Max Scherzer's value extends beyond the field

VIERA, Fla. - When Nationals right-hander Doug Fister showed up at spring training, he was swarmed by media wanting insight on Max Scherzer, the new high-profile member of an already elite rotation. Fister and Scherzer starred together for 2 1/2 years on a Tigers staff that was as impressive as any in baseball.

"He's an incredible guy. It's a huge honor for me to be a teammate of his again, to be able to sit back and watch him and continue to learn from him," Fister said. "He's got a wealth of knowledge, and the ability to execute and go out there and play ball. He's a guy who battles for you. That's what you want as a teammate."

The Nats' Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Fister are all among the game's higher-echelon pitchers. But none possess a Cy Young Award or the 10 postseason starts that Scherzer brings to the table.

"He's a guy who kind of has the ability to kind of glue people together," Fister said. "And that's something that as a camaraderie factor, as a team chemistry factor, I think is going to be a good addition to what we have here."

Justin Verlander, another decorated member of those Tigers rotations, echoed Fister's sentiments about Scherzer when I spoke to him a few days ago.

"He was great. I think he'll fit in well in any clubhouse and be great for those guys," Verlander said. "We always kind of bounced ideas off one another and sit in the dugout and talk about pitch selection and whatnot."

According to Gonzalez, Scherzer actually challenged him during last night's game while the left-hander was still on the mound.

"In the fourth inning, Max came up to me and said, 'Let's see how many times you can pound the strike zone with a first-pitch strike,' " Gonzalez said. "I tried to go 4-for-4 with him. Every challenge Max throws my way, I'm one step ahead of him."

Nationals manager Matt Williams chose Scherzer to start opening day and "set the tone" for the season. It appears that's exactly what Scherzer plans to do on and off the field.

"On any given day, we have competitions all over the place with Max and people," Williams said. "It's important. It's important for those guys to talk to each other. It's important for Max to understand his teammates, and them to understand him, and it's great.

"That's great that they take the time to challenge each other. That's a wonderful thing. You can get in your own little bubble sometimes and worry about yourself too much, but Maxie worries about his teammates, too. That's a good sign."

It didn't take Scherzer long to let his lighter side come out with his new rotationmates as well. He's participated in friendly social media battles on fitness selfies and was the instigator for Gonzalez's now-famous "meow" bit.

"He's an all-around type of guy," Fister said. "He has some vocals. He's a jokester at times. He's a guy that's going to be focused and serious at other times, so he's got a good, well-balanced personality that's going to add to what we have here."

Gonzalez said Scherzer's challenges serve as motivation and welcomes the accomplished righty's advice.

"If there's a buffet, I would love to pick out your meal," Gonzalez said. "If you've got an opinion, if you've got something, give me it. If it gets me an out, why not listen?

"We have five, six great pitchers that go out there and you can pick their brains all day long and see what they do to get an out and the way they go about their business, the way they pitch on the mound, their body expressions, this and that. There's so much you can pick up. It's fun to just listen and stay back and listen to them talk."

Waffle, please.