The Washington Nationals’ logjam at catcher has benefited at least one of the team’s three players at the position — Johnny Estrada, who said yesterday his elbow hasn’t recovered as well as he had hoped from offseason surgery and still isn’t healthy enough for him to catch consistently.
Estrada has started just nine games this season, finishing only six of those games and catching back-to-back games twice. That’s still a heavier load than he expected, necessitated by Paul Lo Duca’s trip to the disabled list and hampered by Estrada’s own injury. Still, having Wil Nieves also on the roster means Estrada hasn’t had to rush his elbow.
“I don’t think they had plans for me to catch as much as I did,” he said. “My arm strength is not there yet, and I’m still getting pain. It’s good to get some rest. It gives me time to strengthen my arm, and it gives [manager Manny Acta] some flexibility in terms of a left-handed bat on the bench.”
Estrada is batting .179 and is 2-for-7 as a pinch-hitter. He said he has had to adjust to not getting as many at-bats as he’s used to, but he understands his lack of arm strength makes it tough to see much time.
“I think I threw out maybe two guys at third base, but the throws to second, I’m getting rid of the ball, but I’m just throwing change-ups,” Estrada said. “Late in the game, if it’s close, Manny would bring in Wil just because you don’t want to take that chance. I don’t want to be a liability.”
Day off for Zimmerman
Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman did not start yesterday, the first time he hasn’t been in the Nationals’ lineup since Sept. 18, 2006.
Acta said the move, which ended a streak of 205 games played for Zimmerman, was made to give him a pair of days off (counting today’s off-day).
“I went in [to Acta’s office] and asked for it,” Zimmerman said. “It’s no big deal. Everyone takes days off.”
Zimmerman’s consecutive games streak was the second longest in the majors, behind Jeff Francoeur’s 356.
Young heads to Florida
First baseman Dmitri Young will resume baseball activities at the team’s extended spring facility in Viera, Fla., today ” four days after team massage therapist Tatiana Tchamouroff worked on his hip flexor and enabled him to swing a bat confidently for the first time in several weeks.
Young has been on the disabled list since April 8, and while there is still no timetable for his return, he is able to start running and taking grounders this week.
He said he will continue to receive massage therapy until the pain is “completely and absolutely gone.”
Pitcher promoted
Right-handed pitcher Jordan Zimmermann is the latest Nationals prospect making his way through the team’s farm system. Zimmermann was promoted last week to Class AA Harrisburg, following the call-ups of Cory VanAllen and Zechry Zinicola from Class A Potomac to the Senators.
“I thought he belonged there in spring training,” general manager Jim Bowden said. “We had disagreements in the spring. He came out of the chute and pitched so well that we felt it’s better to have him at Double-A because this is a guy, like Collin Balester, [who] could develop and be ready for us at any time. I’d prefer him facing Double-A hitters than Single-A hitters.”
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