ATLANTA -- Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with bursitis in his left knee. The Nationals tried to give Harper time to heal without using the disabled list. Manager Davey Johnson said the move became necessary when the team needed help in the bullpen before Saturday nights game against the Braves. Johnson also said the team decided it was necessary to protect Harpers status for the season. "You always do whats best for the player," Johnson said. "If the club felt that he would be able to come back in three or four or five days, we wouldnt have DLd him." Harper has missed the last five games and has been bothered by the knee since he crashed into the wall in a May 13 game at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The move was made Saturday retroactive to May 27. The Nationals already are without outfielder Jayson Werth, who has been on the disabled list since May 3 with a right hamstring injury. The team is off Monday and Werth could return Tuesday when Washington opens a home series against the Mets. The 20-year-old star is batting .287 and is tied for fifth in the NL with 12 homers. He has 23 RBIs and two stolen bases. "I think, in talking to Bryce, weve got to get by this where its not a recurring thing," Johnson said. "Hes not going out there playing 80 per cent. His legs are just as big a part of his game. Taking that extra base, running hard. I dont want to take a chance of him getting injured further." Johnson said Harper probably aggravated the injury with his aggressive play. "You dont know how bad the injuries were," Johnson said. "He felt pretty good the next day. He had some bruises but he didnt have any swelling. When he went back to paying, he dove for a ball, then slid head-first. I think it was probably a sensitive area and he exacerbated it by pounding on it more. He felt good enough that he wanted to play and he knows his body better than anybody." Harper was with the team but did not speak with reporters before Saturday nights game. The Nationals recalled right-hander Erik Davis from Triple-A Syracuse. The team needed bullpen depth after starter Stephen Strasburg lasted only two innings on Friday night due to a strained right side. Davis was 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA and seven saves at Syracuse. He has no major league experience. Cheap 49ers Jerseys Authentic . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. Dwight Clark Jersey . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. 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Cheap 49ers Jerseys China . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Astute use of the AFLs rookie list continues to set Sydney apart from rivals.The Swans have made a mockery of the notion a club must bottom out, with this September representing their seventh consecutive finals series.With the exception of a 12th-place finish in 2009 they have contested at least one final for 14 straight years.It is a staggering record that is a result of their club culture, clever trading and a smooth coaching transition from Paul Roos to John Longmire.It is also a credit to their knack of recruiting talent that other clubs spurned.Small forward Tom Papley, ruckman Sam Naismith and key forward Xavier Richards are the latest examples of Swans to rise off the rookie list and into the best 22.They are not outliers, rather a handful of recruiting guru Kinnear Beatsons rookie-list success stories.Gun defenders Dane Rampe, Nick Smith and Heath Grundy all started as rookies at the SCG, as did Jake Lloyd. Former skipper Brett Kirk and current co-captain Kieren Jack were also signed as rookies.The Swans are just so thorough, AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan told AAP.Some clubs say theres nothing left at the end, its a shallow draft, whereas others find a gem that nobody wanted.History proves there are players every year who slip through.Papley for instance has played 18 games this year after being elevated to the Swans senior list for a round-one clash with Collingwood.The 20-year-old was overlooked in last years national draft before the Swans pounced with pick No.14 in the rookie draft.Everyone had a chance to take hhim and now here he is - first season in and hes had a terrific year and just played a big role in the Swans winning last weekends semi-final, Sheehan said.ddddddddddddPeople were looking at the fact he was small and not that quick .. he did state-level testing, wasnt in the main combine.The Swans approach is to leave no stone unturned and look in detail at the back end of the draft. The other part of it is their development system is obviously quite good.Richards, who like Papley and Naismith is in the midst of his maiden finals series, suggested Jack and the clubs other leaders deserve a lot of credit for helping raw rookies reach the highest level.Weve got some bloody good leaders and they drive some pretty high standards at training and in terms of professionalism, Richards said.Weve got some absolute guns, a lot of guys who are the best in the league in their respective area.So when rookies are hanging around and training with those guys, a lot of it rubs off.The rookie list is expected to be abolished as part of the AFLs next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).It will bring greater recogn
