New and familiar faces expected at Nationals Winterfest

By Mark Zuckerman

Nationals

December 09, 2016, 6:39pm

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The Winter Meetings were our first opportunity this week to get a much-needed baseball fix in December. Now comes the second opportunity: Nationals Winterfest.

The club's annual fan festival takes place today and tomorrow at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, and it will feature a few nice morsels of Nats winter cheer to fill you up before pitchers and catchers report for spring training in two months.

For example, the two newest members of the roster are scheduled to attend. Adam Eaton, whose acquisition in exchange for three top pitching prospects still has observers around the sport in shock, will be here. So will Derek Norris, the one-time Nationals catching prospect who was dealt to the Athletics five years ago in the Gio Gonzalez trade but now has returned.

Other prominent names like Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman, Trea Turner and Daniel Murphy are expected to be in attendance.

Bryce Harper, for what it's worth, is not scheduled to be here, though I'm told that wasn't a recent change but rather the result of a prior commitment made a long time ago.

There will be plenty of events throughout the weekend for fans to mingle with and listen to players, coaches and others with the organization. Be sure to check out the MASN booth, as well, where you may even get to take your photo with the best sideline reporter in baseball! (Just don't tell him I called him that.)

We'll have coverage throughout the day right here as well, so be sure to check back often for the latest from Winterfest.