VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals beat the Braves 6-3 today, but the game notes will have to get pushed aside for a few minutes with news of a few roster moves. The Nats have signed left-handed pitcher Zach Duke to a minor league contract. Duke was released by the Astros earlier this week. Duke, 28, has a career record of 48-74 with an ERA of 4.56. He spent last year with the Diamondbacks, going 3-4 with a 4.93 ERA. The lefty will likely be added to the rotation at Triple-A Syracuse. "Our depth...

Another outfielder working his way up the system is Dominican prospect Eury Perez, who hit .283 with 41 RBIs, 45 stolen bases in 119 games last season for Single-A Potomac. Now he is poised to make that next step. But let's not put too much pressure on the kid, says Nationals outfield coordinator Tony Tarasco. After all, he is only 21 years old and is still learning the game. "Eury has all the tools," Tarasco said. "He is another great ball player. I worry that because of our need for a...

VIERA, Fla. - A six-run sixth inning has given the Nationals a 6-1 lead over the Braves and has Edwin Jackson in line for his second win of spring. Ah, the old meaningless Grapefruit League statistics. The numbers are almost always insignificant in spring, but every now and then, they prove to be important. Such was the case in that sixth inning, when Brett Carroll - a guy who is trying to win one of the Nats final roster spots - cleared the bases with a triple to right-center and then came...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have designated left-hander Dana Eveland for assignment to make room for infielder Zelous Wheeler, who was claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers. Eveland allowed three runs and six hits in four innings during yesterday's start against the Blue Jays. He was 1-2 with a 3.46 ERA and 17 hits allowed in 13 spring innings. The Orioles acquired Eveland from the Dodgers at the winter meetings for minor league left-hander Jarret Martin and outfielder Tyler...

The Orioles today announced that they have claimed infielder Zelous Wheeler off of waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Wheeler, 25, is a career .271/.371/.408 hitter in 538 minor league games over five seasons. He spent last season with Double-A Huntsville (65 games) and Triple-A Nashville (17 games), hitting a combined .272/.378/.459 with 33 extra-base hits in 329 at-bats. Wheeler was originally drafted by Milwaukee in the 19th round of the 2007 draft out...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals' M.A.S.H. unit currently trails the Braves 1-0 here entering in the sixth inning Edwin Jackson has been fantastic so far, allowing just two hits and a walk, retiring 10 hitters in a row at one point. Braves center fielder Jason Heyward rudely snapped that streak leading off the fifth inning, however, demolishing a pitch over the batter's eye in center field, a wall which is about 400 feet from home plate and must be at least 30 feet high. That ball was...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Shortstop J.J. Hardy (shoulder) and outfielder Endy Chavez (groin) won't make the trip to Tampa for tonight's game against the New York Yankees. Hardy could return on Friday. Chavez has been day-to-day for more than a week. Hardy, who received a cortisone injection on Tuesday, will take off again today and attempt to throw Friday morning. If the shoulder feels good, he'll be in the lineup against the Tigers. "I'm kind of hoping I'll get over the hump tomorrow," he...

VIERA, Fla. - Just what the Nationals needed - another corner infielder/corner outfielder going down injured. Mark DeRosa, who was scheduled to start in left field today, has been scratched from the Nats' lineup. The Nationals did not give a reason for DeRosa being scratched, but we do know the veteran has been battling calf cramps recently, and didn't make yesterday's trip to Port St. Lucie after manager Davey Johnson gave him the day off. Xavier Nady will move from right field to left...

VIERA, Fla. - Manager Davey Johnson has made some tweaks to his starting rotation for the next few days. Ross Detwiler has been moved up and will start tomorrow's game against the Marlins, while Stephen Strasburg will be bumped back a day, and will now start Saturday's game against the Cardinals. This means John Lannan's turn in the rotation will be skipped, but Johnson says he plans to piggyback Lannan with Strasburg on Saturday, with both guys getting 60-70 pitches. It will be...

VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals made three cuts this morning, reassigning outfielder Jason Michaels and infielder Andres Blanco to minor league camp and optioning left-handed pitcher Atahualpa Severino to Triple-A Syracuse. Michaels and Blanco both have opt-outs in their contracts, meaning that they can decline the demotion to Triple-A and can look around for a big league job elsewhere. The cuts leave the Nats with 34 players on their major league roster. "Jason was the hardest," manager Davey...