thebluefood

Not since 1933. My grandfather, a WWII vet, was in grade school the last time a D.C. team won a pennant. That was two teams and two stadiums ago. It was an American League Pennant, too. We are one win away from the pennant. I cannot believe it. One. More. Win.

Getting caught up on the Caps right now - first regulation win in Dallas since '95. That seems like an awfully long time - honestly thought they were still the North Stars that year (quick Google search indicates that their last season in Minnesota was '92-'93 so I learned something today).

If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on the Birds tonight. Should be a rubber match between Flaherty and Strasburg but with it being October, the script will surely be flipped. And though I know it's a meme, I just got that hunch we'll see an appearance from #DevilMagic - if not tonight then tomorrow. I would be shocked if the Cardinals got swept. This is far from over.

Regarding tonight's game, I can't help but think about last week's, game 3 homecoming where the team came out hot but the bullpen (especially one of our more reliable arms, Patrick Corbin) absolutely went to hell. Dunno if it was trying too hard to appease the hometown crowd or if it was just one of those nights but I really hope we don't have a repeat of that tonight. A win tonight puts the team in a very good position.

3 more wins and we've got us a new flag flying out on the scoreboard.

Heart says Nats in 6; gut says Cardinals in 7, if for no other reason than because strange things seem to happen for the Cardinals when the weather turns cool.

If he wins one, he's easily the best GM this town's seen since Bobby Bethard left town. Only reason I wouldn't put him right up there is because I know George McPhee was GM during the Caps' first Stanley Cup appearance in '98 and helped build those great (though heartbreaking) Capitals teams in the late 2000s and 2010s that eventually won the whole thing.

Juan Soto when the chips are down but the count's 3-1

Last time on DragonBall Z...

Intentionally avoided the game because I am a major league jinx and wouldn't ya know it? Goin' to the NLCS! Four wins away from this city's first pennant since 1933!

"Oh my God, I love this song!"

I didn't even watch or listen to the game last night. I'm an absolute jinx so I will be avoiding baseball like the plague Wednesday.

Honestly, I'm alright with whatever happens in LA. When you think about how wretched this team was around Memorial Day and who they're playing right now - back-to-back NL Pennant winners - the fact that they've pushed the series this far is pretty incredible. And even if they lose, at least we don't get our hearts ripped out at home again. Proud of the 2019 Nats but let's hope Wednesday is not the end of the season.

Fans booing the team at halftime when the team is winning. I know this was the first game after the scab games and the offense didn't look too sharp but damn, RFK wasn't messing around.

Can't remember if I posted this earlier but if you're on Facebook, Old Time D.C. is a page well worth following. https://www.facebook.com/OldTimeDc/

-Glad we didn't get swept. Buccos are leading (or nearly leading) the NL in most major pitching categories so the low scores also don't bother me. -What does bother me is the team's inability to turn hits into runs...again. If all you can muster is 3 runs on 11 hits, you've almost certainly got a hitting with RISP problem. -And yes - another wasted Sherzer Day. He didn't have a gem of an outing but he did go 8 innings and only gave up 3 runs. With the aforementioned offensive production, that should have been more than enough to take the series.

Soccer too, strangely enough. Those rivalries in Europe are hard core. We think our rivalries are strong here but folks straight-up hate each other based on their fandom. It's wild.

Honestly, though, I'm so glad we get a break from playing against division rivals. It's hard to really kick back and enjoy a ball game against a team you genuinely despise. Baseball's too pastoral and easy going to sustain that kind of hatred for too long - not like football. Football was made for hate.

The last two nights were absolutely cathartic - pull their hearts out of their chests in extra innings on Tuesday then stomp on it with a 15-run shellacking last night. I just love it so much. Eat a big ol' bag of ****, Philadelphia.

The last two games have been very uplifting. Though we lost Monday, we lost because we were beat by a better team that particular day. We didn't beat ourselves. They were just better on that particular day and that happens in baseball. Yesterday's game need no additional comment. I really hope this is the kind of baseball we're going to see from the Nats moving forward. I don't expect a win every night but as long as we don't beat ourselves and fight until the last out, I'll be content. If they do that, they will be competitive because this squad is chalked full of talent.

Barring something exceptionally shameful with his behavior, Ovi's place on our sports Rushmore is safe. I don't know if he'll break Gretzky's record but he's moving up the goals leaders list at a relentless pace. It's incredible. Baugh (among other things) made D.C. a football first town. Ovie and the Caps over the past decade or so have seriously challenged that as a hockey team, something that shouldn't even be possible in a city south of the Mason-Dixon line.

"Aye, there's the rub." Someone brought this up on the Nat's subreddit that this team's been jinxed ever since the 2012 NLDS and it got me thinking because what happened that night was...unnatural. It was a choking that defies reason. Throughout the past 6+ years, this seems to be a problem over and over and over again. You can't tell me this team wouldn't have at least one pennant under its belt were it not for that night and what it wrought. And yes, I know curses aren't real and it's more complicated than that so please spare me, you miserable pendants.

I'm glad the team won yesterday and at least won't get swept but we were up 12-1 at one point and the Mets still made a game out of it. How?! Even with a mediocre bullpen, that's a safe lead. Maybe a run or two scored, fine, but eight additional runs?! And that comes after the bullpen blew a lead on Saturday. I don't doubt their desire to win but it seems like there's some sort of weird aura around this team - spanning several managers and rosters - where there's a fear of winning. It's like watching an episode of Bojack Horseman through a baseball game with all the self-sabotage.

That opening day loss doesn't feel so bad now. Ol' boy is setting himself up for another Cy Young Award.

Had to excuse myself from my seat at about the 6th inning and only in small part to my phone running out of juice. I was surrounded by them and was sitting next to the most obnoxious "Brosephs" I've ever had the displeasure of being around. Really wasn't about to make a thing out of it (mostly because I hate confrontation and I'd really rather not get in my first fight over sports of all things) but I really didn't need that in my life. So glad we won though.