#28 will be #2

(Jayson Werth returns to the dugout after hitting his first HR of the spring Thursday night. Screengrab via MLB.com)

And so Jayson Werth will bat second for the Nationals, at least to start the season. To celebrate, Werth hit his first HR of the spring on Thursday night against the Tigers; even enjoyed a 2-3, 2 RBI night (kindly ignore the CS in the first).

Here's Jim Riggleman on the decision to bat the $126 Million Man second:

"He mentioned second a few times himself. In a perfect world, it probably sets our club up best. I was a little reluctant to do that. I talked to [General Manager] Mike Rizzo about it. Mike and his staff, they put a lot of numbers together. Werth really wants to do that. Mike wants to do it. I’ve thought about it a lot."
(Jim Riggleman, via Nationals Journal, 3/24/2011)

"I think it probably fits our club best. Now, if you have a 1 and 2 hitter that, clearly, that's what they are, just outstanding 1 and 2 hitters, you leave Jayson somewhere in that 3-4-5 area. But that was an area last year where we didn't have a high on-base in those two slots."
(Jim Riggleman, via The Goessling Game, 3/24/2011)

Okay, sounds good. We approve.

Befriend the Nationals Enquirer on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.

Comments

[anonymouse]

What better way to hide a guy that struggles with RISP than to bat him 2nd. Genius!