Versatility on display for Danny Espinosa this spring

VIERA, Fla. - I guess you could say this spring training's theme for Danny Espinosa has been "new beginnings." Yesterday, Nationals manager Matt Williams penciled him in for his first start ever at third base. By ever, I mean ever. Like none in high school, not even little league. In fact, Espinosa's two innings played at third base in the ninth and 10th innings of Thursday's 0-0 tie with the Tigers were his first game action at the position in his life.

"He's an athlete," Williams said. "He can play anywhere on the diamond. We could put him on center field and he'd play fine. We want to certainly give him some experience over there."

Williams selfishly wants to utilize Espinosa's versatility which is even more important as the Nationals continue to play without second baseman Yunel Escobar (oblique strain) and third baseman Anthony Rendon (left MCL sprain).

"I think I pushed him on it a little bit," Williams said. "My thought on it was 'hey, if we get in situation where you have to play it, I just want you to have a little bit of experience there.' And he's fine. He's got great hands, great feet. Plenty of arm, we all know that. So it's a question of him getting used to the position a little bit in case it comes up during the season and we got to do it.

"Once he gets the feel of depth and positioning and hops and that type of stuff he'll be just fine because he's got golden hands."

A few innings at third base pales in comparison to what Williams has asked of Espinosa at the plate this spring. Espinosa, a switch-hitter since near the time he first picked up a bat, is exclusively digging from the right side of the batters box this exhibition season no matter what style of pitcher is on the mound.

"I think it's getting better," Espinosa said. "Some days early on I was feeling good. And some days I'd feel off. It's day by day. I'm progressing and starting to learn pitches and how they move on that side. I feel like I'm getting more comfortable. It's still learning process. I wasn't expecting to come in and tear the seams off the ball right away. As I keep working on it, I'm getting more and more comfortable now."

Espinosa had 97 strikeouts in 249 at-bats and hit just .183 from the left side of the plate in 2014. However, as a right-handed hitter, he produced three home runs and 10 RBIs while batting .301. The career numbers reflect similar results. He owns a lifetime .213 batting average as a left-handed hitter facing right-handed pitching versus a .271 average from the right side against left-handers.

"At-bats he's having are good because he's recognizing pitches," Williams said. "It's not easy hitting the other way your whole life and he's got 30-ish at-bats and he's doing well. We're proud of him."

Espinosa has produced two doubles against righties and a home run against a left-hander but still is only 4-for-29 (.138) this spring. The question remains whether the month or so of Grapefruit League games is enough of an experiment for Espinosa to learn this new hitting method.

"Time will tell," Espinosa said. "It's the same guys that we're going to face during the season. It's not, 'Oh, brand new guy.' Are they pitching me differently now than during the season? Maybe. Maybe not. Some guys come in here and are going to throw more curveballs. Some guys want to work on it that day. Or sliders. Sometimes it's similar to how they're going to pitch in a game and sometimes not. I try not to think about it too much and just treat it like an at-bat."