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Nationals notebook Date published: 5/30/2007 By TODD JACOBSON BY TODD JACOBSON WASHINGTON--Ideally, the Nationals would be able to ease right-hander Levale Speigner into his rookie season, tucking him away in the bullpen and trotting him out only when necessary. Such is the life for Rule 5 draft picks rushed to the majors, but injuries to the Nationals' starting rotation have forced Speigner into a heavy workload. The Nationals, and their rookie right-hander, have suffered. In three starts, Speigner has given up 17 runs in 10 innings (14.80 ERA), forcing the Nationals to reconsider whether he'll make a fourth starting appearance. "We're still weighing our options and working on it," manager Manny Acta said before last night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Right-hander Matt Chico's will start Friday, taking Speigner's normal spot in the rotation, but the Nationals haven't decided who will start Saturday. Triple-A right-hander Joel Hanrahan is one option. A hamstring injury sidelined the former Dodgers prospect for close to a month, but he returned to the mound Monday and threw 69 pitches in three scoreless innings against the Pawtucket Red Sox. Acta said Speigner also remains a possibility, but the Nationals must consider how another rough outing might affect the rookie's psyche. Speigner pitched just 11 games above Double-A before Washington grabbed him from the Minnesota Twins in the Rule 5 Draft in December. By rule, Speigner must stay on Washington's 25-man roster all season or be offered back to the Twins for $25,000. "He had to be out there and pitch and it's been tough on the kid," Acta said. "I don't think it's going to affect his confidence at all. He knows from the long-term plans we have here we don't have him as a starter." Speigner had success this season as a reliever, going 1-0 with a 3.77 ERA before he was moved into the starting rotation. He couldn't pinpoint his problems as a starter, but it likely centers on his ability to pitch in the strike zone. He struggled with his control early in the season, but he's been hit hard since trying to pitch around the plate (23 hits in 10 innings).
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