First full workout includes extra work in field, live BP showdown

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals' first full-squad workout of 2019 featured some familiar sights (the daily "Circle of Trust" meeting, lots of defensive fundamental drills, live batting practice). It also featured some noticeable changes from last spring: Max Scherzer throwing two simulated "innings" to live hitters already, several instances when players were instructed to re-do a particular drill if it wasn't done flawlessly the first time.

"It was great," manager Davey Martinez said. "We spent a little longer today on the field than I wanted to, but we got a lot accomplished in one day, which was good. Had to send a message that we're serious about the defense, we're serious about all the little things that nobody really thinks about. Everybody thinks about the home runs and strikeouts and things, but we're going to do all the little things right."

That new emphasis on little things was evident during the first full-squad defensive drill, in which outfielders tracked down balls in the corners or gaps and fired them back in to cutoff men, who then made throws to various bases depending on the game situation called out by first base coach Tim Bogar.

If anyone dropped the ball or made a less-than-ideal throw, Bogar instructed them to do it again.

"Hey, sometimes you get one shot to do it right," Martinez said. "So we want to make sure that we hone in on doing it right. So it was kind of a message: When this thing happens in a game, we want to be prepared. It may not happen great all the time, but we're going to work on it."

There was a little extra pep in everyone's step, and there was more chatter and words of encouragement from players to other players than in the past.

"I told these guys all the time: 'I'm not asking for perfection, I'm asking for you guys to be present,'" Martinez said. "'Stay in the moment and be there consistently.' And if we can do that, then you know what? Nine out of 10 times we're going to do it right."

If any one player stood out during those defensive drills, it had to have been Howie Kendrick, if only for the veteran's surprising mobility and athleticism in the wake of last year's Achilles tendon rupture.

Kendrick, who is now nine months removed from surgery, looked perfectly normal as he participated fully in all drills. He ranged well to his left and right to field grounders. He turned double plays. He planted and made throws with ease.

"To be honest, I had no idea (what to expect)," shortstop Trea Turner said. "But after what (Adam) Eaton and (Daniel) Murphy had to go through the last couple years, and seeing where he's at, he looks really, really good. The other day we did early work together and he was making all sorts of plays like nothing ever happened. I'm happy for him. I've heard he's been working really hard."

Turner was one of four unfortunate souls (along with Brian Dozier, Juan Soto and Matt Adams) who had to dig in and face Scherzer in live BP on their first day of spring workouts. The results were about what you'd expect, though each hitter did make contact at some point against Scherzer, some of it moderate contact.

"Seeing that slider from the other side is not very fun," Turner said.

For Scherzer, who began throwing way back on Dec. 1, this was a welcome ramp-up of pitching activities.

"You want to get on a mound and face hitters," he said. "You want it to feel like baseball. There's nothing like getting on a mound and having a hitter up there who's ready to swing the bat, and you've got to try to execute some pitches."

The Scherzer-Soto confrontations, not surprisingly, drew the most attention. Soto sent one sharp grounder to short off Scherzer but also whiffed at one pitch. He flashed his trademark "Soto Shuffle" after taking a couple of balls and afterward had a jovial exchange with his teammate about how things went.

In a new twist, Scherzer actually took a seat in the dugout after throwing enough pitches to complete his first "inning" and watched as Patrick Corbin faced those same hitters. Then Scherzer returned to the mound for a second "inning."

All of this was in preparation for Scherzer's first start of the spring. He said he's scheduled to pitch Saturday's Grapefruit League opener against the Astros, and because he likes to have built himself up a little bit before he takes the mound in a game he decided to add a second inning to today's session.

"I need an up-and-down before I make my first start," he said. "They asked if I could do that right out of the chute. I said I haven't done that ever before, but yeah I can do that."