I tried to post this a couple of hours ago, only to discover our website was down and then lost the entire text. I won't attempt to retype the entire thing from memory, but the key news is this: Shawn Hill had to be shut down in Viera after complaining of soreness near his elbow and will not attempt to pitch again this season.

The news is both disheartening and yet not all that surprising given Hill's injury history. According to GM Jim Bowden, he's apparently got some calcification near his elbow ligament, something that often happens to pitchers who have had Tommy John surgery. Hill will travel to Birmingham to be examined by the esteemed Dr. James Andrews, who will then determine a course of action.

This much is certain: Hill won't attempt to pitch again this season, even though he had appeared to be making progress while throwing off a mound in Viera. No reason to take a chance anymore, though. Now, the Nats will have to decide what to do in 2009. The indication from Manny Acta was that Hill would come back for spring training and have a shot, but the club can't count on him being part of the rotation going in.

Tough news for a guy who desperately wants to be pitching but simply can't. You've got to wonder whether all these arm injuries and surgeries over the years have just left Hill's arm incapable of standing up to the strain of repeatedly throwing a baseball.

Other observations as the game moves into the bottom of the fourth, with the Nats ahead 5-2...

-- Elijah Dukes is one powerful man. He homered off Clayton Kershaw, taking an outside pitch and driving it (hard) to right-center field. There is no one else on the Nats' current roster who can do that. Not Zimmerman. Not Milledge. Certainly not Kearns.

-- John Lannan got off to a shaky start, serving up a two-run homer to Manny Ramirez in the top of the first, but he's settled down nicely since then. Retired nine in a row at one point.

-- Seen at the ballpark before the game: Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau, who came into the clubhouse, met with Manny Acta and was on the field during some of BP. What an unassuming, down to earth guy. He went up to Don Sutton and introduced himself as "Bruce Boudreau. I'm the head coach of the Washington Capitals." As though he felt the need to justify his approaching Sutton.

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