We’ve mentioned Jayson Werth quite a bit lately. He’s been showing a lot of spunk and loyalty to the Nationals, and we love it.
Take this exchange, witnessed by multiple media members recently:
“Nice winning streak,” one television reporter offered.
“Two?” Werth asked. “Is that a streak?”
“For the Nationals,” the reporter replied, “it is.”
“I don’t like your tone,” Werth said.
He sounds a bit like a papa bear protecting his cubs. His dedication to this team is something that the Nats, and Nats fans, really need to see.
He’s so dedicated, in fact, that he was still bothered by the comments the next day.
“I didn’t appreciate it at all,” Werth told the Post. “That’s more of the old type thing, what used to be here, what used to happen here. It’s not going on here anymore. I know it’s going to take some time to kind of shift and change some minds. I have no problem with that. I just think that we have a team that the town can respect and come out and support.”
It’s hard to argue with that kind of passion. The Nats are off to a decent start and we can’t imagine them not thriving with such a positive presence in the locker room.
Nyjer Morgan, who was recently traded to the Brewers, may not be such a Werth fan.
A story on MLB.com reveals an exchange between the two during spring training that exemplifies the type of leadership Werth is trying to bring to the team.
"After he was taken out of a game against the Tigers at Space Coast Stadium in mid-March, outfielder Nyjer Morgan -- since traded to the Brewers -- performed three of the six sprints on the outfield warning track and called it a day.
Werth told Morgan to do the rest of the sprints. Morgan declined, figuring he arrived at the ballpark at 5:30 a.m. ET and didn't need to do any more work.
they went into the locker room a few minutes later, Werth and Morgan got into a verbal argument, with Werth telling Morgan that he needed to continue to do his work.
Jerry Hairston Jr. got involved and was able to calm Morgan down. According to a baseball source, Morgan believes the incident is the No. 1 reason he is no longer a member of the Nationals."
We’re pretty sure that Morgan’s trading had more to do with his underperformance on the field than anything else. Regardless, the exchange is a bit out of character for Werth, who isn’t generally known to be a vocal guy in the locker room.
Maybe coming to D.C. has changed that.
So let’s review what we’ve seen from Jayson Werth, only two weeks deep into the regular season:
- He has an allegiance to Nats fans
- He spoke of his Phillies hatred
- He has attempted to motivate underperforming players
- He’s protective of the Nats reputation
Welcome to D.C., Jayson. We think we’ll enjoy your stay.
Questions, comments or tips? Email Sarah at sarahskogod@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter (@sarahschorno).
