Redding's Struggles Continue

VIERA, Fla., March 10 -- Washington Nationals right-hander Tim Redding gave up four runs in two innings in Saturday's 7-6, 10-inning win over the New York Mets. His Grapefruit League ERA is now 23.62.

"I'll be fine," Redding said.

The time for that, though, is rapidly approaching. Manager Manny Acta wants to whittle the candidates for the starting rotation to about seven or eight by Thursday, so Redding is likely to have one more chance to impress. He allowed back-to-back homers to Ben Johnson and David Newhan -- both on breaking pitches -- leading off the second, when the Mets batted around and scored their four runs off him.

Redding said he remains confident, and that he has smoothed out his mechanics during bullpen sessions between starts. But he wants results.

"It comes down to executing with a hitter in the box," he said. "You can throw bullpens and you can throw on the side till you're blue in the face. But when there's a guy with a 34-inch stick 60 feet 6 inches away, that's when you got to execute."

Field Duty Awaits

Shortstop Cristian Guzman, who still hasn't played in the field during a Grapefruit League game, should do so on Wednesday. Guzman, who missed all of last season following surgery on his right shoulder, played five innings in the field during Friday's minor league intrasquad game. He served as the designated hitter against the Mets on Saturday, going 0 for 3 with a strikeout to lower his spring average to .100.

The plan is for Guzman to play five more innings in the field in the minor league game on Sunday, then have a day off from playing. The Nationals' only day off of the exhibition schedule is Tuesday, and Guzman should play Wednesday against St. Louis in Jupiter.

All-Around Effort

Center fielder Nook Logan was Saturday's hero, taking a home run away from Ruben Sierra in the seventh by climbing the wall in left-center for a spectacular catch, then driving in Robert Fick with a single down the third base line off Mets lefty Eddie Camacho in the 10th. "I think the wind held that ball up," Logan said of the catch.

"That's why we're high on him," Acta said. . . .

Catcher Jesus Flores, selected from the Mets in the Rule 5 draft, hit a double and threw out a runner trying to steal against his old organization. . . .

Alex Escobar sat out for the fourth straight day with tightness in his quad, but said he felt ready. "I'm just waiting for them to tell me when I can go," the oft-injured outfielder said.

Pitcher of the Day Right-hander Jerome Williams pitched three innings, allowing a solo homer to Jose Valentin with two outs in the fourth but no other runs. "Just okay," Acta said, noting that the defense saved further damage by throwing out a runner at the plate. Up Next vs. Dodgers at Vero Beach, 1 p.m.