Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Posted: 11:15 p.m.
By John R. Finger
CSNPhilly.com
Jayson Werth strolled around the visitors clubhouse, bat in hand, wearing a camouflage warm-up top while trying to blend in the best he could. After all, Werth and his Washington Nationals teammates needed to prepare without distractions for the game on Tuesday night against the first-place Phillies.
But it will take a lot more than camouflage if Werth wants to blend in at Citizens Bank Park, or anywhere else in Philadelphia for that matter. After four seasons with the Phillies, including an instrumental role on the 2008 World Series winning team as well as two consecutive seasons as the starting rightfielder, Werths popularity was both immeasurable and inscrutable.
In fact, there was no hiding at all for Werth during his first trip back to the Bank since Game 6 of the 2010 NLCS. The guy attracted a crowd wherever he went on Tuesday afternoon and was forced to give a pre-batting practice press conference reminiscent of those given by returning ex-Phillies like Curt Schilling, Scott Rolen and Pat Burrell.
When introduced before his first plate appearance, Werth heard more boos than cheers until he paused, stepped out of the batters box and doffed his batting helmet to the crowd. Call it a pre-emptive hat tipping that quickly turned the haters into a standing ovation.
It was a beautiful thing and one that repeated itself when Werth trotted out to rightfield for the bottom of the first. Before the boos could engulf him, Werth tipped his cap and waved it to the fans in the rightfield seats. Properly acknowledgedand charmedthe crowd cheered.
MLB
Werth really, really likes you, Phillie fans.
I was happy to be back here and play in this stadium. Its an atmosphere like no other place. Im very grateful and I will always remember this day for the rest of my career, he said after going 0 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.
I didnt know what I was going to get. I was very grateful and it meant a lot. I spent four seasons here and for all we accomplished here, for them to welcome me back, it means a lot. Its something Ill remember for a long time.
Was he surprised by the ovation?
The biggest surprise was the scoreboard, he said. That thing is unbelievable. When did they get that?
So give Werth credit for understanding that he needed that little moment with the Phillies faithful before it could get too deep. After all, the end came rather abruptly in Philadelphia with Werth waiting on-deck as Ryan Howard took strike three from the Giants Brian Wilson with the winning run on first base. A little more than a month later, Werth had joined the Nationals with that fancy 126 million contract.
Werth has moved on, though. The Nats are the fifth organization hes played for and though it was in Philadelphia where his career got back on track and where he became the franchises all-time playoff home run leader, hes going to play more games in Washington when all is said and done.
Still, years from now when the Phillies bring back the 2008 World champions for a reunion or pregame ceremony, Werth will be there.
This is a fun place to play whether youre the home team or the visiting team, he said. There arent too many places that are like this.
The Nats' tone setter
However, the idea that Werth could or should have taken a lesser deal from the Phillies is silliness. First of all, the deal the Phillies reportedly offered was significantly less than what the Nats shook out of the couch cushions. The Phillies had plenty of chances to come up with a contract extension for Werth, but instead chose to go a different direction.
A seven-year deal is nothing to sneeze at in sports these days. If anything, Nats general manager Mike Rizzo understands that it takes money to make money. Werth might not be the answer for the 14-15 Nationals right now, but he does a couple things for the franchise that go beyond the standings this year.
Hes been a great influence, Nats manager Jim Riggleman said before the game. Hes set a tone.
That tone hasnt exactly been seen on the stat sheet, though. In 28 games Werth is hitting just .226 with four homers and seven doubles. He also only has seven RBIs, which is only one more than the RBI-challenged Jimmy Rollins and two more than Wilson Valdez. Still, Riggleman says Werth has been vocal with his teammates after tough losses and his aggressive base-running style has rubbed off on some of his new teammates. Sometimes Werth communicates with his teammates with body language to indicate whether he approves or disapproves of how his youthful mates are playing.
Then again, Werth was like that in Philadelphia, too. After all, he isnt without his pride. Sure its fun and a remarkable way to make an obscene amount of money, but Werth isnt messing around out there. He wants to perform well, win games and celebrate at the end of the season. Looking for examples? OK, how about when he hit that home run against the Yankees in the World Series at the Bank, slammed his bat down and yelled into the Phillies dugout?
Or what about Game 4 of the 2008 World Series when Werth hit a homer in the eighth inning and circled the bases with a fist in the air. He looked as if he could feel the championship ring being placed on his finger right then.
But in Washington, just as he was in Philadelphia, Werth is a piece. With Ryan Zimmerman by Werths side until at least 2013, and ace of the future Stephen Strasburg should be recovered from Tommy John surgery in time for the 2012 season. Young right-hander Jordan Zimmermann is another pitcher the Nats have high hopes for, while the ETA on last summers top pick of the draft, Bryce Harper, could be 2012, too. But there are still many question marks that go with prospects.
Werth is a piece. He will give the Nationals credibility in the long run.
Its a message from ownership to the future free-agent classes that we are a team they have to consider, Riggleman said.
However, its not going to be like that any time soon in Washington and Werth knows it.
Were headed in the right direction and Im going to be here for a while, Werth said.
Hes going to be making a lot of trips back to Philadelphia, too.
If I'm booed every day here for the rest of my career, I'll take that as a compliment, he said
I enjoyed it. I enjoyed every second of it. I enjoy playing here, always have and always will no matter what.
E-mail John R. Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com
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