Having just returned from Viera, Fla. — the Nats’ Spring Training headquarters — I feel pretty comfortable saying that this club won’t lose 100 games this season. They won’t contend either, but their win total should reach the 70s.
Beyond that, I’m non-committal. Hey, it was a short trip.
I’ve been to spring training — Nationals or Orioles — about 25 times since 1980. The more often you’ve seen it, the more obvious it becomes that most clubs know pretty much who’s going to be introduced on Opening Day shortly after position players report.
I brought that up to Nationals skipper Jim Riggleman, and he concurred.
“A club like the Yankees probably know 24 of their 25 men when spring training gets underway,” he said. “A club like ours? We probably have a pretty good idea who 21 of our guys will be, though we’re not locked into that.”
So, it’s not really like tryouts for the varsity?
“You hope someone does something that catches your eye,” he said, “something you didn’t know they could do, or they do better than you thought they did. Something memorable. Players like that get a longer look, or maybe an earlier call-up if someone gets hurt.”
It comes down to this: Veterans who’ve shown past consistency can have a sub-par spring, and not have to worry about getting cut. Veterans coming off down seasons better show them something real quick.
As for the somewhat unexpected release of outfielder Elijah Dukes, I know from multiple sources that there was no “incident” that precipitated the move. Dukes, from the moment he arrived, was a stranger in town.
I’d seen the same thing in Baltimore, when the Orioles rescued second baseman Alan Wiggins from the scrap heap in 1985. Wiggins’ substance abuse issues with the Padres were well-documented; he died in 1991 from drug-related AIDS symptoms.
When Wiggins reported, the other players looked away. No one offered any degree of friendship. He was on his own. Other than being late to the ballpark a couple of times, his behavior in Baltimore was pretty benign. Earl Weaver had returned as manager a couple of weeks before Wiggins got there. He didn’t want Wiggins to start with, and treated him accordingly. The players were simply following suit.
Dukes’ reputation in Tampa preceded him to Washington. Rays players had labeled Dukes “a scary guy,” saying other players and coaches were afraid of him. It wasn’t quite as bad in the Nats’ clubhouse, but his boisterous demeanor didn’t endear him to anyone. His teammates never embraced him, hence the remark by GM Mike Rizzo that the move would allow for a “more cohesive clubhouse,” an aspect that’s pretty important.
Let’s hope he’s right.
Phil Wood is a contributor to Nats Xtra on MASN. Contact him at [email protected].
