Nats prepping for on-time spring, but know there will be hurdles

On this cold, wet mid-December morning, here's a warm thought to boost your spirits: Exactly two months from today, Nationals pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report for spring training.

Emphasis, of course, on the "are scheduled to" portion of that statement. Anyone who definitively says spring training will begin as scheduled is merely hoping that comes true.

"We're planning for an on-time spring training, Feb. 17, and a 162-game major league schedule," Nats general manager Mike Rizzo said earlier this week during his Zoom session with reporters. "That's our plan as of Dec. 15, and that's how we're going to construct our spring training, construct our roster. That's the way moving forward."

Really, there's nothing else the Nationals can do but proceed as if spring training and the 2021 season will start on time. If at some point between now and then they learn those dates must be pushed back, they'll adjust as necessary.

"One thing I learned about 2020, you've got to just stay focused and control the controllables," manager Davey Martinez said. "That's all we can do. I know MLB is doing everything they can to keep us all healthy like they did last year. They're going to look out for all of us, and even the fans as well. But I hope with everything going on, we can get back to the field as soon as possible. And Feb. 17, for me, is the goal. We'll be ready for that day."

A lot still needs to happen to make that reality. A lot.

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association need to agree to a set of 2021 protocols, whether they mirror 2020's strict measures or ease up in some ways.

"Our guys were awesome. We made our own protocols, and they stuck to it," said Martinez, whose team was not responsible for any postponed games this summer. "We basically put ourselves in our own bubble, and they were good with it. If that's the way we have to start, they understand it, and they'll go through it again in order to play."

Owners and players also need to agree to the actual baseball rules that will be in place next season, which of the supposedly temporary changes from 2020 will return. Will the National League use the DH again? Will doubleheader games be seven innings apiece? Will extra innings begin with a runner on base? Will the postseason field be expanded?

As we saw earlier this year, getting those two parties to agree on that many topics of debate is no simple task.

There is, of course, the issue of fan access. Will they be allowed to attend spring training workouts and games? Will they be allowed to attend regular season games? And if so, at what capacity?

"I'll be the first to say that I missed them, a lot," Martinez said. "I often joke around, but when I was sitting in the dugout and I could hear myself thinking, that ain't good. I need those fans out there. And the boys need them."

The time frame for the return of fans may very well be tied to the time frame for the nation as a whole to be vaccinated for COVID-19. That process may also impact the proposed Feb. 17 reporting date.

Professional athletes are unlikely to be given the opportunity to leapfrog to the front of the line to receive the vaccine, aside from any individuals who are deemed high-risk because of pre-existing medical conditions. If the majority of players have to wait a while to get their shots, MLB might just push to delay the start of spring training and the season.

Then there's this potential dilemma: What if some players don't want to get the vaccine?

Nothing has been formally said about a vaccine requirement for anyone participating in the 2021 season, but Martinez - who has seen two family members get sick from the virus and says he'll take the vaccine as soon as it's available to him - insists he'll treat such a situation just like he would any other clubhouse disagreement.

"You know, in the course of a year you deal with 40, 50, 60 different personalities. Everybody thinks differently," he said. "It's how they feel, if they want to take it. When my turn comes around and they want to offer me the vaccine, I'm going to take it. ... But that's an individual preference. That's the way I'm going to treat it with every player: It's your choice. That's the beautiful thing about this country: We can make those kinds of choices."