The Nationals and Mets are back at it this evening at Nationals Park. Washington’s lineup looks like a pretty good preview of 2011 – provided they re-sign first baseman Adam Dunn. The middle infield is Ian Desmond, 24, and Danny Espinosa, 23. All Espinosa has done in five big-league games is bat 9-for-16 with three homers, including a grand slam, and three doubles. I’m pretty sure we can hold off on his Hall-of-Fame induction. The grind of a full season will whittle a players’ numbers to where nature intended and the league will quickly figure out a way to pitch to Espinosa as it gains more information.
Having said that – he looks like a major-league regular with fine defensive skills, including a cannon for an arm, and power you don’t see in most second baseman. That’s plenty good enough. It’s another jolt of excitement as the Nats prepare for 2011. He joins Desmond, 24, in the lineup tonight and we’ll see Roger Bernadina, 26, Michael Morse, 28, Wilson Ramos, 23, and – in his major-league debut – and starting pitcher Yunesky Maya, 29, the Cuban-born defector whom Washington signed in July.
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Depending how he does this month – in other words, no major meltdowns – Maya figures in the rotation plans next season. You have to believe this will be an emotional moment. It is for any Cuban ex-pat who leaves their entire world behind just for the chance at a big-league career. We’ll see how Maya deals with all of that tonight against the Mets, who are without star third baseman David Wright, a late scratch. Before the game, Washington added Maya, starting pitcher Ross Detwiler and reliver Joe Bisenius to the active roster. Here are the lineups.
Mets:
Pagan – RF
Hernandez – 2B
Beltran – CF
Davis – 1B
Hessman – 3B
Duda – LF
Blanco – C
Tejada – SS
Gee – SP (MLB Debut)
Nationals:
Morgan – CF
Desmond – SS
Zimmerman – 3B
Dunn – 1B
Bernadina – LF
Morse – RF
Espinosa – 2B
Ramos – C
Maya – SP
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