Nats Hoping Gonzalez Can Deter Stealing

ATLANTA, May 14 -- The Washington Nationals' ragged pitching staff lost a member Sunday when the club optioned right-hander Jason Bergmann to Class AAA New Orleans, a move that made room for the recall of catcher Wiki Gonzalez. The thinking was simple, if a bit odd, considering that catcher-first baseman Robert Fick is also now with the club.

"The rationale is, we're trying to cut down a little bit, or discourage, taking advantage of us when they get on base," Manager Frank Robinson said.

Headed into Sunday's 8-1 win over the Atlanta Braves, the Nationals had thrown out just five of 34 would-be base stealers, a percentage that ranks 12th in the National League. Only two teams in the league have allowed more stolen bases. The situation got precipitously worse in the absence of starting catcher Brian Schneider, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a tight left hamstring.

Matthew LeCroy hadn't thrown out any of the 13 runners who attempted steals against him. Gonzalez threw out three of nine with New Orleans, and he gunned down the only man who attempted to steal Sunday, Jeff Francoeur in the second inning.

"That got me calmed down," said Gonzalez, who also went 3 for 5.

The fallout, though, is that the Nationals are left with an 11-man pitching staff -- for now.

"Does this mean we're going to stay at 11?" General Manager Jim Bowden said. "No." The club could go back to a 12-man staff as soon as Wednesday.

Bergmann, who has a 5.91 ERA in 11 appearances, was philosophical. "They need a catcher," he said, "and I'm not a catcher."

Bowden's Quality Time With Kasten

Bowden concluded his weekend-long meeting with incoming Nationals president Stan Kasten by sitting in the third row along the third-base line, their third straight game sitting together.

"I've known Stan for a decade, over a decade," Bowden said. "The conversations went well. They were private conversations."

The family of Theodore N. Lerner, which was named the Nationals' new owners May 3, said they will entrust Kasten with decisions on who will be general manager in the future. Kasten has not given a timetable for such decisions.