A Thank You to the Nationals

[vicki4471]

Yes. Continue to think happy thoughts. I have a more relaxed feeling than other games fives. Maybe the underdog role is the reason.

Its like when you are in a toxic relationship and you keep getting your hopes up that things are changed but you keep getting disappointed over and over. Eventually you get numb to the pain and the disappointment doesn't sting because you knew it was coming. I'm expecting the worst and then winning will just be that much more awesome.

[dracnal]

Its like when you are in a toxic relationship and you keep getting your hopes up that things are changed but you keep getting disappointed over and over. Eventually you get numb to the pain and the disappointment doesn't sting because you knew it was coming. I'm expecting the worst and then winning will just be that much more awesome.

For me, it's Strasburg. I can honestly say I want him on the mound more than any other guy on the roster. He's properly rested and he's just been on, this whole season, and so far in the postseason. In the playoffs, I expect Max to give up a first inning home run because the adrenaline has him overamped. Once he gets past that, he settles down and is Max. Strasburg just seems like peak Stras in the postseason, every since the 2017 incident where Dusty said he had the flu and wouldn't start, then said 'Oh hell no. I am taking the ball.'

[expos1994]

I struggled through the first few months of the season. Started out glued to the TV, hopeful that this was the year.. then I shut it off in disgust every time the bullpen blew a lead. Then I did yard work while listening to charlie and dave. By mid-may I was checking the score on my phone and literally doing anything else. But then they started competing and by the 4th of July, a good month into the comeback I was all in.

I think I like this team better than the 2012 Nats. Rendon is the star of the offense, not Harper. Soto is the young budding superstar. Zimm just pulled a Jayson Werth. Strasburg is actually pitching in these playoffs.. and pitching well to say the least. Trea Turner and Adam Eaton setting the table, don't get much better than that.

[vernon337]

1.  I would rather be a Nats fan than a Marlins fan or a Mets fan, both of which can claim to have made it to the World Series in this century, both of which have mostly sucked otherwise.  Give me several years of meaningful games throughout the season.  I can remember driving home from work in the down years here, when the nightly ritual would be turning on the game, hearing that we were five or so runs behind in the middle innings with some guy who didn't even belong in Triple A pitching for us, and turning it off.  No thanks.   

2.  I guess you could say that anything short of the World Series is failure.  You could say anything worse that winning the World Series is failure.  If so, do you mean that the season was not enjoyable?  If that's the case, aren't you basically conducting an exercise in masochism by being a fan of any team?

3.  I can see, based on so many of the posts I see on this site, that writing positive things about this team (especially about their character) might be viewed as sappy.  I just don't agree.

4. I can see where the postseason losses could be considered crushing.  The most crushing blow for me as a Washington fan came when I was in my teens, and the team moved to Minnesota just as they were starting to build a contender after years as a second division team.  That hurt.   

[van lingle mungo]

Not that simple really. I think different fans want different things from their teams.

Sure, all fans want to win, and win it all as often as possible. But given that's not really realistic, it comes down to how a fan views coming up short just about every year.

To me, if they compete and get in the playoffs and give themselves a chance (like this year), then it has been a good year. If they don't make the playoffs, then for me it has been a failed year.

For others it's good enough just fielding a decent, above .500 team that's fun to watch and follow. I have no problem with that, either. On the other hand, if someone considers it a failed year if they don't win it all, then they're going to be disappointed most of the time. Whatever works for you.

Points well taken, but the last thing on my mind right now, due to my competitive nature, is waxing poetic or being philosophical about what has transpired to get us to this point in this season. Just win something, for crying out loud. Given the expectations -the payroll, the $300 club seats, the $9 beers, Etc, it's high time this club stepped up and won a playoff series for once.m

[spidernat]

Points well taken, but the last thing on my mind right now, due to my competitive nature, is waxing poetic or being philosophical about what has transpired to get us to this point in this season. Just win something, for crying out loud. Given the expectations -the payroll, the $300 club seats, the $9 beers, Etc, it's high time this club stepped up and won a playoff series for once.m

[Baseball is Life]

Points well taken, but the last thing on my mind right now, due to my competitive nature, is waxing poetic or being philosophical about what has transpired to get us to this point in this season. Just win something, for crying out loud. Given the expectations -the payroll, the $300 club seats, the $9 beers, Etc, it's high time this club stepped up and won a playoff series for once.

[Slateman]

Points well taken, but the last thing on my mind right now, due to my competitive nature, is waxing poetic or being philosophical about what has transpired to get us to this point in this season. Just win something, for crying out loud. Given the expectations -the payroll, the $300 club seats, the $9 beers, Etc, it's high time this club stepped up and won a playoff series for once.m

I mean ... dont pay $300 for seats?

[nfotiu]

I will be crushed if they lose.  But I'll still appreciate 160 meaningful regular season games and a fun week of post season, and remember it as one of my favorite seasons watching baseball.   Making and competing for the postseason almost every year should never be taken for granted.  I've spent decades cheering for other teams that never had that, and their rebuilds went nowhere.  If we spend to the cap every year and spend it wisely, there is no window, we can be good every year and post season magic will happen one day.

[Baseball is Life]

I will be crushed if they lose.  But I'll still appreciate 160 meaningful regular season games and a fun week of post season, and remember it as one of my favorite seasons watching baseball.   Making and competing for the postseason almost every year should never be taken for granted.  I've spent decades cheering for other teams that never had that, and their rebuilds went nowhere.  If we spend to the cap every year and spend it wisely, there is no window, we can be good every year and post season magic will happen one day.

[vicki4471]

Only 1 team wins the world series each year so 29 others will feel the disappointment of not winning at some point in the season. That doesn't mean there were not some great moments, some horrible moments, some funny moments and some WTF moments. This year was the most fun I have ever had watching this team .. I hope it lasts a couple weeks longer but if tonight is it then I will be back to do it all over again next season.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

I have grown to really like this team more than any other.  They aren't exactly a Cinderella underdog story.  High payroll, lots of talent, and the franchise has been winning.  But they did fight back from 19-31 and I appreciate the fight they show and they do seem to have a lot of fun playing with each other.  It's not just business to them...they actually act like they are playing a game. 

[GburgNatsFan]

John Feinstein, is that you?

Nats would've won the 2012 NLDS if Stras hadn't been shut down.  Total mismanagement of an ace pitcher.  That and the Gio/Storen choke job in Game 5 ruined the entire season for me. 

[spidernat]

[RiotAct]

thank you, Nationals.

[GNatsNoMore]

Well said, Vernon. I’ve been saying this is my favorite team since 2012. You articulated the reasons much better than I ever could.

This is definitely my favorite Washington baseball team ever, for all the reasons Vernon gave and more. I' ve been so moved, I'm actually thinking of writing a letter to Davey about him and the team.

ImRef - that is an interesting analogy.  I have to say 2005 being the 1st year was a fan special.  and I remember 2012, for it was our last year in DC and we all thought the WS was a lock.  But this year - with The shark, the fan shark root, the HR dance, and the coming back after the 1st 1/3 of the season - it moves Nats fans like none of us have seen before.  In a town where we are all suppose to split into 2 groups and not work with the other heathens, the Nats have merged the heathens into a single community that can have fun despite the political barriers.

My second favorite team was the 2005 Nationals.  Maybe it was because as a Washington baseball fan since 1965, I'd been wandering in the baseball wilderness (I was even an Orioles fan for a few years) for too long.  But it was also the overachieving team, and getting to take my daughter to see the Nationals play in the same stadium where my Dad had taken me to games 35-40 years earlier.