District Daily: Ankiel continuing Dorfman’s legacy with Nationals

May 15, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; New York Mets center fielder

Rick Ankiel

(16) hits a single off of St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher

Shelby Miller

(not pictured) during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning DoD readers, start off your day with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web in our District Daily:

Ankiel continuing Dorfman’s legacy with Nationals

(Andrew Simon, MLB.com)

WASHINGTON — When Rick Ankiel encountered difficulties during his career, battling a severe bout of wildness as a pitcher and later converting to the outfield, his biggest source of help wasn’t someone in a uniform.

Instead, Ankiel credits the work of the late sports psychologist Harvey Dorfman, who wrote several books on the subject and worked for the A’s, Marlins and agent Scott Boras — who represented Ankiel — before passing away in 2011. And it’s Dorfman’s legacy that Ankiel hopes to carry on as he begins his new job as the Nationals’ life skills coordinator, which will involve him using his experience to mentor players in the organization’s Minor League system. Read full article here.

More from District on Deck

Biggest Winners and Losers from Washington Nationals’ Offseason

(Danny Garrison, Bleacher Report)

If the Washington Nationals made headlines with blockbuster trades involving their star players this offseason, it would be far less stressful for fans than the team’s conspicuous inactivity.

The Nats have made small trades here and entered talks there, but Washington has yet to check off anything on the top of its to-do list. And, as of now, that strategy has benefited some players and left others in precarious spots.

It would be hard to believe the Nationals are completely done wheeling and dealing this offseason, so a single trade could turn this list upside down. Read full article here.