From Mr. Madison in New Carrollton:
So just how long do we wait before we become concerned about John Patterson?
Mark Zuckerman:
Good one to get started on... Patterson's an interesting case, because he says he feels great and his arm is 100 percent healthy, but then his velocity is in the mid-80s. After his last start in Fort Lauderdale he said it felt like he was throwing bowling balls up there, which could be the classic case of spring training dead arm. Or it could be more serious. As long as he insists he's healthy, he'll be out there pitching. The Nats are hopeful the velocity will come back over time (remember, this guy's had two surgeries in two years) but given his history, there's just no way to know whether he'll ever regain that 2005 form.

From Mike in Fredericksburg:
A few weeks ago you folks announced some type of interaction w/MASN, can you tell us what we can expect? BTW your daily coverage has been far superior to anything else in the area so far this spring. I wish other Nats fans would make the switch from that other "home town" paper and give you guys some support.
Mark Zuckerman:
Thanks, Mike. We really appreciate the feedback. ... As for the MASN partnership, the precise details are still being worked out, but look for myself and my new partner on the beat, Ben Goessling, to make regular appearances on the Nats' pregame show offering some insight into the team. Also look for promos in our paper for MASN coverage, and on MASN telecasts for our paper and website. It should be a nice arrangement that hopefully will benefit both sides.

From Barry Prophet in Reston:
Mark: According to your blog, Felipe Lopez appeared pretty torqued on Tuesday about sitting on the bench. Since I think he has ZERO trade value, how will Manny handle a discontent in Lopez if in fact he and his light bat start the season on the bench?
Mark Zuckerman:
This is going to be a MAJOR issue to watch over the next 10 days. Lopez indeed made it clear he doesn't want to come off the bench, though based on performance, it would seem obvious he should be there and Ronnie Belliard should be starting. That said, Manny Acta is an expert at handling different players, and that's why I would not be surprised if Lopez starts the season as the regular second baseman, with Belliard (who will do whatever's asked of him) on the bench. Lopez doesn't give you much off the bench, especially if he's pouting, so maybe they give him one more shot to start. Manny could always make a switch a couple weeks in if Felipe still isn't performing.

From Lamont Parker:
With Adam Dunn being a free agent next year, do you see JimB pursuing another one of his former draft picks? What type of free agent should we expect next year?
Mark Zuckerman:
Never too early to look ahead, I guess. While Jim Bowden obviously loves Adam Dunn, I'm not so sure he would pull the trigger on that one next winter. The Nats already have a bunch of young outfielders (Milledge, Dukes, Pena, Kearns, Maxwell) and two first basemen locked up through 2009 (Johnson and Young) plus a top prospect expected to be ready by 2010 (Marrero). A bigger priority next winter might be middle infield. Guzman and Lopez are both going to be free agents, and there's nothing in the pipeline remotely close to being ready at shortsop or second base.

From Bob in Sterling:
Was there ever a result in the grievance filed by the Reds against Bowden for the Lopez/Kearns trade?
Mark Zuckerman:
Believe it or not, at last check the grievance case had not been closed. My feeling all along has been that some resolution would have come down by now if the Reds had a legitimate case. But someone at MLB hasn't completely been satisfied one way or the other. I still doubt anything will come of this.

From Brian in Alexandria:
Could you please give us a rundown of which Nationals do and do not have options left? I'm guessing that will play a role in who makes the final 25-man roster in several cases.
Mark Zuckerman:
Great question, and yes, this will definitely play a role in how the final roster is determined. To the best of my knowledge, here's who has and doesn't have options left...
PITCHERS
Have options: Jason Bergmann, Matt Chico, John Lannan, Shawn Hill, Chris Schroder, Saul Rivera, Chad Cordero, Luis Ayala (not that those two are going to need them).
Out of options: John Patterson, Tim Redding, Joel Hanrahan, Jon Rauch, Jesus Colome.
POSITION PLAYERS
Have options: Jesus Flores, Ryan Zimmerman (yeah, right), Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes, Wil Nieves.
Out of options: Paul Lo Duca, Nick Johnson, Dmitri Young, Felipe Lopez, Ronnie Belliard, Cristian Guzman, Austin Kearns, Rob Mackowiak, Willie Harris.
Rule 5 draftees: Garrett Guzman, Matt Whitney (can't be sent down without first being offered to their former teams).

From Mark in Arlington:
What do your buddies in the traffic department think will happen after the game on opening night? I feel like Metro will not have nearly enough trains running at 11:30 on a Sunday night. Luckily there aren't enough parking spots to cause a traffic jam.
Mark Zuckerman:
I believe Metro plans to run extra trains on all gamenights, but this is going to be something to watch all season and beyond. The Navy Yard station has been expanded, but is it enough to accommodate 20,000 or more fans who may take Metro? Also, what happens when almost everyone gets off at L'Enfant Plaza to transfer to other lines? Between Metro, parking near the ballpark and the parking shuttle at RFK, there are plenty of issues that need to be watched closely.

From Ron in Centreville:
Mark: Although the Nationals haven't seen everybody and W-L records mean nothing, what teams and/or players have impressed you so far this spring?
Mark Zuckerman:
I'll couch this by saying I only get to see about eight other teams in Florida, and obviously you can't read too much into spring training. But that said, when I was in Lakeland yesterday and saw the All-Star roster the Tigers have assembled, it's hard to believe they're not going to be REALLY good this year. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Cardinals appear to be a mess. It's amazing that franchise is two years removed from a World Series. Individual player to watch: Marlins rookie outfielder Cameron Maybin, one of the guys they got from Detroit in the Cabrera/Willis trade. The kid can fly around the bases.

From Joseph in Sacramento, Calif.:
Hello from the other coast. When I look at the 2008 Nats I see a team with more talent, but similar to last years squad. This is because I believe they are still trying to find players who fit their long term plans (ie: Milledge, Dukes, certain pitchers), it's just that those players have more talent than the Nook Logan's of the 07 squad. If this team is looking to be a .500 or better squad this year, is next year the year that they spend some money on a big bat and top flight pitcher to put them in contention? Thanks.
Mark Zuckerman:
You are correct when you say the Nats are still trying to find players who fit their long-term plan. They've made strides in that department (Zimmerman, Flores, Milledge, Dukes, Lannan, Chico) but they're not there yet. Until then, they'll continue to fill the gaps with affordable veteran options like Odalis Perez and Ray King and Tim Redding. Remember that there are several top prospects who could be arriving later this year or next year (Collin Balester, Garrett Mock, Ross Detwiler, Tyler Clippard, Chris Marrero, Justin Maxwell) so there will be more pieces to add to the puzzle. But knowing the way Stan Kasten thinks about free agency, I wouldn't expect the Nats to shell out big bucks until they really feel they're on the cusp of competiting for a championship.

That's going to do it for this installment. Thanks for all the questions, and be sure to join me again next Wednesday at 1 p.m. for our final chat from spring training.