Some actual, real-live, positive news to report (something the Nats could surely use right now): Chad Cordero will likely be activated off the DL in time for Sunday's series finale against the Braves, and Wily Mo Pena will probably be ready next week.

Cordero, who hasn't pitched yet this season due to right shoulder tendinitis, threw a scoreless inning at Class A Potomac last night. He'll go one more time for the P-Nats tomorrow night, hoping to build up some stamina and perhaps get a little more life on his fastball (which last night was recorded around 86 to 88 mph). If that goes well, he'll be activated over the weekend.

"He probably could be here if we wanted to," GM Jim Bowden said. "But we just felt -- Randy St. Claire, our pitching coach, and Manny [Acta] -- both of them felt strongly that one more outing to build up arm strength would be better for him. And I deferred to them on that decision."

As for Pena, out since mid-March with a strained oblique, he went 3-for-3 today at extended spring training with a homer, double and single. He'll be at Class AAA Columbus starting Saturday, and Bowden said he could be back with the Nats by the middle of next week. That would be a significant lift for the Nats' lineup.

"You know, he and Elijah [Dukes] are missed because every time they come to the plate, they've got a chance to hit the ball out of the ballpark," Bowden said. "Whether they do or they don't, the threat of them in the lineup allows better pitches to the people around you when you have that threat all the time. When you lose three one-run games and another that went to extra innings, that's one swing of the bat. So sure, it's missed."

More from Bowden, on the forthcoming difficult decision to remove a member of the rotation in favor of Shawn Hill (and this is a good one): "You're not watching our pitching staff? The decisions are really easy. It's simple. Get me better pitching. I've got lots of moves I can make. I'm watching the same game you're watching. [Collin] Balester did pitch great today [at Columbus], and I'm very, very encouraged. Bob Boone was there and said he could've pitched here today, he pitched that well."

Hmm, think Bowden might be trying to send a message to Jason Bergmann, Matt Chico and Co.?