VIERA, Fla. — Dusty Baker sat in the dugout and knocked on the handle of his red-barreled bat. The Washington Nationals’ manager does not consider himself to be superstitious, but he did it anyway.
With the regular season just eight days away, Baker doesn’t want to take any chances. Aside from pitcher Bronson Arroyo’s shoulder injury, the Nationals have made it through spring training with a fairly clean bill of health.
“We’re doing outstanding,” Baker said before the Nationals’ 7-2 split-squad win against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday at Space Coast Stadium. “We’ve got to knock on wood.