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We’ve reached that time of Spring Training where it’s now boring that the games mainly feature low-level prospects, and regulars play for approximately ten minutes, instead of the initial thrill of just seeing baseball.
You know what would really make things exciting? Signing Jake Arrieta. Just saying.
Here’s the beat from the FITTEAM™ Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
(24 days until Opening Day.)
Nationals closer Sean Doolittle is more than just his fastball
For Doolittle to add a wipeout slider to his repertoire would turn him from a very good closer into one of the game's best — but he only has about three weeks to figure that out.
Bryce Harper looks like a former MVP in his first two spring games back from toenail surgery
Harper's underlying strategy for early March: Swing at, uh, everything, and hope it goes out.
Bryce Harper returns to Washington Nationals' lineup
Ingrown toenail, ingrown shmoemail
Here's why the Nationals' A and B squads were so evenly split
Since the Nats used nearly everyone on their forty-man roster last season, "players who were in the Majors last year" wasn't really a great cutoff.
Nats apparently interested in Jonathan Lucroy
The Nationals have interest in adding another Major Leaguer to their catching corps, and Jonathan Lucroy is much easier to acquire than, say, J.T. Realmuto, though there are some questions that would arise about acquiring a catcher coming off the worst season in his career for the second year in a row.
Matt Adams, Bryce Harper have big games
Matt Adams and Bryce Harper both returned from foot injuries on Sunday, and they both MASHED. As far as Spring Training goes, they MASHED.
Nats' Pedro Severino, Miguel Montero competing for backup catcher role
Montero is a veteran that struggled with clubhouse chemistry last year, but may have a better bat than Severino, who still has one option remaining. If the Nats somehow end up signing Jake Arrieta, we may get a clearer prediction.
Free agent signee Matt Adams is happy to be with Nationals: ‘He’s a little giddy right now’
Adams took a 'bargain deal' early on in the winter, but as it turns out, bargain deals are better than no deals. But with help from Kevin Long, Adams may get something more valuable next offseason.
No one wants to talk about rules changes during Spring Training
In Spring Training, baseball is the background to warm weather and a whole lot of scheduled pitching changes — i.e., not the best time in the world to talk about rule changes.
Today’s Game: Nationals vs. Cardinals — 1:05 PM
Probable Pitchers: Tanner Roark vs Luke Weaver