Ankiel could get Nationals' attention in center
The question of who will play/start in center field for the Nationals has been debated throughout the winter. That debate got more interesting when the team signed Rick Ankiel to a minor-league deal last week.
The Nationals have a number of options in center field. Ankiel batted .239 last year with nine home runs and 37 RBI in 122 games -- 113 of which came in center field.
The former pitcher finished with a career-high nine assists, one of which came during his nine games in right field.
But the question is how much playing time will he get in center field? Jayson Werth's natural position is right field, but the Nationals can move him to center.
Werth played 134 games in right last year and 15 in center. The Nationals also have Mike Cameron, who's played center field much of his 17-year career.
If the well-publicized top draft pick from 2010 makes the team's Opening Day roster, he'd probably be in right field, moving Werth to center.
But if Harper isn't with the team at first, Werth would stay in right and center would go to a combination of Ankiel and Cameron. Roger Bernadina could also be in that mix somewhere.
The Nationals still have time to make a deal, and left-hander John Lannan is probably there for the taking. But for now, with spring training looming, it looks like the Nationals will go with center field by some kind of committee.
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