Spring Training Pep Talk From Nationals Legend Still Motivating This Year's Team

The speech made by a former legendary Washington Nationals player is still resonating with the current group.

Sep 8, 2018; Washington, DC, USA; Jayson Werth gestures during his speach in the pregame ceremony for his induction into the Nationals Ring of Honor at Nationals Park | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Nobody quite knew what to expect from the Washington Nationals this year.

There were projections and pontifications regarding what the team's performance might be and who might become the star players or disappointments, but nobody really knew.

That's the volatility that comes from having such a young roster.

Still in the midst of their rebuild, the Nationals are determining who is going to be the core of their team going forward, figuring out who they can build around and who might not ever reach their ceilings.

It's a thankless task, and one that comes with a lot of losing, but it's clear that things are starting to head in the right direction when just watching how this group has performed this year.

And it sounds like a franchise legend is to thank for that.

What Did Jayson Werth Say to Washington Nationals in Spring Training?

For anyone who has heard Jayson Werth speak, he's not afraid to share exactly what he is thinking.

He was asked to attend spring training this year, and when he spoke to the team, he made sure not to miss out on an opportunity to leave a lasting impression that has continued to resonate with the current players throughout this season.

Werth spoke with Mark Zuckerman of MASN about his message, saying that he drew inspiration from what former Philadelphia Phillies general manager told him back in 2007 and how he used that to inspire his racing horse, Dornoch, to win the Belmont Stakes in 2024.

"This team, some guys will stay, some guys will go," he said to the current Nationals players. "Your career might not be over. You might last for a long time. You could be great players. But this team, it's their last chance. This is their only chance ... Sometimes you only get one chance, and that's all you need. This is this team's one chance."

It's not rare for former players to speak in spring training when they address the team.

But it is rare to hear that something that was said months ago is still having an impact.

Manager Dave Martinez might not have overlapped with Werth when it came to the franchise legend's playing days since he retired after 2017 and Martinez was named the skipper ahead of the 2018 campaign, but he is sure happy that Werth laid out his message the way he did.

"It was awesome ... He had a whole video and everything. It was all about being successful and stuff. It was awesome. I love when those guys are around. They understand the game, they've been around the game. They have unbelievable stories to share. It's good for our young players to hear that," Martinez said.