It's understandable for Darrell Rasner to still be wearing a Montreal Expos jacket as he was while helping young pitchers on Saturday during a clinic presented by the Ray Austin Memorial Baseball Acacdemy.
It was the Expos, after all, who made him a second round choice in the Major League draft in 2002. But even if Rasner is still wearing an Expos jacket, he's well aware that he's now a part of the Washington Nationals organization.
"It's a collector's item now," said Rasner about his jacket during a break in the clinic at the RAMB warehouse in the back of the Nevada Appeal building.
After years of being in limbo, the franchise finally has some stability as it will make the move to play in the nation's capital this season at RFK Stadium. The Nationals are expected to play at RFK for at least the next two seasons until their new ballpark is ready.
That means the right-handed Rasner should have an excellent chance to pitch at RFK. If Rasner continues to make the progress he's made, he'll certainly be up with the Nationals in the next two seasons and it likely could be sooner.
The Nationals placed Rasner on their 40-man roster last fall. Rasner will report to spring training with the Nationals on Feb. 15 in Brevard County, Fla. The 1999 Carson High graduate joined the franchise after an outstanding career with the University of Nevada.
"I know everybody's excited to finally have something concrete," said Rasner about the franchise moving to Washington, D.C.
Rasner said he has heard he'll return to the Double A Harrisburg Senators to begin this season. He ended last season at Harrisburg, where he was outstanding, posting a 1-1 record with a 1.21 earned run average in five starts.
But Rasner said he's also heard that he may even have a chance to make the Nationals opening day 25-man roster. Rasner, though, knows that's a stretch.
But Rasner isn't selling himself short, either.
"It may be a long shot, but I'm going to go in and do what I can to make the squad," he said. "That's my goal, to make it up there as soon as I can, just keep working hard.
"I've just got to hang in there. I just hope I get the opportunity some time soon to pitch there."
If Rasner has an impressive spring, he could begin the year at the Triple A New Orleans Zephyrs as well. At spring training, Rasner will have a chance to face Major League hitters for the first time.
"It will be a good indicator to see what I need to work on," he said.
Rasner said he's been pleased with his off season conditioning and is encouraged that his fastball is in the upper 80s at this time of the year. But Rasner has always said that's not what concerns him.
"I'm not really into radar guns," he said. "Getting outs, that's all I'm concerned about."
Contact Charles Whisnand at cwhisnand@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-1214.
