Nats Enquirer

Good thing Jayson Werth Bobblehead Night isn't scheduled for April 14th

 

(The Delmarva Shorebirds honored Jayson Werth with his own bobblehead night last June. No beard, of course. Image via Delmarva Shorebirds official website.)

The Nationals released details about 2011 promotions Friday night -- highlights include a Jayson Werth Bobblehead giveaway to 15,000 lucky fans on Saturday, July 30th vs. the Mets.

Thankfully the Nationals showed good sense in not scheduling Werth's big night for April 14th. That, of course, is the scheduled date of the next Phillies fan invasion of Nationals Park, courtesy of Phillies Nation.com and the Washington Nationals:

If the current pitching staff stays healthy, Cliff Lee should be on the mound for this game!

Our seats will be in right field again where we once cheered Jayson Werth.

The buses will leave from McFadden’s Ballpark at 1 PM but don’t forget about Kegs’n’Eggs starting at 10 AM where $10 gets you a breakfast buffet and your first pint of Miller LITE! ...

This will be a night game in April so dress warm, but we as Philadelphians certainly know how to party in the cold! 
(via PhilliesNation.com)

Great! So the Nationals have conveniently blocked off a section in right field for Phillies fans to heckle Jayson Werth all night long, AND the hooligans will start getting liquored up at 10 AM in Philly for a 7:05 PM start? Who said Phillies fans would no longer feel welcome in Washington once Stan Kasten left town?

This is a call to arms, NatsTown. Buy your tickets to 4/14 now before the Phillies fans do...

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Stephen Strasburg now $100 richer thanks to six pack abs

 

(Strasburg speaks, sans Strasbeard. Screengrab via CSNWashington.com)

Big first day at camp for Stephen Strasburg on Thursday. Mark Zuckerman's piece over at CSNWashington.com captures the proceedings -- and the road that lies ahead -- quite nicely.

Perhaps lost in the excitement of making his first throws of spring training: Strasburg collected on his "six pack abs" bet with Steve McCatty. This, according to Nats PR guy John Dever over at the Curly W Live blog:

On a side note, Stephen won a lucrative $100 bet today from his pitching coach, Steve McCatty. The bet hinged on Strasburg's assertion that he would have "six-pack abs" by the first day of Spring Training. Word from the clubhouse is that McCatty is eating Ramen Noodles tonight because his meal money is now in Strasburg's pocket! (via Curly W Live, 2/17/2011)

After the jump, video of Strasburg's 1-on-1 interview with CSN Washington's Kelli Johnson:

"Wang pain free after bullpen session"

(Wang: having a ball in Taiwan, November 2009. Photo by Getty Images.)

The good news is, even if this Chien-Ming Wang gamble doesn't pay off for the Nationals, at least we all enjoyed the Wang jokes. This one at Nationals.com is a keeper. Spring has sprung, and word out of Nats camp in Viera this morning is that Wang wasn't very impressive. Ahem. Throwing the ball, that is. A very disappointing Wang.

And even more Wang jokes, courtesy of Nationals Journal:

Though the low level of intensity in Wang's session indicated he has a long way to go, the Nationals liked what the saw.

However:

"The next day is when we really want to check [Wang] out," Riggleman said. "How do you feel after sleeping that night? We'll get a little more information about that tomorrow." (via Nationals Journal, 2/17/2011)

Okay, so let's wait and see how Wang is feeling in the morning.

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Stephen Strasburg shaved his beard

 

(That's not a beard, anymore, it's a chin patch. Farewell, Strasbeard. Photo via MLB.com's Bill Ladson.)

Big news out of Nationals camp on Thursday morning: Not only did Stephen Strasburg throw a baseball during the first formal workout of the spring for Nationals pitchers and catchers, but he has also shaved his beard. News Tweeted to the public via @NationalsPR:

For all those asking, Strasburg shaved the beard and is now sporting some sort of chin patch.

Some sort of chin patch? Indeed, as seen in the photo above of Strasburg signing autographs for a bunch of autograph hounds who will now sell the autographed items on eBay shortly Nationals fans, the full beard is gone. Still, this does nothing to kill the buzz of the various pictures and video of Strasburg making his first throws of spring training. Spring is in the air.

After the jump, the life and times of the Strasbeard.

Maybe Next Spring...

 

(Albert Pujols arrives at Cardinals camp in Jupiter, FL. AP Photo.)

Get ready to break out your checkbook, Mr. Lerner*.

Maybe next spring...we'll be awaiting the arrival of Albert Pujols at Space Coast Stadium.

For now, we'll just have to settle for Stephen Strasburg sightings. Any sign of Bryce Harper yet?

*The next Pujols contract will make Jayson Werth's Nats deal look like peanuts. And Pujols' guns will make Roger Bernadina's guns look like water pistols.

Spring is in the air: first formal workout for Nats' pitchers and catchers!

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Zim Sings Different Tune

(Ryan Zimmerman talks to the media in Viera, FL. Screengrab via CSNWashington.com)

All is forgiven, apparently, and that's a good thing. Here's Ryan Zimmerman, talking on Tuesday about the departure of Adam Dunn, explaining post-Dunn reaction:

"I was not by any means saying anything about the club or the organization. I think a lot of people thought I was. I had talked to Mike [Rizzo, general manager] quite a bit. I knew that they had a plan. Obviously, they've done it for the last couple years to get this team in place. I was just expressing more frustrations of losing a teammate and a friend than anything. I think a lot of people took it as I was taking a stab at them or talking bad about them, which was completely the opposite."
(Ryan Zimmerman, via Mark Zuckerman/CSNWashington.com, 2/15/2011)

And here are some of Ryan Zimmerman's comments in the wake of Dunn's departure in December, via  Adam Kilgore/Washington Post:

Bring on Spring!

(That's ex-Nat Ray King basking in the Florida Sun back in Feb. 2007. AP Photo by Steve Mitchell.)

Nationals pitchers and catchers officially report today.

In honor of this momentous occasion, let's play the "I'm in the best shape of my life" game. Which Nationals player will register the first "I"m in the best shape of my life!" quote of Spring Training?

Our money's on Livo.

(Note that WFY got an answer from MLB.com's Bill Ladson in an unofficial poll of Nationals beat writers: Nyjer Morgan. But since we haven't seen a published quote from the player, we'll continue with our little game.)

 

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Jayson Werth's strong beard returns, is "strong to quite strong, actually"

(That ain't no soul patch. Photo courtesy of MLB.com's Bill Ladson)

So much for Nationals team policy on facial hair. Jayson Werth's beard is back.

The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore Tweeted this exchange between new teammates Ian Desmond and Werth, which sums it all up quite nicely:

Next question: did Stephen Strasburg's beard survive the trip to Viera?

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Stephen Strasburg arrives...

 

(Strasburg's arrival to Spring Training? Getty Images Photo.)

...or was that Lady Gaga?

Signs of Spring...

(Nationals new-look spring training jerseys hang in the clubhouse at Space Coast stadium in Viera, FL. Photo is courtesy of @NationalsPR.)

Yeah, spring is in the air...

 

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