Still no closer, plus an update on Murphy (Nats lose 4-2)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP

Score: Marlins 4, Nats 2

Recap: In their lone night game of the spring, the Nationals turned to Jacob Turner for the start, giving the non-roster right-hander one more chance to make a case for himself to make the club. Turner's night got off to a rocky start, though, with two hits, a walk, a stolen base and an error leading to three first-inning runs. He settled down after that and retired 11 in a row before departing after the fourth. The Nationals got a two-run homer from Jayson Werth, only moments after he went down to the ground in pain upon fouling a ball off his foot. They didn't manage much else at the plate.

Need to know: Jeremy Guthrie, making a last push to crack the opening day roster as a long reliever, allowed one run over four strong innings. That leaves the 38-year-old with a 2.41 ERA for the spring. ... This was the final home game of the spring for the Nationals, who in their first season at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches drew an average crowd of 5,300 per home game. That actually was down slightly from last season at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, when they averaged 5,924 per home game.

On deck: Wednesday at Cardinals in Jupiter, 12:05 p.m.

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals are one day closer to opening day but no closer to naming their opening day closer.

Got that?

Just when it seemed like they were ready to announce the identity of their new ninth-inning reliever, Dusty Baker revealed today that decision still has not been finalized.

"Can't say yet," the manager said. "We'll let you know. Wish we didn't have to answer this question every day. But I have to talk to (pitching coach) Mike Maddux. I was looking for him today. We'll come up with that person."

Baker had said Monday he was having dinner with Maddux, general manager Mike Rizzo and other top decision-makers to answer the question once and for all, but it appears there's still work to be done.

Is it fair to say there's still some healthy internal debate going on?

"Yeah, there's always debate, healthy or unhealthy," Baker said. "But that's what makes the world go round: differences of opinion. I welcome differences of opinion, because it's hard sometimes for me to even agree with myself. I welcome other people's opinions, especially if I value their opinion. I ask for their opinion, and make the decision from there."

The decision, as it has been all along, is between three right-handers: veteran Shawn Kelley, sinkerballer Blake Treinen and rookie Koda Glover. None of the three has been told anything yet, so this isn't a case of the team having already made the decision but keeping it from the public.

The Nationals break camp in 48 hours and head north for good. Will the matter be settled before then?

"I hope we have it settled so you can all quit asking," Baker said. "Yeah, you hope we have it settled prior to going up north so everybody knows what their job is. I talked to everybody, and they're like: 'Hey Skip, whatever you and Mike come up with.' We've got a bunch of team guys, a lot of selfless players here, and that makes it easier to make decisions."

* Daniel Murphy wasn't in the major league lineup for the second straight day, the result of an illness he apparently contracted from one of his children. The timing couldn't be much worse for the Nationals, who desperately need Murphy to get at-bats after sitting idle for the better part of 2 1/2 weeks while playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

"He looked like hell yesterday," Baker said. "He's not playing today, either. He'll probably get some minor league at-bats. He's behind, and he was already behind. To start the season, I might change the lineup some to put Murph in a position to get at-bats and to help us the best way he can."

Baker isn't worried about Murphy's availability for opening day, though.

"Oh, no. He'd kill me if he wasn't in the lineup," the manager said. "He'll just have to play his way into shape, and hopefully get him as many at-bats as he can."