Uniform day

Nationals President Stan Kasten is in the clubhouse right now here at Space Coast Stadium addressing the team for the first time. Which is the second-most important thing that will happen today.

Yes, it's that magical time of the year called uniform day. There was a buzz in the clubhouse this morning around 7:45 or 8, when I first walked in. Racks of gray uniforms hung in the middle of the room, and a couple of folks sat at laptops entering vital information -- waist size, chest size, bagginess requests, pant lengths, etc.

"It's the early rush," clubhouse manager Mike Wallace (hereafter referred to by his only true name, "Wally"). "But here at the haberdashery, we can handle it."

Later in the day, I'll get all the particulars -- who has the biggest chest, who has the longest inseam (Jon Rauch, anyone), who wants the baggiest uni, etc. "We have all kinds," Wally said. "Some like them real baggy. Some like them a little tighter. We'll do whatever they want. It's all personal preference."

No news yet, other than the fact that Chad Cordero -- he of the new $4.15 million salary after his arbitration win yesterday -- went to dinner with about eight teammates at the new sushi place I've spoken of, Toyo (on Wickham Rd., something of the Rodeo Drive of Viera/Melbourne). I asked if he paid. "They wouldn't let me," he said. How sweet.

All right, I'm off to talk to Manny Acta. Dinner with Boz last night at Bonefish Willy's, our spring tradition. Finally could eat out on the deck and enjoy a warm evening. Boz here one more day, then off to Fort Lauderdale to write about ... well, you know.

I'll check back in in a few hours.