Worth noting

• Johnson said right-hander Dan Haren threw the ball well in his first bullpen session. Johnson told Haren not to peak too early.

• Reliever Henry Rodriguez has yet to throw off the mound because of a tight right bicep, but he played catch with right-hander Ross Ohlendorf, and one would have thought that Rodriguez was 100 percent.

"He was throwing [on flat ground] about 90 miles an hour," Johnson said. Rodriguez missed the postseason last October after having a bone spur removed from his right elbow.

• Johnson said right-hander Micah Owings will not pitch for the Nationals; he will play first base and the outfield. Owings is one of the best-hitting pitchers in the big leagues. He is a career .283 hitter with nine home runs, 35 RBIs and a .502 slugging percentage in 219 plate appearances.