FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Another day, another ballgame. For the second day in a row I get to watch the St. Louis Cardinals, this time at home in Jupiter, against the upstart Washington Nationals. If you think the origin of the town’s name comes from the chief god of Rome, you’d be partially right. It was actually named after the native Hobe tribe but European mapmakers mangled the name enough for it to end up as Jupiter. With residents like Oprah Winfrey, Ralph Lauren and Tiger Woods, you’d better believe that this is a very nice part of the state located on the Gold Coast, just north of Palm Beach.

Although I won’t be going to it, there’s it’s doubleheader day here at Roger Dean Stadium as the other half of the Cardinals play against the co-tenants who are headquartered down the leftfield line, the Florida Marlins. 
 
As for the immediate business at hand, the Nationals come packing a typical spring road crew, featuring just a couple of regulars. The most intriguing members of the starting lineup are the two, three and four hitters today, Lastings Milledge, Bret Boone and Elijah Dukes.

Milledge is slated to be the Nats regular centerfielder and the bravado he displayed as a Mets rookie last season should only help his cause on a Washington roster that was desperately in need of a boost in self esteem.

Boone hasn’t played a big league game since 2005 and, like his counterpart who went through a similar hiatus with the Cards, Juan Gonzalez, is in excellent shape and actually has a chance to make this team.

The troubled Dukes has a world of talent but can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble. If decisions were made on baseball skills alone, he would absolutely have a rostr spot sewn up. As is, he’ll have to have an excellent spring to make the squad and probably wouldn’t begin the year as a starter in any case.

I might be the only fantasy player in the nation who had today’s starter, lefty John Lannan, on his fantasy team last season. He went 2-2 with a 4.15 ERA in six starts and is in line to grab one of the back of the rotation slots.

The Cardinals have a few of the same players who made the trip to Fort Lauderdale (just to get smoked 10-2 yesterday) in the lineup again today, including Brian Barton, this time playing center, Joe Mather (LF), Gonzalez (DH) Yadier Molina (C), and Cesar Izturis (SS), in the same spots. However the injection of former MVP Albert Pujols and Troy Glaus should make this a better game to watch.

Reliever Chris Perez, who was scheduled to pitch yesterday is back on the docket today. Hopefully, he gets his work in today.

Check back around 4PM to find out what happened.