These rain days are becoming almost the norm in 2017, and how can we really complain when we see the devastation in Houston, Texas. The Nationals just got out of the Houston area hours before Hurricane Harvey made landfall. Rain will be a part of Nationals’ history though for the injuries sustained by Wilson Ramos last year and Bryce Harper on August 10th.
We have said it too many times that Major League Baseball must require all new stadiums to have at least a retractable roof. Yes, they add considerable cost to the construction budget, but over 25 years of a stadium’s life it is less than $5 million a year in total cost, but it has been shown that with additional year-round usage and a boost in overall ticket sales that the stadium owner more than makes up for that cost.
It is short-sighted by MLB to not require it, and there you see with Atlanta’s new stadium there is no roof. The argument is usually that the costs don’t justify the revenue. Maybe that is how they see it, but generally that is the excuse because most of the stadiums are built by the cities, counties, and states, and they don’t want to add to the cost. Without an MLB requirement, it just won’t get done. How many people are contemplating just staying home tonight instead of cheering on their Washington Nationals?
So here we go. We should be celebrating Trea Day as he returns from a broken wrist sustained in July just two months ago on a hit-by-pitch thrown by Chicago Cub pitcher Pedro Strop. Yesterday, was Jayson Werth‘s Day as he returned along with Max Scherzer.
Tonight’s scheduled starters are Edwin Jackson and Vance Worley for the Marlins. Wilmer Difo will make his debut in rightfield tonight as an experiment.
In other news, Bryce Harper is walking without a limp and doing some exercises according to Dusty Baker and Ryan Madson will be reevaluated this weekend when the team travels to Milwaukee.
Miami Marlins vs. Washington Nationals
Stadium: Nationals Park
1st Pitch: 7:05 pm EDT
TV: MASN, Fox Sports – Florida, MLB.TV
Nats Radio: 106.7 FM The Fan; SiriusXM® Sirius 205 XM 186 (Internet 869)
Line-up subject to change (without notice):
Anthony's favorite player is back at the top of the lineup. pic.twitter.com/xwxnYOtskU
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 29, 2017
