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FOOTBALL BASEBALL
SPRING TRAINING NOTEBOOK
Investigators contact Yankees’ Rodriguez
Actovegin, which is extracted this age, I definitely have an idea medal, Choo said his military ob- “You know what?” pitcher Car-
Yankee to cooperate
from calf’s blood and used for of what I have to do. It’s spring ligation would be waived. los Zambrano said at the time.
with federal probe
healing. His assistant also has training, you come to get ready.” a71 CUBS: Geovany Soto saw the “He looks shorter.” Shorter? No.
been charged in the U.S. for hav- a71 INDIANS: Shin-Soo Choo, the 242 on the scale and was neither He’s still 6-foot-1, but he’s 40
of Canadian doctor
ing HGH and another drug while outfielder and native of South surprised nor upset. “Not really,” pounds lighter, with a waistline
JOHN MCDONNELL/THE WASHINGTON POST
crossing the border in Septem- Korea is uncertain if his future he said. “I’ve seen worse.” It six inches narrower.
The retirement of Chris Samuels ber. will be interrupted. wasn’t until the catcher looked a71 MISC.: Many maple bats will
leaves the Redskins in need of a Associated Press Rodriguez said the probe Choo put together a solid all- in the mirror that he hated what be banned in the minor leagues
left tackle to protect the passer. won’t have an effect on him be- around season in 2009, but he he saw: a guy who failed his col- this season, part of Major League
Yankees star Alex Rodriguez cause “this is about someone faces a potential problem that leagues, his team, his fan base Baseball’s push to stop shattered
Redskins
has been contacted by federal in- else.” He declined comment has nothing to do with baseball. and himself. shards of wood from flying dan-
vestigators regarding a Canadi- when asked if he has even been South Korean men are required “I feel like I let down my team- gerously through the air.
an doctor accused of selling an treated by Galea. . . . to serve two years in the military mates,” said the 2008 NL Rookie New regulations will prohibit
unapproved drug. Closer Mariano Rivera threw by the time they turn 30 years of the Year, whose sophomore bats made from ultra-light ma-
prepare
Rodriguez said Monday he 21 pitches during his first mound old. Choo will be 28 in July and slump contributed to a disap- ple. The low-density wood often
was “aware” of the investigation session since helping the New will have to deal with this issue pointing ’09 Cubs season. “I is found in bats with big barrels
and plans on cooperating with York Yankees win the World Se- soon. wanted to show that I care. I and thin handles, creating a
government officials who are ries last year. “It’s hanging over my head a needed to show that I really whip-like action when swung.
to address
looking into Anthony Galea. Rivera has been on a slower little bit,” he admitted. worked in the offseason.” Soto Softer red maple and silver
Rodriguez said a date for an in- spring training schedule the past Choo has options. The best al- hired a personal trainer, maple — not commonly used —
terview has not been set. few years. The 40-year old right- ternative would be to play for the changed his diet dramatically will be completely eliminated by
line needs
“I can’t really get into that,” hander had another stellar sea- South Korean baseball team in and worked out furiously. The the 30-plus companies approved
Rodriguez said. “I have to speak son in 2009, going 3-3 with 44 the 2010 Asian Games, which next time his teammates caught to make bats.
to those guys first. I’ve just got to saves and a 1.76 ERA in 66 will be held in November. Choo a glimpse of him — at the Cubs The bans apply to players who
wait for instructions.” Galea is games. would need to get clearance Convention in January — they are not on 40-man rosters and
redskins from D1 facing four charges in his coun- “The first bullpen, I feel real from the Indians to participate. saw a fit athlete who looked like have no major league experi-
try related to the drug known as good,” Rivera said. “I think at If South Korea wins the gold a middle infielder. ence.
Center Casey Rabach could be-
come an unrestricted free agent,
but the Redskins are in negotia-
tions and will likely sign him be-
fore then. Beyond that, Washing- Nationals Journal
ton will have to make decisions at
left tackle, right guard, where the
Redskins used five starters last
6
Blogging at washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal
season, and right tackle, where
Stephon Heyer has struggled.
Rizzo reflects Spring update
Right guard Randy Thomas,
who played only two games last
on first year
DAILY STRASBURG
season before suffering a season- viera, fla. — Monday
ending triceps injury, is 34 and marked the one-year
19
will be entering his 12th NFL sea- anniversary of Jim Bowden
Number of first overall draft picks,
son, and it’s not certain what role resigning amid chaos as
out of 45, who became all-stars.
he’d have on Shanahan’s line. Washington Nationals general
Thirteen of the 45 picks were
If the Redskins are intent on manager, a reminder of one of
pitchers, and three of those pitchers
using their first-round pick on a the franchise’s darkest hours
— Floyd Bannister, Mike Moore and
quarterback — Oklahoma’s Sam and a milestone for current
Andy Benes — became all-stars.
Bradford appears to be the lead- General Manager Mike Rizzo,
ing candidate, assuming he’s who did not realize the date’s
NATS EXTRA
medically stable and slips past meaning until he was told. “Hey, Wil. Don’t
the St. Louis Rams, who hold the “It’s significant enough to me
encourage him.”
draft’s top pick — Washington’s not to recognize the day,” Rizzo
— General Manager Mike Rizzo to
team officials could either hope a said.
catcher Wil Nieves, who caught as
sturdy tackle is available in the On Monday, Rizzo reflected
first baseman Adam Dunn threw
second round, where the Red- upon his first year as a major
pitches from the mound between
skins pick 37th, or fill the void via league general manager, half of
defensive drills
free agency. which was spent with an
This year’s class of unrestricted interim label.
ONLINE
free agents is not considered an The low point was firing
For updates throughout the day, go
overwhelming one. Green Bay’s then-Manager Manny Acta
to washingtonpost.com/sports.
Chad Clifton and Arizona’s Mike during last season’s all-star
TWITTER
Gandy appear to be the top break. “That was difficult,”
For more Nationals info — in short
tackles available. San Francisco’s Rizzo said. “A good guy, a good
bites — check out @NatsJournal and
Tony Pashos played under Chris person, a good baseball guy
@AdamKilgoreWP.
Foerster, Washington’s new offen-
TONI L. SANDYS/THE WASHINGTON POST
took the fall for
sive line coach, with the 49ers “This is the best group we’ve had. We’ll see if it becomes the best team,” Manager Jim Riggleman said. non-performance.” development staff. The most
and in Baltimore. While he The turning point was the important shift over the year,
seemed like an early favorite, trade in which the Nationals Rizzo said, was replacing the
49ers head coach Mike Singletary
THOMAS BOSWELL
acquired Nyjer Morgan and “circus atmosphere” that
said last week that he’s hopeful Sean Burnett from the reigned at times under Bowden
Pashos will be locked up before he
can hit the open market. Nats bid farewell to atrocious arms
Pittsburgh Pirates on July 1. with legitimacy.
“Because that wouldn’t have “Even when normal things
The Redskins could rely solely been done under the old happen, that will be an
on the draft. Many analysts proj- boswell from D1 as a virtual savior. Now, the by then will Olsen, Chico or regime,” Rizzo said. “That was improvement,” Rizzo said. “If a
ect as many as six offensive line- Nats don’t want him. both have gobbled up the spots an important moment. I felt in guy’s not playing well or an
men as first-round selections, be- truths that they hold to be “I love Doug Davis to death. for southpaws? well control towards July, injury happens, that’s what’s
ginning with Oklahoma State’s self-evident — that Lannan and He’s one of my buddies,” slugger The most nerve-racking August of that season. I felt supposed to happen in spring
Russell Okung, who could go as Marquis will pitch about 200 Adam Dunn said. “But the team rehab of the Nats season will be good in the GM skin.” training. Not all this periphery
high as No. 5, if the Redskins al- innings each with an ERA near feels that we already have better that of Wang, who won 19 The high point was signing stuff. The one thing that I’m
low him to slip by, and also Rut- 4.00. That means stability, if not [pitchers] in-house. And I think games back-to-back for the Iván Rodríguez at the outset of most proud is, this is certainly
gers’ Anthony Davis. Of Davis, excellence. we have better, too. Yanks in 2006-’07. He’s baseball’s winter meetings. a professionally run spring
Casserly said he’s “probably the They know that, if they can “Just to sign Davis — so we rehabbing in Arizona and plans “Really jumping out fast in the training with professional
most intriguing guy — run block- do no better, former World could say that we did — doesn’t to be ready in May. Despite two winter meetings and kind of guys. There’s no circus
ing, pass blocking, good, long Series MVP “Livo” Hernández make sense to me. I’m not surgeries on his pitching setting a precedent that we’re atmosphere. There’s no
arms.” And of Okung: “He plays to (46-47 the last four years) can knocking Doug. He takes the shoulder, doctors claim he has going to be aggressive,” Rizzo carnivals. It’s baseball like in 29
the level of competition. You sling his slop for 190 innings ball, always puts up those solid as much as an 80 percent said. “The Nationals are here, other organizations.”
don’t want a guy who’s up and and seldom embarrass his team. numbers. But we’ve got better chance of a full recovery. Be and we’re not going to be tread
down. Real physical, strong guy.” They know, off last year’s right here. They just have to skeptical. But if Wang is on any longer. We’re here, we’re
Waiting for Willingham
“Okung and Davis seem to be performance, that Stammen, mature and take the next step healthy, the Nats could have one here to stay, we’re here to beat Manager Jim Riggleman said
the two guys,” Casserly continued. Mock, Martin and Martis are up.” of the steals of the season — and you.” he is hopeful Josh Willingham
“But it’s interesting. Everybody at not overmatched by big league Due to all the “inventory” ’11, too, since he remains under At the start of his tenure, will return Wednesday or
some point in time told me these hitters. As a group, they are General Manager Mike Rizzo team control. A fit Wang could Rizzo rebuilt the team’s Thursday, in time for the first
guys were top first-round picks. likely to improve. The Nats also has amassed, the Nats may be be a team-changer, a power presence in the Dominican games of spring training. He
There’s four teams in the top nine know that when Olsen, Wang, the only team in baseball that sinkerballer who could join Republic in the wake of the said he’ll speak with
that need a tackle.” Chico and Zimmermann were has a 15-man rotation. Strasburg, Marquis, Lannan scandal that led to Bowden’s Willingham to determine how
After Okung and Davis, there healthy in the past, they got That’s right, 15. If opening and Zimmermann in a rotation resignation. “Extremely, soon he can play in games.
are a handful of others who will people out. Zimmermann, day were this week, the Nats that would almost be an ’11 extremely chaotic,” he said. Riggleman also said J.D.
likely hear their names called in before elbow surgery, looked might start with a rotation of fantasy compared to the ’09 Team President Stan Kasten Martin, Garrett Mock, Miguel
the first round. like a top-of-the-rotation stud in Lannan (3.88 ERA), Marquis Nats who only had one pitcher gave Rizzo control of the club’s Batista, John Lannan and
Oklahoma’s Trent Williams im- the making and Wang, before (15-13 last year), innings-eater with more than five wins. baseball operations and the Jason Marquis will start the
pressed many with his combine two shoulder scars, lit up Hernández, the talented but Of course, the arrival of title of acting general manager first five spring training games,
workout, but he’s still projected Broadway for the Yankees with air-headed Mock and the Strasburg in the rotation — and three days after Bowden with Martin and Mock pitching
by most as a right tackle. Mary- back-to-back 19-win years. determined sinkerballer once he’s in it, he will never resigned. in split-squad games Thursday.
land’s Bruce Campbell turned in Finally, the Nats are certain Stammen. leave it as long as he can lift his “I packed for a two-week ...
the most surprising workout, but that, perhaps by midseason, But only the first two names arm — will be one of the most trip,” Rizzo said about his Individual game tickets for
questions persist about an in- Strasburg will show up — never on that list are certain. If Scott significant watersheds in team appointment. “I haven’t left the 2010 season go on sale
consistent college career. Bryan to return to the minors again — Olsen, 30-33 in three years in history. The most likely date is yet.” Tuesday. They can be ordered
Bulaga, who will enter the NFL with raw stuff that is the Marlin rotation, shows that midseason, which would “push In the course of his first year, at nationals.com. . . .
with a strong pedigree from the comparable to any power his arm is strong after shoulder back his clock” so the Nats Rizzo remade the franchise in MASN will broadcast
University of Iowa, and Southern pitcher you care to name; surgery, Manager Jim could retain control of him his image. The Nationals made Stephen Strasburg’s spring
California’s Charles Brown could monikers like Mark Prior, Kerry Riggleman says he’s “a lock” to through the ’16 season. more roster moves than any training debut start March 9 at
also be gone by the time the Red- Wood, Justin Verlander and be in the rotation. Olsen vows Just three years ago, the Nats’ other team. He also overhauled 1 p.m. and show a replay that
skins make their second-round Dwight Gooden would be he will be ready. pitching was the joke of the front office, the scouting night at 7 p.m.
pick. perfectly appropriate. Hold off The surprise of the spring so baseball. In ’07, the Nats had a department and the player — Adam Kilgore
maeser@washpost.com on Nolan Ryan, though that’s far has been the compact lefty dozen pitchers who started at
what Iván Rodríguez said last Chico, who was the least six games, including some
week. ace-by-default of the ’07 staff as of the least-talented pitchers
For a team that has seldom a rookie, posting a 4.63 ERA in ever seen in big league
known anything for certain, for 31 starts. “Chico’s number uniforms. Now, expectations
a franchise that has lived in the should have been ‘911.’ We had are entirely different. The Nats
dismal half-light of 96 defeats a to dial him all season,” Rizzo have choices, so many they
year since ’05 and bottom of the chuckled. “He’s a bulldog,” third hardly know which to pick.
barrel payrolls, the presence of baseman Ryan Zimmerman “This is the best group we’ve
so many quality arms, so many says. had,” Riggleman said. “We’ll see
proven histories, is a delightful “My arm strength is back to if it becomes the best team.”
shock to the system. Did where it was in ’06 when I was That process will start by
anybody ever say that baseball with Arizona,” said Chico, who winnowing a horde of starting
is pitching? had elbow surgery. “The pitching candidates, at least 10
During the offseason, the Nationals have never seen me of them serious choices, down
Nats considered pursuing free with my old stuff. It’s there to perhaps six or seven by this
agent Doug Davis, 34, the sort now.” time next season. Which of the
of stable but aging pitcher who In a sense, the Nats have been injured will return to form?
has no high-ceiling potential, blessed by the peculiar Which rookies will become
but has reeled off six straight sequence in which several of standouts? Out of so many, how
seasons that averaged 10-11 with their pitchers will return to can they all fail?
a 4.30 ERA in nearly 200 health. A hip injury to lefty Ross Real pitchers make a real
innings a year. To bag him Detwiler, the No. 6 overall draft team. Nothing else suffices.
SCOTT BOEHM/GETTY IMAGES
might’ve cost $11 million for pick in ’07 who had the inside Don’t look now, but that’s the
Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung two years. In any of the last four track on a rotation spot, has left transformation the Nats may
TONI L. SANDYS/THE WASHINGTON POST
is regarded as the top left tackle seasons, such a modest the door open for others. He’ll finally have begun. For General Manager Mike Rizzo, the high point of his first year
prospect in the NFL draft. southpaw would have been seen be back before midseason. But boswellt@washpost.com was signing Iván Rodríguez at the start of the winter meetings.
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