NATIONALS NOTEBOOK
Speigner Set To Make First Career Start
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Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Nationals pitcher Levale Speigner grew up in Thomasville, Ga., four hours south of Atlanta. As a kid, a few times a year, he and his family made that drive to watch the Braves play. He remembers when many of the team's mainstays -- John Smoltz, Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones -- were in the early stages of their careers.
Yet Speigner said his childhood connection to the team won't be on his mind today when he is scheduled to make the first start of his major league career against the Braves.
"If you focus on that, you lose sight of what you have to do -- get outs," Speigner said.
Speigner (1-0, 3.77 ERA) has functioned mostly as the team's long reliever, but he steps into the rotation for the injured Shawn Hill.
"It's nerve-racking, any first start," Speigner said. "But I don't think you put any more stock into them than any other just because it's going to be emotional anyway."
Manager Manny Acta said Speigner will be on a count of between 70 and 75 pitches. Acta said Speigner is expected to pitch four or five innings.
As for whether Speigner has a chance to earn a spot in the rotation, Acta refused to commit either way.
"Let's take it one outing at a time," Acta said. "But I'll say if he doesn't have a good [outing], we're not going to be looking for somebody else right away."
Guzman's Hot off the Disabled List
When the Nationals activated Cristian Guzman from the disabled list, Acta said he expected the shortstop to need a few days to adjust to major league pitching.
"It did take a few days," Acta said. "But not many of them."
Guzman entered play last night batting .450 (9 for 20) in his last five games. The hot streak has come after Guzman went 1 for 8 in his first two games back. . . .
Braves third baseman Chipper Jones missed his fourth game with bruised wrists and thumbs suffered in a collision on Friday with Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jose Bautista. Shortstop Edgar Renteria batted in the third spot for Jones last night, and Pete Orr played third base.
