Maybe the boos were inevitable. When outfielder Jayson Werth inked a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Nationals in December, the organization was ripped in some quarters for overpaying a fine player who couldn’t possibly live up to that kind of deal. With Werth struggling, it appears a segment of the fanbase agrees; the boo birds made an appearance over the holiday weekend. But if that frustration bothers Werth, he sure doesn’t show it.
“It’s baseball. Cheer me, boo me, whatever. I’m still going to go out there and play my game,” Werth said after his hustle led to the winning run in Monday’s 5-4 victory over the Cubs. “Obviously, driving in runs, scoring runs is part of the game. Any way you can win is good. I’d like to get going offensively. But as long as we’re winning and I’m helping the team win and doing the little things I’m satisfied with it.”
So he’s not exactly ready for a Bobby Bonilla-style meltdown (YouTube it, kids). But a .577 OPS in June? No extra-base hits in July? Werth entered play Tuesday batting .224 with a .330 on-base percentage. You wonder whether the giant bag of ice he has on his knee after most games is a factor. But either way, Werth’s no-worries attitude filters down to his teammates.
“I don’t worry about him. I know that he’s going to hit, and he’s going to put up some numbers for us,” catcher Ivan Rodriguez said. “But those things that he’s doing in the field like stealing the base, throwing a guy out at home plate, you don’t have to go 4-for-4 every day to say you’re a great player.”
