Nats Links: No PEDS for Gio, Detwiler to WBC

Written by Mark Buterbaugh on Wednesday, 20 February 2013 08:17. Posted in Washington Nationals

As we reported last night as the story broke, documents obtained from Biogensis, the Miami Clinci being investigationed for supplying performance enhancing drugs to MLB baseball players, seem to exonerate Nats' starter Gio Gonzalez. The documents did name five additional baseball players linked to the clinic, none of which were Washington Nationals. The documents also show that Gonzalez, orginally linked to PEDs in the initial Miami news report, never bought any PEDs and the weight loss purchases that may have been for his Dad, were not on any banned substance league by Major League Baseball. The documents likely make any MLB discipline unlikely for Gonzalez. More on the GIo story: Wash Post, Wash Times, CSN

Fellow starter Ross Detwiler has committed to Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. That has the Nats concerned as Gio Gonzalez is already committe for the second round.

“Obviously, they’re your boys. You like to keep them close,” manager Davey Johnson said, adding he was “surprised they didn’t take more.”

Detwiler will get a few sring training starts in before departing for the WBC, much like colleague Gonzalez.

3B Ryan Zimmerman is still progressing with his shoulder. He is working on overhead throwing. Zimmerman is likely still two weeks off from playing third base in Spring Training and will start the spring training season off as a DH. More on Zim from Wash Post. More from the Times.

Meanwhile, fellow prospect third baseman Anthony Rendon is ready for a healthy season and put injuries in the past. Although assignment has not been made yet, Rendon will likely start the season at AA Harrisburg.

The National League rookie of the year, Bryce Harper, bulked up over the off-season and is ready to get the 2013 season underway.

Here is the upteenth prospect list, this one from Baseball America, listing their Top 100 prospects in baseball. Three Washington Nationals prospects make that list. They are: Rendon, P Lucas Giolito, coming off Tommy John surgery, and CF Brian Goodwin.

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