Reasons for Optimism

[imref]

1. Strasburg for a full year
2. Wilson Ramos is back
3. This team now expects to win
4. Ian Desmond
5. The Phillies are still getting older.

[lastobjective]

6. We have Detwiler

[RobDibblesGhost]

Well said.  I can't wait for 2013!

In the meantime, Charlie and Dave hinted last night that there are plans coming together for a mid-winter FanFest.  I hope they do it - you've got a lot of interest in this team now and, with the absence of hockey, this is a great opportunity to market to the fans.

[RobDibblesGhost]

7.  We won't have Jackson

[BigMeech]

7.  We won't have Jackson

The biggest positive of them all.

[PowerBoater69]

7.  We won't have Jackson

EJax had some real good games for us, ten wins from a bottom of the rotation starter isn't bad, that being said, it's time to move on.

[imref]

8. Anthony Rendon arrives

[PowerBoater69]

1. Strasburg for a full year
2. Wilson Ramos is back
3. This team now expects to win
4. Ian Desmond
5. The Phillies are still getting older.

Ramos was on the verge of getting benched when he got hurt, a catcher who can't catch has no place on this team. At best he backs up Zuki next year.

I wouldn't count out the Phillies, they are going to be aggressive this off season. Of course the Dodgers are the team we really need to worry about, 2012 might have been the window to steal a World Series.

[PowerBoater69]

Well said.  I can't wait for 2013!

In the meantime, Charlie and Dave hinted last night that there are plans coming together for a mid-winter FanFest.  I hope they do it - you've got a lot of interest in this team now and, with the absence of hockey, this is a great opportunity to market to the fans.

There's been talk of a fan fest at the convention center. I prefer it to be at Nats Park, but as long as they have one I'll be happy.

[santanaf]

8. My season tickets almost entirely paid in full for all of the money I fronted for Wildcard, Playoff, WS, and NLCS tickets that were never used.
9. The $2000 I made outside of the stadium by selling empty Korbel bottles for $50 instead of the Nats $100.
10. The $2600 I made outside of the stadium by selling scalpers ticket printouts for last nights game that were all with cancelled bar codes.
11. The fact that Teddy will go 81-0 next season (at least)
12. The fact that we lost this series to the Cardinals and not the Barves

[BerkeleyNat]

8. Anthony Rendon arrives

and then promptly breaks BOTH of his ankles.......

[cmdterps44]

EJax had some real good games for us, ten wins from a bottom of the rotation starter isn't bad, that being said, it's time to move on.

I wouldn't be mad if we have Edwin Jackson back. People linger too long on bad starts. The guy had some GREAT starts for us. Record doesn't matter much but he should've had more wins than what showed.

[Baseball is Life]

Harper truly becomes a superstar, a perennial 40 HR middle of the order bat.

Stras begins a run of 20 win seasons.

Rotation of Stras, Gio, Jordan, and Det becomes the best in the game.

Young power arms like Garcia and Meyer arrive to solidify a dominant bullpen.

[Baseball is Life]

10. The $2600 I made outside of the stadium by selling scalpers ticket printouts for last nights game that were all with cancelled bar codes.

I am assuming you are joking.

[santanaf]

I am assuming you are joking.

Yeah, I'm not that much of a dick. You'd have to be a Lerner to do something that crappy. Just goes back to another thread discussion from yesterday.

[Baseball is Life]

Yeah, I'm not that much of a dick. You'd have to be a Lerner to do something that crappy. Just goes back to another thread discussion from yesterday.

I know you're cool but certain people have come on this board and bragged about selling bad tickets. That kind of crap will get your ass kicked or worse.

[USF_Football]

13. Tyler Moore fighting for a regular spot in the lineup.
14. Lombo replacing Danny Strikeout.

[cmdterps44]

15. Finally confident in a decent year

[PowerBoater69]

13. Tyler Moore fighting for a regular spot in the lineup.
14. Lombo replacing Danny Strikeout.

How about that as being reasons for optimism 24 hours ago?  freaking Davey sticking with the same line-up last night. 

[jhuterp]

16. This team will win at least one World Series in the next 5 years.  Anybody who can't see how good this team is/will be is blind.

[HalfSmokes]

16. This team will win at least one World Series in the next 5 years.  Anybody who can't see how good this team is/will be is blind.

I wonder how many young teams this gets said about? 

[jhuterp]

I wonder how many young teams this gets said about? 

I don't know, but go ahead and wring your hands about it if you want.  I'm not worried.

[BerkeleyNat]

I wonder how many young teams this gets said about? 

I see what you're saying. Wasn't Colorado supposed to be up and coming a few years ago? Coming into this season, I thought the Nats would be good, but not good enough to win the division. I always thought 2013 was going to be their year. I was as surprised as anyone to see them do as well as they did, but I still think they'll be a contender next season.

[Baseball is Life]

I don't know, but go ahead and wring your hands about it if you want.  I'm not worried.

Atta boy. Let the bed wetters do their thing. All we can do is hope for the best and go for it. I like the strides this organization has made and the outlook for the next few years. That is all.

[HalfSmokes]

My reasons for optimism are the braves' reliance on relievers (volatile performance + shorter time as elite)  and the philly's age.  I doubt were this good again next year (we really were treated to historically hood starting pitchinng),  but I think we're good enough to win the division