NATS RISE TO GLORY game forty

(rabid celebration of another "moment")

Yesterday, the Yankees came to DC. As any ol' asshole anywhere on earth probably knows, they are the most famous and successful baseball team there is. The Nats are hoping to get to their first ever World Series. Their First Ever. That's a big psychic disparity. However, due to recent run of hot-stepping, both Nats and Yankees came into this game with equal records of 22-17, for first of quick 2-game test series (perhaps preview of things to come?)
Game started well, as bottom of 1st both Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper went deep on solo blasts, putting the homeboys up 2-0. (Harper's 15th of the year, if you were like "holy fuck how many HRs has that dude hit already?"). But then Gio Gonzalez got a little too Gio-ey there in the middle of the boxscore, and ALL OF A SUDDEN the Nats were down 6-2. "Classic Nats defeat, ride out the rest of the game, play again tomorrow" crossed my mind as I paid attention through a robot device. This ragtag bullpen took over though, and a stokey lil offense got 3 back on the bottom of the 5th, and then Wilson Ramos (perhaps I have failed to mention how much I love Wilson Ramos... this seems shameful on my part, and I will attend to this briefly) tied it up with his own solo blast in 6th.

Let us be clear - pitchers are their own instruments, who do what they do. But Wilson Ramos has developed into the competent as fuck yet chill type catcher who is able to successfully navigate these moody instruments, and make solid shit happen regularly. (Don't forget how shitty Strasborg has been, and yet he's 3-4.) Let us never forget when Ramos was a young hot possibility for the future and he was abducted briefly in his home nation-state of Venezuela, but was released and talked of how his abductors laughed at his pain, "but whatever, I am alive so let's see what the fuck happens now, why don't we?" (That is a paraphrase.)

The last trimester of this game was nothing - no runs, so the game hung tied at 6 moving into BONUS INNINGS! Bonus innings suck, because they feel twice as slow, twice as molasses-y, and when the other team does shit, it makes you feel hopeless as a home team. At least when at home you can just end it, and be done, and those are wonderful moments (which sometimes become "moments"). Nats bullpen held the Yankees at bay, and bottom of the 10th. Yunel Escobar got on-base, setting up The Ultimate Harper PERHAPS BLASTING THIS ONE INTO GRAND FINALE, but it was not to be, as he was outed. Up comes Ryan Zimmerman, who is none too shabby a ball player, and as I've mentioned before about as close to being a Matt Williams as a 2015 player could probably be, and well, though he faced a late inning specialist from the Yankees who according to a news tidbit I just read had only allowed 3 hits in 70 batters faced, Zimm jacked a fastball beyond this particular game's ability to continue itself, and came around the bases with a glorious jumping stomp of the home plate, and the Nats were better than the most famous and successful team in baseball history. They beat them tonight, they also went one up on them in standings, and even more importantly - due to the Mets losing - were tied for first in the NL East for the first time this season. Another "moment" with both immediate and larger psychic implications. I would be lying if I said I wasn't starting to become intoxicated by this team of Nationals. I would also be lying if I didn't admit I hate the fucking Yankees and wish not only ill upon their current team but I wish we could somehow burn all heritage of their greatness from our collective memories and wipe them from existence so that they are instead like the Houston Astros or maybe worse. But I am a vengeful and angry-souled man.

Nats are 23-17.

NATS RISE TO GLORY game thirteen

Stephon Cyborg looked good, and The Ultimate Harper got as many walks as at-bats, and though his average is lackluster thus far early in this season that doesn't really count yet, Ryan Zimmerman was clocking some RBIs this weekend against the Phillies, including 2 yesterday, which was all they needed. Top three of the line-up scored all four runs. That's good offensive foundation. I build my offensive baseball philosophy on line-up pyramid, split into thirds. Top of the line-up should score a thousand runs, because they are your fast sneaky fuckers who always get on base then when no one is looking are standing on third like "What? Can I brush the dirt off my knees ump?" Then your middle of the line-up are the brutes and psychic forces like what that Beast Mode dude was a few years ago for the Nats and The Ultimate Harper probably could be better than any other baseball dork specimen currently active. That part of the line-up should just durr-smash in half a thousand runs to complement the top of the line-up. Then your bottom third is your leftovers, but they pick scraps up because the other side's pitching is demoralized and forgets to pay attention in adderall baseball ways. So though they don't score as many runs nor run up the averages and stats as much, the bottom third is essentially the part that destroys the opponent psyche. Shit like pitchers getting stand-up doubles. So perhaps the top-third is coming on, and the pitching will have run support, and these Nats truly will Rise to Glory. Or perhaps the Phillies fucking suck. Shrug emoticon.
Nats are 6-7.

NATS RISE TO GLORY game two

For whatever reason, they played the Mets on Monday for an elaborate opening day ceremony, but then not on Tuesday. I guess MLB be trying to drag out opening days (as if baseball didn't drag out enough... sometimes pretending to care about baseball feels like watching a universal sized slow bunt laid down the line and the 3B and C are backing off hoping it goes foul instead of stays fair and it rolls slowly and the P and ump get there and everybody's just standing there waiting to see what happens - that is the essence of baseball imo).
Anyways they played again last night & it looks like Ryan Zimmerman hit a 2-run homer in the first and then the Mets got a run in the 2nd's top and then it was just SLOW ROLLING PITCH FEST FOR THREE HOURS WITH SCATTERED HITS & SCATTERED SHOWERS & THERE YOU HAVE IT NATS FANS THE FIRST WIN OF zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Nats are 1-1.

Curly W 5-2

so b-lidge tried to fuck up a masterful performance

by el hijo del gigante and a perfect home opener

w/a shittastic top of the 9th (come back Drew Storen)

but Craig Stammen (his last name means "plant dick")

held it down and then my man Zimmy

(that's what we call him lovingly - "Zimmy")

scored the winning run on a wild pitch

despite going 0-for-4 on the day

this team has a something about them that just screams "wild card"

but also has injury prone stars and already injured role players

(what up Drew Storen & Michael Morse, see y'all in summertime)

that also screams "maybe next year" at the exact same time

anyways, at least we are screaming and not just sucking

Curly W 4-2

our prized show goat is on a short leash

but so was the Mets' starter

fucking pitch counts man & inning counts & fuck

too much metric in this alleged American pasttime

America is about buttheaded brilliance not worrying about shit

(fuck America btw)

but YAY NATS the pitching has been rock solid

& the bats got busy today as well

my biggest concern is how much Ryan Zimmerman looks like Will Clark now

I don't like Will Clark, the least the Nats could do

is get a 2012 Kevin Mitchell to go with Zimmy

(I do not know if "Zimmy" is a nickname)