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[Opiate]

Thanks, but I suspect we're going to need more than luck. Chokes of this magnitude take a baseball lifetime to recover from. I suspect we won't see anyone on this roster win a World Series in a Nats uniform.

Maybe we'll have a chance by the 2024 centennial, but this team is branded as chokers now. They're done for a while.

There's the old "we just lost" depression setting in. I'm familiar with that!

If it helps, the Cardinals were the overwhelming WS favorites in 2004, with the best run differential and strongest lineup they've had in my lifetime (Their 3-4-5 was Rolen/Pujols/Edmonds, all three of whom had OPS above 1.0 that year, with superb defense all around). We made it to the World Series in thrilling fashion... and then were swept perfunctorily by the Boston Red Sox.

It was heartbreaking, I'm sure. The moral of the story: 2 years later we came back and won the whole thing. With the young talent the Nationals have, I quite suspect they'll bounce back more readily than you think. It would be an old team full of aging veterans a la Philadelphia that I'd be worried about. Their window is slowly closing; the Nationals window is just opening up.

 

[xbhaskarx]

I'm posting this again because fuck Gnats fans


Actual conversation between the two yuppie Giants lifelongs who were sitting near me at a bay area restaurant that was showing the game tonight:

Man: So who are we rooting for?
Woman: Baltimore.
Man: No, this is Seattle versus Washington.

 

[Windu]

I'm posting this again because fuck Gnats fans


Actual conversation between the two yuppie Giants lifelongs who were sitting near me at a bay area restaurant that was showing the game tonight:

Man: So who are we rooting for?
Woman: Baltimore.
Man: No, this is Seattle versus Washington.

that Seattle team should trade Felix once they are eliminated from the playoffs.

 

[Branduil]

There's the old "we just lost" depression setting in. I'm familiar with that!

If it helps, the Cardinals were the overwhelming WS favorites in 2004, with the best run differential and strongest lineup they've had in my lifetime (Their 3-4-5 was Rolen/Pujols/Edmonds, all three of whom had OPS above 1.0 that year, with superb defense all around). We made it to the World Series in thrilling fashion... and then were swept perfunctorily by the Boston Red Sox.

It was heartbreaking, I'm sure. The moral of the story: 2 years later we came back and won the whole thing. With the young talent the Nationals have, I quite suspect they'll bounce back more readily than you think. It would be an old team full of aging veterans a la Philadelphia that I'd be worried about. Their window is slowly closing; the Nationals window is just opening up.

TBH I don't think a fan of the Cardinals can be familiar with the kind of pain the Nationals feel right now, or the Rangers felt last year. There's a difference between losing when your team already has a million championships and losing when your team has nothing to show for its history, or lack thereof.

The vast majority of teams will never win multiple world series soon after losing one like the Cardinals. Nor will the vast majority of teams escape defeat after being down to their last strike four times.

 

[Little Green Yoda]

TBH I don't think a fan of the Cardinals can be familiar with the kind of pain the Nationals feel right now, or the Rangers felt last year. There's a difference between losing when your team already has a million championships and losing when your team has nothing to show for its history, or lack thereof.

The vast majority of teams will never win multiple world series soon after losing one like the Cardinals. Nor will the vast majority of teams escape defeat after being down to their last strike four times.

Outside of pissing contests with other fanbases, all those championships before I was born means fuck all. I mean, it's great there's rich history there but it doesn't really mean anything to me if I never experienced those championship runs or followed those teams play.

I do concede that we are a spoiled bunch recently. 7 LCS appearances in 13 years?

 

[Branduil]

Outside of pissing contests with other fanbases, all those championships before I was born means fuck all. I mean, it's great there's rich history there but it doesn't really mean anything to me if I never experienced those championship runs or followed those teams play.

I do concede that we are a spoiled bunch recently. 7 LCS appearances in 13 years?

It does make a difference though. Even teams like the Cubs and the Red Sox pre-2004, had still won before, and had that narrative of a fall from glory and a long-suffering loyal fanbase. What do teams like the Rangers and Nationals have to hold onto in tough times? Absolutely nothing.

 

[Mr. Enigma]

Even though I wanted the Cardinals to lose, at the least this could send the Nationals into a huge curse so the Braves wouldn't have to worry about them.

By the way, several people are reporting the Braves #1 CF interest is Angel Pagan if Michael Bourn becomes a bidding war between the Phillies and Nats.

 

[Little Green Yoda]

It does make a difference though. Even teams like the Cubs and the Red Sox pre-2004, had still won before, and had that narrative of a fall from glory and a long-suffering loyal fanbase. What do teams like the Rangers and Nationals have to hold onto in tough times? Absolutely nothing.

I don't think decades of failure make things any easier but I guess I should let some Cubs and Red Sox fans chime in. Rangers and Nats have pretty bright futures in front of them so I'd imagine their fans can look at that during hard times. Both are set up pretty well with young talent either on the major league roster and/or the high minors. Barring injuries, both should contend for playoff spots in the coming years and all you need to do is get in and go on a hot streak.

 

[Windu]

Even though I wanted the Cardinals to lose, at the least this could send the Nationals into a huge curse so the Braves wouldn't have to worry about them.

By the way, several people are reporting the Braves #1 CF interest is Angel Pagan if Michael Bourn becomes a bidding war between the Phillies and Nats.

I would love to have pagan if the price is right. wouldn't want to give him anything above 3 yrs though.

 

[Mr. Enigma]

I would love to have pagan if the price is right. wouldn't want to give him anything above 3 yrs though.

I've also read the Braves may call up the Twins about Josh Willingham to play LF since Prado is likely moving to 3B. What do you think? They've wanted Willingham back to when he played for the Marlins.

 

[Windu]

I've also read the Braves may call up the Twins about Josh Willingham to play LF since Prado is likely moving to 3B. What do you think? They've wanted Willingham back to when he played for the Marlins.

yeah he would be a good pickup. good hitter with power, not very good defensively though.

 

[Dominican Power]

I don't see why The Nats can't win the division next year too. They didn't have a full healthy lineup for most of the year, and y'all get an unrestrained Strasburg and a precocious Harper with experience under his belt. Sure up that bullpen and you're good to go.

 

[Blearth]

I first started following the Giants during the 2002 NLCS.

Ten years later, we got a rematch. Let's hope the results are the same as 02.

 

[lazybones18]

I first started following the Giants during the 2002 NLCS.

Ten years later, we got a rematch. Let's hope the results are the same as 02.

Better pray to the Baseball Gods tonight and Saturday night

 

[Brashnir]

There's the old "we just lost" depression setting in. I'm familiar with that!

If it helps, the Cardinals were the overwhelming WS favorites in 2004, with the best run differential and strongest lineup they've had in my lifetime (Their 3-4-5 was Rolen/Pujols/Edmonds, all three of whom had OPS above 1.0 that year, with superb defense all around). We made it to the World Series in thrilling fashion... and then were swept perfunctorily by the Boston Red Sox.

It was heartbreaking, I'm sure. The moral of the story: 2 years later we came back and won the whole thing. With the young talent the Nationals have, I quite suspect they'll bounce back more readily than you think. It would be an old team full of aging veterans a la Philadelphia that I'd be worried about. Their window is slowly closing; the Nationals window is just opening up.

Getting swept isn't the same thing as this kind of choke job. This is Bucky Dent/Bill Buckner level choke. (Even if the Buckner game was as much or more Bob Stanley's fault, but whatever). It took the Red Sox a coulple decades before they got back and finally won it with a whole new cast of characters.

I've seen it in baseball, and I've seen it in other sports. Once you get branded as a choking team, it seeps in and causes the same thing to happen over and over again. (Washington fans have experienced this with the Caps since the early 80s)

 

[Dominican Power]

 

[Blearth]

Better pray to the Baseball Gods tonight and Saturday night

The Cardinals will be down to their final strike of the season. And the very next pitch will result in an out.

None of this comeback shit.

 

[Mr. Enigma]

HAHA. Just read that the Braves originally offered Kris Medlen to the Pirates in the Nate McLouth trade in 2009, but the Pirates said no and asked for Charlie Morton. Oops.

 

[not psycho]

Washington doesn't know pain with the Nationals. They just got the team.

Ultimate pain is a city which has a team for decade after decade after decade, never winning a single championship. A city which has never written its name in the record books at all.

The longest such streak of all time is San Francisco, which went 52 years before getting its first championship.

The remaining teams with massive losing streaks are the Rangers, Astros, Brewers, Padres, and Mariners. Washington isn't in their league for pain, especially the Rangers lately (obviously).

 

[DiscoJer]

Getting swept isn't the same thing as this kind of choke job. This is Bucky Dent/Bill Buckner level choke. (Even if the Buckner game was as much or more Bob Stanley's fault, but whatever). It took the Red Sox a coulple decades before they got back and finally won it with a whole new cast of characters.

I've seen it in baseball, and I've seen it in other sports. Once you get branded as a choking team, it seeps in and causes the same thing to happen over and over again. (Washington fans have experienced this with the Caps since the early 80s)

I dunno about that. In the 2005 NLCS, the Cardinals had that big comeback game against the Astros, where Pujols hit a home run off of Brad Lidge, only to completely fold in the next two games. You had all that momentum and then whoosh, it was gone. 2004 was over before anyone noticed, 2005 hurt.

It's really how the team responds to this in the offseason. It's when a team loses its big stars or are really aging that a decline happens. I think the Nationals are in pretty good shape.

And while there's been a lot of second guessing about Strasburg, all you have to do is look at Wainwright. He was exactly in the same boat, coming back from arm surgery this year. After something of a rocky start, he had two really good months, then sort of wore out at the end of the year, not having much at all in this game.

Washington doesn't know pain with the Nationals. They just got the team.

Ultimate pain is a city which has a team for decade after decade after decade, never winning a single championship. A city which has never written its name in the record books at all.

The longest such streak of all time is San Francisco, which went 52 years before getting its first championship.

The remaining teams with massive losing streaks are the Rangers, Astros, Brewers, Padres, and Mariners. Washington isn't in their league for pain, especially the Rangers lately (obviously).

Although I'm not a hockey fan, in St. Louis we have the Blues who have been around since 1967 and have not won a cup. This despite a streak of making the playoffs for 25 years in a row.

 

[rekameohs]

Outside of pissing contests with other fanbases, all those championships before I was born means fuck all. I mean, it's great there's rich history there but it doesn't really mean anything to me if I never experienced those championship runs or followed those teams play.

It still matters though. How many fucking times do we have to hear about the 20+ world series that the Yankees won before many current fans were even alive?

 

[shira]

Hope that closer is ok. Most dudes seem to wash out and can't handle the mental side of losing like that

It still matters though. How many fucking times do we have to hear about the 20+ world series that the Yankees won before many current fans were even alive?

So apparent in hockey where the Canadiens basically stole all the best francophone players and I assume bribed the refs. Now they can't spend like a NY or LA or use cultural influences to "win"

 

[Mr. Enigma]

From the Elias Sports Bureau:

The 2012 Nationals are the second team in MLB postseason history to lose a winner-take-all game while going into the 9th inning with a lead of at least two runs. The other team?

The 1992 Pittsburgh Pirates.

 

[Brinbe]

Riding with the Giants now. Plz beat the Cards...

 

[Surge]

I guess I'm going to have to cheer for the Tigers now to win it all.

 

[Link]

There's the old "we just lost" depression setting in. I'm familiar with that!

If it helps, the Cardinals were the overwhelming WS favorites in 2004, with the best run differential and strongest lineup they've had in my lifetime (Their 3-4-5 was Rolen/Pujols/Edmonds, all three of whom had OPS above 1.0 that year, with superb defense all around). We made it to the World Series in thrilling fashion... and then were swept perfunctorily by the Boston Red Sox.

It was heartbreaking, I'm sure. The moral of the story: 2 years later we came back and won the whole thing. With the young talent the Nationals have, I quite suspect they'll bounce back more readily than you think. It would be an old team full of aging veterans a la Philadelphia that I'd be worried about. Their window is slowly closing; the Nationals window is just opening up.

Allow me to offer an alternate tale: The Mets finished the 2006 season with the best record in the league with 97 wins and after sweeping the Dodgers in the NLDS, were the overwhelming favorites going into the NLCS against the 83-win Cardinals.

The Mets ended up losing in 7 games, got knocked out of the postseason the in the final game of both of the next two seasons after awful September collapses, and have had second-half collapses every season since.

They are still currently mired in mediocrity and show no signs of making it back to the playoffs anytime soon.

 

[jakncoke]

From the Elias Sports Bureau:

The 2012 Nationals are the second team in MLB postseason history to lose a winner-take-all game while going into the 9th inning with a lead of at least two runs. The other team?

The 1992 Pittsburgh Pirates.

fml. this is the first time i entered this thread and i run into this. fuck

 

[sangreal]

Going to the game tonight to make sure they don't fuck this up

Round 2!

 

[yankeehater]

Even though I wanted the Cardinals to lose, at the least this could send the Nationals into a huge curse so the Braves wouldn't have to worry about them.

By the way, several people are reporting the Braves #1 CF interest is Angel Pagan if Michael Bourn becomes a bidding war between the Phillies and Nats.

No way do the Phils go for Bourn. I heard Ruben say multiple times during the season that he thought the market for Bourn was going to be to high. Ben Davis said the other day that he has heard from people in the Phillies organization that they are going to try to trade for Colby Rasmus. I have no idea what they would have to give up to get him but I would love to have him on the Phillies.

 

[darkside31337]

No way do the Phils go for Bourn. I heard Ruben say multiple times during the season that he thought the market for Bourn was going to be to high. Ben Davis said the other day that he has heard from people in the Phillies organization that they are going to try to trade for Colby Rasmus. I have no idea what they would have to give up to get him but I would love to have him on the Phillies.

You do realize hes been one of the worst players in baseball over the last 2 seasons right?

 

[yankeehater]

You do realize hes been one of the worst players in baseball over the last 2 seasons right?

In what sense? I always hear what a good defensive player he is, and the Phils will need a good CF if Ruff is going to play LF. He also had 23 HRs this year, and the Phils desperately need to add some power to their lineup.

 

[Future Foundation]

No way do the Phils go for Bourn. I heard Ruben say multiple times during the season that he thought the market for Bourn was going to be to high. Ben Davis said the other day that he has heard from people in the Phillies organization that they are going to try to trade for Colby Rasmus. I have no idea what they would have to give up to get him but I would love to have him on the Phillies.

You're paying 150 million for Josh Hamilton and you're gonna like it.

 

[McNei1y]

fuck that

 

[darkside31337]

In what sense? I always hear what a good defensive player he is, and the Phils will need a good CF if Ruff is going to play LF. He also had 23 HRs this year, and the Phils desperately need to add some power to their lineup.

He's had a sub .300 OBP in both of the last 2 seasons. His defense is fine but the dude cannot get on base. At all. His career OBP is .314

 

[yankeehater]

He's had a sub .300 OBP in both of the last 2 seasons. His defense is fine but the dude cannot get on base. At all. His career OBP is .314

So you are saying he will fit right in.

 

[Cousteau]

Guess Im pullin for Detroit now.FUCK

 

[beast786]

beat them in last two playoffs. lets keep it rolling.

 

[Enron]

Fuck you Nationals. All you had to do was NOT give up 2 billion runs in the 9th and you FAILED. Now I am forced to root for the goddamned GIANTS to stop the shithead Cardinals from reaching the WS.

Ugh.

In what sense? I always hear what a good defensive player he is, and the Phils will need a good CF if Ruff is going to play LF. He also had 23 HRs this year, and the Phils desperately need to add some power to their lineup.

In the sense that he can't hit worth a fuck.

 

[RobotHaus]

So watching the replays, the stadium went from some blur of red and white celebration in the early innings to a sea of statues by the end, it's strange how baseball can do that.

 

[beanman25]

Cardinals Yankees WS. book it

12in12

 

[lazybones18]

Tigers trying to pull a reverse 2006 road to the World Series. Let's see if they can pull it off

 

[Joe]

#problem?

 

[goldlion054]

Tigers trying to pull a reverse 2006 road to the World Series. Let's see if they can pull it off

No Mags to hit a walk off in the ALCS this time around though! Kind of crazy to think that the Tigers have only been to the playoffs 3 times in my lifetime and 2 of the 3 they've played the A's and Yankees ( and the Yanks all 3).

Idk if I'm ready for this. My heart and hairline can only age so much in one season

 

[DUFFMCWALIN]

Yes come to us all of you poor innocent souls of lost teams.

 

[Dmncnby2k9]

So Tigers most popular team in playoffs now?

 

[BaltimoreLarry]

So Tigers most popular team in playoffs now?

Yes. I was just going to post that all the charismatic teams are out.

 

[lazybones18]

Justin Verlander might not be part of the Perfect Club, but he may have gotten the next best thing

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...resurrected-thanks-justin-191817954--mlb.html

 

[Talon]

I suppose it's fitting that the last out was a shallow popout.

 

[captmcblack]

Yes, fools...join Tigers-Age.
Your disappointment will only increase the Council's power.

First, we will ply the drunk Cabrera with liquor and easily abusable women.
Then, we will distract Fielder with hamburgers.
We will keep Jackson off the basepaths, and walk Cabrera to minimize his efficacy.

When our bats wake up, we will watch Detroit burn.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Fuck you Nationals. All you had to do was NOT give up 2 billion runs in the 9th and you FAILED. Now I am forced to root for the goddamned GIANTS to stop the shithead Cardinals from reaching the WS.