Hammonds savoring opportunity

Nationals Notes

VIERA, Fla. — This may be outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds’ last chance. And he knows it.

A rejuvenated Hammonds, who signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals in December, arrived in camp yesterday smiling and brimming with confidence.

At 33, Hammonds probably is nearing the end of his career. But at the same time, the Baltimore Orioles’ first-round pick from the 1992 amateur draft could be in a great situation with the Nationals, a team looking for outfield depth.

“If that time [for retirement] arises, it’s something you’ve got to take into consideration,” Hammonds said. “I’m not getting any younger. I’m just going out to play this game, but if it’s time to go home, it’s time to go home. I’m here to make the club.”

Hammonds, whom the Orioles drafted fourth overall, started 22 games in the outfield for the San Francisco Giants last season before being released June 3. After hitting .211 with three home runs and six RBI, he decided not to sign with another club.

“The past four years I wasn’t good,” Hammonds said. “You can blame it on a lot of things, but I wasn’t playing good baseball. There were spurts. If I could [tell you why], I would, but there is nothing to talk about. It’s what it is. … Surgery, situations, just things that happened. We’re here in 2005, a whole new start, a deja vu of a sense. I’m looking forward to whatever is around this corner that I’m about to embark on.”

When Hammonds strolled into the clubhouse, he was greeted by friendly faces. Don Buford, the Nationals’ first-base coach, was Hammonds’ manager at Class AA in the Orioles’ system, and Nationals roving coach Jack Voigt played with Hammonds in Baltimore.

But Hammonds’ best relationship is with Nationals manager Frank Robinson, who signed Hammonds to his first professional contract as the Orioles’ assistant general manager in 1992.

“It’s good to see some familiar faces,” Hammonds said. “There’s a lot of excitement just being able to come back to the East Coast and of just having a chance to play.”

Hammonds is a .272 lifetime hitter with 110 home runs and 422 RBI. Though he enjoyed 5 productive seasons in Baltimore, his best year was 2000 with the Colorado Rockies, when he hit .335 with 20 home runs and 106 RBI.

Where is everyone?

Position players were expected to report to spring training yesterday, but some of the club’s bigger names were missing.

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