Kimball shut down; Ankiel may go to Florida to rehab

Nationals manager Jim Riggleman updated the status of reliever Cole Kimball. Kimball is still feeling pain in his shoulder after throwing light sessions over the weekend. The medical staff has decided to shut him down for two weeks. Kimball has been on the disabled list since June 10 and had been making fairly good progress. "He is not feeling as good as he should be at this point," said Riggleman. Outfielder Rick Ankiel will not go with the team on their road trip to Chicago this weekend so he can stay back here and continue to rehabilitate his side injury. Riggleman said Ankiel may head to Florida to get batting practice and intra squad games. Riggleman does not see the team adding another outfielder for the road trip to Chicago and Los Angeles because you make fewer changes when using the designated hitter in American League parks. Shortstop Ian Desmond told me he is playing through the soreness in his quadriceps and knows how to protect it while running the bases. He said he does not feel the soreness when he is at bat or fields because adrenalin kicks in. He said he was able to steal bases against the Orioles because he got good jumps. It is another hot and humid night at Nationals Park, but Desmond said that is actually a good thing for him and his quadriceps. "I am a Florida boy, I am used to this kind of weather, the humidity," Desmond said. "I like playing in this kind of weather. The dry and cold air in San Francisco made it difficult on (his injury)."