WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. 鈥� Spring Training is supposed to be about sunshine, warm weather and optimism. The Nationals got all three on the first day of workouts for pitchers and catchers. But a dark cloud appeared with the news that Cy Young winner Max Scherzer is still dealing with discomfort on his pitching hand.
Initially, the injury was diagnosed as a finger strain late last season. But when it didn鈥檛 get better, Scherzer underwent another evaluation in December. That鈥檚 when it was discovered that he had a hairline fracture of the knuckle on his ring finger.
He still can鈥檛 grip the ball properly, and has just begun to throw with a baseball to get his arm and shoulder in shape. Even Scherzer admits he doesn鈥檛 know if he鈥檒l be able to pitch Opening Day.
鈥淚n most of my day-to-day life things, I don鈥檛 experience any pain, it鈥檚 just throwing a baseball is the one thing that hurts,鈥� Scherzer told the media Thursday.
If Scherzer is unavailable, then Stephen Strasburg would be the leading candidate to start April 3. Strasburg was the Opening Day starter for three straight years from 2012-14 before Scherzer got the nod the last two.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing that any of us can do, really, until he feels 100 percent,鈥� said manager Dusty Baker. 鈥淵ou certainly don鈥檛 want to rush him, because we鈥檙e thinking about, you know, the long haul.鈥�
Strasburg said he felt good in his first bullpen session. His season was cut short the final month of 2016 because of a strained flexor mass near his elbow.
Strasburg worked on adding lean muscle this offseason.聽He ran six-to-seven miles at least three times a week on the San Diego beach.
The players are raving about their new Spring Training digs, which will be even nicer when they are completed. Right now, the whole facility is a construction zone. Workers are on 12-hour shifts, dealing with such things as plumbing, painting and putting down sod.
The first home Spring Training game will be held on February 28 against the Houston Astros, the Nationals鈥� co-tenants of the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
The Nats鈥� facilities are on the first base side of the stadium, the Astros鈥� on the third base side. But if you didn鈥檛 walk past the big orange and blue 鈥淗,鈥� you wouldn鈥檛 even know the 鈥楽tros were there.聽That鈥檚 how separated both teams are.
Just about everything the players need is already completed: Four fields for each聽team, including two that mimic the dimensions of Nationals Park. The batting cages and pitching mounds are already being used and carpet was laid down in the Nationals鈥� clubhouse this week.
Still on the to-do list: The lap pool. That should be up and running on Monday.
However, when asked if it will include a Tiki Bar, GM Mike Rizzo said, 鈥淣o way.鈥�
For now it鈥檚 more work than play at Spring Training.
