This afternoon Our Washington Nationals released their "To Date" Spring Training Roster for 2009. 63 Total players are currently scheduled to report to Viera, Florida's Space Coast Stadium and its surrounding fields in Mid-February. 39 Players are currently on The 40-Man Roster. 24 additional players are signed to Minor League Contracts with invitations to Big League Camp. And there was one little surprise on the Non-Roster Invitee List today. "The Human Rain Delay" is back. Yes, Jesus Colome apparently signed a non-guaranteed minor league deal in an attempt to return to Washington's Roster for a third consecutive season.
"No, you are kidding me," replied The African Queen when I told her of the news. She then immediately went into her Colome imitation--pretending to tug on her imaginary cap, pull up her jersey shoulder, slowly walk around the mound--then finally look in for the sign--eventually throwing the baseball. It was funny.
Additionally, Top Prospects Jordan Zimmermann and Destin Hood are on the Non-Roster List. Zimmermann will be given every chance to make a good impression and go north when Washington breaks camp on April 2nd. Hood most likely on-board just to get his feet wet and experience The Big Leagues and the surrounding environs.
Pitchers and Catchers report on February 14th. Position Players report on February 17th. The first full squad workout is set for February 19th. First Pre-Season Game is scheduled for February 25th at Kissmimee against The Houston Astros. Washington will play their Spring Home Opener at Space Coast Stadium the very next day at 1:05PM versus The Detroit Tigers.
Here's The Press Release:
NATIONALS SET TO BEGIN SPRING TRAINING IN 30 DAYS
63 players currently slated to participate in big league camp
The Washington Nationals will begin their annual Spring Training in 30 days, when pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to the club’s spring headquarters in Viera, FL. This year’s spring regiment will include 48 days based in Florida as well as two exhibition contests against the Beltway-rival Baltimore Orioles in Norfolk, VA (April 3) and Washington D.C. (April 4).
The Nationals currently have 63 players scheduled to participate in major league camp, including 39 players who are on the team’s 40-man roster and 24 invitees who have agreed to non-guaranteed minor league contracts. The Nationals organization (2005-current) has never entered Spring Training with fewer than 70 players in big league camp.
The team’s report/workout dates are as follows: pitchers/catchers report (February 14), position players report (February 17), first full-squad workout (February 19).
The Florida-based portion of the Nationals’ spring schedule is comprised of 32 Grapefruit League contests and one exhibition game. Their Grapefruit League schedule will commence on February 25 with a road tilt against the Houston Astros in Kissimmee, FL, before the Nationals host the Detroit Tigers the following day for their home opener. The Nationals will host 15 games at Space Coast Stadium—14 Grapefruit League affairs and an exhibition contest against Italy’s World Baseball Classic team on March 3.
Individual-game tickets for the Nationals’ spring contests at Space Coast Stadium will be available beginning Saturday (January 17) at 10:00 a.m. They can be purchased at the Space Coast Stadium Box Office, online at nationals.com, or by calling 888.632.NATS(6287). Tickets for the Nationals-Orioles game on April 4 at Nationals Park will be available to the public when individual-game regular-season tickets go on sale in February, and proceeds from the game will benefit the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation.
The Non-Roster Invitee List (Click on the picture to expand)
6 comments:
So we didn't when SBF & the Queen are reporting to ST.
We get there on March 1st.
Tom: Closely guarded secret.
You know how whenever somebody makes a boneheaded play, announcers will say, "They should have learned that in spring training.."? Do any of the reporters who cover spring training check to see how well the fundamentals are taught? Make no mistake...the Nats are NOT the reincarnation of the '27 Yankees (nor the '08 Rays for that matter), but if we work hard early, we could play SMARTER baseball in 2009 then we did in 2008.
Acta would have to care about winning this season......he sure did not last year....he just watch during spring training and let Pena and Dukes and Milledge swing for the fences and impress themselves and then injury themselves....how did that work out for us? I hope new hitting coach puts and end to that crap in the cage.
I pray that Colome's buttocks and his family do not come north with the Nats in April.
Keep the team in Florida until signs of playing at the major league level is in order. Work on the fundamentals - pitching, catching, running out ground balls, bunting, and hitting. Also have daily meetings on the rules of the game so that all players and coaches understand the rules.
I hope for a better year in 2009, but if this team is not better regarding the fundamentals then keep Manny Acta and the boys down there until ready to hit the Major League circuit. If that means forfeiting games...so be it...tired of this organization embarrassing the metro area of sports minded folks with a comedy show on the field.
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