From Sam in Springfield:
Mark, do you think there has been an average, above average, or below average of pitching injuries to Major Leaguers this year?
Mark Zuckerman:
You know, this is one of those subjects that seems to come up every once in a while when there are a flurry of injuries around the game (or on one team). The common reaction is to wonder whether there are suddenly more injuries than there have been in the past. I don't have numbers at my disposal, but my hunch is to say that injuries are occurring at the usual rate. We tend to focus on the big ones that we hear about, especially if our team has a sudden plague of them, but generally it's about the same across the board.

From Donald in Falls Church:
What was Jesus Flores doing at AAA all this time? The guy can flat-out play, far better than the geriatric Lo Duca or Estrada. Shouldn't the Nats keep Flores as their starting catcher even when those other guys return, or is he destined to be sent back to Columbus?
Mark Zuckerman:
This is something I'm planning to explore in the next couple days, because it has become a legitimate question. Flores has done nothing since returning to the big leagues a couple weeks ago to suggest he's not ready to play up here regularly. He's hitting for average, he's hitting in clutch situations, he's calling a good game and he's playing sterling defense -- how about that block of the plate last night in the ninth inning! ... All that said, the Nats aren't going to have $5 million Paul Lo Duca coming off the bench and playing once a week once he returns from the DL. And remember that Wil Nieves is out of options and can't be sent back to the minors. So I suspect Flores will return to Columbus eventually and eye 2009 for his triumphant (and permanent) return to D.C.

From Mr. Madison in New Carrollton:
Look at Milledge's line batting 2nd, compared to batting 5th: 2nd --.298/.354/.439, 5th --.212/.297/.258. Is it time to suspend the "Milledge as a middle-of-the-order" hitter experiment, at least for now?
Mark Zuckerman:
It should be obvious by now that Lastings Milledge is not a No. 5 hitter, at least not at this point in his career. The problem is that the Nats have no No. 5 hitter currently (you could argue they don't have a No. 3 or No. 4 either, but that's for another time). Milledge was one of the few players producing offensively when Manny Acta made the switch, so that's why he was bumped from 2 to 5. The other complicating factor is that Cristian Guzman continues to hit well in the 2-hole and Felipe Lopez has been I suppose adequate out of the leadoff spot. Neither one of those guys can hit in the middle of the order, so it wouldn't make much sense to move Milledge back up to the 2-spot now because then either Lopez or Guzman ends up somewhere he shouldn't be.

From GoNats in Manassas:
I've been really encouraged by Jason Bergmann's pitching since he came back from the minors. Do you think he will keep it up or revert back to the form that got him banished from here in the first place?
Mark Zuckerman:
Personally, I'm a fan of Bergmann, who is one of the nicest and well-grounded professional athletes I've ever covered. That my skewer my feelings on him as a pitcher a bit, but I do believe he's got the stuff to become a pretty good big-leaguer. His problem has always been more mental than physical, trusting himself that he can get big-league hitters out. Since coming back from Columbus, he seems to be confident in his abilities. I don't think he'll be tossing shutouts every fifth day, but I do think he'll be a consistent performer for the Nats.

From Art in Rockville:
Read your article the other day where you suggested Tim Redding could be the Nats' All-Star rep. Who do you think will end up being the guy?
Mark Zuckerman:
I did make a bit of a case for Redding after his latest win the other night. The guy is 6-3 with a 3.16 ERA, is tied for third in wins in the NL and gives the Nats a chance to win almost every time he gets the ball. Do I think he'll be an All-Star? Probably not, though stranger things have happened. It's funny, though, how much can change over the next 6-7 weeks until the rosters are named. I remember a year ago at this time thinking Jesus Colome deserved to make the team. Dmitri Young wasn't even on my radar screen. Then Dmitri went on an absolute tear at the plate to earn the All-Star nod and Colome wound up on the DL and leaving his GM to "pray for his buttocks."

From Chris in Alexandria:
Is there any evidence or are there any signs that Lenny Harris is competent at his job? How much input does Manny Acta have in the hiring or firing of his coaches? Does Bowden have most of the say?
Mark Zuckerman:
It's so tough to really fairly judge a hitting coach. The positive evidence supporting Harris is that the Nats' offense was better last season after he took over than it was before under Mitchell Page. The negative evidence is this season's .236 team batting average. Is Harris the primary reason for either of those? No, it's all about the players. That said, the organization is watching him very closely and I would not say that he should feel like he has any job security right now. As for who would make such a decision, Acta does obviously have a say, but Bowden would be front and center when and if the time came to make a change.

From Mike in Fredericksburg:
Great coverage on Home Plate. I check it everyday. I never thought I would write this but, what are the chances the Nats resign Cristian Guzman when the season is over. We don't have a shortstop that is major league ready in the farm system. Do you see maybe a two year deal similar to Young and Belliard signed last year?
Mark Zuckerman:
I never thought I'd be fielding this type of question, so it goes both ways! Amazing how things can change in this game. The Nats absolutely need to figure out what they're going to do at shortstop next season. There's no one in the pipeline ready to take over, and the free agent market isn't loaded (aside from maybe Rafael Furcal, who stands to make a bundle). So yes, there is some consideration to re-signing Guzman. Another possibility, though: Trading him come July to a contending team in need of a .300-hitting shortstop. Guzman could actually be quite marketable, and the Nats would be foolish not to at least consider offers. They could always re-sign him over the winter.

From Sam in Springfield:
Mark, often I listen to Nats games on XM radio. So I never know who will be broadcasting, Nats or visitors. Several of the visiting broadcasters have complained about the press box location. What is your sense of that? Is negativity toward the high location of the press box rampant among the media?
Mark Zuckerman:
There are definitely some complaints from visiting media, mostly from broadcasters who are a level up from the writers and have a tough time judging fly balls, etc., from that vantage point. The writers have fewer complaints. Sure, the press box is a bit high, but it's spacious, comfortable and is situated right behind the plate. Can't ask for much more than that. A bigger complaint seems to be that the TV cameras that show much of the game action are located too high and should be positioned on a ledge at the front of the upper deck. Not sure why the stadium designers didn't take that into account.

From John in Fredericksburg:
Any news on the upcoming draft? Any names or positions you'd expect for #9?
Mark Zuckerman:
We're going to start delving deeper into this over the next two weeks as the June 3 draft approaches, so I don't want to start throwing names around until I get a better sense what the Nats are thinking. This much I can say: Despite the fact they loaded up on pitching last year and are severely lacking in impact hitters, the Nats won't go out of their way to draft position players with their top picks this season. They're going to take the best player available, which is the way the MLB draft usually works. This isn't like the NFL where you can draft in part based on need. Whomever they select likely won't be major-league ready for several years anyways, so there's no sense trying plug a current hole with a draft pick who may or may not ever pan out.

Folks, I've got to get ready to head out to the ballpark. Thanks for your questions. Big game tonight, with Matt Chico returning to the rotation in search of his first win of the season, and the Nats trying to take the series from the Phillies. Enjoy the game, and I'll talk to you next week from sunny San Diego!