Live from West Palm Beach, it's reporting day

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - And a very pleasant good morning to you from the Sunshine State! Yes, the day has come at last. After a long, cold winter of discontent, the Nationals officially are reporting for spring training.

Which means your trusty beat writer has reported as well. This is my third spring in West Palm Beach, which of course followed 12 springs in Viera. Some of the routine stays the same year to year, and yet there are always new twists and turns and changes to keep you on your toes.

If you've been following along in the past, you know reporting day isn't nearly as exciting as the name leads you to believe. Nothing formal happens today. Pitchers and catchers merely are required to report, and that doesn't even have to be in-person at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

The first official workout comes tomorrow, but there should be plenty of guys trickling through the building today, and some of them should head outside for some informal work (most likely pitchers throwing off the bullpen mounds). In other words, if you're already in town and want to get a jumpstart on everyone, you might be able to see a handful of players today.

We haven't received a firm timetable for official workouts yet, but things typically started up last spring around 10 a.m. each morning, when Davey Martinez would lead the daily "Circle of Trust" meeting on the agility field right outside the clubhouse. Players then head off to their various workout stations on the practice fields and bullpens. The early workouts (pitchers and catchers only) tend to wrap up pretty quickly, around 11:30 a.m.

Once the position players join the fun - they officially report Monday, though plenty are already here and more will arrive in the next few days - the workouts extend a bit longer. In addition to individual group work, there will be full-team fundamental drills, live batting practice off teammates and perhaps an exotic animal or two along the way as well. Admission is free, and the access is very good for fans who want to see the guys up close.

We'll be here the entire spring to chronicle everything that happens. I've got two 16-day stints scheduled, with a brief break March 1-8 so I can head home and see the family. Pete Kerzel will take over for that stretch. Our "MASN All-Access" crew will be down here next week for live shows and interviews.

And the full MASN squad will be televising six Grapefruit League contests, beginning with the Feb. 23 opener against the Astros. Bob Carpenter and F.P. Santangelo will be joined by new on-field reporter Alex Chappell for all of the broadcasts. (Don't worry, Dan Kolko fans: I hear your favorite TV star and new "Nats Xtra" pregame/postgame host will be making an appearance as well, with new analyst Bo Porter.)

Be sure to check the blog throughout the day for news, interviews and observations. As a certain P.A. announcer in Washington might say: It all starts ... right now.