With pitchers and catchers reporting today, baseball magic is finally back in the air.
Baseball season is officially here, as Nationals pitchers and catchers reported to West Palm Beach today. After the Super Bowl wrapped up Sunday night, it is now time for some baseball! As the snow comes down in DC, the Nationals are preparing for the 2025 campaign.
While position players are not set to report until February 18th, many of them decided to come down early, including Dylan Crews, James Wood, and CJ Abrams. Given the way his 2024 season ended, it is nice to see Abrams down in West Palm Beach early. If he is locked in and focused, he has the talent to put together a monster year.
The Nationals first Spring Training game against the Cardinals is just 10 days away. Spring training is always such a magical time of the year. There is so much hope and optimism in the air. Players want to show off their offseason improvements and are rejuvenated. It is particularly exciting for pitchers, many of whom have worked very hard to improve velocity or add new pitches to their arsenal.
However, there is a bit more pressure on the Nationals to win in 2025 then there has been in previous years. That does not necessarily mean playoffs, or even a winning record, though that would be nice. However, another 71-91 season would not be acceptable, and management know it. Davey Martinez has spoken on the fact that results need to pick up this season.
Since the start of their rebuild in July of 2021, the Nationals have made progress, even if it has been slow progress. They have a core of young players the team plan to build around for years to come. This year there is some pressure on that core to turn their potential and prospect pedigree into more winning.
The players have spent all offseason trying to get better, and now they are ready to show off. There is a lot of optimism in West Palm Beach, but also a realization that the wins need to come sooner rather than later.