Nationals @ Marlins, Game 1

[Leroy Veritas]

It also means you get the wild card team in the first round.

I'd rather have the Cubs than the Diamondbacks.

[bluestreak]

I'd rather have the Cubs than the Diamondbacks.

You might not get the Diamondbacks and simply having to play the wild card game is a huge disadvantage.

[Mathguy]

As usual, Spider focuses on the negative.  Odds of winning at home are still larger than on the road and the fans enjoy the game more.

Even if they advanced that far, the only ones who would benefit from it would be the Lerners by getting an extra home date. It's not like home field has proven to help this team advance in the past. I don't understand why people are so obsessed with it. It just affords us the opportunity (agony) of watch a visiting team swarm the mound in celebration of clinching the series.

[Truconfidence]

The manager doesn't understand how to handle a pitching staff. Never has. All 3 worked on Saturday.

Maybe the manager is privy to information also like if the guys want to work every other day at least going into the playoffs.
Either way they are going to have almost a week off before the playoffs.

[OldChelsea]

Comparative dates on which the Nationals notched their 83rd win, each season:

2012 - 4th September (135th match of season)
2017 - 4th September (137th match of season)
2016 - 9th September (141st match)
2014 - 11th September (145th match)
2013 - 20th September (154th match)
2015 - 3rd October (161st match) - final win of season

---

2005 - finished 81-81
2011 - finished 80-81
2007 - finished 73-89
2006 - finished 71-91
2010 - finished 69-83
2008 - finished 59-102
2009 - finished 59-103

[spidernat]

It also means you get the wild card team in the first round.

According to some here, it's better to be the wild card team because the stay active. Besides, it's not like that would make a difference to the Nats chances.

[spidernat]

As usual, Spider focuses on the negative.  Odds of winning at home are still larger than on the road and the fans enjoy the game more.

The Nationals are 2-6 in playoff home games.

[varoadking]

The Nationals are 2-6 in playoff home games.

...and I have been at the Park for half of their losses, and none of their wins...

[Elvir Ovcina]

The Nationals are 2-6 in playoff home games.

Across 3 different years, which makes it not really one small sample but three tiny ones, two of which involved Drew Storen flushing games down the toilet (one with the unerring help of Williams).

[varoadking]

Across 3 different years, which makes it not really one small sample but three tiny ones, two of which involved Drew Storen flushing games down the toilet (one with the unerring help of Williams).

It has become a fall tradition...much like corn field mazes...

[Elvir Ovcina]

It has become a fall tradition...much like corn field mazes...

I'm sitting here at my desk, years later, and I can still remember telling my wife as soon as Williams came out of the dugout that we were going to lose, and the memory still makes me mad.  If I were the Lerners, I would have fired Williams immediately after that game.  Zimmermann had pitched a no-hitter in his previous start and was pitching better in the playoff one (I was at both).   

I've gone to about 5 games since then (no sh!t, that's how awful that was).  Matt Williams can do one, the rock-brained bovine.

[OldChelsea]

It has become a fall tradition...much like corn field mazes...

...or the Capitals spring tradition of playoff collapses...or (returning to the fall) Mystics playoff collapses (have not won playoff series since 2002, and this year's WNBA playoffs start tomorrow).

[mitlen]

How many people on this forum ride motorcycles? I feel like it’s everyone....

EYES ONLY

WNFF is a cover for a notorious motorcycle gang.

[spidernat]

Across 3 different years, which makes it not really one small sample but three tiny ones, two of which involved Drew Storen flushing games down the toilet (one with the unerring help of Williams).

Yeah, rationalize it away and you can pretend it didn't happen.

[varoadking]

I'm sitting here at my desk, years later, and I can still remember telling my wife as soon as Williams came out of the dugout that we were going to lose, and the memory still makes me mad.

I've gone to about 5 games since then (no sh!t, that's how awful that was).  Matt Williams can do one, the rock-brained bovine.

We were at both as well...and both are rather vivid memories...

I believe I told my wife the same thing...of course, she already knew...as did 40,000+ other people in attendance.

[varoadking]

EYES ONLY

WNFF is a cover for a notorious motorcycle gang.

 

[Elvir Ovcina]

Yeah, rationalize it away and you can pretend it didn't happen.

The point is that it was three train wrecks, not one.  I was at Game 5 in 2012 and the 18 inning monstrosity as well.  I wish I could pretend that either of those didn't happen.

[aspenbubba]

...and I have been at the Park for half of their losses, and none of their wins...

Even I had a win last year.

[mdnatsfan]

I'm sitting here at my desk, years later, and I can still remember telling my wife as soon as Williams came out of the dugout that we were going to lose, and the memory still makes me mad.  If I were the Lerners, I would have fired Williams immediately after that game.  Zimmerman had pitched a no-hitter in his previous start and was pitching better in the playoff one (I was at both).   

I've gone to about 5 games since then (no sh!t, that's how awful that was).  Matt Williams can do one, the rock-brained bovine.

I was watching that game at home. It was  travesty of the first order. And he should have been crapcanned immediately. No doubt about it.

[mitlen]

I was watching that game at home. It was  travesty of the first order. And he should have been crapcanned immediately. No doubt about it.

I've erased that game from my memory.    I swear I can't remember where I was during that game.    I don't remember him taking Z'nn out.

[varoadking]

I've erased that game from my memory.    I swear I can't remember where I was during that game.    I don't remember him taking Z'nn out.

There was only one person that thought it was a good idea at the time...though he somehow convinced Rizzo later.

It's almost like he told Knorr..."Watch this...hold my beer."

[awbb]

There was only one person that thought it was a good idea at the time...though he somehow convinced Rizzo later.

It's almost like he told Knorr..."Watch this...hold my beer."

Was that the game where it was rationalised that Posey had almost got a hit off Zimmermann in his previous at bat? I can't remember if there was a base open or not so could have pitched around Posey and gone back to mowing down the rest of them.

If so, yes. A maroon.

Then there was the nonsense about the "7th inning guy" that I am just waiting for Rusty to pull with Kintzler at some point.

[Scraps]

How many people on this forum ride motorcycles? I feel like it’s everyone....

I ride and have NEVER missed out on a biker wave. 

[stealyerbase]

...and I have been at the Park for half of their losses, and none of their wins...

Somehow the wife and I have been in the park for both the playoff wins and none of the losses. 

[welch]

I'm sitting here at my desk, years later, and I can still remember telling my wife as soon as Williams came out of the dugout that we were going to lose, and the memory still makes me mad.  If I were the Lerners, I would have fired Williams immediately after that game.  Zimmermann had pitched a no-hitter in his previous start and was pitching better in the playoff one (I was at both).   

I've gone to about 5 games since then (no sh!t, that's how awful that was).  Matt Williams can do one, the rock-brained bovine.

Ah, Elvir, you should have been in the stands for inning after extra inning as the wind whipped up and the temperature dropped and...and...