Here's Round 2 of "Ask Jason Bergmann". Thanks to everyone who sent questions in, and thanks to Jason for spending part of his overnight flight back from LA to DC answering these. Keep sending your questions to natsmailbag@washingtontimes.com, and Jason and I will post another round of Q's and A's at some point...

From Barry Prophet:
What's your routine on the four days between starts -- how much pitching, how much running, how much just recovering from the previous start? How about your routine in the 2 hours leading into a start? Football teams have excessive game plans. What about baseball? During a pregame meeting with catcher and pitching coach, do you guys map out a plan for the first time through the order?
Jason Bergmann:
The day after I pitch, I run for about 25 minutes and do a total body workout. Day 2 is a "side day," consisting of a bullpen throwing session hours before a game. During this time, I work on mechanics and all of my pitches. This day also happens to be my most sore day for some reason! Running is 10 "poles" (one pole is running on the warning track from foul pole to foul pole). Day 3 is a normal throwing day, about 10 minutes worth of throwing. As I get closer to gameday, the running gets shorter and faster, so on this day I run 10 half-poles at a better pace. Day 4 is an easy day, only a short toss and 10 60-yard sprints. Day 5 - gameday!
On the day of my start, I usually get to the field two hours beforehand. I get real fidgety before my outings. Not scared or butterflies, more anxiousness to get out there. I try to play PSP or something to get my mind off the wait. From 5-6 p.m. is when I get really antsy. Since I've pulled my hamstring, my pregame starts with some heat pads on my leg and my arm to help loosen up. The trainers stretch me out for a while and I go over the starting lineup with pitching coach Randy St. Claire and that day's starting catcher. The scouting department has done their job watching each guy and mapping out the tedencies. Our goal is to use the weaknesses they have seen and pitch to those spots with the strengths we possess. St. Claire sometimes may see an adjustment a hitter makes and informs us. A great help to a pitcher is remembering that the defense is set up a certain way, so it's best to stick to the pitches in the gameplan.

From Ronny:
What are your personal goals for next season?
Jason Bergmann:
My personal goals start with making the rotation once again. I'd of course like to be healthy all year. There is one thing I would really like, and that is to be consistant all year.

From Howard:
I've always wondered what the manager says when he comes out to switch pitchers before he takes the ball and gives the obligatory pat on the back. And how does the outgoing pitcher feel: down, mad, neither, etc.?
Jason Bergmann:
Usually, the manager has very little to say. It's the pitching coach's visit that carries all the dialogue. Most times, a visit will occur when I am struggling. What is said is what I already know -- "You're doing this" or "You need to do this." Believe me, the last thing I try to do is allow baserunners! Nor am I trying to hang a slider! Mound visits do have other meanings, too. Perhaps I just might need a breather. Sometimes, a guy in the bullpen needs more time, so it is a stall tactic.

From Sue:
Growing up, which pitcher did you most admire?
Jason Bergmann:
Being a Yankee fan, I loved watching Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera. Now, I hold a great appreciation for guys like John Smoltz and Johan Santana. I guess it seems as though sometimes they are so good they aren't even trying. Those two are awesome.

But before we get to that, the Nationals currently lead Brad Penny and the Dodgers, 5-2 in the third inning. They've done so with a lineup that doesn't include Dmitri Young (day off), Ronnie Belliard (feeling ill), Wily Mo Pena (bruised foot) or Brian Schneider (day off). How many of you legitimately saw THAT one coming?

OK, let's get to some of Jason Bergmann's answers to your questions. This is only round one, there will be more in the days and weeks to come. Please continue to send your questions to natsmailbag@washingtontimes.com, and I'll pass them on to Jason...

From Andrew:
Was the first time you ever walked onto the field and to the top of the mound like what you dreamed it would be like? How did you feel at that moment?
Jason Bergmann:
My major league debut just happened to coincide with Hurricane Katrina and all the devastation she caused. That aside, my debut was relieving Mike Stanton (a guy I had watched growing up as a Yankee) in a bases loaded jam with 2 outs in the 8th inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. I had little sleep, a major hurricane, and Abraham Nunez on my mind. My legs were definitely shaking and I remember saying to myself, "please don't walk this guy." He hit a jam shot single to center.

From Rachel:
If you couldn't be a baseball player (or any other professional athlete), what career would you want to have?
Jason Bergmann:
I studied Political Science and was also pursuing Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. I did however enjoy substitute teaching in the off season in New Jersey. I would definitely pursue that given the chance. I also would like to have some role in baseball, whether it be with High School, College, or Professional teams.
Q: What is the worst thing about being a pro-athlete? Why would someone NOT want to be a ballplayer? (like, what's not glamorous and cool about it?)
A: Being a pro athlete there are many stereotypes. For instance, not every player is automatically making millions of dollars. Many players make under a million. Although there is a lot of money in the sport, there are a great amount of expenses that go along with it. Flying family around, renting or buying housing for the season, car shipments, tips and dues, and dressing. Another stereotype I believe is that players are jerks and get in trouble a lot. For all of the players in MLB and out, there are some bad apples that you will hear about. However, most times you will not hear about the true gentlemen of the game, the players who have foundations and donate time and money for others. There are a lot of players who are simple family people and devote a lot of their time to their wife and children. These players will never have their name in the media for any type of wrongdoing. Some people believe we only show up and play a game and go out to party. To clarify, we usually arrive at the field about 5 hours early and review video, run, throw, hit extra, work defensive drills, and receive medical treatment. So it is a lot harder than some give us credit for. Besides the on field stuff, we travel a ton! Weather it be a plane from DC to San Diego, getting in late and then playing a day game with your internal clock all off or a simple train to Philly it wears on you! Packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking - it really gets tiring! I'm not entirely sure that I answered your question on why I wouldn't want to be a player mostly because in my opinion there aren't many jobs that are as cool as this.
Q: You are a celebrity to us, so who are your celebrities? Who would you be nervous or excited about meeting?
A: I can't honestly consider myself a celebrity. I still consider myself a regular guy. I'd never introduce myself as a Washington National because I'd rather be seen for the person I am rather than the image on TV and the name in the paper. I'm sure most would share my feelings. I think its always cool to meet people who are "celebrities" to see what they are like in person. Everyone has stories about what they do and I'd really enjoy listening to what they would say. I'd be nervous meeting the President just because he is the leader of our country!
Q: Where is your favorite city to travel to as a baseball player? Why? Which stadium do you like pitching in the best? Why?
A: So far (I haven't been everywhere yet), I really enjoy San Diego, New York, Philly, Miami and Atlanta. Sorry to name so many, but I have ties to each city. I think NY and SD are just very cool and very different cities. Atlanta is just a really cool area and probably has my favorite stadium yet - until our new stadium is finished. I live right near Philly so of course its nice to go home!
Q: What do you like most about DC? Least?
A: I love that DC is the Capitol of our nation and that means a lot. It has so many cool historical buildings and government centers. I dislike the traffic, of course. The way I see it is if you like traffic you must really not like your job! DC is more government oriented. Not so much a big city as NY and Philly are.

From Cathy:
What's the biggest difference/most shocking adjustment going from playing in the minors to the big leagues (both in-game pitching/game situations and off-field/media/travel/whatever else stuff)?
Jason Bergmann:
Major leagues is a huge step up even for AAA. First and foremost are the accomodations:
AAA - Holiday Inn. MLB - Ritz Carlton.
AAA - Bus/Coach flight with connection. MLB - Chartered Flights/Train with food etc.
The analysis is extreme as well. In AAA or any minor league level, the scouting is minimal. There sometimes isn't much information on any of the other team. Learning as you go and making changes on the fly. In the majors there are packets of information, tendancies, and video you can go over. Set gameplans against hitters and defensive adjustments. There is more of an impact on missed pitches in the majors of course than the minors.
Media is a big change too. In the minors you may or may not ever see a reporter. In the majors you are on first name basis with reporters and not just the newspaper media. There are also TV crews, internet writers and bloggers as well as the normal newpaper crews. They travel alongside the team and cover us on the road.
Q: I know you used to hang out on Scout.com message boards - do you still enjoy the internet and want to connect with fans? (I suppose so given this request to send questions in.)
A: I still venture on to the websites just to see what fans think. I love hearing from fans and that is why I asked Mark if I could answer some questions.
Q: Kind of tied in - what is the perception of the internet among the team? I'm recalling a player saying "internet baaaad!" when a picture of me and Fick was taken at the Diamond Gala and I said it would be posted on the internet. And follow-on: Would any of the players (or yourself) keep their own blogs? Someone with a big personality who isn't afraid of it? I'd love to see a Nats player's blog. (I'll accept guest posts... haha!)
A: I can't really speak for anyone else, but I wouldn't do a blog. I know there are some people that do, but thats the extent of my knowledge. My opinion of the internet is mixed. I love when the fans reach out with their thoughts, but I don't like when they are misinformed. That will always happen though. The internet is just a way for people to exchange thoughts and information.
Q: What play would you consider the best Nats blooper reel?
A: Zim is a human highlight reel, the Vince Carter of baseball. Bloopers? Not too sure haven't been here all year. Matt Chico's throw over the Marlins dugout was pretty interesting though!

That's it for Round 1 with Jason. He promises to answer more questions during his long flight home from L.A. tonight, so keep sending them in, and I'll forward them to him!

Thanks to everyone who has sent in questions for Jason Bergmann. He sent me responses to some of them earlier this afternoon and hopefully will send me another batch in the morning. I'll try to post them on the blog at some point Wednesday.

Also, don't forget Wednesday's 2 p.m. live chat. I'll be chatting from the press box at Dodger Stadium just before the finale of the Nats/Dodgers series. Send your questions to natsmailbag@washingtontimes.com, then click here at 2 p.m. to join in the chat. See you then!

Perhaps taking a cue from Kirk Gibson, who hit perhaps the most memorable home run in Dodger Stadium history, Wily Mo Pena injured his left foot fouling off a ball in the second inning, then homered two pitches later and limped around the bases.

The Nationals took X-rays on Pena's foot, which came back negative. He was diagnosed with only a bruise, and his status is day-to-day. Ryan Church has taken over in left field for him.

I've been waiting to get this one out there for a little while now, and since Jason Bergmann has returned from the DL and is rejoining the Nationals' rotation, this is as good a time as any to get the ball rolling...

Jason wants to hear from you. Yes, seriously. The right-hander wants to answer your questions about the Nats, life in the major leagues and anything else you can think up. He came up with the idea after the two of us filmed a video segment for our website during spring training -- Jason played the role of "reporter" and asked me questions about the team, he was quite good -- and has been bugging me to get this thing up and running for some time.

I, being the lazy person that I am, stalled on making this happen until now. As far as anyone knows, I waited until now because I wanted to wait until Jason came off the DL. I mean, who wants to ask an injured guy questions.

So, here's how it works. You send me questions for Jason at natsmailbag@washingtontimes.com. I will then weed out the bad/indecipherable ones and forward the good/intelligble ones to Jason, who wil l then answer them. Once we get a good sampling of Q's and A's, I'll publish them on the blog.

So have at it. Send us your best stuff, and we'll get back to you in due time.

Washington Times columnist Thom Loverro will appear on The Sports Reporters program on SportsTalk 980-AM on Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m.

For the strong-stomached, we give you Joel Hanrahan's pitching line from today's game against the Rockies:

2.2 IP
8 H
9 R
9 ER
5 BB
1 K
1 WP
1 HR
89 pitches, 48 strikes

Yowza, that's not good. In less than an hour, Hanrahan's ERA ballooned from 3.42 to 5.90! And the scary thing is, it could have been even worse if not for a couple of huge defensive plays from Ryan Zimmerman and Austin Kearns. With Chris Schroder unavailable after throwing three innings yesterday, Saul Rivera is the de facto long man right now. Needless to say, the Nationals' bullpen could be in bad shape by the time the club arrives in Los Angeles late tonight.

Of course, there's little shame in getting beat around a bit by the Rockies. These guys have a legitimate lineup. Who wouldn't take a group that includes Todd Helton, Matt Holliday (the best player who no one knows about), Garrett Atkins, Brad Hawpe and possible Rookie of the Year Troy Tulowitzki? It may be too late for this young team to make it to the playoffs, but watch out in future years.

Quick pregame update for you: Jason Bergmann is ready to come off the DL. The right-hander threw seven shutout innings for Columbus last night, striking out nine, and the Nationals have determined there's no reason to wait any longer to bring him back from a hamstring injury. Bergmann will join the club in Los Angeles Sunday night and could start Tuesday against the Dodgers.

The news isn't as good for a couple other injured right-handers. John Patterson had a setback down in Viera, complaining of soreness in his forearm after throwing a bullpen session. Patterson has been shut down and will undergo something called "active release therapy" -- sounds like a fancy way of saying muscle relaxatation treatment -- until he no longer feels any strain on his arm.

Jason Simontacchi also experienced pain while throwing in Viera, in his elbow, and is expected to have surgery Tuesday to remove a bone spur. Dr. James Andrews will examined Simontacchi Monday in Birmingham. If he has the surgery, he won't pitch again this season.

Washington Times columnist Thom Loverro will appear on The Sports Reporters program on SportsTalk 980-AM today (Friday) from 4 to 7 p.m.

What is it about the Baltimore Orioles that brings out the anger in the Texas Ranger hitters?

Wednesday's 30-3 beating by the Rangers was not the first time the Orioles suffered an extremely embarrassing loss at the hands of the former Washington Senators franchise.

I covered a Friday night game in April 1996 at The Ballpark in Arlington that ended with Manny Alexander pitching for the Orioles in a 26-7 loss.

The game lasted 4 hours, 15 minutes, only three minutes shy of the major league record for a nine-inning game at the time. The 26 runs were the most ever scored against an Orioles team -- until the 30 that the Rangers put on the board Wednesday at Camden Yards.

Alexander, the backup middle infielder, made his professional pitching debut, walking four and giving up five runs, four on a grand slam by Kevin Elster. All 26 runs were earned, on 19 hits and 13 walks.

Also, the 26 runs by the Rangers was a franchise record -- again, until Wednesday, as were the 16 they scored in the eighth inning -- only the third time in the 20th century that a team has scored that many and just one below the record set by the Boston Red Sox against the Detroit Tigers on June 18, 1953.

After the game, owner Peter Angelos sent the team a fax. "It was supportive of us," manager Davey Johnson said. "I passed it around to the players."

Angelos said he felt it was the right thing to do.

"They certainly have the talent and the class to go all the way," he said. "That doesn't mean it will happen, because there are always a lot of variables involved in doing that. But they are a very special group of players, and I just wanted to let them know how we feel about them."

On the day Angelos just made interim manager Dave Trembley his team's manager for next year -- setting the stage for yet another national embarrassment for the Orioles -- I doubt any faxes were sent about being a special group of players.

Here's another difference: Before the game, the Orioles were in first place in the American League East and remained so after the game.

And Manny Alexander is now part of the Washington Nationals, an infielder with the team's Class AAA club in Columbus. He hasn't taken the mound yet this season.

Washington Times columnist Thom Loverro will be on The Sports Reporters program on SportsTalk 980-AM today (Thursday) from 4 to 7 p.m.

It is truly remarkable the pitching staff the Nationals have been able piece together out of the collection of 37 washouts, washups, might-bes and never-weres they started with in spring training.

Consider this one: Tim Redding, who after pitching seven shutout innings against Houston on Monday is 3-3 with a 2.53 ERA in nine starts after being called up from Class AAA Columbus.

I would have no problem with this team going into next season picking a rotation from this group -- presumably a healthy Shawn Hill, Redding, John Lannan, Joel Hanrahan, Jason Bergmann, Matt Chico, and perhaps one of the youngsters who may step up -- Collin Balester or maybe even Ross Detwiler. Not a John Patterson in the mix.

Redding appears to have found the stuff that made him once a highly-touted major league prospect with the Houston Astros, and is as close to a veteran presence as the Nationals have now. They should offer him arbitration to retain him for 2008 if he finishes the season this strong.

No, I'm not with the Nats in Houston right now, but that doesn't mean I can't still answer your questions about them from the comfort of my home in Washington! So please join me today at 2 p.m. for our weekly live chat on all things Nats and all things baseball. Send your questions to natsmailbag@washingtontimes.com, then head on back at 2 p.m. to check it out. (Quick note for those of you having trouble finding the live chat: On Nats Home Plate, if you click on the link that says "Send in a question" it will take you directly to the Live Chat site. You can also find the chat by clicking on this link.

So it turns that that the Nationals got Wily Mo Pena for Jose Vidro -- still a good trade.

The club got rid of $12 million of the $16 million they still owed Vidro when they traded him to the Seattle Mariners in December for pitcher Emiliano Fruto and outfielder Chris Snelling, who then got traded earlier this season for Ryan Langerhans -- a wash there of spare part outfielders.

But the Nationals -- now flush with pitching depth (see Tim Redding's performance last night against Houston, seven shutout innings) -- were able to then deal the 23-year-old Fruto, who has promise but so far not much in results. Fruto was 3-9 with a 5.26 ERA in 16 starts for the Nationals' Class AAA Columbus squad.

Fruto was traded to Arizona, actually, in a three way deal that sent minor league outfielder first baseman Chris Carter to Washington yesterday; Carter was then dealt to the Boston Red Sox as the player to be named later in the deal to acquire Pena, taking a shot at filling a need they are desperate for -- power hitting.

I was still hoping for the day that Matt Chico and Fruto would be on the same major league roster -- Chico and Fruto, halfway toward a Marx Brothers movie. But watching Wily Mo has been a good time so far --- certainly more entertaining than watching Vidro and his singles (133 hits so far this year for Seattle, 112 of them singles).

First, a quick plug: I'll be on Washington Post Live today (5-6:30 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet), my first in-studio appearance, and I'm only slightly worried about coming across as a baseball seamhead who knows nothing about any other sports. Fortunately, one of the show's producers e-mailed me last night to run through some of the topics we'll be discussing: the New York Football Giants, Peyton Manning, D.C. United and PGA Tour golfer Mark Calcavecchia. Uh-oh. Still, please tune in to watch. Hopefully, I can convince them to talk about the Nats for at least 10 seconds or so. (Oh, and yes, the fact that I'll be in studio for a TV show that broadcasts from Bethesda does mean that I'm not currently in Houston covering the Nats-Astros series. I'll be picking up the rest of the road trip starting Friday in Colorado.)...

Now, on to what I really wanted to talk about: the fantasy football league run by Nationals players. I've been meaning to mention this for about a week now but haven't had a chance. Sadly, one of the key figures involved is Ryan Langerhans, who was just designated for assignment the other day and is no longer on the roster. Still, as a final tribute to Ryan (a good guy who suffered through a miserable season), here's the story.

In wandering through the Nats clubhouse one day during their last road trip (I believe we were in San Francisco), Robert Fick stopped to ask me if I had heard about their fantasy football league, particularly the names they had chosen for their two divisions. I hadn't, so Fick directed me to Commissioner Langerhans, who told me.

Before I reveal the division names, you need some background ... A couple of months ago, in my weekly Nats Insider column, I broke down the Washington roster into three categories of players, based on how they appeared to fit into the organization's long-term plan. The categories: Part of the future, Not part of the future, Not sure yet. It was, as far as I felt at the time, a harmless article that wasn't really going to break any new ground or ruffle too many feathers.

Until I saw it run in the paper, complete with a graphic featuring mugshots of all 25 players, those who I had deemed "not part of the future" grayed out. When I walked into the clubhouse at RFK that afternoon, I was immediately greeted with the sight of my article posted on the wall. And all of the players I had declared "not part of the future" had pink tags on their lockers reading "No Future." I'm told the look on my face as I realized what was going on was priceless.

The whole clubhouse burst into laughter at the practical joke, engineered by a couple of veteran players. I, too, could only laugh about it and congratulate those players on a job well done. They got me good, and to this day, we still joke about the whole thing.

Now, flash-forward to a couple of weeks ago in San Francisco, where Fick asked me if I had heard the names of their fantasy football divisions. He directed me to Langerhans, who had come up with the idea and couldn't wait to tell me. The Nats Fantasy Football League is divided into two divisions: "Part of the Plan" and "No Future."

Once again, well done, guys. But it's too bad they didn't actually align teams based on their long-term role with the club. Langerhans said they aligned them randomly. Which explains why Ryan Zimmerman will be competing for first place in the "No Future" division!

Nationals general manager Jim Bowden may insist there was no master plan to get the band back together -- his former Cincinnati Reds players, the latest of whom is Wily Mo Pena -- but I find that hard to believe.

Not that the moves should be criticized. Wilfredo Modesto Pena is worth a good look, and he looked darned good when he parked that tape measure home run yesterday at RFK Stadium.

But I remember Bowden just after he took the job as the Nationals GM -- this was at the general managers winter meetings in Key Biscayne in November 2005 -- salivating at the mention of Pena, Austin Kearns and Adam Dunn, the Reds outfielders he either drafted or traded for while he was the Cincinnati GM.

I even joked in print at the time that Bowden went to be every night chanting the name Wily Mo.

You've got to give Bowden credit for being so determined, like a bulldog. He's got two-thirds of the prize, Pena and Kearns. One to go.

Washington Times columnist Thom Loverro will be on The Sports Reporters on Sportstalk 980 WTEM AM on Monday, Aug. 20, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Matt Chico was optioned to Class AAA Columbus following tonight's loss to the Mets, making room on the roster for outfielder Wily Mo Pena to be added tomorrow.

It was a surprising move, given that the Nationals planned to let Chico take his lumps and develop during his first season in the major leagues. He was the only member of the Opening Day rotation to make every start to date and showed great progress at times.

But the last month or so has been a struggle. Over his last seven starts, Chico has pitched 36 innings. He's given up 26 earned runs, walked 26 batters and surrendered 10 homers. And after another rough outing tonight, the Nationals decided it would be best to send him down for the next two weeks, let him work some things out and return Sept. 1 when the roster expands.

"He's a smart kid," manager Manny Acta said. "We talked to him and explained to him. I don't think two starts down there before Sept. 1 is going to kill him."

Mike Bacsik will re-assume his place in the Washington rotation now that Chico has been removed.

Well, I guess it was only a matter of time before the Nationals sent out this press release:

"The Washington Nationals today acquired 25 year-old outfielder Wily Mo Pena and cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named later."

Yes, Jim Bowden has done it again, acquiring one of his favorite players from Cincinnati, a guy he's been obessed with for quite some time. Pena, of course, has all kinds of tools (not the least of which is his power). But he was dreadful in Boston this year, with a .218 average, five homers and 17 RBI. This, of course, came on the heels of an impressive 2006: .301, 11 homers, 42 RBI.

The Red Sox had given up on Pena, though, and the other day designated him for assignment. The Nats, to no one's surprise, swooped in and picked him up, and it doesn't appear they'll have to give up much for him. (We'll have to find out who that PBTNL is, but chances are, it's no one of huge consequence.) They also got cash out of the deal, which tells you just how bad the Red Sox wanted to move Pena.

Plenty still to be determined, of course, but it appears Pena will not be in uniform tonight against the Mets. Once he gets here, there's also a question of where he plays: center field? left field? And how does that affect Ryan Church and/or Nook Logan.

I'll pass along the answers to those questions once I have them myself.

Disappointing, though hardly surprising, news to report about Nick Johnson: He won't be playing this season.

Despite his best attempts to recover from the broken leg he suffered last September, Johnson just didn't make enough progress to get back into a game-like situation. His hip wouldn't allow him to field hard grounders to his backhand side, and he hadn't even attempted to slide yet.

Johnson was sent to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., yesterday and doctors decided they will need to perform surgery to remove the "hardware" from his leg -- the titanium rod that holds the bone in place. This may have been the source of the pain Johnson felt in his hip.

General manager Jim Bowden was quick to declare this is not a setback, and he has "confidence" Johnson will return to play next season.

If you've been to RFK Stadium during the last two homestands, you may have noticed they've begun a countdown to the final game played in this fabulous ballpark. Each night, they play some dramatic-sounding music, and the PA announcer directs everyone's attention to the numbers hanging from the wall behind the left-field corner.

It would be quite the emotional ceremony if ...

1) Anybody in the stadium was paying attention,

2) The Nationals had more than three years of history in this place, and

3) It didn't feature such comical moments as they one we were treated to last night.

For those who didn't see it ... after the big build-up, everyone looked to the big number 21 in the corner, waiting to see the "0" come rolling down to cover up the "1". And the zero did come down. All the way down. As in, it fell all the way to the ground. Like a ton of bricks.

I'll let all of you deduce the symbolism of it all.

The Nationals struck a last-minute deal with sixth-round pick Jack McGeary shortly before baseball's midnight deadline, giving the high-school left-hander a $1.8 million signing bonus that nearly matched the amount first-round pick Ross Detwiler received from Washington.

McGeary, a hard-throwing 18-year-old from West Roxbury, Mass., had hoped all along to get first-round money and had threatened to enroll in classes at Stanford if his demands weren't met. The Nationals, though, felt all along they had a shot to sign him, and once ownership was convinced yesterday to pay above "slot" for McGeary, the deal was finalized.

McGeary, who went 6-1 with an 0.88 ERA in seven starts as a senior for Roxbury Latin High School, becomes the last of Washington's top 20 draft picks to sign. He joins fellow left-handers Detwiler (the sixth-overall pick who received $2.15 million) and Josh Smoker (the 31st-overall pick who got $1 million) in agreeing to terms.

"We are very pleased to be able to draft and sign three left-handed starting pitchers ... all blessed with first-round talent," general manager Jim Bowden said.

As always, here's your friendly Wednesday morning reminder to join us at 2 p.m. for our weekly live chat. I'll be taking your questions on all things Nats, from Shawn Hill's return to the mound to Josh Smoker's signing to why in the world Nook Logan and Ryan Church can't understand the words "I got it!" Send your questions in advance to natsmailbag@washingtontimes.com, then check back in at 2 p.m. ...

In the meantime, we're now about 14 hours away from the deadline to sign this year's draft picks, and there is no indication the Nats and sixth-rounder Jack McGeary are going to come to terms. This isn't surprising. McGeary, who believed he was a first-round talent, planned to go to Stanford all along unless the Nats threw a boatload of money his way. It's tough for Washington to justify that. They signed both of their top two picks (left-handers Ross Detwiler, who got $2.15 million, and Josh Smoker, who got $1 million). McGeary wanted at least that much. How could the Nats have justified paying more to their sixth-round pick than to their first two choices? Oh well, no harm done.

The Nats still wound up signing 19 of their top 20 draft picks, which is an impressive success rate in this sport. As much as they have invested in scouting and player development, it doesn't do any good if the players never actually play in the system. Now, they begin their journey to the major leagues, some reaching the District sooner than others. Here's the rundown of the club's top draft choices, and how they've bee doing so far...

#6 -- Ross Detwiler, LHP (0-1, 2.70 ERA in 5 starts with GCL, Potomac)
#31 -- Josh Smoker, LHP (reports to GCL this weekend, comp. pick for Soriano)
#49 -- Michael Burgess, OF (.316, 6 HR, 27 RBI at GCL, comp. pick for Guillen)
#67 -- Jordan Zimmermann, RHP (3-1, 2.34 ERA in 9 games with Vermont, comp. pick for Soriano)
#70 -- Jake Smolinski, 3B (.305, 1 HR, 16 RBI at GCL)

That's all for now. Tim Redding vs. Kyle Kendrick tonight at RFK. And don't forget to check out the live chat at 2 p.m.!

***UPDATED WITH CONTRACT DETAILS***

Here's some good news for the Nats as they prepare to open a six-game homestand: Josh Smoker, the 31st overall pick in this summer's draft, has signed. The club will hold a press conference at 4:30 p.m. to announce the deal.

Wasn't told exact contract terms, but a club source said Smoker got the same signing bonus as last year's No, 31 pick, Preston Mattingly, who multiple media outlets reported received $1 million. That would be slightly more than originally expected for Smoker, a little bit above "slot" for someone taken in his spot but certainly not out of line considering Smoker's talent -- he was projected to be drafted in the mid-first round but fell to 31 when clubs were worried he would be asking for too much and would possibly attend Clemson this fall instead.

The Nats were high on the 18-year-old left-hander all along, though, and Smoker seemed to indicate from the beginning he wanted to sign. It was important for the Nats to get this one done, even if they had to overspend just a bit, for a couple of reasons. First, Smoker appears to be legitimate first-round talent. Even if the Nats had decided not to sign him and accept pick 31B next summer, team officials didn't think they'd get as good a player.

Second, Smoker was one of the two compensation picks the Nats got for losing Alfonso Soriano to free agency. That shouldn't be disregarded. On July 31, 2006, Bowden explained that he didn't trade Soriano because no other team offered anything better than the two draft picks the Nats would get if Soriano walked at the end of the year. Given that, there was pressure to get Smoker signed. Now, we have tangible compensation for Soriano. Is essence, Washington traded him for Smoker and Jordan Zimmermann, a promising right-hander who was selected 67th overall and is currently pitching well for short-season Class A Vermont.

These two young pitchers will forever be linked with Soriano, and now fans have something to follow. Over the long haul, what would you rather have had: Alfonso Soriano in left field, or Josh Smoker and Jordan Zimmermann in the rotation? It will be several years before we know the final answer to that question. But at least now, we know exactly what the Nats got for the 40-40 man.

So remember the Nats' decision yesterday to give Shawn Hill one more minor-league rehab start before activating him off the DL? Scrap that. Jim Bowden has decided he doesn't want to wait any longer, so Hill will come back and start for the Nats Tuesday against the Phillies.

"I thought about it overnight," Bowden said. "And after thoroughly looking at it and looking at how he pitched his last time out, I think he might not be as crisp and 100 percent as we would like. But he's still our best pitcher. He deserves to take the mound Tuesday in a pennant race."

It's probably no coincidence that Bowden had this epiphany while Matt Chico was slogging his way through a six-walk, five-inning start against the Diamondbacks. Never the world's most patient GM, Bowden clearly was frustrated with the way things were looking in his rotation, so he'll bring Hill (the club's best pitcher earlier this season) back after a somewhat-shaky, five-inning rehab start Thursday night for Columbus.

So here's how the Nats' upcoming rotation looks. This, however, is very tentative...

TONIGHT: John Lannan at Arizona
TOMORROW: Mike Bacsik at Arizona
MONDAY: Off
TUESDAY: Shawn Hill vs. Philadelphia
WEDNESDAY: Tim Redding vs. Philadelphia
THURSDAY: Joel Hanrahan vs. Philadelphia

Where does that leave Chico? Evidently, he'll either be pushed all the way back to Friday against the Mets, or perhaps he could be on the verge of demotion to the minors. Stay tuned...

... where it's only going to be 105 degrees today, 107 tomorrow and a brisk 110 on Sunday. But hey, it's a dry heat! Actually, you won't get any complaints here. I grew up in Phoenix and much prefer a dry 105 here to 95 and humid in Washington. No comparison in my mind.

So the Nats, fresh off a series split in San Francisco, now prepare for a three-game weekend series against the hottest (literally) team in baseball: the Diamondbacks, who are 18-8 since the All-Star break and have won six straight series. (At least, that's what the radio play-by-play guy kept saying over and over last night as I listened to the end of the game while driving from the airport to my parents' house.)

I had a feeling the D-backs might surprise some people this year because of their solid combination of young talent in the field and veteran arms in the rotation. But I never thought they'd be THIS good. Their 65 wins currently are tops in the National League. And they're doing it without the services of Randy Johnson. People around here aren't quite sure how they're pulling this off, other than to say they're getting a lot of contributions from a lot of different players, and they've gotten great work from their bullpen, including closer Jose Valverde (who leads the majors with 35 saves).

The Nats, of course, have a pretty decent bullpen themselves. No wait, actually they have the best bullpen in baseball since July 1, with an ERA right around 2.00. That group was instrumental in yesterday's 3-1 win over the Giants, with Saul Rivera getting a huge double play in the sixth and Jon Rauch getting Barry Bonds to pop out and tricking Pedro Feliz with the old fake-to-third-throw-to-first move that never works but obviously did this time.

The Nats as a whole face a pretty stiff challenge here this weekend. Manny Acta says his goal is always to play .500 ball on the road. Well, they'd need to win two of three to head home with a 4-3 record. My hunch is they'd be satisfied to win one of these games and go home 3-4 given the circumstances.

For all you late-night owls, enjoy the game on TV, and if I ever figure out when the last time two pitchers who were traded for each other have then pitched against each other was -- until Matt Chico faces Livan Hernandez tonight -- I'll let you know.

Want to ask someone what it was like to watch Barry Bonds hit home run No. 756 Tuesday night in person? Want to know how Mike Bacsik and the Nats reacted to it? Then join us at 2 p.m. for Mark Zuckerman's weekly live chat. Mark will take your questions on the Nats, Bonds and this historic (and controversial moment). Send your queries in advance to natsmailbag@washingtontimes.com, then check back at 2 p.m. for the answers.

The Nationals have been hoping to use this week's series against Barry Bonds as a chance to show the world how far they've come this season and to showcase some of their young talent. And no one was showcased more last night than John Lannan, the 22-year-old rookie left-hander who was thrust into the spotlight and handled it all superbly. Lannan drew rave reviews on ESPN and in newspapers around the country who are covering this event. A pack of writers larger I'm sure than anything Lannan has ever dealt with, crowded around him last night to get his reaction to retiring Bonds three times (including his big, seventh-inning strikeout). Lannan, a confident but quiet kid from Long Island, did have a bit of the deer-in-the-headlights glare through it all, but that was to be expected. He'll only grow from these experiences and someday will be quiet adept at handling all the attention.

Lannan wasn't the only one making a name for himself last night, though. Broadcasters, writers and fans who don't get to see Ryan Zimmerman on a regular basis were thoroughly impressed with his defensive skills (and apparently Rick Sutcliffe on ESPN called him a future MVP candidate). Dmitri Young got lots of love for his comeback seasons, and the Nats bullpen was lauded as well ... well, until Chad Cordero, Ray King and Luis Ayala blew the game in extra innings, but how many people were still watching at that late hour?

The point is, as much as some people were worried about the Nats suffering from being a part of history this week, I believe the opposite is true. This is a rare opportunity for this young club to play under the national spotlight, and even if one of these pitchers serves up homer No. 756, the rest of the country is going to know more about the Nats by the end of the week than anyone did before it.

That's a good thing.

Greetings from cool, cloudy San Francisco, where it's only about 40 degrees colder than it is back home in D.C. (But, hey, don't get too upset yet -- from here, the Nats go to Phoenix, where it's going to be a dry 107 degrees.)

Anyways, you may have heard a thing or two about a guy named Barry Bonds needing one more home run to set an all-time record. It's apparently all the buzz around the sports world today. Which means your beloved Washington Nationals, unfortunately, are going to have to take a backseat for the next couple days. Don't worry -- those of us from D.C. are keenly aware of how well Manny Acta's squad is playing right now, winners of six straight despite a rotation that consists of John Lannan, Mike Bacsik, Tim Redding, Joel Hanrahan and Matt Chico. Some of us even know that Ryan Zimmerman just hit .519 (14-for-27) with two homers, 11 RBI and two game-winning hits to earn co-NL Player of the Week honors along with Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Webb. And a handful may be aware that Jerome Williams, a member of Washington's Opening Day rotation, was released today from Class AA Harrisburg.

But that's about the extent of Nats news that's going to filter its way to everyone today. The story, for better or worse, is about Barry Bonds. It's going to be an absolute circus at AT&T Park tonight, with hundreds of media types trying to chroncile Barry's every mood and 40,000 fans trying to cram themselves into the ballpark (and outside it on kayaks in McCovey Cove) hoping to catch homer No. 756. The reaction here in San Francisco, where Bonds somehow remains immune to criticism, will surely be overflowing glee when he hits the milestone homer. Elsewhere around the country, I imagine the reaction will be far less cheerful. However you feel about this event, though, you've got to admit it will be one of the defining sporting moments of this generation. It will be very interesting to look back on this years from now -- once we know a whole lot more about steroids in baseball -- and see how our feelings have changed, if at all.

We know that Bud Selig can't be comfortable following around Barry Bonds for days on end, so I guess we can't blame him for taking a break and allowing someone else from his office to watch this next series against the Nationals.

After all, let's review what Bud Selig has had to do in the last week or so:

1. He's had to travel to Southern California.

2. He's had to sit and watch baseball games in a private box at three of the nicest ballparks in the majors.

A person would have to be crazy to want to do that.

So John Patterson appeared in the Nats clubhouse this afternoon and gathered reporters around for his first comments since returning from three weeks of treatment in Toronto on his injured right arm. What follows is a complete transcription of the interview:

PATTERSON: "I really just have one comment, and the comment is basically that I feel good. I feel great. It's the best I've felt in two years, and the treatment was a success. I have a throwing program that I'm following. That's the only comment I have."

REPORTER: "Will you be back this year?"

PATTERSON: "Yeah, but that's all I have to say."

He then walked away, a somewhat surprising move by the usually media-friendly right-hander. Perhaps Patterson is upset over the things that were written about him when he left for the controversial treatment program in Canada. There's been a lot of speculation about this year's Opening Day starter's future with the Nationals organization, with many believing he won't be offered arbitration to come back next season.

Patterson has a right to be upset about negative things written about him. But I'm not sure that denying readers and listeners a chance to hear a more detailed description of his current physical state and gameplan from here is going to help his cause.

Thom Loverro will be on The Sports Reporters on WTEM Sportstalk 980 today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again tomorrow (Thursday) from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

It's Wednesday, so that means Mark Zuckerman will be online at 2 p.m. to field your question on the Nats and baseball in general. Plenty to discuss this week between the trade deadline, Barry Bonds' crawl to 756 and Dmitri Young's new contract. Send your questions in advance to natsmailbag@washingtontimes.com, then join in for the chat at 2 p.m. at http://video1.washingtontimes.com/natsmailbag. See you then!

Some leftover stuff from this past weekend's Hall of Fame induction:

Richard Gere is sort of a runt. He's not particularly short, but he is as thin as a rail and doesn't look anything like the guy who went toe to toe with Lou Gossett Jr., in "An Officer and a Gentleman." He sat with Cal Ripken at the Hall of Fame dinner Saturday night and went to the cocktail party at the Hall, spending time talking to Earl Weaver and Frank Robinson, among others.

Speaking of Frank Robinson, turns out he is on the board of directors for the Hall, as is Brooks Robinson. Frank looked great, but the consensus was among fellow Hall of Famers is that the Nationals did not treat Frank well and made a mistake by not coming up with a way to continue their relationship.

Tim Russert is on the board of directors for the Hall of Fame. Why?

Linda Carter is still one impressive woman.

During the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, they ran a video tribute naming all the people in the game who had passed away since last year's ceremony. Included was a former Nationals scout, the late Doug McMillan.

I stayed in a house owned by a family named DiMaggio. No relation to the man.

Saw a number of Ripken's old teammates -- Brady Anderson, B.J. Surhoff, David Segui and Jeff Reboulet. Still wondering why the Orioles don't invite back former players to spring training to create a sense of tradition for both the players and the fans. Then again, the Orioles tradition ended Sunday with Cal Ripken's induction.

Consensus among writers in attendance was puzzlement over Jim Bowden's contract extension for Dmitri Young. Wondered why not trade him for whatever you could get and then sign him as a free agent in the offseason, if he truly wanted to stay here. There was no chance anyone was going to pay him more than the $10 million the Nationals gave him for two years.

The crowd of 75,000 is expected to remain the record until Derek Jeter is inducted.