Nats Stadium: 'It's Going to Spunk Us Up'

WASHINGTON -- Now that the team has seen its new digs at the new stadium, the adrenaline is pumping for the Washington Nationals.

"It's great to be here and to start all over and turn this organization around. This is what the fans have been needing in D.C.," says Lastings Milledge, who plays right field and center field.

"It's going to spunk us up," Milledge tells WTOP.

Calling it "unreal," catcher Paul Lo Duca echoed those sentiments.

"The fans are going to be pumped up. We're pumped up," Lo Duca said. "This clubhouse is three times the size of any big league clubhouse I've ever been in. It's amazing."

Nick Johnson, first baseman, admits the new facility overwhelmed him.

"It's unreal," Johnson says. "This place is great, a beautiful stadium. It's first-class."

To Dmitri Young, who also plays first, he says the stadium will be home for both fans and the team.

"This stadium basically means there's going to be baseball here for a long time," says first baseman Dmitri Young. "The Lerner family put everything into this stadium, into this team."

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman expects competing teams to be a touch jealous.

"It's even better than any of us expected it to be," Zimmerman said. "To tell you the truth, If I could come here and watch a game or go to RFK and watch a game, I would much rather come here."

Manager Manny Acta says the players "couldn't wait to get over" to see the new stadium.

"I hope all that adrenaline is used in a positive way," Acta says.

As for the city, Acta says, "D.C. is going to have baseball for life now."

Nats President Stan Kasten puts it succinctly.

"We're trying to build the best franchise that we can."

For fans, Kasten says the baseball experience will be much different.

"They're going to come and enjoy things that they couldn't before. Before, all they could do is sit and watch the game. now they can come early, go to restaurants, go to bars, play games, listen to music. We have so many things to do here. That's going to change the whole experience.

(Copyright 2008 by WTOP. All Rights Rights Reserved.)