Clubhouse visitors, monitoring workloads and injury updates

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - There were plenty of visitors to Nationals camp today.

Former Expos first baseman Andres Galarraga dropped by at the invitation of manager Davey Martinez. Galarraga, who had a 19-year career in the big leagues and twice beat Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, lives in the city the Nats now call their spring home.

Martinez hopes he can get Galarraga back for another visit later in camp, maybe even in uniform as an instructor. The two were teammates on the Expos from 1988-91.

This was also the day of the annual visit by Major League Baseball Players Association president Tony Clark, who made the Nats' the 11th camp he's visited this spring. Clark said he answered many questions - from veterans and young players alike - about the slow pace of this winter's free agent period, among other topics.

One of the key points Clark and the MLBPA staff are hearing from players is skepticism that teams are being as competitive as they should be in pursuing free agents. The union last month filed a grievance against the Pirates, Rays, Marlins and A's for not properly investing revenue-sharing payments made to the clubs.

"The very fundamental - competition - is in question, and that's a great concern," Clark said after his meeting with the Nationals.

Martinez is devising plans to limit the early-season workloads of several players, including right-hander Stephen Strasburg and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman.

Of Strasburg, he said: "We're looking at some options, especially early on because of all the days off we have. But he's in a good place right now. He's doing well and he feels great."

Zimmerman has played in one Grapefruit League game this spring as Martinez tries to ease him into competition. Yesterday, Zimmerman played in a minor league game, getting three hits, and Martinez said he had been working regularly with first base coach Tim Bogar on his footwork.

With Matt Adams on the roster, Martinez wants to give Zimmerman ample breathers, especially early in the regular season.

"I talked to Zim early in camp and told him we're going to try to give him his days off," Martinez said. "What I like to do is give guys a day off the day before an off-day or the day after a scheduled off-day, so they really have two days off. I talked to him about that and he was good with it."

Left fielder Adam Eaton continues to progress in his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but Martinez still isn't pinpointing a date for him to play in a Grapefruit League game.

"He's progressing really well, but my (target) day is opening day," the manager said, adding that Eaton is "getting closer."

Center fielder Michael A. Taylor, who has been sidelined with tightness in his right side since Tuesday, continues to receive treatment.

"He's still the same," Martinez said. "It's more babying him right now, kind of treating him like my son. He's biting at the bit. ... But he's going to get tons of at-bats."