Hard Luck Nationals-- Since the 1960s

My Hard Luck Nationals-- Since the 1960s

Ugh, I've seen this show before. And it doesn't end well. 

Okay, I didn't witness every loss in person or eyes on, but I have observed the results:

The NATS LOSE!

Maybe I am lucky I was not around to see them when they started in the late 60s, back when they were totally new and supposed to lose.

I came along as a not-so-knowledgeable fan of the National League (local favorites Reds and Cubs and television favorite Cubs and Braves were our world in Indiana) and I fell in love with Tim Raines and the Montreal Expos.  They had been lovable losers for a mere decade and a half. Rock Raines took them to the playoffs that year and they were respectable, they had promise. 

And they played well in Montreal throughout the entire 1980s, but not well enough to regain the playoffs.  And I then left the country for two years. And in the middle of that journey when I saw little TV and less American sports, Raines was traded to the AMERICAN LEAGUE and the Expos continued to produce good teams, but not good enough.

Except in 1994, when greed and the Gods combined to end the season in August by strike, the year the Expos were hands down the best in the majors. A decade later and the Montreal fans could not take it, support the team that constantly let their best talent be poached for greater, wealthier markets (see New York, Los Angeles, even Denver).

So they came to Washington DC in 2005 and became the "Nationals". They stunk at first. I came to the region in 2006, left for a couple seasons, returned in 2009, and then Nats, who were stinky, got back-to-back superstars pitching ace Steven Strasburg and home run power hitter Bryce Harper, and they became good.

Good enough for the playoffs, almost every year starting in 2012.

BUT. THEY. STILL. LOST.

Heartbreakingly.

Confoudedly.

Exasperatingly.

Painfully.

The NATS: lose.

Game 5 to the Cardinals.

Or game 7 to the Giants.

Or game whatever to the Dodgers.

Or game 7  to the Cubs.

Favored to go the World Series for the last 6 years, annually, but knocked out before.

The relief pitching provides no relief. Key hitters don't hit.

Better talent does not prevail. They choke. They gasp. They run out of steam.

And here we are in mid-August 2018, with the Nats somewhat healthy and ready to make their season-winning run to the playoffs.

Best pitcher in the world Max Sherzer holds the Cubs to 0 for seven innings, their one run lead is added to in the 9th at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field to 3-0 (all time National Ryan Zimmerman gives a two RBI clutch single to provide ample winning space. 

The closer, long time veteran Ryan Madson enters and they, a collective "they", with second baseman Wilmer Difo blowing a game ending out with an error, load the bases and:

BOOM! A Cubs rookie name Bote goes yard with a first time EVER game-winning grand slam. Two of the guys on base were HBP, as in, hit by the pitcher. Another on by error.

The Cubbie made no mistake, it was deep to center field, far over the famed ivy of Chicago.

And the Nationals find themselves trailing Atlanta and Philadelphia by 5.5 or 6 games, with about 40 games to go.

They still have the talent. They have had the guns and the bats and legs and the talent since 2012.

They had them in 1994. In 1989. In 1981. Probably before, too, I do  not know.

But, you see, these are the hard luck Nats. Heart break kids. Hard knock players and fans.

The baseball gods have not been appeased.

The Red Sox reversed the curse in 2004. And twice since.

The lovable losers Cubs reversed it in 2016.

Cleveland still is close, but I think  my Expos/Nationals are due a turn.

It may have to happen some other time, with some other superstar team. (Harper may go free agent, to a bigger market).

We shall see. 

SEE! YOU! LATER!