Werth

WASHINGTON - As far as Washington debuts go for tall, bearded guys from Springfield, Ill., Jayson Werth's initial game as a National probably didn't compare with Lincoln's first inaugural address. Still, on an opening day that was gray and - even by Werth's strutting, sunglassed standards - extremely cool, he was nearly as ubiquitous in the nation's capital as Lincoln himself. Honest, Abe. His image - Lincolnesque again after an unsuccessful flirtation with clean-shavedness - graced an enormous billboard in left field, which from some angles in the riverside ballpark appeared to be supporting the cloud-enveloped Capitol dome.

The Mets are ruining one of our favorite hobbies. It's still fun to loathe them, but they've become such a miserable mess in every way that some of the schadenfreude is muted. Pity always gets in the way of a good time. Luckily, Jayson Werth and the Nationals are offering an alternative on the contempt front. The former Phil is begging you to hate him, and it's starting to seem like a pretty good option. About a week ago, Werth said he hates the Phillies. Maybe that means he hates you, too. You're probably wondering how you'd tell the difference.

VIERA, Fla. - Four months removed from his last Phillies at-bat, 150 miles from the pristine white sand beaches and tantalizing restaurants that make Clearwater such a pleasant spring-training encampment, Jayson Werth spent the first day of the rest of his baseball life in a Washington Nationals uniform at the Space Coast Stadium complex. And it didn't take long for him to be reminded how much has changed, and not just because the 7-year, $126 million contract he signed means he pretty much never has to ask how much things costs.

DURING HIS four-year stay with the Phillies, Jayson Werth averaged 29 home runs and 84 RBI per season. Now he's been rewarded with a $126 million contract with the Washington Nationals. Johnny Callison must be spinning in his grave. I would humbly suggest that before leaving Philadelphia he should write a nice check to any one of the dozens of worthwhile charities that do such outstanding work in our city. Tom O'Neill, Philadelphia

No one will question the quality of the Phillies' starting rotation now that Cliff Lee is on board. The offense, with the departure of Jayson Werth , is a different matter. That's fine with Charlie Manuel , even though he's a manager in love with the offensive side of the game. "I talked to [pitching coach] Rich Dubee [Tuesday] night," Manuel said after Wednesday's news conference to officially announce the signing of Lee. "He was so excited. He said we can hit Lee fifth behind [Ryan]

WASHINGTON - "They got their boy back, I guess," Jayson Werth said a little after 1 p.m. yesterday, finally exhibiting the bitterness that Cliff Lee would reference in a similar press conference a few hours later, as he accepted the kind of contract the Phillies were unwilling to offer their departed rightfielder. "When he found out I was coming here, he wasn't the happiest person in the world," Lee said a few hours after the Nationals introduced Werth in a sponsored and orchestrated affair that took the "press" out of press conference.

WE NOW know what it costs to go from first to worst: $126 million. That's how much it took to lure rightfielder Jayson Werth from his coveted spot with the first-place Phillies to the last-place Washington Nationals. We mostly wish Werth well. He'll always have a place in our hearts thanks to his starring role on the team that won the World Series in 2008. During that magic year, he had a .273 average with 24 home runs, including a two-run homer in the fourth game of the series that showcased the Phils' dominance.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Pat Gillick learned he was going into the Hall of Fame on Monday, one day after Jayson Werth signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Washington Nationals. Without Gillick's decision to bring Werth to Philadelphia after he was cut loose by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the rightfielder may never achieved such fame and fortune after four productive years in Philadelphia. "I'm happy for him," Gillick said. "That's a lot of money. You can buy a lot of real estate in Springfield, Ill., with $126 million.

Excerpts from Monday's Ask Gonzo chat on Philly.com with columnist John Gonzalez: Comment From Vicks PO:  [Will] Michael [Vick] fare well against the Cowboys [on Sunday]? Gonzo: He fares well against pretty much everyone, doesn't he? Joe Theismann said he doesn't think Vick is the MVP. He likes Peyton Manning and Phillip Rivers a little bit better for the award. Manning and Rivers both lost on Sunday. Theismann might want to reconsider his position. Comment From Chris: Saw Rasheed Wallace on South Street Saturday night.

It's not every day the Phillies are outbid by the Washington Nationals. And 24 hours after Jayson Werth signed a 7-year, $126 million deal with the perennial NL East doormat, the reaction from the Phillies reflected that. "I'm disappointed," club president David Montgomery said. "We had made an effort to retain Jayson. But at the end of the day, I guess our efforts were dwarfed by another franchise. " The Phillies are believed to have offered Werth a contract in the neighborhood of the 4-year, $66 million deal that Jason Bay signed with the Mets last offseason.