Tuesday marks the first time that outfielder Jayson Werth and the Philadelphia Phillies will be in the same building, but on opposite sides of the playing field. During the offseason, Werth signed a seven-year $126 million contract with the Washington Nationals. This fact has not settled well with many of the Phillies faithful, who treated Werth as some sort of bearded demi-god. Nor have they enjoyed No. 28's declarations that the days of Phillies fans invading Nationals Park will be "changing quick."
Judging by the event that Phillies blog Phillies Nation and Green Legion have planned, those days aren't here just yet.
However, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard says he thinks Philly fans will be respectful of the new Nationals' right fielder when the guys with the ruby cleats come visit Nationals Park this week:
"Fans loved him," Ryan Howard said. "We get a pretty big fan following in Washington and they'll probably be respectful of the situation. I think he'll probably get more cheers than boos because fans will look at what he did in Philly and they'll remember that."
Does Ryan Howard know he is talking about a fan base that time after time after time has delivered some of the most memorable "signs of respect" in MLB history? It does make one wonder.
Of course, who really is concerned with what Ryan Howard thinks? What does NatsTown think of the situation?
(via Adam Kilgore)