Desmond to lead off Sunday's finale; Espinosa day off

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

September 12, 2010, 9:04am

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Manager Jim Riggleman shuffled the top of the lineup for Sunday's final game of the season against the Florida Marlins, placing Ian Desmond in the lead off spot and Adam Kennedy batting second. Riggleman said, "I am not going to play (Danny) Espinosa today. I am going to get Adam Kennedy some at bats. He has been sitting for a few days. I would like to get him some at bats. Espinosa has been leading off. "I know eventually we are not going to have Nyjer (Morgan) so I would like to acclimate a few other guys to that lead off spot to see what we need to do. Today would either be Desmond or Kennedy so I decided to put Desmond in there and hit Kennedy second." Riggleman says he has placed Ivan Rodriguez in the eighth spot because he wants his runners like Morgan to bat seventh so they can make something happen in front of Pudge in stead of running in front of the 9 slot. The starting 9: Desmond SS, Kennedy 2B, Zimmerman 3B, Dunn 1B, Bernadina LF, Morse RF, Morgan CF, Pudge C, Zimmermann P.