Holy Slumping Spring, Batsmen!

If the Nationals hit any worse, even the Rotunda is going to stop watching. Every week, does the U.S. Capitol sneak a few blocks farther from Nationals Park?

After six weeks of impeachable offense, Manager Manny Acta is sick of watching his putrid attack, too. But now there's a difference: Acta finally has the manpower to start managing. And the Nats' boss seems ready to shake up his lineup, put jobs at risk and see who wants to compete for playing time.

It's due.

"It's all about the hitting," Acta said Saturday, after the team had lost 11-0. "We have four starting pitchers on good rolls. When we start to hit like we should, everything changes."

But how long do you wait, patiently letting the same players fail repeatedly? Yesterday, the manager tried to jump-start his stalled offensive engine with a more Actavist style. Austin Kearns, Nick Johnson and Cristian Guzmán were out of the lineup. Off the bench came Ronnie Belliard and Aaron Boone, who contributed a walk, single, triple and two home runs between them to drive in all four Nats runs in a 5-4 loss to Florida.

Elijah Dukes, who had been on the disabled list since Opening Night, started in the outfield for the second straight game. Finally, catcher Jesús Flores, called up from Columbus after Johnny Estrada and Paul Lo Duca both went on the disabled list last week, had a single and double. Please, Manny, more of the same. It can't come too soon.

Nothing arouses sleeping bats, and sharpens a sometimes mentally lackadaisical team, better than competition at almost every position. When you don't know if your name will be on the lineup card until you get to the ballpark each day, it narrows the focus and arouses a useful hint of career fear. The Nats, who have lost five of six games, need such a wake-up call. Luckily, Acta has the personnel to sound the alarm.

While the Nats may lack stars, they do have a dozen players of roughly equal ability, including four outfielders, three middle infielders and two decent defensive catchers, all of whom have value but none of whom merit cast-in-stone starting jobs. Let 'em fight it out. Give more playing time to those who produce.

If Dukes takes somebody's job, more the better. Let those in their walk year, like Felipe López and Guzmán, play for their next contract with pressure from Belliard. Rest Johnson against tough lefties so the hot Boone can hit. Give Ryan Zimmerman an occasional day off; it seems to lighten his funk, if only briefly. Don't hand Flores too much of a burden instantly; let Wil Nieves, the most inspirational National this spring, get a couple of starts a week.

And when Dmitri Young, who starts a rehab assignment tomorrow, is ready, bring him up, too, and not just to be a designated hitter in a few games in American League parks.

When Acta looks at his mammoth team, which should have plenty of home run power after a major muscle overhaul since last season, he just shakes his head. "Look at us," he says. "Are we bigger than the Redskins?"

Wily Mo Peña (268 pounds), Dukes (241), Kearns (238), Johnson (237), Flores (230), Zimmerman (226) and Young (298) are indeed all NFL-size gents. Even the Nats' three middle infielders average 210 pounds. What's wrong with the big lugs?