Jayson Werth still sees opening day as a possibility

VIERA, Fla. - Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth injured his right shoulder seven months ago when he crashed into the right field wall at Nats Park while making a catch. He missed a handful of games, had a couple of cortisone shots and was in the lineup for the remainder of the season and the playoffs.

When the shoulder wouldn't heal, the 35-year-old finally opted for surgery in January. The original timetable for his full recovery was 60 to 90 days. But Werth will see his first action in a minor league game today, albeit just in the field without hitting, as he holds out hope that he can return by opening day. The Nats are able to control minor league games to allow players to perform while still protecting parts of their rehab.

"It's coming along, I don't want say moving slowly because I feel like it's progressing fast, but when you're goal is opening day and you watch your guys go out and play every day and you're sitting here not being able to play, I feel like it's moving slow. But at the same time it's progressing," Werth said.

Werth said he wasn't able to get his arm to certain points when he showed up at spring training a little more than three weeks ago. Now he indicates that it feels close to 100 percent when throwing, but still isn't there when swinging the bat.

"It's close," Werth said. "There's still a little discomfort I guess is the word. It's not too bad and it's only on certain swings. So some swings are fine and some swings there's still a little bit of discomfort and we want to get out all of that discomfort out of there before we take off. It's getting close.

"In a controlled environment, we're pretty good. We start moving balls low and away, up and away, up and in. Right down the middle is pretty good, but unfortunately they don't throw too many balls there."

Just 17 days remain until the Nationals start the season with a home series against the Mets. Werth still hopes to make it back.

"I still feel like there's time," he said. "I've just got to progress similarly how the throwing went. That's kind of how it's been explained to me. It's going to have some aches and pains and then all of sudden, it's going to be good. Again, the throwing has come such a long way in a short period of time, so I'm still holding out hope for opening day."

Werth wasn't too concerned when asked how many spring at-bats he needs to get his timing right before opening day.

"Five? Maybe just see a couple before? I don't know. There's years where I've had 60, 70, 80 at-bats and that wasn't enough," he said. "There's years where after the first week of (exhibition) games, I wish the season had started. Either way, whether you hit .400 or .100 in spring training, none of that matters when the bell rings on opening day."

Then the grizzled veteran leaned back into his locker and made a great point.

"No one can tell me one thing about any of my spring training stats over the last 17 years, right? No one knows any of them. Let's keep it that way," Werth said.

The Nats will be without center fielder Denard Span for opening day while he rehabs from abdominal muscle surgery. Not only will the Nats miss Span's defense, but also his important bat at the top of the order. Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon is probably the most likely candidate to take over Span's spot in the lineup, but he has yet to return to the field after spraining his left MCL in his third exhibition game. Additionally, Nationals manager Matt Williams has mentioned 23-year-old outfielder Michael A. Taylor and Werth as potential options to bat leadoff.

"I don't make those decisions, luckily for me, so I'll hit wherever," Werth said. "It makes no difference. I've hit leadoff, but I think where I'm at, where our team's at, I think I would be better served possibly in the middle of the order somewhere. But if it's not and they decide to lead me off, then I did a pretty good job in 2012. We won however many games we won and I ended up leading off then, so whatever. I don't care. As long as I'm in the lineup."