Roster-Wise, Another Up And Down Day

The Washington Nationals' ever-changing roster was rocked by such calamitous and unexpected injury and illness yesterday that it came to this: Pitcher Chris Schroder was optioned to Class AAA Columbus, only to be recalled within the hour because of a bizarre circumstance involving reliever Jesus Colome.

The result: Colome and shortstop Cristian Guzman ended up on the 15-day disabled list, Schroder made the trip to Atlanta, and infielder D'Angelo Jimenez will be called up from Columbus today.

Guzman sprained a ligament in his left thumb while making a tag on Cleveland's Josh Barfield in the fifth inning of yesterday's 3-1 victory over the Indians. Guzman remained in the game; the injury was diagnosed afterward.

Guzman was hitting .329 with a .382 on-base percentage and had taken over as the club's leadoff hitter. In an e-mail message, Manager Manny Acta said that Felipe Lopez, the team's regular second baseman, would get the primary duty at shortstop while Guzman was out, with Ronnie Belliard at second base. Jimenez, who was hitting .368 for Columbus, could fill in at either position.

Colome's situation is more curious. He was placed on the disabled list with what the club said was a "soft tissue infection in a right lower extremity." Asked about it late yesterday, he said, "My arm, everything is good. It's a personal situation."

Schroder, who had been demoted to make room for Jason Bergmann, was thus retained.

Bergmann's Back

Bergmann and pitching coach Randy St. Claire hope to get five innings from the right-hander in Atlanta tonight. Both are encouraged that the 27-year-old's repertoire seemed sharp in his two rehabilitation starts in the minors. He has been on the disabled list with elbow inflammation and hasn't pitched in the majors since May 14, when he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Braves. He is 1-3 with a 2.76 ERA.

"The time for being hurt is over," Bergmann said. "That's behind us now. I've just got to go out there and keep everything to a minimum. I'm not going to try and go out there and no-hit anybody. That's ridiculous."

An Honor for Young?

Next Sunday, the all-star teams will be announced, and every team must have at least one representative. "I hadn't thought about it at all," first baseman Dmitri Young said.

He might want to start. After going 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored yesterday, Young is hitting .339. Since May 17, he is on a .437 tear, best in baseball in that time.

"It'd be a bonus if I did," Young said of the all-star team. "If not, I'd just spend three days with my kids at some amusement park."