Today, the Nats begin a stretch of games that boggle the mind.

They play the Tigers at beautiful Joker Marchant Stadium in less-then-beautiful Lakeland, FL (97 miles from Viera, spring training home of your Nationals). Tomorrow, they trudge all the way across the state to Dunedin (151 miles from Viera) to play the Toronto Blue Jays.

Thursday, the team plays the defending world champion Phillies in Clearwater (147 miles from Viera), just a couple miles from Dunedin.

For financial reasons, the team has decided not to stay in the Clearwater area, but to criss-cross the Route 4 corridor on successive days. It seems obvious that none of the actual major leaguers are going to take these bus trips; that's why guys like Corey Patterson, Alex Cintron and Javier Valentien are still hanging around. So what's the point?

The Nats didn't have a "home-and-home" scheduled with either Toronto or Philly, it's the only time the teams play, for obvious reasons. One suggestion was that since the Dodgers moved from Vero Beach the Nats had to improvise for spring training opponents.

While that may be true in the grand scheme, that excuse didn't keep the Nats from already playing a dozen games against the Marlins, Astros and Mets. What would two more games be?

Were that not enough, after the Philly game the Nats fly to Norfolk, VA for an exhibition against the Orioles at their Triple-A team's stadium on Friday. They then bus to DC for the season ticket holder's exhibition with the O's on Saturday before flying BACK to Florida to open the season in Miami against the Marlins on Monday.

Seven games in seven different cities in eight days. Then a week-long six-game road trip to open the season. Who sets this schedule, the Marquis de Sade?
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Actual baseball information: Dmitri Young, playing today against the Tigers, apparently will start the season in extended spring training, giving him time to get his timing down after missing so many games this spring.

Given the price to place him back on the 40-man roster was just Wily Mo Pena, I'm perfectly happy allowing the Meathook a couple of weeks to see if he can return to be a contributing switch-hitting pinch-hitter for the Nats.

It's questionable as to whether a team like the Nats can afford that luxury, but as Mr. Kasten said yesterday, DY can fall out of bed and hit. That's never been questioned. Let's hope that during his less-structured extended spring training he actually gets better and doesn't fall back into bad habits without his bosses around.

The Nationals held a telephone media availability today at 11:45 am with team President Stan Kasten, Manager Manny Acta, and players Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Dunn, Joel Hanrahan and Joe Beimel. The event was apparently for smaller papers and internet writers, as the Post, Times and MLB.com were absent from the call.

My recorder was dead (naturally) so I don't have a full transcript, but I took notes and will paraphrase, give some impressions and quotes.

Mr. Kasten went first.

He gave a short statement centered on the optimism he personally, and the team in general, feels about the upcoming season. He made particular mention of the general health of the team, the additions to the rotation of Olsen, Cabrera and the youngsters, the addition to the lineup of Adam Dunn and the recent veteran additions to the bullpen.

He said he feels the team is "really falling into place."

With that, he took questions.

Q: Is the team going in a new direction with Jim Bowden gone?
SK: No, the opportunity has always been there for a collaborative effort. People are stepping up. The operation in "the Dominican is smooth." "We're right on track," for opening day.

Q: With the Braves moving out of Richmond, is that somewhere you'd like to see the Nats get into?
SK: Couldn't comment specifically, but "I love the city." Richmond has issues with the stadium and needs a franchise before the Nats could get involved.

Q: How are ticket sales? Is opening day sold out?
SK: Wouldn't comment specifically. Said he'd have "more to say the week before opening day." Described how the team lowered some ticket prices, developed smaller ticket packages and family plans.

Q: Was this off-season your most challenging?
SK: It was "something different" but now the team is "all on the same page."

Q: How did his day-to-day routine in spring training change?
SK: "Never in my career," did he spend more time in Florida in spring training.

Q: What's the deal with Dmitri Young? Since he's missed so much time and only playing in minor league games, was adding him to the 40-man roster a way to DL him for the beginning of the season?
SK: The DL will certainly be an option for him. But, "he's made a lot of progress", "dropped a lot of weight", and you could "blindfold him and he can hit", so he didn't dismiss the idea of Meathook appearing on the active roster.

Q: Is the team going in a different direction in the community relations department?
SK: They've expanded and there's been some "coordination" between departments, but the DC community is very important to the organization.

The comedy stylings of Zimmerman and Dunn took over.

Zimmerman thinks the team is closer this year than last. He said there was a "more comfortable" atmosphere in the clubhouse. He feels that adding Dunn to the lineup doesn't necessarily mean "more fastballs for me," but helps the lineup one through eight.

He believed his off-season training was easier and quicker this season as experience has let him know what he needs to get ready for the season. His mental approach is getting more refined as he gains experience as well. Rick Eckstein has helped many of the players with his serious approach and extensive video study.

Dunn loved his WBC experience, and thinks it helped him get ready for the season, getting a full game's worth of at bats in a game and adjusting to pitchers during in-game situations. "Every at bat was serious." He doesn't care whether he plays "first, third or the outfield."

He said the Sports Illustrated article didn't bother him and that his laid-back style and attitude wouldn't be a big deal if the press didn't keep bringing it up.

He closed by saying that he had high expectations for the team, that they were going to "have a lot of fun" and "win a lot of games."

Joe Beimel and Joel Hanrahan took over.

Even though he didn't sign until recently, Beimel said he never worried about not having a job this year, that he had "quite a few teams" interested, but that he needed "a decent offer" and that the "market vanished" a bit this off-season. He says being the eighth inning guy is easier than being a specialist because it defines the role and he doesn't "have to worry about adjusting" to different roles throughout the season like last year.

The left-hander likes the makeup of the team, that it's a young team, especially the starting pitchers and that there is "a lot of talent." He doesn't think of himself as a lefty specialist, and his splits are good because his mechanics help him "hide [his] sinker against lefties."

Joel Hanrahan said the WBC was a "great experience" and gave him a chance to talk to other closers, specifically the New York Mets' J.J. Putz, about how to get his WBC teammates out. He said that he likes the idea of being closer, and that he "talked to Chad [Cordero] quite a bit" about the role. He thought he got enough work with the USA team to prepare for the upcoming season.

He said he has a "short-term memory" which will allow him to not let things get to him, and his goal is to "put up a zero" every time out. He's not really happy with his spring training performance so far, that his "walks are down" but he's "getting behind" and needs to throw more first-pitch strikes.

Manager Manny Acta was the closer for the day.

Q: Why will the team do better?
MA: Simply, because "It's a better club" than last year. Adding Dunn to the middle of the order helps the batting order and that this year they didn't have to go into spring training trying out guys for the 3-4-5 spots in the rotation.

Q: What about playing time in the outfield?
MA: "Nice try, but I'm not going to give that up yet." He did go on to say, however, that Dunn was his left fielder and Milledge his center fielder, and Dukes, Kearns and Willingham would all get at bats, and that "no one is breaking Ripken's record" in this outfield.

He went on to say that the competition was a good thing, and that it gives the team depth they didn't have last year and gives the front office a "chance to make a deal if the right one is there."

Q: Is there any negative carry-over from last year's 102-loss season?
MA: Last season's "not gonna carry over at all." And it wasn't all bad: they had an opportunity to develop Jesus Flores, Elijah Dukes, John Lannan, Collin Balestar, etc.

Q: Are you concerned with Dunn's strikeouts?
MA: It's more important to get on base than to hit for a high average. He'd rather have Dunn "strikeout than hit into a double play." Dunn's walks more than make up for his strikeouts (ed. He's absolutely correct. The defense though...)

Q: Is Milledge the best choice for lead-off?
MA: He's the best option right now. His OBP and speed is suited for it, Milledge is growing into the role. Guzman's skills play better in the number two spot. It doesn't bother him that Guzman is a free-swinger, that his contact will help Milledge when he's on base. He also said he doesn't want to waste running opportunities in front of Zimmerman and Dunn.

Q: How closely will the team watch Jordan Zimmermann and Shairon Martis' innings.
MA: The team will limit their innings and pitches. They "aren't going to jeopardize their careers" for the benefit of rushing them into the big leagues.

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With that, the call promptly ended. In the end, there were no earth-shattering developments or quotes, but there was some good basic knowledge imparted by the skipper. Every time he gets the opportunity, he stresses the the point about on-base percentage and the idea that you can't score runs if you can't get on base, and he's absolutely correct.

Many pundits harp on Dunn's strikeouts and say he's a bad hitter. It's not true. You don't walk over 100 times a year if you're a bad hitter. You don't get on base at a .380 clip if you're a bad hitter. Average is a lousy way to evaluate a batter, yet the mainstream media clings to it like it's the only thing that matters.

Anyway, the 35 minute telephone conference was a good outreach by the team to the smaller newspapers and the internet writers. It was a good opportunity to get some background and "face time" with some of the decision-makers and key players in the organization.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAIRON MARTIS!

And congratulations on the fourth spot in the rotation! Keep it up!

Photo (c) C. Nichols 2009. All rights reserved.

Not that Mike Rizzo or Manny Acta have asked me, but here's my opinion nonetheless.

Outfield (5): Dunn, Milledge, Dukes, Willingham, Kearns
Infield (6): Johnson, Hernandez, Guzman, Zimmerman, Harris, Belliard
Catcher (2): Flores and Nieves
Starters (4): Lannan, Cabrera, Olsen, Martis
Relievers (8): Bergmann, Tavarez, Mock, Shell, Ledezma, Rivera, Beimel, Hanrahan

I think the Nats will be best served by sending Zimmermann down to Syracuse until Memorial Day. The Orioles just sent down Matt Wieters, and he's supposed to be greater than sliced bread, for the very same reason. If you think Zimmermann is really the goods, you trade six weeks at the start of his career for another year of arbitration, since the Nats obviously aren't going to sign anyone to a long-term contract untilthey are forced to.

The Nats don't need a fifth starter until April 20 anyway, and under my roster scenario they can allow Bergmann, Tavarez or Mock to rotate through that spot depending upon matchups until Zimmermann is recalled.

Let Balestar and Zimmermann both go down and hopefully pitch well against the International League hitters.

Photo (c) C. Nichols 2009. All rights reserved.

I've got pitching on the brain this morning. Specifically, starting pitching.

Let's start with what we have.

Shairon Martis looked good yesterday. He went six shutout innings, allowing just three hits and one walk, striking out four. He got out of a bases loaded jam and retired seven of the last eight batters he faced.

His ERA for the spring is 1.23. He has struck out 11 and walked four in 19 innings thus far in Florida. Spring training stats need to be taken with copious grains of salt, but they are useful for comparison purposes.

Competition, Mike Rizzo will have you believe, is a good thing.

When we saw Martis pitch last week, he looked like a completely different pitcher than his tryout at the end of last season, when he was erratic and easily flustered, although despite a high ERA and WHIP, his K rate was still very good (23 Ks in 20.3 IP). If his command continues to improve, the Nats may have something with this soon to be 22 year old (born 3/30/87).

Jordan Zimmerman has received a lot of ink this pre-season, and rightfully so. He was dominant until his flu-ridden start last week. Even factoring the beating he took against the Cardinals (and it wasn't really as bad as the stats), for the spring he had throw 14.1 IP, with five earned on 13 hits and just two walks, striking out an impressive 22 along the way.

Last year split between Potomac and Harrisburg, he K'd 134 in 134 innings. Even I can do that math. The only thing that can hold Zimm back this year is his arbitration clock, explained eloquently here. If the Nats wait to call Zimmermann up until roughly Memorial Day, they can keep his arbitration clock from ticking for another season.

What it boils down to is two months of his career on the front end for another year on the back end. Should Nats fans be made to wait that long? Every pitch he throws could be his last, should he be throwing them in DC? And shouldn't the team be more pro-active in signing it's young stars to long-term contracts instead of worrying about arbitration dates? All questions Stan Kasten and Mike Rizzo need to wrestle with.

Collin Balestar is still in the running for the fifth spot in the rotation as well. The Nats won't need a fifth starter until April 20 anyway, so if they decide to start Zimmermann in Syracuse he won't miss too many big league starts anyway.

Balestar has struggled this spring, allowing 11 hits and six walks with eight runs in 11 innings pitched. He was clobbered last Friday by Detroit's C-team and Gary Sheffield, who hit a monster homer off Bally in the first. Bally sandwiched two good innings with two lousy ones, so it's hard to pinpoint why he can't be more effective on a consistent basis.

Last year in 80 innings, Bally went 3-7 with a 5.51 ERA, striking out 50 and walking 28. Should Bally lose out on the job and be sent to Syracuse, he need to cut down on the walks and concentrate on keeping the ball down in the zone. He has good natural movement, but it loses its effectiveness up in the zone.

Let's take a peek at what we haven't got (yet). Stephen Strasburg dominated college hitters again Friday night. He went seven innings and allowed no runs on two hits and 2 walks, striking out 15. For the season, he's 4-0 with a 1.57 ERA. He's thrown 34.1 innings and allowed six earned runs on 20 hits and seven walks, and has struck out an astronomical 74. That's an average of 19.4 K/9 and 10.6 K/BB. How silly are those numbers?


In MLB history, Randy Johnson is the career leader in K/9 with 10.6. The best single season K/9 recorded was 13.4 by the Big Unit in 2001.

You want K/BB? Career it's Tommy Bond, at 4.44. Bond played from 1874-1884, so maybe that's not fair. Curt Schilling is second on the list, at 4.38.

I realize I'm comparing the numbers Strasburg is putting up against West Coast Conference hitters to the numbers Unit and Schilling had against major leaguers. But for illustrative purposes, Strasburg's numbers are awfully dramatic.

The other Strasburg number that's going to be dramatic is his final contract numbers. Peter Gammons cites "club officials" saying Strasburg's agent, Scott Boras, is looking for Dice-K money (6/$50M), which is just plain silly. But who is to say?

There was a good deal of traffic on this the last couple of days, and Federal Baseball has an excellent round-up and interview with a Sports Illustrated writer who profiles Strasburg this week. Keith Law of ESPN.com also wrote on Strasburg yesterday, and has video he took while scouting the San Diego state junior last week.

The title of Law's blog post says it all to Nats fans: Strasburg Ready For the Majors Right Now. If you're a Nats fan, and read nothing else this week, you should read Law's report, keeping in mind Law used to scout for a living.

Strasburg photo (c) K.C. ALfred/SD Union-Tibune. All other photos (c) C. Nichols 2009. All rights reserved.

Here are a few photos from the Nats v. Astros spring training game in Kissimmee, Florida on Sunday, March 22, 2009. Astros beat Nats 1-0 on a very close play at first base in the 9th with two outs.

It was our last game of 2009 Spring Training so it was a sad day for us. We had a great time and are looking forward to a new season with the Nationals.

Photos(c) Cheryl Nichols 2009. All rights reserved.

Shawn Hill, released last week by the Washington Nationals, has signed a minor league free agent contract with the San Diego Padres.

Photo (c) Cheryl Nichols 2009. All rights reserved.

Hill, just 27, has automatically emerged as a "front-runner" for the Padres No. 5 spot in the rotation, according to MLB.com, despite making only 12 starts last year due to recurring discomfort in his forearm and elbow. He eventually had surgery on to remove calcium deposits and bone spurs.

It will be interesting to watch Hill's progression from afar. If he has indeed returned to health and his sinker is effective, he could yet resurrect his career and may very well thrive in the pitching-friendly Petco Park. Those are mighty big "ifs". I much rather would have watched him try to resurrect his career in DC or Syracuse, a move he probably would have accepted given the choice of that or release.

One still must wonder if the move was purely financially driven, given the timing of Hill's release was the day he would have been due his entire salary. A salary, by the way, Hill earned by defeating the Nats in arbitration. If Hill had lost that arbitration, or if the team had not offered arbitration in the first place and Hill had come to camp as an NRI, would he still be a National?

I guess we'll never know.

Today started with a walk in the park with the DC's First Ladies, the Nats' wives, at the Space Coast Memory Walk for Alzheimer's.

Shari Langerhans (first row, left) spearheaded the event, which you can tell by the picture below was well attended.




Next, we headed out to the ballpark for the Nats and Cardinals which can only be described as a wild affair. The Cards got up 12-1 before the Nats started doing some damage and made a game of it, finally falling 12-11. Ryan Ludwick and Austin Kearns both hit grand slams. Nick Johnson and Josh Willingham also homered for the Nats in the wind-blown affair. Colby Rasmus went five-for-five for the Cards.

Spring phenom Jordan Zimmermann started for the Nats and roughed up, but he was pitching with the flu that send him home from practice the previous day, so I'm not going to read too much into it until his next outing.

The big play to take away today was Elijah Dukes' poor effort in his double he hit in the middle innings. He crushed a ball down the line in left right into the teeth of a 25 mph wind. He must have assumed a home run, because he watched for a second, then trotted to first, only to realize that the wind knocked the ball down short of the warning track and that he was about to be throw out at second. Only his god-given natural athletic ability allowed him to beat the throw and tag to avoid further embarrassment.

Saul Rivera looked real good getting a 1-2-3 eighth in his first appearance back from the WBC.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Lastly, the Nats signed free agent catcher Josh Bard to an already crowded competition for the backup catcher spot. Here's "Bardo", so it says on his box of stuff, entering the complex.



Acting GM Mike Rizzo told the media that Bard would be in open competition the next two weeks with incumbent Wil Nieves and fellow NRI Javier Valentin for the #2 spot behind Jesus Flores. Oh, by the way, Flores hasn't played in weeks due to his sore right elbow.

He took BP on a practice field today (with Nick Johnson) and caught in the bullpen for the parade of relievers today, but he isn't scheduled to play for another week and a half. The move for Bard has the feel of Flores going on the DL, but we'll take Rizzo at his word for now.

Tomorrow's schedule: Nats at Astros at Kissimmee, then a long and sad plane ride home.

All photos (c) C. Nichols 2009.


We traveled across central Florida to follow the Nationals over to Lakeland to take on what's left of the Detroit Tigers. If you've been watching the WBC, the Tigers are missing their leadoff and 3-4-5 hitters (Curtis Granderson, Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen). So we have been treated twice now to the likes of Jeff Larish, Wilken Ramirez and Alexis Gomez.

Nonetheless, the Nats lost again today 5-2. Gary Sheffield hit a mammoth home run in the first inning, and the Replacement Tigers put up a four-spot on Collin Balestar in the fourth inning. Bally sandwiched two good innings with two lousy ones. He gave up three hits in the first, including Sheff's bomb, and was roughed up for six hits and the four earned in the fourth.

Bally tossed four complete, 73 pitches, and gave up five earned on nine hits, one walk and three Ks.

Ryan Wagner threw in the fifth and sixth, and dare I say it, looked good. He was hitting 89-91 on the stadium gun with the fastball, and his slider kept the mostly minor league hitters off balance. Could he be a wild card for the pen? He's been all but discounted, but if the Marchant Stadium gun was credible, then so was Wagner today.

Gary Glover and Steven Shell mopped up. Glover needed 31 pitches to get through the seventh inning, and he did so stranding runners at first and third. The triple he surrendered should have been a single to the less-than-fleet Clete Thomas, but Milledge was playing a deep second base at the time and didn't pick up the ball until it was well past him.

Milledge was the LVP today all around, as he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts at the plate in addition to the blunder in the outfield. The Weapon went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Jose Castillo knocked in the other run. Justin Maxwell, called over for the bus trip after being sent down the other day, went 1-for-2 and scored, and almost homered into the wind in the eighth.

The Tigers' spring home, Joker Marchant Stadium is a nice venue, if a bit quirky. There is very little box seat area, so the 200 level is very close to the field. also, there is a protective net that runs all the way up the first baseline. It's only purpose is to discourage fans from seeking autographs, something that seems to be frowned upon in this otherwise quaint facility.

And the place was full of Michiganders.

Tomorrow we participate in the Alzheimer's Memory Walk sponsored by the team's wives and families inthe morning, then see the Nats host St. Louis. At least their WBC guys are back.

All Photos (c) C. Nichols 2009. All rights reserved.

Sorry for not posting yesterday. It was a long day. Another doubleheader. Started in Ft. Lauderdale, made a stop in Jupiter to see the Orioles v. Cards and were able to see Chris Carpenter start for the Cards and Chris Ray take the mound for the O's for an inning. We continued up the road to Viera and Nats played a night game and we got in very late. And we're tired. Maybe our schedule was a little too ambitious. Anyway, we've seen a couple of performances the last two days worth talking about.

March 18, 2009, 7:05pm - Marlins 7 Nats 5

Wednesday night, the Nats wore their white home uniforms, instead of the blue batting jerseys worn in most spring training games, and hosted the Florida Marlins. Scott Olsen pitched four innings and threw 77 pitches. He gave up four earned runs on five hits and two walks, striking out two. He also hit two batters and gave up three steals as well. From the very first hitter, Olsen was barking at the home plate umpire. Olsen threw 12 pitches in the first inning, and went up from there in every inning, tossing 19, 22 and 24 in the next three innings.

With two outs in the fourth, after ten pitches, Marlins utility Robert Andino doubled, driving in the second run. Olsen then walked his opposite number, Josh Johnson, before surrendering a triple to former National, Emilio Bonifacio to clear the bases.

On the hitting side, Nick Johnson struck out swinging three times. He looked late on every good fastball. Count me in the group that thinks the Nats would be best served with a healthy Johnson at first and Dunn in left, but Johnson has gone 1-for-8 since we've been here with four swinging Ks. I hope the cumulative effect of his injuries hasn't diminished his capabilities, but he has to start showing something, with Dunn coming back to camp after the weekend.

Ronnie Belliard and Lastings Milledge were both injured during the game and we are hoping that the injuries are minor.

It was "Ladies Night" at Space Coast on Wednesday night. It had a turn out almost as large as Nats Park and Cheryl enjoyed the festivities. Garrett Mock, Luke Montz and Terrell Young signed autographs and posed for pictures.

March 19, 2009, 1:05pm - Orioles 4 Nats 5

Thursday afternoon, the Nats hosted the Baltimore Orioles. Shairon Martis took the hill, and looked really good getting outs against the Orioles minor leaguers they sent on the two and a half hour bus trip. Martis gave up a two-run homer to Nolan Reimold, but other than that he was very sharp.

He went 1-2-3 in the first, third and fifth, and just a single in the fourth. His overall line: 5 IP, 62 PC, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K. With Shawn Hill removed from the competition and Collin Ballester not showing a whole lot so far this spring, Martis may be pitching himself into a job.

Josh Willingham homered in the eighth inning to lead the Nats in a come-from-behind 5-4 win.

Also today, the team made some cuts, sending LHP Gustavo Chacin, 1B Brad Eldred and INF Pete Orr to minor league camp, and optioned C Luke Montz and OF Roger Bernadina to AAA Syracuse. The Nats spring training roster sits at 41.

Tomorrow we trek across central Florida to Lakeland, to see the Nats take on Detroit.

Posted by Cheryl Nichols

We attended the Venezuela v. Puerto Rico WBC game last night in Miami at Dolphin Stadium. As Dave mentioned in last night's post, the World Baseball Classic game was incredible. The entire night was a little surreal. There were so many big names on each team that it was almost like watching an all-star game and the atmosphere was that of an Olympic game or World Cup Soccer Championship.

There were more Venezuelan fans than Puerto Rican fans, however, all fans had passion. They showed their love on their faces, shirts, flags, signs and you name it. Singing and dancing continued out into the parking lots and streets well after the game was over.

We added the WBC game to our agenda only about 1 week before we left for Florida and we are very thankful we made that decision.

Here is a slideshow to show some highlights, however, it is impossible to capture the electic atmosphere completely. We were behind the net so some are not as clear as I'd hoped.

Here are a few photos from the Nats v. Marlins spring training game in Jupiter, Florida on Monday, March 16, 2009. Nats won 3-1!

All Photos (c) C. Nichols 2009. All rights reserved.

Monday we saw the Nats beat Florida 3-1 in Jupiter in the afternoon, and in the evening we saw Venezuela defeat Puerto Rico 2-0 in Miami in the WBC. We're exhausted. Tomorrow we don't have anything until the Caps game at 7:00 pm. I might sleep until 6 pm.

Anyway, the Nats game was very interesting, as we got to see Shawn Hill and Jordan Zimmermann pitch. Hill started and looked sharp, throwing 15 pitches--11 strikes--while striking out two and getting a fly ball to center. It's baby steps for Hill, and by all indications he came out of the game feeling good. It's how he feels tomorrow that's really important.

Zimmermann took over in the second, and he was simply terrific. 4 IP, 0 runs, 2 hits, 6 Ks, 0 walks, 64 PC, 46 strikes. He threw a 94-MPH fastball, a sharp curve, a tight slider, mixed things up, really pitched. Only in one inning did he allow more than one base runner, and that was after two outs. If I had more energy right now I'd be more descriptive, but I'll leave you with this: He's good.

Mike Hinckley gave up a run in his 1.1 innings, but the runner reached on an error by SS Alex Cintron. Towers and Mock cleaned up.

As for the WBC game, let me tell you something: It was incredible. The passion and enthusiasm displayed by the Venezuelan and Puerto Rican fans at Dolphin Stadium was something that I have never experienced. It was how I would imagine soccer's World Cup or the Olympics. Those people, and apparently the players, are taking things very seriously.

Maybe that's one of the reasons why the U.S. team has managed to disappoint thus far. It's just not that important to them (us). But it sure was to the people at Dolphin Stadium tonight. Singing and dancing continued out into the parking lots and streets well after the game was over. Just an incredible thing to be a part of.

We did get to see Saul Rivera pitch for the Puerto Rican team. He came on with a runner on in the seventh inning and retired the next three batters to get his country out of the inning unscathed.

I also have to mention that the food at Dolphin Stadium is by far the best food I have ever had at any stadium. They were even selling fresh empanadas and arepas.

Tomorrow we have nothing scheduled during the day, thankfully. Then, in the evening we see the Capitals face the Florida Panthers. Hopefully the Caps look better Tuesday than they did losing to Atlanta 5-1 Monday night. Alex Ovechkin sits at 49 goals for the season. It would be nice if #50 came in a tough road win in the Sunshine State.

Cheryl will post full slideshows of both events tomorrow once we get up and functioning again.

We rose at 4:00 am, made an 8:00 am flight out of Dulles for Orlando, landed at 10:15 am, took an hour to get the rental car, and made it to historic Space Coast Stadium just in time to hear the National Anthem (a little "pitchy", as Simon Cowell might say). Today's opponent: a bunch of guys wearing Detroit Tigers uniforms. They certainly didn't bring any of the big leaguers with them on the bus today.


Collin Balestar started and looked good in the first (K looking on a slow curve, 4-3, F6 on five pitches), OK in the second (4-3, 5-3, 1B, 1B, F9 on 19 pitches), then lost the strike zone completely. Third inning he threw 34 pitches, walking the bases loaded before getting a ground ball on a full count to end the inning and his day. 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 58 PC.


Gustavo Chacin took over and had much the same experience as Bally. Good first couple of innings, then he walked a couple and eventually gave up two earned when Steven Shell gave up a one-out single, scoring two. Shell's numbers (1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K) look good, but his job was to get a ground ball with the bases loaded and he didn't.

Wil Ledezma showed the power and wildness that have been intriguing pitching coaches since he toiled as a minor leaguer for today's opponent several years ago now.

At the plate, nothing to write home about. Milledge K'd twice, including a three-pitch number with the bases loaded and no outs in the 8th. Nick the Stick went 1-for-3, but took a called third strike. Sadly, Brad Eldred did not homer for us like he has for everyone else this spring, but he did make a very nifty play at first, ranging to his right and going down on a knee to make the grab, and then got to first himself for the out.

We found out about some cuts after the game, but since they aren't public we won't post them yet. I was hoping the press release would come out today, but apparently they'll issue it tomorrow. No real surprises, at least of the few that we found out.
After the game, we went out to our friends' place at the beach and watched the Space Shuttle launch. Very cool experience. Godspeed Discovery.

We checked into our hotel in Ft. Lauderdale a little after midnight. Not bad for a 20-hour day.

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Tomorrow we have a doubleheader scheduled: Nats @ Marlins from Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter at 1:05 pm, and the WBC winner's bracket game, Puerto Rico v. Venezuela from Dolphin Stadium in Miami at 8:00 pm.

We'll be here all week. Tip your waitress. Try the veal.

Oh, sunny and 86 today. You're welcome.

Photos (c) C. Nichols 2009. All rights reserved.

The Washington Nationals signed Julian Tavarez to a minor league contract yesterday. He should report to the team some time next week after he secures his visa. The 35-year old swingman pitched for three teams last year for a a 5.10 ERA in 52 appearances.

"There's nothing wrong with competition in spring training, and we don't want a lot of comfortable players in the clubhouse," acting general manager Mike Rizzo said. "It's this time in spring training to step up and make the club. Competition, that never hurts."

Kip Wells, Julian Tavarez; competition be thy name.

Nats News Network leaves for Spring Training Sunday morning, and in the span of eight days we will see nine baseball games and a hockey game. At least. Eight days in Florida and we'll never see the ocean.

We'll be posting notes and pictures from each game, so set your google readers or blogrolls or whatever. One thing we won't be doing is "tweeting". I refuse. So far.

Here's our schedule:

Sun 3/15: DET at Nats in Viera (1:05 pm)

Mon 3/16: Nats at FLA in Jupiter (1:05 pm); WBC Winner’s Bracket in Miami (8:00 pm)

Tues 3/17: Caps at FLA in Miami (7:30 pm)

Wed 3/18: BAL at STL in Jupiter (1:05 pm); FLA at Nats in Viera (7:05 pm)

Thur 3/19: BAL at Nats in Viera (1:05 pm)

Fri 3/20: Nats at DET in Lakeland (1:05 pm)

Sat 3/21: STL at Nats in Viera (1:05 pm)

Sun 3/22: Nats at HOU in Kissimmee (1:05 pm)

And in case you missed it, here's the Nats spring training guide I wrote for CBS Sports.com.

Here's the press release:

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms on a non-guaranteed minor-league contract with right-handed pitcher Kip Wells. Nationals Vice President of Baseball Operations and Assistant General Manager Mike Rizzo made this announcement.

The 31-year-old Wells is 65-94 with a 4.67 ERA in 256 games (205 starts) spanning 10 big league seasons with Chicago-AL (1999-2001), Pittsburgh (2002-06), Texas (2006), St. Louis (2007), Colorado (2008) and Kansas City (2008). Wells won a career-high 12 games with Pittsburgh in 2002. He pitched in 25 games last season with Colorado and Kansas City.

While the press release cites his career 4.67 ERA, it fails to mention his 6.21 ERA last season, split between Colorado and Kansas City, or the fact that he hasn't had a sub-5.00 ERA since 2004, or a sub-1.5 WHIP since 2003.

Odalis Perez, he ain't.

One really has to wonder about this signing. Wells had two decent seasons in 2002-03, but has progressively gotten worse ever since. His VORP was -3.3 last season. He's just not any good anymore, if he was really any good to begin with. The press release says "31", but he'll be 32 April 21.

This one is just a head-scratcher. Is he being brought in for rotation insurance? Veteran in the bullpen? Favor to someone?

One of my favorite baseball writers, Tim Kurkjian of ESPN.com, has a column today about the addition of Adam Dunn to the Nats lineup this summer.

Then, Rob Neyer quotes David Pinto quoting Barry Svrluga about the contributions of Rick Eckstein. Eckstein might be a great hitting coach. But at least he IS a hitting coach. He looks at film, breaks down mechanics, etc. He's not a miracle worker, or his brother would be an all-star.

But at least Eckstein is actively trying to help guys out, as opposed to convincing every-day players the best way to approach things is to swing at the first, best pitch, a la the best pinch-hitter in the history of the game.

Here's the text of press release:

The Washington Nationals today re-assigned left-handed pitcher Justin Jones, right-handed pitchers Bobby Brownlie, Preston Larrison and J.D. Martin, catcher Javier Herrera, infielders Chris Marrero and Matt Whitney, and outfielder Destin Hood to minor league camp. The Nationals also optioned left-handed pitcher Mike O’Connor to Triple-A Syracuse and left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler to Double-A Harrisburg. Nationals Vice President of Baseball Operations and Assistant General Manager Mike Rizzo made this announcement.

After today’s moves, the Nationals’ spring roster stands at 58.

Nothing too shocking in these moves. I'm sure the team had hoped that Larrison or Martin would have shown a little bit more in their outings thus far to be able to help out in the bullpen. It will probably be a revolving door policy for the pen regardless.

Posted by Cheryl Nichols, Contributor to Nats News Network

Talk baseball with award-winning journalist Thom Loverro on Tuesday in Baltimore (details below). Loverro, who is currently a sports columnist for The Washington Times, will share excerpts from his books Orioles Essential: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Real Fan!, Oriole Magic: The O’s of 1983, and The Encyclopedia of Negro League Baseball. He’ll answer your questions about the sport, before signing copies of his books.

Hopefully Thom will work on a Nationals Essential soon!

WHO: Washington Times Columnist Thom Loverro
WHAT: Question-and-answer session, autograph signing at ESPN Zone
WHEN: Tuesday, March 10, 2009, 7- 8 p.m.
WHERE: ESPN Zone, 601 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON CBS SPORTS AND BLEACHER REPORT

So you are planning a trip to Viera, Florida to see the Washington Nationals at spring training, are you?

Well, hearty fan, good for you.

Spring training is a great place to see major league baseball up close, maybe get an autograph, work on your tan, and generally avoid your real life for a weekend—or, if you are lucky, a whole week.

The following spring training guide will give you some ideas and suggestions on what to do, where to go and things you should not miss on your trip.

The best advice I can give you, though, is to purchase a guidebook to help you on your way. I use two: Florida Spring Training by Alan Byrd and Spring Training Handbook by Joshua Pahigian. They are both very valuable resources as you trek across the "Sunshine State".

Cheryl and I will be down there March 15-22, so if you're down there, say "hi". We'll have reports and pictures to share all week.

LOCATION AND HISTORY

The Washington Nationals train at Space Coast Stadium in sunny Viera, Florida.

Viera is a planned community that was built on a former celery farm, cattle farms and scrub forest land. As such, there is not much there, but it does grow every time we visit. There's a shopping mall, high school, regional park, and the ballpark, along with the planned communities.

Viera is 49 miles from Orlando International Airport and it is just minutes off of I-95, so it is very easy to find. Space Coast Stadium was built in 1993 and serves as the regular season home for the Brevard County Manatees of the Florida State League.

Space Coast Stadium was named for the region where it is located, just a few miles from Florida's historic "Space Coast" of Cocoa Beach and Cape Cnaveral. Honoring NASA's achievements and the space theme is evident both in and outside the park.

The Nationals have trained at Space Coast Stadium and the minor league complex associated with it—named after the first Florida Marlins President Carl Barger—since their inaugural season in 2005.

STADIUM HISTORY

The Florida Marlins trained at Space Coast Stadium from its inception until 2002. As part of an agreement involving the sale of the Montreal Expos by Jeffrey Loria, the Marlins swapped training sites with the Expos, who had been training in Jupiter, Florida.

The Expos held two seasons of training at Space Coast in 2003-04 before the franchise moved to Washington, and the Nationals have been using the complex ever since.

Before the 2008 spring training, the stadium went through many upgrades, including substituting the teal and black of the Marlins for red, white and blue of the Nationals. The foul pole memorials to the Space Shuttles Columbia and Challenger tragedies are another example of the space theme and a very nice and respectful touch.

Game lineups are available on the concourse on a dry erase board.

Overall, it's a large minor league stadium (capacity 8,100), so the best suggestion when you get tickets is to get box seats or the reserved seats down the baselines. You should not have much trouble getting tickets though, as the Nationals are a lukewarm draw and the Yankees and Red Sox don't travel to the Space Coast.

MAKING SPRING TRAINING MEMORABLE

I have been attending spring training games in Florida since college, and that has been more years now than I care to admit. My wife and I have been seven years in a row together and we are preparing for this year's upcoming trip. We spend the week driving up and down I-95 every year watching the Nats play, not just at Space Coast Stadium, but all over central and eastern Florida.

If you're going to spring training to really watch baseball, the best advice is to plan ahead.

Take a good hard look at the schedule, and not just at your favorite team's schedule but the other teams that train near them. The nice thing about where the Nats train is that it is fairly centrally located, so road trips are easily manageable.

The long drive is to Fort Lauderdale to see the local-rival Baltimore Orioles (about 2.5 hours). All the others (Detroit in Lakeland, Atlanta in Orlando, Houston in Kissimmee, New York Mets in Port St. Lucie and St. Louis and Florida in Jupiter) are closer still, all within two hours.

Some of our favorite moments from spring training involve double-headers in two different stadiums. Since the Cardinals and Marlins share a facility in Jupiter (Roger Dean Stadium), there is a game there every day, making that goal easier to accomplish.

And we take our spring training vacation seriously, spending as much time at and around the ballpark and training facilities as we would at our day jobs. You would be amazed at the people you can meet if you are at the park three hours before or two hours after a spring training game.

AUTOGRAPHS AT SPACE COAST STADIUM

Most players are much more relaxed during spring training than once the real games start, so autograph collecting is much easier. You still have to work a little bit though. Space Coast Stadium is not the greatest place in Florida to get autographs, but it is not bad either. At most spring training sites in Florida, the player's parking lot is the best pace to go.

Usually it is just a chain link fence separating you from the players. Space Coast is no different, but access to the Nats lot is difficult since it's so far away from the stadium and the fans' lots. However, all the players have to walk around the right field bullpen to get from the lot to the clubhouse, so most folks pre-and post-game gather at the fence there.

Some players walk the gauntlet with their heads down or talking on their cellphones, but most will come over to say "hi" and sign. The Nats have a lack of "household names" though, so most of the players are willing to come over to sign. There's a small, but fiercely loyal, fan base in Washington and many make the trip to Viera, so when the players recognize friendly faces from DC they are more than happy to give some time.

The visitor's bus pulls right up to the front of the stadium, and nothing separates the visiting players from the fans but a guide rope. The small area is usually crowded, but many players do stop going in or out of the stadium.

Once the gates open, there are areas between the dugout and bullpens down each foul line where you can line up and wait for autographs. Most of the position players don't come out that far, but you'll probably have good luck getting bullpen pitchers and catchers.

The best advice about getting autographs at spring training though is simple: Know the player's names. "Mister", "sir", and "hey you" don't get you very far. The players are people just like you and me, and everyone likes to be recognized.

If you aren't familiar with the players, take five minutes to sit with your kid (or by yourself) on the internet before coming and look up the team on MLB.com and take a minute to look at the head shots. Or, if you want to be really prepared, print off a cheat sheet so you can identify the players as they approach.

WHAT/WHERE TO EAT

At the park, there's the standard minor league fare. But unlike their home stadium, Nationals Park in Washington, DC, the friendly folks at Space Coast Stadium actually grill food over open flame at Space Coast Stadium. The sausages and burgers are both good quality. They also serve whole turkey legs, but I've never been brave enough to try one. Plenty of other folks have though.

Ice cream in a helmet is very popular with the little ones.

Outside the stadium, there are several chain restaurants and fast food joints, plus a couple of steakhouses, but not much in the way of fine dining or nightlife. There is one sports bar in Viera, called Mulligan's, and a couple others on Merritt Island, just a quick drive. If you really want to go out on the town, go into Orlando or out to one of the beaches.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE/AFTER THE GAME

Cocoa Beach and Melbourne Beach are just a few minutes away, and Kennedy Space Center is a must for first-time visitors. And it's Florida, which means there are plenty of golf courses and fishing boats in the area too. Also, cruise and casino boats sail out of Port Canaveral if you're looking for that type of excitement.

Visit http://www.space-coast.com/ for the Office of Tourism for a host of ideas about non-baseball ideas.

And of course, Viera is just an hour from the Happiest Place on Earth. That's right, Disney World is in Orlando, a short drive from Florida's Space Coast. If the Nats are on a road trip, and the kids don't want to sit on the beach and you've already visited Kennedy Space Center, pack up the mini-van and visit the Mouse House.

Usually Disney World is a destination, not an "other activity", but since we're talking about spring training, that's right where it goes.

WHERE TO STAY

There are half a dozen hotels right off the highway around Melbourne or near the mall in Viera, but usually we stay out at one of the beaches. To be truthful, we often never even see the ocean when we go down to spring training, but it's nice to know we have the option should we choose.

Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach and Melbourne Beach are all a short drive from the ballpark, and since they aren't really tourist beaches per se, the accommodations are fairly reasonable.

March is spring break time though, and while you probably will not run into a pack of partying frat boys on the Space Coast, you should make your reservations early if you want to stay near the beach.

If more traditional lodging is your preference, every exit off of I-95 has a Travelodge or Best Western available.

A FINAL THOUGHT

This spring training guide is not, by any means, comprehensive. Part of what makes spring training great is the adventure aspect to it. So buy a guide book (or two), be open to visiting multiple stadiums, and just have fun.

And please, do NOT forget your sunscreen!

All photos (c) Cheryl Nichols 2009.

Daniel Cabrera's line for this afternoon's tilt: 2.0 IP, 4 hits, 2 walks, 2 Ks, 1 ER, 4 stolen bases allowed.

Read this to fully understand why Daniel Cabrera is exactly what he is and why he'll never reach his "potential". Just because you can throw hard doesn't mean you can be a successful big league pitcher.

From Boz' post about Cabrera:

"Cabrera he [sic] was the worst natural athlete the club [Orioles] had ever acquired, in terms of agility, coordination, etc. As a kid in the minors, the Orioles even kept him out of drills so he wouldn't embarrass himself or get injured."

This, ladies and gentlemen, is your number three starter.

Posted by Cheryl Nichols, Contributor to Nats News Network

In case you couldn't stay up for it last night, our new slugger, Adam Dunn, and nine other members of Team USA were on the The Late Show with David Letterman last night. It was easy to pick out Dunn when they showed the entire team - he towers over all of them!

Check out the video.

10. Due to the economic crisis, we all have to share the same pair of pants (Jimmy Rollins)
9. Japan has one of them crazy robot shortstops (Curtis Granderson)
8. Because it’s an international event, our right fielder is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (Dustin Pedroia)
7. The winning team plays Neptune in the Galactic Baseball Classic (Chipper Jones)
6. It’s fascinating seeing how players from other countries scratch themselves (Roy Oswalt)
5. You’ll be part of a cherished baseball tradition dating all the way back to 2006 (Adam Dunn)
4. Because of the metric system, the games will be 6.83 innings (Ryan Braun)
3. Before each game, you get to sit through 30 different national anthems (Kevin Youkilis)
2. Australia’s secret weapon: A fastball-throwin’ kangaroo (David Wright)
1. What else are you going to watch, hockey? (Derek Jeter)

Nationals Outfielder Adam Dunn will appear with a group of other Team USA players on "Late Show with David Letterman" on Thursday night, March 5.

Dunn and the other players will take part in Letterman's Top Ten list. The topic: "Top Ten Reasons to Watch the World Baseball Classic."


Dunn will appear with Derek Jeter from the New York Yankees; David Wright from the New York Mets; Chipper Jones from the Atlanta Braves; Ryan Braun from the Milwaukee Brewers; Jimmy Rollins from the Philadelphia Phillies; Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis from the Boston Red Sox; Curtis Granderson from the Detroit Tigers; and Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros.

Comedian Jon Stewart and U2 are scheduled to perform tonight so our new slugger will be in select company.

The World Baseball Classic started today with a 4-0 win for Japan over China. Team USA plays Canada on Saturday, March 7. Check schedule for more information.

Photo (c) David Nichols

Citing being "a fan of continuity", Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten today announced that Assistant GM Mike Rizzo will assume the duties of General Manager of the Washington Nationals, while not actually being named General Manager of the Washington Nationals.

Kasten indicated that there was no timetable in naming a permanent successor to Jim Bowden, ousted last weekend from the position.

"But Mike is a guy that I have a lot of confidence in, our owners have a lot of confidence in, and at some point I have to do a search and a search will progress, but I don't feel in any rush at all.

There's no particular urgency or timetable for that. I will tell you guys, the surest way to know somebody is a candidate is to not read his name anywhere. If you see someone's name, you know he is not a candidate. I'll let you all figure that out.

But I don't have a timetable on this. As I said, don't feel any urgency. Because especially this week, we've seen it move so smoothly, work so well with the rest of the staff, be so comfortable for the rest of the staff, and a little bit of calming, rather than more change now, is what we need best. --Stan Kasten, via Nationals Journal

According to Kasten, Rizzo will be the point person for the organization with regards to trades, personnel and scouting, with Kasten and ownership as the last say on all matters. And of course, Kasten had to get one more jab in there about rumors of candidates names.

Does this amount to a try out? Kasten indicated that Rizzo would be "the face" to the rest of the GMs in baseball, but also said that ownership would look to Kasten himself for "final decisions".

So it looks like a certain amount of dysfunction will be associated with the day-to-day operations for the foreseeable future, but it beats what the Nats had previously.

Hopefully Kasten's search will result in the right person being hired for the position sooner than later, and if it's Rizzo, great. And I know that Kasten is doing all he can to circle the wagons and get everyone on the same page, which I think is great. But I know I'll be a little more comfortable once the decision on the GM is final.
___________________________

During the press conference, Kasten announced that his mother passed away this morning from Alzheimer's. Nationals News Network wishes to express our most sincere condolences to Mr. Kasten and the rest of his family.

Perhaps the Nationals are still basking in the all the attention that came yesterday from the unveiling of the new Screech. Maybe not, judging by some of the comments here.

But whatever the reason, Stan Kasten is taking a measured approach to naming a new General Manager. For now, he's fulfilling the duties. In addition to his responsibilities as Team President, he's now the de facto interim GM, taking calls about trades, mulling possible free agent signings, looking over the young pitchers. He has prior experience in the job, having been the GM of the Atlanta Hawks for several years before moving upstairs in Atlanta.

"I'm doing what we need to do to keep the franchise moving forward, and I'm pleased to say that has been happening," Kasten said, via MLB.com.

Kasten has deflected any questions about possible replacements, the interview process and whether he has a preference for an in-house candidate.

It's easy to sit here and speculate about any of those answers. You have to wonder that if Mike Rizzo is Stan's guy, why he wasn't given the job immediately? Especially after all the effusive praise Kasten heaped on Rizzo for the job he did in the wake of the Dominican turnover, it seemed like Kasten was prepping Rizzo for the job.

And what about last week's rumor-fest about Tony LaCava? There were reports in both papers about how the Nats haven't contacted MLB to be able to speak with LaCava or waive the minority interview requirement to fill the front office position. Yet the rumors still exist. Other names are surfacing as well, but in no official capacity.

So now we start a different watch. I'm sure Kasten is holding his own with the GM duties, and he's already had an "all hands on deck" staff meeting to elicit suggestions and rally the troops. Will there be more turnover? Will the replacement come from in-house? Will Kasten decide to keep the job himself? All fascinating questions.

Hopefully we can at least watch this story unfold while keeping an eye out for any more fallout from the FBI investigation in the Dominican, limiting the team's exposure in that to the personnel that have already departed. It would be soul-crushing to every Nats fan if there is guilt by those left behind.

Posted by Cheryl Nichols, Contributor to Nats News Network


Our brand new slugger, Adam Dunn, has been added to the Team USA roster to replace the injured Rockies Brad Hawpe. Dunn joined Team USA in Clearwater on Sunday night.



Nationals closer, Joel Hanrahan, will represent the USA in the World Baseball Classic as a replacement for Blue Jays R.J. Ryan. Hanrahan joins Team USA on Tuesday.

Former Nationals closer Chad Cordero confirmed Hanrahan's decision.

Posted by Cheryl Nichols, Contributor to Nats News Network

Screech unveiled his new look at the ESPN Zone this afternoon. He seems to have shed tail feathers, wings and belly fat in the off-season.

Grown up Screech demonstrated his dancing skills to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (see video) and Beyonce's "Single Ladies" (see video) and I think that he should be able to beat the Orioles Bird next time they meet.

"Baby Screech" was round and lovable. There seem to be mixed reviews about the grown up Screech already.

Here are a few pictures from today's unveiling.
(All Photos (c) Cheryl Nichols).

Screech and Chartese Burnett, the Nationals Vice President of Communications, gave FOX5 a sneak peak this morning before heading to ESPN Zone.

Chartese mentioned that Screech will be making 31 appearances in 31 days starting with today. More information will be available soon.

Washington Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden Resigned this morning.

His replacement has not been named.

You can read Bowden's statement, as well as the statement from Nationals President Stan Kasten.

Now, back to spring training.....