VIDRO to DH at Potomac Sun. 8/13, Harrisburg Tues. 8/15

[Senators2005]

From Nationals Dot Com:

Nationals second baseman Jose Vidro performed baseball activities on Saturday afternoon, and it convinced the organization that he is ready for a rehab assignment.
Vidro, who is on the disabled list because of a left hamstring strain, will be a designated hitter for Class A Potomac on Sunday, and, if things go according to plan, he will play second base for Double-A Harrisburg starting on Tuesday.

"He looked so good today," general manager Jim Bowden said. "He looked like vintage Jose Vidro with no restrictions, and he felt great. So I don't see any reason why we have to keep waiting. The last few days he has come on."

Vidro is hitting .300 with six home runs and 33 RBIs, but the switch-hitter acknowledged that it is a weak .300. When he was healthy in the early 2000s, Vidro was known as a doubles machine; however, this season, he has become a singles hitter. He has only 23 extra-base hits and 16 of them are for doubles.

Vidro believes he spent too much time working on his knees, a problem for him the previous three seasons, and not strengthening his upper body. He also says that Robert F. Kennedy Stadium may have forced him to alter his swing. It is rare that Vidro hits for power to left field from both sides of the plate.

"The first month of the season, I had [three] home runs and a pretty good number of RBIs," he said. "And then after the first month, I didn't have a lot of power. To be honest, I don't know what happened. I worked in the trainer's room and everything to get my legs ready. When I take batting practice, I hit the balls hard and I know my power is there.

"I was so focused on getting on top of the ball because we were playing at [RFK], so maybe it took a little bit off my swing. But I'm more concerned about the doubles than the home runs. I'm a gap hitter."

[CHIP72]

FWIW, I was planning on going to Tuesday's Harrisburg Senators game anyway.

[Senators2005]

Jose Vidro at Potomac 8/13/2006:

3 at bats, 1 hit (double), no strikeouts.

[Senators2005]

From The Harrisburg Senators Website
LINK: http://www.senatorsbaseball.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1155591629

The Harrisburg Senators announced today that Washington Nationals? infielder Jose Vidro is scheduled to rehab in Harrisburg beginning Tuesday night. Vidro, a former Senator, is on the Nationals? Disabled List and it is unsure how long he will be with the Harrisburg team.

Vidro was placed on the major league D.L. with a left hamstring strain on July 25th, retroactive to July 18th.
Vidro has appeared in 90 games with Washington this season and is batting .300 with 6 home runs and 33 RBI?s.

Vidro began his rehab with Potomac on Sunday and served as that team?s designated hitter. He was 1 for 3 with a double for the single-A team.

Jose played in 190 games with Harrisburg during the 1995 and 1996 seasons. Over that time he hit 22 home runs and had 120 RBI?s.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

You go Vidro.  While many give you a lot of unecessary guff, I still believe in you.  Your a good guy.