It's Treinen's turn to make an impression (with lineups)

By Pete Kerzel

Nationals

March 05, 2016, 12:39pm

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VIERA, Fla. - The bus is about ready to pull away from Space Coast Stadium, bound for Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter and today's spring training game against the Cardinals. It's the second time this week the Nationals have journeyed south to Palm Beach County, which will be their home next spring if there are no delays in construction at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, but their first game against St. Louis.

Don't get too married to that name. Hearing there are naming rights in play here, though they'd have to be attached to that unwieldy moniker. Stay tuned - and pray for a dry summer and fall to keep construction on schedule.

Blake Treinen draws the starting assignment for today's game, and it's another chance for a pitcher without a defined role to make an impression on a new manager and coaching staff. It's also another opportunity for Dusty Baker to finagle his starting pitching schedule to save a veteran from a two-hour bus ride down Interstate 95.

Treinen has done a little bit of everything in parts of two seasons with the Nationals. He started seven games in 2014, but some in the organization thought his stuff and mentality played better out of the bullpen. Sixty-eight of his 75 appearances have come in relief, and he's pitched both multiple innings and in high-leverage situations.

Some of his proponents in the front office think he could have closer's stuff, but Treinen will have to cut down on the walks - 32 in 67 2/3 innings last season - if he's ever going to get a shot at the ninth inning.

Today, he'll get a chance to make a first impression on Baker in a game situation, perhaps helping the new skipper figure out what he's got in the promising right-hander

WASHINGTON NATIONALS AT ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Where: Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EST
TV: MLB Network (Cardinals broadcast in Washington/Baltimore market only)
Radio: MLB.com (Cardinals broadcast)
Weather: Mostly sunny, 74 degrees, wind 18 mph to right field