In Jupiter, Matt Chico pitched four scoreless innings (AP/Florida Today) in yesterday’s 3-0 victory (ESPN Boxscore) over the Marlins yesterday. Chico now has eight consecutive scoreless innings and should be named a starter (The Wash. Times).
While the performance of Chico and other Nats hurlers have been promising this spring, the bullpen will probably still get a lot of work (The Post) this season. Last year’s rotation, a more experienced one than the current edition, pitched fewer innings than all but two other clubs. Despite the expected workload, Jon Rauch is available for the right price.
Pedro Astachio is back with the Nats (The Wash. Times and The Post) and T(h)om Loverro is not excited, but is anyone, other than perhaps Astachio? Jim Bowden says the has-been/never-was was picked up to add depth.
Florida Today catches up to the rest of the Nats media with their profile of Chris Snelling. The outfielder says he cares more about winning than stats. He also picked up an important endorsement yesterday.
Starting this season ARAMARK will stop using cooking oil that with trans-fat in it (The Wash. Times). This is good news because it means we won’t have to listen to some self-righteous D.C. Council member going on and on about how it is just another reason the ballpark is evil. I am sure someone will have a field day with this story about the soft real estate market around the ballpark (The Wash. Examiner). Don’t worry, that’ll correct itself.
Healthier options “including fruit bowls, salads and wraps, carrot and celery sticks, deli sandwiches and vegetable chili” will be added to the menu. This is great, because if there is one thing the staff at RFK needs it is more challenges. I’m sure the prices won’t jump either.
ARAMARK press release.
Bowden’s weekly Examiner column is up.