 12/03/2004 1:55 PM ET
Nationals fine-tuning skills
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| Acquired last week from the Pirates, J.J. Davis is hitting .303 with 10 home runs and 19 RBIs in the Mexican League. (Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
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Several position players from the Nationals are currently honing their skills by playing Winter League baseball. Here's a look at how they are doing entering Friday's action.
Endy Chavez, outfielder --The Nationals made it clear they want the center fielder to get on base more often in 2005, and he is doing just that for the Magallanes Navigators of the Venezuelan League. Chavez is hitting .333 with a home run and three RBIs. Even more impressive is that he has seven walks in 13 games and has an on-base percentage of .414.
Ender Chavez, outfielder -- Endy's little brother is recovering from an elbow injury suffered during the minor league season. So far he has managed only five at-bats without getting a base hit for the Navigators.
J.J. Davis, outfielder -- Acquired last week from the Pirates, Davis is a designated hitter for the Navojoa Mayos of the Mexican League. He is hitting .303 with 10 home runs and 19 RBIs. Davis' problems over the years have been hitting breaking balls and, according to interim general manager Jim Bowden, he is doing just that. The Nationals are hoping that Davis will be one of their power hitters off the bench in '05.
Frank Diaz, outfielder -- He hit just .242 for Class A Brevard County in 2004, but he has a .311 batting average with five home runs 17 RBIs for Occidente Pastora of the Venezuelan League.
Melvin Dorta, second base -- He has played just four games as a DH and is 1-for-1 with a run scored for Aragua Tigers of the Venezuelan League. Dorta is considered a utility player in the Nationals organization. Dorta spent the regular season with Double-A Harrisburg and hit .261 with 22 RBIs in 72 games.
Alejandro Machado, shortstop -- Recently put on the 40-man roster, Machado has continued his productive hitting for the Caracas Leones in Venezuela. In 26 games, he is hitting .292 with two home runs and nine RBIs. During the minor league season, Machado hit a combined .306 with five home runs and 45 RBIs for Brevard County and Harrisburg.
Salomon Manriquez, catcher -- He has appeared in 11 games and is 5-for-31 (.161) for Magallanes Navigators of the Valenzuela League. Hitting was a problem for Manriquez during the minor league season. He hit a combined .251 with in four teams and ended the season in a 4-for-27 slump with Double-A Harrisburg.
Rick Short, third baseman -- A career minor leaguer, Short is hitting .364 with six home runs and 21 RBIs in 132 at-bats with Mexicali Eagles. He currently ranks third in the Mexican League in batting average.
Marcos Yepez, third baseman -- A combined .236 for Savannah and Brevard County, Yepez is hitting .339 with a home run and seven RBIs in 21 games for the Caracas Lions of the Venezuelan League. Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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