Lo Duca Is Impressed by Young Arms

Paul Lo Duca's stint with the Class A Potomac Nationals was meant to get him at-bats as he came back from a bruised right hand that landed him on the disabled list. The ancillary benefit is that the Washington Nationals' starting catcher got to receive for some of the team's most promising pitching prospects.

"I was impressed with all the kids they've got there," Lo Duca said. "It's one of the better 'A' ballclubs I've seen."

Lo Duca caught right-hander Cory Van Allen, who posted a 0.66 ERA for Potomac. He also caught right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, who he said has "dynamite stuff" and is 3-1 with a 1.65 ERA. Lo Duca also praised relievers Adam Carr and Zech Zinicola. Van Allen, Zimmermann and Zinicola all were promoted to Class AA Harrisburg this week.

"We won four games there, so I said, 'Go ahead and win it so I can get a ring,' " Lo Duca said.

Though Lo Duca was activated yesterday -- the club placed closer Chad Cordero on the 15-day disabled list with his torn latissimus dorsi muscle -- he wasn't in the starting lineup against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Manager Manny Acta prefers, for now, to let backup Wil Nieves catch lefty John Lannan because heading into last night Lannan had a 0.45 ERA with Nieves as his catcher.

"We don't want to break that up right now," Acta said.

Lo Duca was hitting .200 in 12 games when he was hit by a pitch on April 13 against Atlanta. He said his slow offensive start -- he also went 0 for 9 at Potomac -- doesn't concern him.

"I'm not really worried about my hitting, to be honest with you," he said. "That's going to come."

Silent Night

Because the Nationals have an agreement with the neighborhood surrounding Nationals Park not to have fireworks after 11 p.m., last night's scheduled event was scratched. "That's the agreement we have," President Stan Kasten said. After the announcement was made in the eighth inning that the postgame show might be canceled, a few chants of "We want fireworks!" rang out.