Washington Nationals News: Is Ben Revere primed for big 2016 season?
By Pablo Roa
Today’s District Daily features stories on Washington Nationals’ centerfielder Ben Revere and how the team managed to stay healthy this spring.
Good evening DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily. Get caught up on the latest Nats news and opinions with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web below.
In today’s Daily, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson discusses how Nationals center fielder Ben Revere appears to be in for a strong season in 2016. As Ladson notes, Revere has shortened his swing and is on a roll at the plate this swing, hitting .389 and pulling the ball with authority.
More from District on Deck
- A Washington Nationals Christmas Wishlist
- Washington Nationals: Is Seth Lugo Still an Option?
- Robots in Baseball? The Possibility of an Automated Ball/Strike System in the MLB
- Washington Nationals Re-Sign RHP Erasmo Ramirez
- Washington Nationals Sign RHP Trevor Williams
The Nationals acquired Revere in a trade with the Blue Jays during the offseason. The team sent reliever Drew Storen to Toronto and acquired Revere, who is replacing Denard Span as the team’s center fielder and leadoff hitter.
Not only is Revere doing well so far with the Nationals, but he also feels at home with his new team and manager. Here’s what Revere had to say about his relationship with manager Dusty Baker, via Ladson’s article:
"“There are some coaches I played for that make you feel awkward,” Revere said. “You don’t know what you are going to do. It gets to the point where if you don’t do well one time, you think it’s over. You are like done. But if you bust your tail for Dusty, no matter what, he is going to have your back. You can struggle and he will have your back. He is going to be like a father figure. No matter what, he is going to have your back.”"
Also in today’s Daily, The Washington Post’s James Wagner discusses how the Nationals have managed to stay healthy during Spring Training this year, which is something they failed to do last season.
Be sure to check out both articles below, they’re definitely worth a read. And as always, stay tuned to DoD for all your Washington Nationals needs.
New home, swing have Revere primed for big ’16
VIERA, Fla. — Center fielder Ben Revere knows why the Nationals acquired him. He is expected to be their leadoff hitter, replacing Denard Span, and score a lot of runs.
No problem, Revere says. He believes 2016 could be his best year yet. Acquired from the Blue Jays in a trade for reliever Drew Storen in January, Revere’s confidence is sky high because the Nationals are already making him feel at home. In fact, he went so far as to call manager Dusty Baker a father figure.
“There are some coaches I played for that make you feel awkward,” Revere said. “You don’t know what you are going to do. It gets to the point where if you don’t do well one time, you think it’s over. You are like done. But if you bust your tail for Dusty, no matter what, he is going to have your back. You can struggle and he will have your back. He is going to be like a father figure. No matter what, he is going to have your back.” Read full article here.
Unlike last spring, the Nationals have stayed healthy
(James Wagner, Washington Post)
VIERA, Fla — Dusty Baker doesn’t believes in jinxes. But even as he talked about the Nationals’ relatively healthy spring, he still tapped on his wooden fungo bat. “We’ve done outstanding,” he said.
The Nationals’ 2015 season of much promise was undermined by injuries. By opening day, Denard Span, Jayson Werth, Casey Janssen and Anthony Rendon were on the disabled list, and Stephen Strasburg was nursing an injury. With five games left before the 2016 opener — and only three in Florida — the Nationals have stayed on the field. Read full article here.