Nationals Farm Authority

VIERA, FL - John Patterson pitched in his first game in six months and looked pretty good doing it. The Washington Nationals lost 7-2 to their crosstown rivals, the Baltimore Orioles. Patterson said “I felt good; I wasn’t comfortable out there on the mound for the first couple of hitters. After that, I felt a little bit better.” He had never worked with presumptive backup catcher Jesus Flores, but they “kept it very simple today by throwing first pitch strikes, working some breaking balls in, and staying ahead of the count.” Patterson threw two innings and 34 pitches and his limit will most likely be increased to three innings or 55 pitches, whichever comes first. He threw his fastball, curveball, and changeup, but he noted that, as planned, “I didn’t throw any sliders [because] the slider is my last pitch to come. Once I find my arm slot and my release point on my fastball and get my curve ball going, then my slider works right off my fastball.” Manager Manny Acta also thought “it was refreshing to see him out there throwing the ball.” But after Patterson’s fastball, Acta said “it’s too much to ask him to have his second and third pitch [in his repertoire] with complete command. He wasn’t very sharp with his breaking ball. To see him go out there and throw the ball nice and free as he did; it was good for me.” Acta wasn’t overly concerned: “yes, the sharpness of the second and third pitches is something that sometimes in the middle of the season guys don’t have. So I don’t worry about. I worry about how he looks pitching.”

Joel Hanrahan, one of the 13-some odd pitchers competing for the four starting rotation slots of the big league club, came out to start the third inning but only lasted for one-third of an inning as he gave up three walks, three hits, and was credited with five earned runs. Hanrahan admitted, “when I got out there, the game started feeling fast,” but he understands that there were only going to be a limited number of opportunities to prove himself anyways. Even though this outing certainly won’t help his cause, he’s not going to let this hinder him from doing what he needs to do as a pitcher in his next outings. Manager Manny Acta expressed similar sentiments as he pointed out that if he changes his mind now on Hanrahan and then “if he goes out there and throws two scoreless innings next time, what am I going to do? Change my mind again? I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt out there.”

Other notes…

Some of the starting position players are still hitting well: Ryan Zimmerman had two singles to bring him to 4 for 5 in spring training and Austin Kearns continues to hit balls solidly. Jesus Flores had a solid double right down the left field line. Flores started the game at catcher since Brian Schneider was away with his newly expanded family as his new daughter, Tatum Elizabeth was born on Saturday at 10:03 a.m. Kory Casto notched his first hit of the spring; Casto has been playing the second half of each game at third base after Zimmerman comes out of the game. Relievers Ray King, Jon Rauch, and Saul Rivera all looked good in one inning of work each.