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Q: What's John Patterson's status so far this spring? Any idea whether his persistent injuries might be affecting his first-class stuff?
-- Ian Knight

A: Patterson made his first start Saturday against the Orioles, and while he admitted he wasn't totally comfortable on the mound, he still managed to toss two effective innings. Now, this was his first appearance against a major-league opponent since July, so it's admittedly going to take a few more outings for Patterson to get his feel back. But he and the team insist last year's forearm injury is no longer anything to be concerned about, and he's poised to make 30 starts and pitch 200 innings this year.

That may be asking a lot from a guy who's never reached the 200-inning plateau, and until he does prove his durability, Patterson will always be labeled as being soft. I think John knows this, which is why he's sounded particularly determined this spring to advance his career. The past two years, he was generally quiet and reserved, deferring to Livan Hernandez as the anchor of the Nationals' pitching staff. This year, he's carrying himself differently, being much more open and generally acting like he's the ace of the rotation.

Whether that translates into a much-awaited breakthrough season from Patterson remains to be seen. But it's certainly encouraging to see this new incarnation of him.

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Hi everyone. It's another sunny day in Viera, where the Nationals are hosting the Mets. Shawn Hill vs. Chan Ho Park, and New York sent most of its regulars up here: Delgado, Wright, Beltran, Lo Duca, Reyes, Alou, Billy Wagner. Not bad. I'll provide some in-game updates along the way. In the meantime, let's get to your questions...

From Felix van der Vaart in Annandale, VA:
We haven't heard a ton about Larry Broadway except for the fact that he didn't hit too well last year. Where do you think he'll end up playing this year, how long will he be there, and how well will he do?
Mark Zuckerman:
Broadway's status is still very much up in the air. He's been splitting time at first base with Travis Lee this spring, and Manny Acta said he probably won't make a final decision until the last week of camp. After a slow start, Larry has started coming on at the plate. He's hitting .294 in eight games now and has played a decent first base. Whether he makes the Opening Day roster remains to be seen, but I can say this much with certainty: If Broadway isn't the starter, he'll be back in Columbus. The Nationals don't want him sitting on the bench, wherever he plays. He needs to play every day.

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Q: With all of the talk about needing/wanting players on the roster who can play multiple positions, are we going to see "musical chairs" come Opening Day? After Nick Johnson was injured last September, we saw everyone from Robert Fick to Brian Schneider at first base. Are we in for more of the same this coming season or will Manny Acta establish permanent positions for the guys? I would think it would be easier or better for a player to develop his skills at a single position instead of trying to play multiple positions in the field. What's your take on this? Am I way off base?
-- Lisa S., Springfield, Va.

A: I think you'll see some musical chairs as the season plays out, but not a ton. As much as managers would prefer to have eight guys playing the same position every single day, that's usually not the case on below-average teams.

The only Nationals who are basically assured of playing every day are Brian Schneider, Ryan Zimmerman, Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez. Cristian Guzman could be an everyday guy, but we still don't know how his shoulder's going to hold up. Three positions (first base, left field, center field) don't have solidly entrenched starters, though, so I think you'll see a revolving door at times. The winner of the Dmitri Young/Travis Lee competition will start at first base with Robert Fick getting some fill-in time. And I think you'll see a three-way merry-go-round in left and center fields, with some combination of Ryan Church, Nook Logan and Chris Snelling getting playing time.

Hi everyone, and welcome to what I believe will be the final live chat from sunny Viera. The Nats (and yours truly) will be breaking camp on Thursday and heading north. It's been kind of a news-filled week, with several roster questions answered (especially in the rotation). Still a few things that have to be sorted out before Opening Day. I'll do my best to answer whatever questions you may have. Send your inquiries to natsmailbag@washingtontimes.com or click on the live chat icon back on the Nats Home Plate page. Let's get started...

Welcome to today's live chat with Thom Loverro. In order to send a question, use the "Send them a question" link above.