Luis Ayala, reliever: One of the best pitchers on the Nationals, Ayala is off to a slow start with the Culiacan Tomato Growers. In three games, opposing batters are hitting .313 against him. In order to be successful, Ayala must throw his best pitch, the sinker.

For most of the first half of last season, Ayala didn't use the sinker, feeling that hitters were looking for it. He paid a price for not using the pitch and was hit hard. When he started using the pitch during the second half, Ayala looked like the pitcher that won 11 games in 2003.

Matt Cepicky, outfielder: Outrighted to Triple-A Edmonton last October, Cepicky is opening some eyes for Aguilas Del Cibao of the Mexican Winter League. In 12 playoff games, Cepicky is hitting .320 with four home runs and 13 RBIs, which ranks second to teammate Miguel Tejada.

Cepicky, 26, had a two-month stay with the Expos and hit .217 (13-for-60) with one home run and three RBIs in 32 games in '04. He spent the majority of the season with Edmonton, where he hit .266 with 15 home runs and 67 RBIs in 82 games.

Jose Guillen, outfielder: The right fielder is getting some work in before going to Spring Training. He's playing for the Licey Tigers of the Dominican Winter League. The Tigers are in the round-robin tournament.

Guillen, who is 6-for-27 (.222) with four RBIs in eight games for the Tigers, is expected to be a solid run producer for the Nationals. Washington acquired his services last November from the Angels.

Cristian Guzman, shortstop: Like Guillen, Guzman is also playing for the Tigers. Guzman has only two hits in 22 at-bats with two RBIs.

Regarded as one of the American League's best defensive shortstops, Guzman, 26, finished second in the AL with a .983 fielding percentage. Nationals interim general manager Jim Bowden considers Guzman to be one of the cornerstones of the franchise and believes he will become a better hitter in the future.

Antonio Osuna, reliever: Osuna went on to play in the Mexican Winter League for the first time in two years. He gave up four earned runs in 14 2/3 innings for the Los Mochis Sugarcane Growers. Osuna went on to play in the Mexican League playoffs and gave up no runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Claudio Vargas, pitcher: The Nationals are trying to figure out if Vargas is a starter or reliever. He was up and down in both roles last season. Currently, Vargas is a reliever for Aguilas Del Cibao of the Mexican Winter League and has given up four runs in 9 1/3 innings. Vargas has struck out nine batters and walked only three.