debut of the C. Brown, Ank, B-Harp outfield begins at 7:10 pm EDT tonight from Marlins Park.

• After Monday's loss the Washington Nationals are 5-2 seven games into the current nine-game road trip with two more to play in Miami before the Nats head home to the nation's capital for three with Atlanta and three with New York. The Nationals are 15-11 in the month of May. The surging Marlins are 19-8 in May after an 8-14 start to the season. Following the Memorial Day win, Miami's just 2.5 games behind the #FirstPlaceNats with two more to play in Marlins Park tonight and tomorrow. Edwin Jackson takes the mound tonight for the Nats. The 28-year-old right-hander is looking for his first win since April 14th. SInce then the Nationals are 1-5 in E-Jax's starts with Jackson (0-2) over the same stretch. It won't be easy tonight. Marlins' right-hander Anibal Sanchez will be on the hill. The 28-year-old right-hander held the Nats to five hits and two runs in an April 21st start in Washington which Miami lost 3-2, but Sanchez received no-decision and is still (7-0) in 18 career starts against the Marlins' NL East rivals with a 2.10 ERA, 46 walks (3.71 BB/9) and 95 K's (7.66 K/9) in 111.2 IP. Can the Nats beat the Fish? We'll find out tonight... unless you're in North Carolina? Find out why Carolinians can't watch... RIGHT NOW!!!:

• THE BIG STORY!!! (Today in Two Parts):

• "The region, whose fans identify more with Atlanta than the District or Baltimore, is nevertheless considered by baseball officials to fall within the Washington/Baltimore market, so the Time Warner decision not to carry the stations prompted complaints of discrimination from MASN." - "Court shuts out Nationals, Orioles fans' viewing in N.C." - Dave Sherfinski, Washington Times

• "'[Steve] Lombardozzi has become the Nationals’ typical leadoff hitter, batting first in six of the Nationals’ past nine games. 'My primary lineup is Lombo leading off,' [Davey] Johnson said.'" - "Steve Lombardozzi becoming a leading man for the Nationals" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

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They were both solo shots. Stephen Strasburg's on a 75 mph 0-2 curve from Baltimore Orioles' left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, Jordan Zimmermann's on a 74 mph 2-2 curve from the Miami Marlins' Carlos Zambrano. They were both to left field. Strasburg's HR, according to Hit Tracker Online, went a "true distance" of 398 ft into the visitor's bullpen. You can see the 377ft sign on the left field wall in Nationals Park where it soars over. Zimmermann's HR went 387 ft (acc. to Hit Tracker) into the seats in front of the Marlins Park's Clevelander Bar. According to the USA Today, the Marlins estimated Zimmermann's HR traveled 377ft. Strasburg's was his first career home run in his 42nd at bat. Zimmermann's first was in his 97th AB.

As Nats Enquirer noted this morning, Baseball Prospectus' Larry Granillo timed Strasburg's slow trot around the bases at 26.15 seconds. A quick review of Zimmermann's slow trot around the bases has him at approximately 24 seconds between the crack of the bat and the moment he stepped on home. But the trot included a pause at second base while the 26-year-old right-hander tried to figure out if it had actually gone out.

"'It’s hard to see,'" the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore quoted Zimmermann explaining, "'There’s so many bright objects out there.'"

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They call him Onion. Or at least Davey Johnson does. Davey is the only one I've heard say it, but it's listed as his nickname on Baseball-Reference.com too. The Washington Nationals announced after this afternoon's loss that they'd optioned 25-year-old outfielder Tyler Moore to Triple-A to make room (according to separate reports and manager Davey Johnson) for 26-year-old catcher Jhonatan Solano (aka Onion). Moore returns to everyday play after 12 games and 19 plate appearances with the Nationals in which he had three hits and seven K's. As Davey Johnson explained it, the move will let the outfielder who hit 31 home runs in each of the last two seasons and had seven in 88 appearances before he was called up, return to regular action.

"I really felt bad from the get-go," Johnson told reporters after the game, "Having [Moore] in a situation where he's playing out of position and he's a regular player, he's not the kind of guy that can sit and then come in and play, but I thought he handled himself well. [In] a new position he played well out there and he swung the bat okay, but that's not the role you want for a young player. A young talented prospect, sitting around and playing against a left-hander occasionally, so, he's better off going and playing. We think highly of him and he's got a great future here."

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• Welcome To Marlins Park: The Washington Nationals swept three-straight from the Atlanta Braves this weekend, leaving the Nats 5-1 six games into the current nine-game road trip. The Nationals and Marlins started a three-game set this afternoon in Miami in the Nationals' first visit to the new Marlins Park, after which Washington will return home for six more with NL East opponents, three with the Braves and three with the visiting New York Mets. But first they had to beat the Fish. 26-year-old Nats' right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, coming off a 6.0-inning outing against the Phillies last week in which he gave up seven hits, two walks and one earned run in a win in Citizens Bank Park, was making his tenth start of the year today, but his first against Washington's divisional rivals from Florida. Zimmermann took the mound with the score 0-0 in the bottom of the first after the Nats failed to score off Marlins' right-hander Carlos Zambrano. A called strike three with a 95mph 1-2 fastball to Jose Reyes and a pop to second from Omar Infante got Zimmermann the first two outs in the bottom of the inning before Hanley Ramirez singled to right, but a grounder back to the mound off Giancarlo Stanton's bat ended a quick 13-pitch, 12-strike home half of the frame.

0-0 after one...

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• For A Florida Marlins Fan's Perspective, Check Out The SB Nation's Marlins Site: Fish Stripes.

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• Latest Updates (11:18 pm EDT):

The corresponding 40-man move for Corey Brown is Jayson Werth moving to the 60-day DL. #nats

— Amanda Comak (@acomak) May 28, 2012

Tracy to 15 day DL, Brown contract purchased, Werth transferred to 60 day DL.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) May 28, 2012

The Washington Nationals lost Wilson Ramos for the year to a torn ACL after 25 games and 96 plate appearances in which the 24-year-old catcher hit two doubles and three home runs while posting a .265/.354/.398 line. Ramos was replaced on the roster by 23-year-old Venezuelan-born by backstop Sandy Leon, who suffered a high ankle sprain on a play at the plate in his first major league game. When Leon went on the DL, 33-year-old veteran receiver Carlos Maldonado was called upon to serve as the Nats' backup while 27-year-old, five-year veteran Jesus Flores took over as the everyday catcher. When Flores left last night's game in the seventh inning with an undisclosed injury, it appeared that the Nationals might have suffered another blow in a season full of injuries that they've somehow overcome thus far to remain in first place in the NL East after beating the Braves 7-2 last night to sweep the three-game series in Atlanta.

• More Injury Info And Today's Starting Lineup...

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Washington Nationals' skipper Davey Johnson has been faced with tough decisions this season when it comes to the the fifth spot in the Nats' rotation. He made another tough one this week:

"Circumstances over the winter made it much more competitive out there," Washington Nationals' manager Davey Johnson explained as he announced that 27-year-old left-hander John Lannan had been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to start the 2012 campaign after five seasons as part of the Nats' starting rotation. 26-year-old '07 1st Round pick Ross Detwiler, who pitched out of the bullpen last year but finished the 2011 season strong after returning to the starting rotation, had outperformed Lannan in Spring Training in the Nationals' skipper's opinion, giving up 14 hits, seven runs, six earned and five walks in 17.1 IP (mostly out of the pen) in which he'd struck out 18. Lannan made four starts and six total appearances this Spring, surrendering 24 hits, 14 runs, 12 earned and six walks in 21.0 IP over which he'd K'd 16." - LINK: Read the rest at SBNationDC...

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• Sunday Night Baseball: Tonight's game was Washington's second on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball this year, (the Nationals lost to the Phillies in D.C. and lost Jayson Werth to injury on May 6th), but it was the first nationally- televised game against the Nats' NL East rivals from Atlanta on ESPN's SNB since 2008 when the Nationals and Braves broke in Nationals Park in the Inaugural home opener in the nation's capital's then-newly-built ballpark. Tonight's game took place in Turner Field, and it was the finale of a three-game series in which Washington had already won two, putting themselves in the position to sweep a series for the 10th time this season. Before tonight's game they were (0-9) in those games.

• Beachy vs Gio: Game three with the Braves started with Nats' leadoff man Steve Lombardozzi grounding out to second vs the pitcher with the lowest ERA in the Majors, Brandon Beachy. Bryce Harper walked with one down and took third on a two-out double to right by Adam LaRoche, but Atlanta's 25-year-old right-hander just ended up lowering his league-best ERA to 1.74 on the year after he got Ian Desmond swinging to end a 23-pitch opening frame. Nats' lefty Gio Gonzalez (1.98 ERA) walked Michael Bourn in the first at bat of the Braves' first, and had Atlanta's leadoff man steal second, take third on a sac bunt by Tyler Pastornicky and score on a grounder to short by Martin Prado. 1-0 Braves with two out in the first.

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• For An Atlanta Braves Fan's Perspective, Check Out The SB Nation's Braves Site: Talking Chop.

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• Updated: 7:22 pm EDT: "As a contingency, streaking Class AAA Syracuse outfielder Corey Brown will travel to Miami with the Nationals and join the team if Tracy goes on the disabled list, a person with knowledge said." - "Chad Tracy to undergo MRI on groin injury, Corey Brown on call for Nationals" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

• 6:22 pm EDT: After injuring himself rounding first on the way to second on what would end up being the winning hit in yesterday's game with the Atlanta Braves, 32-year-old Washington Nationals' bench bat Chad Tracy told reporters, including the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore, that he was hoping the injury was actually just the scar tissue from a "sports hernia" surgery that he had in November popping rather than a new injury. Nats' manager Davey Johnson told reporters that the team had, "... talked to his doctor and he said that he would wait a couple days and see if that is [in fact] what happened."

"He's so valuable I hate to overreact and make a roster move," Johnson said, "when maybe he's going to be alright in two or three days." According to reports from Turner Field tonight before the Nationals' series finale with the Braves, Tracy's still in pain and is thinking it's not the old injury but a new one:

Chad Tracy will get an MRI on Tuesday. Said his gut is that it is not scar tissue, that its a new injury.

— Amanda Comak (@acomak) May 27, 2012

Chad Tracy will have an MRI Tuesday in Philly on injured groin. He's now thinking it's a new injury, unrelated to offseason surgey. Bad sign

— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) May 27, 2012

As MLB.com's Bill Ladson (@washingnats) noted on Twitter tonight, though no move has been announced, some are thinking that 26-year-old Triple-A Syracuse outfielder Corey Brown, who has a .297/.399/.584 line with nine doubles, four triples and 12 HR's in 48 games and 218 plate appearances could be an option if Tracy does have to hit the DL. "FYI," Mr. Ladson wrote, "For the second day in a row, OF Corey Brown is not in the lineup for Triple A Syracuse. There is nothing wrong with him." Auburn Citizen writer Ben Meyers (@CitizenMeyers), who covers the Triple-A Chiefs, asked Syracuse manager Tony Beasley, who he said, "... very politely gave a 'No comment' on Corey Brown not being in the lineup."

• More info on Chad Tracy and his possible replacement when it is available...

On this week's Mike Rizzo Show on 106.7 the FAN in D.C., the Washington Nationals' general manager was asked if he could have possibly predicted that 26-year-old lefty Gio Gonzalez would get off to the kind of start he has in his first year in the NL with the Nats after four seasons in Oakland with the A's in the AL West before the trade to the nation's capital this winter. As the GM politely reminded the hosts, he actually had suggested that the veteran of four MLB seasons, who was coming off a (16-12), 3.12 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 91 walk (4.05 BB/9), 197 K (8.78 K/9) 2011 campaign, was just a few adjustments away from becoming the elite left-hander they thought he could be.

"If you look back at what I did say about him," the Nats' GM explained, "I said we really like the age of the pitcher, the durability of the pitcher and I did say he's was an All-Star at 25-years-old, and I did say if he could curtail his walks just a bit and get to that 3.5 K/9 instead of 4.0 K/9 he would go from a 25-year-old All-Star to an elite starter. And we see kind of signs of [Gonzalez] really taking that next step and becoming an elite left-handed starting pitcher in the league. He's really concentrated hard on his walk ratio. His stuff is off the charts, we knew that coming into it. His makeup is tremendous. His competitive edge is incredible. And although he's smiling all the time and he's always goofing off, when he crosses that white line and gets on the mound he's all business, and you can see that in his performance."

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Washington Nationals' manager Davey Johnson seemed at a loss for words when trying to explain Stephen Strasburg's outing on Saturday. "Stras for some reason didn't have control of his fastball," the manager said, "Or was afraid to throw it over. I even looked up there one time and he had more balls than strikes. Wasn't his day I guess. He's usually picking us up, but we picked him up today." In his 10th start of 2012, Strasburg threw 95 pitches in just 5.0 innings, and he allowed six hits, four walks and four runs, all earned, leaving the game after Dan Uggla (who's now 6 for 9 with a double and two home runs vs Strasburg) hit a two-run home run to tie it at 4-4 after five. Strasburg was still the pitcher of record when the Nationals took the lead in the top of the sixth, however, so he earned his fifth win of the year courtesy of Chad Tracy's RBI double to left-center.

Unfortunately for Tracy, the 32-year-old bench bat pulled up lame as he rounded first with what the Nats' skipper told reporters after the game the team hoped was just the popping of some scar tissue from surgery Tracy had a while back. "Obviously he's in some pain," Johnson said, "He thinks that maybe it was that surgery he had a couple of years ago, a high groin thing that they did, and he's hopeful that he just popped some scar tissue. And we also talked to his doctor and he said that he would wait a couple days and see if that is [in fact] what happened. He's so valuable I hate to overreact and make a roster move when maybe he's going to be alright in two or three days."

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