Riggleman wants Ramos to play more back-to-back games

By Josh Land

Nationals

May 11, 2011, 2:10pm

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ATLANTA - According to Nationals manager Jim Riggleman, catcher Wilson Ramos performs better when he plays in back-to-back games. As a result, Riggleman plans to utilize Ramos in two or three game stretches moving forward. "Wilson (Ramos) just plays better when he plays more," said Riggleman. "He showed us that in spring training. The games that he's played this year, whenever I get him two or three days in a row, he just seems to produce more." Ramos went 5-for-11 during his only continuous three game stretch as a starter from April 25-27. During that span, he also collected his first and second home runs. Though Ramos started the first 16 games of the season with a .373 average, he's cooled to .136 average in his last seven games. "I feel like to develop Ramos along I've got to keep playing him," Riggleman continued. "I've got to play him more than just every other day. As he becomes a number one catcher, he's going to be like (Brian) McCann over there (with the Braves). He's going to be (starting) five or six days."