Hot! Hot! Hot!

February 19, 2006

Imagine it’s 70* and cloudy out right now (try really hard!), but the forecast calls for around 80* the remainder of the week. Then imagine you’re sitting in the bleachers watching the Nationals take the field for workouts. Then get all giddy that baseball playing is really about to start. Yep, those are our boys out there on the field in Florida warming up in the tropics! Photo of Ryan Zimmerman working out with strength coordinator Kazuhiko Tomoka, courtesy of the Washington Times. I scrounged around for photos of the beginning of Spring Training to help us all feel a little like we’re there.

Upon entering the clubhouse for the first time, players who reported (some early, like Ryan Church) were met by what I could only laugh at.

Players entering the Nationals’ clubhouse on Friday morning were greeted by a giant, just-completed construction project in the middle of the room — a monument to Jim Bowden’s lofty ambitions.

Actually, it is a bank of temporary lockers, as Bowden, the Nationals’ general manager, went out and signed too many players — many of them familiar names, such as Royce Clayton, Damian Jackson, Michael Tucker, Rob Fick and Felix Rodriquez — to squeeze into the two rows of permanent lockers that run the length of the room. Sixty-eight players in all will participate in this camp, with perhaps half of them holding legitimate hopes of making the team.

Doesn’t that just sum up the off season nicely?

I don’t even want to waste any more words on Alfonso Soriano like much of the press, but suffice it to say the big position/character news should break after Frank Robinsons talks to him when he arrives. His name is mentioned across nearly every spring training article, even one for the Cubs (the writer seems to think the Cubs would like either Tejada from the Orioles or Soriano).

Awww, the boys threw a party for departing Jamey Carroll:

Goodbye, my friend: On Thursday, some of the Nationals, including Ryan Church, Nick Johnson and Schneider, threw a farewell get-together for infielder Jamey Carroll last Thursday in Viera, Fla. Carroll was sold to the Rockies for $300,000 last week. Johnson said he was sorry to see his close friend leave the team.

“I’m going to miss him a lot,” Johnson said. “He was a good friend. He played the game the way it was supposed to be played. He played hard. I plan to keep in contact with him.”

Sweet!

Look at them go. Hey, who’s the baldy guy? OH MY GOD, It’s Nick Johnson?!?! Wow, really? Oh goodie, I’m going to have just as much fun this season commenting on his facial hair AND his head hair! Wow, is that really him? According to the caption it sure is.

Early run. Washington Nationals players, from left, Ryan Church, Nick Johnson and Brendan Harris run at Space Coast Stadium. Rik Jesse, FLORIDA TODAY

Huh! Not only did pitchers (except Livan) and catchers report, but so did Ryan Zimmerman, Ryan Church, Nick Johnson and Brendan Harris.

Well, I was going to write more, but I have to cut this short for now!

Update: Ok, back to add the one more silly thing I wanted to say. Frank Robinson had a comment on showboat snowboarder, Lindsey Jacobellis:

“I don’t care what she says. A silver medal is great at the Olympics, yeah, if that’s the best you can do, but when you know you’ve cost yourself doing something silly _ you’ve cost yourself a gold medal _ that has to eat at her for quite some time.”

Yeah, I saw it and just have to say I’m surprised a girl whose “career” also includes the half pipe would wipe on such a common stunt. It really was a bummer. But mostly I have to say, man I LOVE her hair!! I wish my curls were that awesome.

Posted in Clubhouse, Players, Washington Nationals