Before Monday's game against the Colorado Rockies at RFK Stadium, Jim Bowden said he had called Nationals special assistant Barry Larkin to try and persuade the 12-time All-Star to come out of retirement and play for the rest of the season. Larkin, 41, ended a 19-year playing career with the Cincinnati Reds last winter. Bowden, the Reds' former GM, has summoned Larkin twice this season to work with Guzman at the plate, but it hasn't helped. The shortstop is batting .190, more than points below Larkin's career average. "I wouldn't keep calling if I didn't think there was a chance [to lure Larkin out of retirement]," Bowden said. "Would I like to see him put [a uniform] on and help us out the last two or three months? Yeah."