Brad

Wilkerson

Wilkerson appears headed to arbitration this offseason. He’s been Montreal’s best all-around player with 25 homers and 11 stolen bases. He’s 11th in the NL in runs scored, and sixth in walks.

Wilkerson played first base instead, and Endy Chavez, who has a sore shoulder and is slumping at the same time, played center. Chavez is in a 3-for-24 slump entering Sunday’s action and has seen his batting average drop from .286 to .277.

Wilkerson thinks he’ll be able to play tomorrow, but the better bet is that he’ll miss at least one game.

Since the Cubs would have had to pay more of Sosa’s contract to do a deal with the Nationals, it’s assumed they wanted Brad Wilkerson. ''We are focused on making this team good now and getting better and better and better,’' Tavares said. ''So giving up young players for what could be a one-year phenomenon doesn’t make a lot of sense to us.’'

It’d be okay if Wilkerson hit third. Unfortunately, it’s at least as likely that he’ll be wasted in the fifth spot. Maybe by June, Robinson will again realize that Wilkerson is his best option in the leadoff spot.

“It’s not getting better,” Frank Robinson said of Wilkerson’s eye. “He’s just looking through a slit. Maybe he needs a new cut man.” If the Expos decide they are so shorthanded they need to reach out to the minors for help, the two hottest position players in the system are Peter Bergeron, who was hitting .354 with the Triple-A Edmonton Trappers through Friday, and fellow outfield Terrmel Sledge, who was hitting .327 in Edmonton with a team-leading seven homers and 29 RBIs. Sledge also had a slugging percentage of .526 and an on-base percentage of .448.

Wilkerson took batting practice yesterday, but he didn’t play in the game. He’s day-to-day.

Robinson wouldn’t elaborate on the coming changes, as he wants to talk with GM Omar Minaya. Some possibilities could include Brad Wilkerson instead of Endy Chavez atop the lineup, Jamey Carroll seeing more time at third base over Fernando Tatis, more at-bats for Henry Mateo, and a callup of Terrmel Sledge.

Wilkerson broke open a 3-0 game on a 3-2 pitch from Duaner Sanchez, who had already walked two and given up an RBI single to -- believe it or not -- Cristian Guzman. The Nationals were the only club in the majors without a grand slam this season.

We have a hard time imagining how this will help the Nationals score runs. Instead of batting Wilkerson behind the actual pitcher, manager Frank Robinson will have him follow a third baseman hitting like a pitcher.