Washington Nationals News: Denard Span plays outfield in Minor League game
By Pablo Roa
Good morning DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily! Start off your day with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web below.
In today’s Daily, MLB.com’s Jeff Seidel gives some much-needed good news on the injury front for the Nationals. According to Seidel, injured center fielder Denard Span is progressing quicker than expected in his recovery from core muscle surgery and played defense in a minor league game Saturday.
Needless to say, this is excellent news for the Nationals. Of all the injuries the team has suffered this spring, Span’s is the only one that could linger well into the regular season. The Nationals already expect Span to miss at least the first month and they’ve planned accordingly, placing their future center fielder Michael Taylor in center and in the leadoff role.
More from Nationals News
- Latest DraftKings Sportsbook Promo Code in Maryland: Bet $5, Win $200 Guaranteed
- Nationals Claim Jeter Downs Off Waivers
- Washington Nationals Tuesday Q&A
- A Washington Nationals Christmas Wishlist
- Robots in Baseball? The Possibility of an Automated Ball/Strike System in the MLB
But if Span can return from his injury quicker and take some of the pressure off Taylor, it could give the Nationals a huge boost early in the season. Span was one of the team’s best players in 2014 and the quicker they get him back, the better. The outfielder still has a ways to go in his rehab and has yet to hit in a game, but the fact that he’s already back on his feet and playing live baseball is definitely a step in the right direction.
Also in today’s Daily, ESPN’s Jayson Stark gives five reasons for why he predicts the Nationals will win the World Series. Of course, Stark isn’t the only one predicting the Nationals to win the Fall Classic. Many fans and analysts alike are convinced that the Nationals will win it all, and they may very well do that.
But as Nationals fans know all too well, pre-season—or even pre-postseason—predictions mean nothing when it comes to winning in the playoffs and winning in the World Series. But as Stark notes in his column, if anyone has what it takes to win the World Series right now, it’s the Nationals.
Be sure to check out the articles below, they’re definitely worth a read. And as always, stay tuned to DoD for all your Washington Nationals needs.
Span plays outfield in Minor League game
WASHINGTON — Nationals center fielder Denard Span played three innings of defense only in a Minor League game in Florida on Saturday, the first time he’s been in a game since abdominal muscle surgery on March 9.
Nationals manager Matt Williams said they received a good report on Span’s actions, and that he did not bat. They’re just bringing him along carefully, and the center fielder was glad to get out on the field.
“Just getting his legs underneath him,” Williams said after his team’s 4-3 exhibition loss to the Yankees on Saturday. “He’ll progress into the batting in the game. But today was an opportunity for him to get out there and play some outfield.” Read full article here.
Why the Nationals will win it all
I never wanted to grow up and become Danny Sheridan. Or Patrick Jane. Or the Amazing Kreskin.
I never wanted to grow up and have a job for which I was required to predict the future. It’s a bad line of work. Could I sign up for predicting the past? I find that a lot easier.
But every year at this time, I’m assigned to write a column in which I (incorrectly) predict which team is about to win the World Series. And here’s what I’ve learned:
No matter how many people I talk to, how many incisive numbers I use in my (incorrect) analysis, how much thought I put into this pick, how much sleep I lose second-guessing my pick, none of it matters. Read full article here.