Nationals News: Aces in spotlight for battery’s first workouts
By Pablo Roa
Good morning DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily! While the nation’s capital was pounded with a foot of snow yesterday, the Nationals continued their preparations for the 2015 season with more early Spring Training action.
In today’s Daily, MLB.com’s James Collier fills us in on everything that happened in the team’s first workout of the spring yesterday. While a pitchers and catchers workout in February may not seem all that exciting, the first workout of the spring takes us one step closer to actual baseball games and helps those of us who have been suffering from baseball withdrawal during these long, cold winter months.
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As Collier writes, yesterday’s workout gave the Nationals their first look at newly-acquired ace Max Scherzer. Not only did Scherzer make his first pitching appearance for the team by throwing an eight-minute bullpen session, but he also did it along side fellow ace Stephen Strasburg. If there’s anything that’ll get a baseball fan excited for a workout, it’s watching Scherzer and Strasburg pitching right next to each other for eight-minutes.
Also in today’s Daily, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson discusses the confidence that general manager Mike Rizzo has in his club heading into the 2015 season. Of course, Rizzo has every reason to be confident. The Nationals are coming off their second NL East title in three years and have one of the deepest rosters in all of baseball.
Expectations are through the roof for the Nationals this season, and no one knows that more than Rizzo. Be sure to check out Ladson’s article below as Rizzo discusses those expectations, along with Matt Williams‘ contract situation and the team’s impending free agents.
As always, stay tuned to DoD as we strive to bring you the best Nationals Spring Training coverage possible. For now, start off your Sunday with these great Washington Nationals articles:
Aces in spotlight for battery’s first workouts
VIERA, Fla. — Wilson Ramos brought out his brand new catcher’s mitt for the first bullpen sessions of Spring Training on Saturday. And by the middle of his first session, Ramos realized he had made a mistake, trying to catch Max Scherzer for the first time with a glove that was barely broken in.
“Everything’s moving — a lot,” Ramos said with a laugh.
Midway through the session, he switched back to his older, more broken in glove to give himself a chance.
“I like being behind the plate, and not in front of the plate against him,” Ramos said. Read full article here.
Rizzo confident in his club heading into 2015
VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals enter Spring Training with arguably the best team on paper. In 2013, the team had the slogan, “World Series or bust” and didn’t make the playoffs.
Does that slogan hold true for the 2015 Nationals? Not quite. “We have high expectations, we think we have a good team and we are going to attack the regular season and then if we are fortunate enough to make the playoffs, we’ll give it our best shot to get to the World Series. That’s a goal for [all] 30 clubs,” general manager Mike Rizzo said
The Nationals’ pitchers and catchers had their first workout of the spring Saturday, but before the team got started, the team picked up manager Matt Williams’ option for the 2016 season. To Rizzo, it was a no brainer to extend Williams, who guided the team to the National League East title last year. Read full article here.
Next: Nationals Player Profile: Clint Robinson