Mock is fourth starter

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Garrett Mock beat out Scott Olsen for the final spot in the Nats' rotation.

[UPDATED AT 10:46 P.M.]

The Nationals have decided to go with Garrett Mock over Scott Olsen as the final member of their Opening Day rotation, but Mock will actually pitch the season's fourth game.

Though Olsen performed better over the last two weeks of spring training, including a strong start yesterday against the Red Sox in Fort Myers, Fla., manager Jim Riggleman said the club elected to take Mock based on more factors.

"The overall body of work," Riggleman said. "We couldn't put it all on one outing."

Olsen, who is guaranteed a $1 million salary this year, was optioned to Class AAA Syracuse and open the season there. Though he's made significant strides lately in his recovery from left shoulder surgery, the club believes he's not all the

"The consensus amongst all of us ... was that Olsen is really getting close to being where he was prior to the trade acquisition last year. He's just not quite there yet in terms of [being] fully 100 percent," Riggleman said. "He's really close. And yesterday's performance is

Reader Q&A with Riggleman

As part of my fundraising campaign to cover spring training, I offered readers who contributed at least $60 the opportunity to submit a question to a member of the Nationals. Manager Jim Riggleman and four players (Ryan Zimmerman, Nyjer Morgan, John Lannan and Drew Storen) were gracious enough to participate. Readers were randomly paired up with one of those five gentlemen, and I conducted the interviews over the last week.

Here is the final installment of the Reader Q&A, featuring manager Jim Riggleman. ...

Jason Aquino (Falls Church, Va.): What do you see as your role in fostering a winner's culture in the clubhouse? Are there any changes -- big or small -- that you've implemented since taking over last year in support of that effort?
Jim Riggleman: I think implementing a winning culture, a winning atmosphere, has to do with so many things. But I would say you try to create an atmosphere for each player to succeed. In other words, not put players in a position to fail, try to get the best matchups for players, try to get the best conditions to play under for them, remain positive with players through tough times. I think that's the best way to create a winning culture: To stay positive and create a good atmosphere for them to succeed in. If you put them in tough situations, they're probably going to fail and a lot of negativity ensues.

Mike Henderson (Silver Spring, Md.): What exactly will Tim Foli's role be on the coaching staff? Who's idea was it to install him in that role? And by what measures will his success be measured?
Jim Riggleman: That was my idea, and there were a lot of reasons involved. Tim, his background is so diverse. He's done everything there is in the game. He's coached in the big leagues. He's managed in the minor leagues. He played in the big leagues a long time. He's been a minor-league field coordinator. He's an extremely bright,

The value of versatility

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Cristian Guzman could get playing time at any of perhaps five positions.

At some point on my trek up I-95 yesterday -- I was probably in South Carolina at the time -- I got word Cristian Guzman had played one inning in right field for the Nationals.

Good thing I was stuck in traffic at that moment or else I might have driven my car straight into a Jersey wall.

Shocking as it sounded at the time, it really isn't all that surprising when you think about it. If we've learned anything about Jim Riggleman during his eight months as interim/permanent manager, it's that the guy values versatility. There's hardly a player on the Nationals' roster that Riggleman hasn't mentioned moving around to multiple positions this spring, aside from perhaps Ryan Zimmerman and Ivan Rodriguez.

Let's see ...

-- Willie Harris will be the starting right fielder. Unless he plays center field or left field on a given day. Or second base. Or third base.

-- Mike Morse will get time in right field. And first base. And third base.

-- Eric Bruntlett, if he makes the club, will play

Reader Q&A with Storen

As part of my fundraising campaign to cover spring training, I offered readers who contributed at least $60 the opportunity to submit a question to a member of the Nationals. Manager Jim Riggleman and four players (Ryan Zimmerman, Nyjer Morgan, John Lannan and Drew Storen) were gracious enough to participate. Readers were randomly paired up with one of those five gentlemen, and I conducted the interviews over the last week.

Here is the fourth installment of the Reader Q&A, featuring rookie reliever Drew Storen. (Note: Some of the questions were submitted before Storen was demoted to minor-league camp. The interview took place after the demotion.) ...

Craig Stevens (Washington): To those of us who will never play, what's the big difference between pro camp and other camps?
Drew Storen: In college, it was a lot different, because you just play a lot of intrasquad [games]. There's not really a spring training in college. So this is kind of a new experience for me. College is just a lot of games. There's not necessarily this big preparation for the season. But spring training is good. You really practice the little things, and I think that's the biggest thing I've noticed: How much better I've gotten with doing those little things, like covering first and throwing to first base on a PFP [pitchers' fielding practice]. That's the big difference.

Graham Armstrong (Alexandria, Va.): Do you have any idea what your number will be -- or what you want it to be -- when you reach the big leagues?
Drew Storen: I have no idea what it's going to be. I really don't think too much about my numbers. I would love to bring back my college number, 26, at some point. That would be kind of cool. But I really don't care. As long as it's not in the 90s, it's fine with me. I always joke and say I need a skinnier number, because it makes me look bigger because there's more free jersey space. I've got 58 right now and it makes me look pretty skinny because you've got two pretty

The plan for the season

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VIERA, Fla. -- Six weeks ago, the Washington Nationals convened here for the start of spring training. Stephen Strasburg had yet to face a big-league hitter. Same for Drew Storen. Ross Detwiler was a contender for a spot in the Opening Day rotation. Livan Hernandez was unemployed.

Jesus Flores was hoping to be ready for the start of the season. Elijah Dukes assumed his status as an everyday player was safe. So did Cristian Guzman.

Either Eddie Guardado or Ron Villone figured to make the club. Jesse English figured to be among the first players cut.

And a sportswriter, fueled by the generous support of his readers, packed up his car and hit the road from Northern Virginia to Florida's Space Coast.

As you read this today, I'm back on that road, heading home. Spring training isn't officially over for the Nats, who still play against the Mets in Port St. Lucie this afternoon and against the Red Sox in Fort Myers tomorrow. Much as I would have liked to stick around for those final two games, I've got to hightail it back to D.C. and get re-situated before Saturday's exhibition against the Red Sox at Nationals Park and then Monday's season opener against the Phillies.

Yes, I'm planning to continue covering this team into the regular season. All season.

From the moment I commenced my initial fundraising campaign to cover spring training, the following question kept coming up, from readers, from colleagues, from members of the Nationals: What are you going to do once the season starts? My answer all along was: I'm