Wieters still catching bullpens, Norris dealing with sore back

JUPITER, Fla. - Matt Wieters has been in a Nationals uniform for more than a week now, but has yet to take the field with his new team for a game. That development should be only a few days away, though, with the veteran catcher still focused for now on catching bullpen sessions from the Nats pitching staff.

While the Nationals are playing the Cardinals today in Jupiter, Wieters stayed back in West Palm Beach and was scheduled to catch Joe Ross' bullpen session, the latest opportunity to get to know prominent pitchers he'll be working with all season.

"He's going to try to learn their movement and their late slider, or whatever it is, to try to put him on an accelerated learning curve with the pitchers," manager Dusty Baker said.

Wieters, who signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Nationals on Feb. 24, also is getting his body into full baseball shape and taking daily batting practice. For now, that's enough work. But as the midway point of spring training approaches, Wieters will need to start playing in games to ensure he's fully ready for opening day.

"It's spring training for him more than anybody," Baker said. "Cause (Pedro Severino), the rest of these guys, (José) Lobaton, they know the pitchers and they know what it takes to try to get ready to play. We don't really know how much time he needs to get ready, how many at-bats. And that's what's tough on the catchers."

Despite the presence of six catchers in big-league camp - it had been seven before Spencer Kieboom was designated for assignment Thursday - it's actually been a bit of a challenge for the Nationals. Wieters has yet to play. Severino had been sidelined with a sore shoulder until Friday. And Derek Norris hasn't played in four days due to back soreness; Baker did say he's scheduled to play Sunday.

Emmanuel Burriss, meanwhile, is out for a few days due to shoulder soreness. The Nationals had hoped to get a look at the veteran infielder in center field today, but that experiment is on hold for now.

"Burriss was supposed to play center field today some, but from playing different positions his shoulder's a little sore," Baker said. "So he'll be out for a couple days, and then I'll break him back in playing second base. Some guys are going to be sore. That's what training means, soreness."