Jason Simontacchi will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow.  He started 13 games this season for the Nationals and he was 6-7 with a 6.37 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP.  In 70.2 innings, Simontacchi allowed 95 hits, walked 23 batters and whiffed 42.  He likely won’t be back with the Nationals next season.

29 year old righty reliever Chris Schroder is getting things right in his 2nd major league season.  He has pitched in 33 games since the Nationals recalled him from the minors and he is 2-2 with a 2.53 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP.  In 42.2 innings, Schroder has allowed 30 hits, walked 13 batters and whiffed 40.  Schroder has been a key component in a bullpen that is helping keep the Nationals out of last place in the National League East.  The Nationals are currently 68-83 which has them in 4th place in the National League East, 15.5 games behind the Mets and 3 games ahead of the Marlins.

The Nationals have claimed 25-year old right handed starting pitcher Enrique Gonzalez off of waivers from the Diamondbacks.  Gonzalez only has pitched in 1 game this season for the D-Backs and he worked 2 innings allowing 4 hits, 3 earned runs, walked a batter and whiffed 0.  He has now pitched in 23 games (18 starts) in his major league career and he is 3-7 with a 5.82 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.  In 108.1 career innings, Gonzalez has allowed 118 hits, walked 35 batters and whiffed 66.  This was a nice low risk/high reward waiver claim for the Nationals as Gonzalez has talent.

The Nationals have played well at the end of the season providing hope for the near future.  The Nationals have won 7 of their last 10 games to move into 4th place in the National League East.  The Nationals are now 65-80 on the season which has them 17.5 games behind the New York Mets in the divison.  The important thing for the Nationals is that they are three games ahead of the Marlins for 4th place.

Nook Logan has really played well in the 2nd half of the season for the Washington Nationals.  In 52 games since the All-Star Break, Logan is 52 for 177 (.294 avg, .716 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 14 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.  He has now played in 104 games for the Nationals this season and he is hitting .268 (.661 OPS) with 30 runs scored, 0 homers, 20 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.  With his good play in the 2nd half of the season Logan has likely secured a roster spot for 2008.