• February 14th. Pitchers and Catchers Report. It's actually, officially, the, "Voluntary Spring Training reporting date for pitchers, catchers and injured players," as MLB's calendar reads. The Washington Nationals' PR staff officially opened Spring Training yesterday with a post on the team's official Twitter @NationalsPR which read, "The Nationals clubhouse is open and ready for business." The picture of the Nats' Spring clubhouse at Space Coast Stadium included in the post showed Ryan Zimmerman's no.11 jersey, Jayson Werth's no.28, Adam LaRoche's no.25, Pudge Rodriguez's no.7 and Ian Desmond's no.6 lined up and waiting for the players to arrive. Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez and the pitchers and catchers who aren't already there will arrive in town soon. February 19th is the "Voluntary Spring Training reporting date for non-pitchers and catchers." Here's a quick look at the starting pitchers who will be in camp...
• SP:
• Luis Atilano - RHP, 6'2'', 25yo - Atlanta Braves' '03 1st Round pick, 35th overall, acquired by the Nats' in an August 31st '06 trade for first baseman/bat Daryle Ward. The 25-year-old Atilano made his MLB debut on April 23rd. 2010 Stats: (6-7), 16 GS, 85.1 IP, Atilano had a 5.15 ERA, 79 ERA+, 5.00 FIP, .283 BABIP, 4.20 K/9, 3.36 BB/9. Atilano's season ended in July when he had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.
Random Atilano Quote: @JimBowdenXMFOX: "'So proud of Luis Atilano on his ML debut! like Albaladejo for Clippard, the Ward for Atilano deal was for the future...happy for him and NATS!"
• Brian Broderick - RHP, 6'6'', 24yo - [Rule 5 from St.L] - '07 21st Round pick by St. Louis, taken by Washington in the 2010 Rule 5 Draft. Must remain on 25-Man Roster all season, or Nats must return/negotiate a trade w/ Cards to keep him. 2010 Stats: A+, AA: (14-7), 26 G, 24 GS, 150.0 IP, 3.66 ERA, (5.47 ERA/3.46 FIP at A), (2.77 ERA, 3.45 FIP at Double-A), 5.52 K/9, 1.50 BB/9, .359 BABIP (A), .273 BABIP (AA).
Random Broderick Quote: "...Rizzo said Broderick will compete [for a rotation spot]. He's a sinkerballer who throws in the high-80s and low 90s.'
"'This [guy] is going to go into spring training with a chance to make the club,' Rizzo said." - Washington Post's Adam Kilgore's article entitled, "Nationals add Elvin Ramirez, Brian Broderick in Rule 5 draft.
• Matt Chico - LHP, 27yo, 5'11'' - '03 3rd Round pick drafted by Arizona. Acquired w/ RHP Garrett Mock in 8/7/06 trade w/ Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Livan Hernandez. 2010 Stats: AA, AAA: (7-9), 26 GS, 141.2 IP, 3.62 ERA, (3.12 ERA 3.70 FIP at Double-AA), (3.60 ERA, 2.48 FIP at Triple-A), 5.46 K/9, 2.60 BB/9), 2.89 BABIP (AA).
Random Matt Chico Quote: "'It usually happens to me about three or four times a year,' Chico said." - [from 2007, Matt Chico on throwing pitch over dugout] from Washington Post writer Barry Svrluga's article entitled, "Nats' Chico Has Wild Night in Miami"
• Ross Detwiler - LHP, 6'5'', 24 yo - Washington Nationals '07 1st Round pick, 6th overall. 2010 Stats: A-AA-AAA: (3-2), 10 GS, 43.2 IP, 1.84 BB/9, 8.04 K/9. D.C. - (1-3), 8 G, 5 GS, 29.2 IP, 4.25 ERA, 96 ERA+, 5.64 FIP, 5.16 K/9, 4.25 BB/9, .296 BABIP. Surgery on his hip delayed the start of Detwiler's 2010 campaign, recovered to return to majors, still has something to prove.
Randon Ross Detwiler Quote: "I think what we're really going to be looking at is a couple of those last spots, [Yunesky] Maya, [Ross] Detwiler, [Jason] Marquis, those guys have got to show us a little more..." - Jim Riggleman, Nationals 360 with Byron Kerr and Francis Rose.
• Chad Gaudin - [Non-Roster] - RHP, 5'10'', 27 yo - Tampa Bay Rays' 01 34th Round pick. Signed as FA w/ Washington Nationals, 12/17/10. 2010 Stats: (1-4), 42 G, 65.1 IP, 5.65 ERA, 76 ERA+, 6.16 FIP, 7.30 K/9, 3.44 BB/9, .295 BABIP.
Random Chad Gaudin Quote: "'Gaudin was told he will be given a chance to compete for a starting job.'" - Jim Riggleman, MASNSports.com's Byron Kerr, "Riggleman, McCatty agree: "strongest" rotation since their arrival."
• Tom Gorzelanny - LHP, 6'2'', 28 yo - Pittsburgh Pirates' '03 2nd Round pick. Acquired by Nats in a 1/19/11 trade w/ Chicago Cubs for RHP A.J. Morris, LHP Graham Hicks, OF Michael Burgess. 2010 Stats: (7-9), 29 G, 23 GS, 4.09 ERA, 106 ERA+, 3.92 FIP, 7.86 K/9, 4.49 BB/9, .309 BABIP.
Random Tom Gorzelanny Quote: "'We got very favorable scouting reports on Gorzelanny,' said Rizzo when asked about his motives for pursuing the left-hander. 'Specifically, last year he threw the ball extremely well. His velocity was back to its 2007 form.'" - Samuel Chamberlain TBD.com, "Mike Rizzo on Gorzelanny, Chien-Ming Wang, Jerry Hairston Jr., and more."
• Livan Hernandez - RHP, 6'2'', 35 yo - Signed as FA w/ Florida Marlins. 1/13/96. Re-signed as FA w/ Washington Nationals. 8/30/10. 2010 Stats: (10-12), 33 GS, 211.2 IP, 3.66 ERA, 110 ERA+, 3.95 FIP, 4.85 K/9, 2.72 BB/9, .287 BABIP.
Random Livan Hernandez Quote: "...Livan Hernandez, who had a magnificent season for us and a great comeback story for Livan. He came into Spring Training last year in the best shape of his career. We expect him to do the same this year and be an innings-eater for us and has been a great mentor for our young staff." - D.C. GM Mike Rizzo, Sirius/XM MLB Network interview, 11/11/10.
• John Lannan - LHP, 6'4'', 26 yo - Washington Nationals' '05 11th Round pick. 2010 Stats: (8-8), 25 GS, 143.1 IP, 4.65 ERA, 87 ERA+, 4.47 FIP, 4.46 K/9, 3.08 BB/9, .319 BABIP. Lannan struggled early, returned to Double-A to work with his old pitching coach and returned for a strong second-half.
Random John Lannan Quote: "Mr. Riggleman responded that the way John Lannan and Marquis pitched late this year was encouraging, but, "...if what we see from those guys is what we saw in April and May that's not going to work." - Federal Baseball 9/30/10.
• Jason Marquis - RHP, 6'1'', 32 yo - Atlanta Braves' 1996 1st Round pick. Signed 2-year/$15M dollar deal w/ Washington Nationals, 12/21/09. 2010 Stats: (2-9), 13 GS, 58.2 IP, 6.60 ERA, 61 ERA+, 5.65 FIP, 4.76 K/9, 3.68 BB/9, .328 BABIP. Marquis had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow, returned to the mound late in 2010, expected to be healthy heading into Spring Training.
Random Jason Marquis Quotes: "Jason Marquis is a real bulldog competitor, and he had those bone chips and pitched with them, then got them taken out and came back at the end of the year, so I would expect him to get back to a little bit more legitimate Jason Marquis here for next year and I think he can surprise a lot of people." Nats' Asst. GM Bob Boone on MLB Network Radio.
• J.D. Martin [Non-Roster] - RHP, 6'4'', 28 yo - Cleveland Indians' '01 1st Round pick. Signed as a FA w/ Washington Nationals, 11/24/08, 2/4/11. 2010 Stats: (1-5), 9 GS, 48.0 IP, 4.13 ERA, 98 ERA+, 4.97 FIP, 5.81 K/9, 2.06 BB/9, .294 BABIP. Martin's season ended on in July when he had surgery to repair herniated discs in back.
Random J.D. Martin Quote: "J.D. Martin had a lower back problem, which should be, as far as I know, 100% ready to go at the beginning of Spring Training also." - D.C. GM Mike Rizzo, Federal Baseball.
• Shairon Martis [Non-Roster] - RHP, 6'1'', 24 yo - Signed as Amateur FA w/ San Francisco Giants, 2/10/04. Acquired by Washington Nationals for LHP Mike Stanton, 7/28/06. 2010 Stats: (AAA) - (8-7), 27 GS, 152.0 IP, 4.09 ERA, 4.32 FIP, 5.86 K/9, 3.55 BB/9, .293 BABIP. Shairon Martis had a brief moment with the Nats at the start of the '09 campaign, but has failed to stand out since. Longshot to start anywhere other than Syracuse.
Random Shairon Martis Quote: "Acting general manager Mike Rizzo called [Shairon] Martis and [Jordan] Zimmermann 'the buzz of spring training,' and said, 'We're really excited about the inventory of players we have that we think are the next wave of the major league team.'" - 3/29/09 - Washington Post writer Chico Harlan, "Martis, Zimmermann Make Nats' Rotation."
• Yunesky Maya - RHP, 5'11'', 29 yo - Signed as an Amateur FA w/ Washington Nationals, 7/31/10. 2010 Stats: (0-3), 5 GS, 26.0 IP, 5.88 ERA, 69 ERA+, 5.16 FIP, 4.15 K/9, 3.81 BB/9, .306 BABIP. After struggling at the major league level following his debut in September, Maya was named the Dominican Winter League's Pitcher of the Year. 2010 DWL Stats: (4-2), 8 GS, 41.0 IP, 1.32 ERA, 1.98 BB/9, 9.22 K/9, .193 BAA.
Random Yunesky Maya Quote - "We assess him going into Spring Training as we saw him at the time that we signed him. We think that he's a very capable starting pitcher in the major leagues. He was the no.1 starter on a really good Cuban national club, has proven that he can compete at the highest level." - D.C. GM Mike Rizzo, Federal Baseball.com, 1/16/11.
• Garrett Mock - RHP, 6'4'', 27 yo - Arizona Diamondbacks' '04 3rd Round pick. Acquired w/ LHP Matt Chico in 8/7/06 trade w/ Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Livan Hernandez. 2010 Stats: (AAA) - (1-3), 6 GS, 27.0 IP, 4.33 ERA, 2.00 BB/9, 6.00 BB/9. Garrett Mock missed most of the 2010 season after neck surgery. D.C. GM Mike Rizzo said, "[Mock] had neck surgery last season and rehabbed it most of the season. He should be 100% ready to go at the beginning of Spring Training. He's going to compete for a rotation spot..."
Random Garrett Mock Quote: "Mock says coming into this season he feels totally different because doctors figured out what was wrong with his neck. That pain bothered him more than he thought at the time. "'Spring training was tough last year,' Mock said."'I know how bad it looked. I was committed to throwing strikes and I kept walking the house. I tried to just grind through it. I thought it was just soreness.'" - MASNSports.com's Byron Kerr, "Mock's extra rest means he's extra ready for Viera."
• Stephen Strasburg [Injured] - RHP, 6'4'', 22 yo - Washington Nationals' '09 no.1 overall pick. 2010 Stats - (5-3), 12 GS, 68.0 IP, 2.91 ERA, 139 ERA+, 2.08 FIP, 12.18 K/9, 2.25 BB/9, .319 BABIP. Strasburg underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2010 and isn't expected back til September 2011 at the earliest.
Random Stephen Strasburg Quote: "I'm chalking it up as a great season, it's unfortunate for this to happen, but I went up there, I stirred up the baseball world well enough that it had more people becoming Nats fans and I know they're going to be there when I come back in a year, so I'm not too worried about it and I'm going to work as hard as I possibly can to get back out there and show everybody what I have to bring to the table." - Stephen Strasburg, Federal Baseball.com
• Chien-Ming Wang - RHP, 6'3'', 30 yo - Signed as Amateur FA w/ NY Yankees. 5/5/00. Signed as FA w/ Washington Nationals. 2/16/10, 12/16/10. - 2010 Stats: DNP, rehabbing from shoulder surgery. 2009 Stats: (1-6), 12 GS, 9 G, 42.0 IP, 9.64 ERA, 48 ERA+, 5.38 FIP, 6.21 K/9, 4.07 BB/9, .396 BABIP.
Random Chien-Ming Wang Quote: "On the subject of Wang, Rizzo is expecting Wang to be healthy in time for spring training this season, saying the right-handed sinkerballer was "not in rehabilitation mode [from shoulder surgery]. He's in preparation mode to get ready for spring training." - Samuel Chamberlain TBD.com, "Mike Rizzo on Gorzelanny, Chien-Ming Wang, Jerry Hairston Jr., and more."
• Jordan Zimmermann - RHP, 6'2'', 24 yo - Washington Nationals' '07 2nd Round pick. 2010 Stats: (1-2), 7 GS, 31.0 IP, 4.94 ERA, 83 ERA+, 5.85 FIP, 7.84 K/9, 2.90 BB/9, .261 BABIP. Zimmermann spent the 2010 season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery after entering the '09 season as the Nats' top pitching prospect.
Random Jordan Zimmermann Quote: "'I see a much-improved Jordan Zimmermann, who is going to take the next step after having Tommy John surgery. He is going to turn into the pitcher we think he is and 14 other clubs think he is. He is the guy that is in demand every time we try to make a trade." - Mike Rizzo, MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article entitled, "Nats acquire lefty Gorzelanny from Cubs."