Washington Nationals Tickets - Winter Caravan Revving Into Action!

The Washington Nationals Winter Caravan for 2009 promises to be unlike any other they’ve had in the past. The Nationals plan to start their Winter Caravan around Washington, D.C. this year and from there the sites will include Maryland stops in Rockville and Annapolis along with Virginia stops in Woodbridge and Richmond. The Nationals, for the first time, will have a NatsFest in Nationals Park as part of the Winter Caravan events planned for this year.

Taking on the slight appearance of the roster that will hopefully be present and accounted for at Spring Break this year are players, managers and moderators alike: Manny Acta (manager), Jim Bowden (VP), Joel Hanrahan (pitcher), Willie Harris (outfielder), Stan Kasten (president), John Lanan (pitcher), Garret Mock (pitcher), Scott Olsen (pitcher), Mike Rizzo (assistant GM), Josh Willingham (outfielder), Terrell Young (pitcher), Ryan Zimmerman (third baseman), Bob Carpenter (broadcaster), David Gregory (NBC) and Charlie Slowes (broadcaster).

From the moment this first-occasioned event begins in Martinsburg, West Virginia, there are unique stops planned such as the Hot Stove Luncheon at Nationals Park, the Meet-and-Greet at Build-A-Bear in Annapolis Mall, the Celebrity Cook-Off in at ESPN in D.C., the book donation in D.C. and the Washington Wizards Game at Verizon Center.

Although the Nationals pitcher John Patterson, who is only 30, will be retiring due to problems with his forearm, the Nationals will move on with the show as scheduled. Patterson’s problems began back in 2006 and recently announced “I started throwing about a month ago, and it hasn’t been going well. I have my good days and I have my bad days. So I decided not to play anymore. I’m going to retire.”

And speaking of Zimmerman, he’s one of four players who recently filed for arbitration. Shawn Hill, Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen round out the group with whom the National will be exchanging salary figures in the near future. Zimmerman, as you may know, is the biggest name on the list and has been trying to work out a deal for a multi-year contract with the Nationals since last Spring Training.

Although Zimmerman was possibly offered a deal similar to the one that was given to shortstop Troy Tulowitzki by the Rockies, which was for $31 million, rumor has it that Zimmerman had and has his eye on a larger piece of the Nationals’ pie.

There have been no comments coming from the Nationals’ camp on the talks with Zimmerman. That means if a deal isn’t reached, arbitration hearing could begin as soon as the first part of February and last well into the Spring Training schedule, which opens with the Nationals taking on Houston at home on February 25.

The Nationals will be conducting Spring Training in Viera, Florida at the Space Coast Stadium which seats more than 8,000 fans with awesome views of the field from virtually every angle under the sun or stars. The complex also has two half fields and five full practice fields.