Washington Nationals Send Catcher Paul Lo Duca on Rehab Stint with Potomac Nationals

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - WOODBRIDGE, Va.— The Washington Nationals have announced today that catcher Paul Lo Duca will begin a rehab stint with the Potomac Nationals beginning Monday night at Pfitzner Stadium. He joins Washington outfielder Elijah Dukes on the P-Nats roster.
 
The 35-year-old was placed on the 15-day disabled list April 14 with a right hand contusion. The four-time National League All-Star was hit by a Jeff Bennett pitch on Sunday, April 13, in a game against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park that has caused soft-tissue bruising on his right wrist. He was hitting .200 with no home runs and four RBI at the time of the injury.
 
The eight-year veteran, who signed a one-year deal with Washington, was a major free agent acquisition for the Nationals this past offseason. Lo Duca was signed away
ADVERTISEMENT from the New York Mets where he hit .272 with nine home runs and 54 RBI in 119 games last season. The former Arizona State Sun Devil was placed on the 15-day Disabled List on August 12 a year ago with a pulled hamstring and made three rehab appearances -- two with the Brooklyn Cyclones (Short-Season, NY-Penn League) and one with  the Binghamton Mets (Double-A, Eastern League).
 
Lo Duca was originally drafted in the 25th-round of the 1995 First-Year Player Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers and has played with L.A. and the Florida Marlins in addition to New York in his Major League career. Entering 2008, he owns a .288 career batting average with 80 home runs and 466 RBI. In 688 career minor league games, he is a .315 hitter with 31 home runs and 349 RBI.
 
Lo Duca becomes the fourth member of the Washington Nationals to rehab with Potomac already this season. He joins Dukes and right-handed pitchers Shawn Hill and Chad Cordero.
 
After going 2-4 on their six-game, seven-day road trip, the Potomac Nationals return home to start a seven-game homestand beginning with the Winston-Salem Warthogs Monday night at Pfitzner Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. For more information, please call (703) 590-2311 or visit www.potomacnationals.com.
 

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