It’s October, and that means postseason baseball is well underway. Thank God for that, because this town desperately needs something interesting to talk about at happy hour.
For all of you who (shamefully) neglect America’s greatest pastime in lieu of lesser interests, like politics, here’s a basic road map that will help you navigate any Washington-centric postseason conversation you may unwittingly find yourself in.
If you’ve been living under a rock the past couple weeks, the Washington Nationals are still “in the fight” against the Los Angeles Dodgers after winning their wild-card game last week. They’ve played four games in the National League Division Series and the series is tied 2-2. That means whoever wins on Wednesday night will advance to the National League Champion Series.
The Nats being in contention is important because you’ll have to make a decision during your sports-related conversations. Either you’re jumping on the Nats bandwagon (because let’s be honest, how many of us are actually full-time Nats fans?) or you’re a contrarian who wants to rain on Washington’s parade. Whatever you decide, you’ll need a few facts to back up your position so you can put the conversation to bed quickly and dive into more exciting topics, such as how and why politicians choose their campaign soundtracks.
If you choose the Nats, prepare yourself for disappointment. I’ll admit that they’ve done surprisingly well against the Dodgers. In the immediate aftermath of the Brewers’ elimination, I dulled the pain with the narrative that LA would take care of Washington in three games. That hasn’t been the case. The Nats have shown up and are trying to reverse the long tradition of D.C. sports teams choking during the playoffs. (The Caps winning the Stanley Cup last year was an outlier.) Whether they can pull it off is yet to be seen.
However, there are a few bright spots you can lean on when dealing with any Dodgers fan or general Nats pessimist.
- Anthony Rendon (all-star third baseman) is the most underrated player in all of Major League Baseball. He doesn’t get his due because he’s not out there showboating to the media. But just watch him. He’s incredible. He should be a top contender for MVP this year.
- The Nats went on a hot streak in September and have so far given LA a run for their money. It’s hard to deny their irresistible “Cinderella Story” vibe this season.
- Max Scherzer only gave up one run on Monday night and has seemingly regained his swagger on the mound after an underwhelming showing against the Brewers last week.
If you choose the Dodgers, may God have mercy on your soul. They are the Yankees of the West and it is common knowledge that everyone hates the Yankees. However, LA is a formidable opponent and the team has a few things going for it that would make any Nats fan sweat, including:
- Cody Bellinger (all-star first baseman and outfielder) is also an MVP contender this year. He was Rookie of the Year in 2017 and is (I guess) pretty good.
- The Dodgers won the NL West (easily) this year.
- They’re back in the playoffs after going to the World Series last year (where they lost to the Boston Red Sox in five games).
The next showdown between the Nats and Dodgers is Wednesday night at 8:37 p.m. EST. As you head into your happy hours between now and then, be prepared for a conversation about this game. Even in D.C., there are a few good Samaritans out there who will find a way to steer political conversation to baseball. And for that, they deserve our deepest gratitude.
Nicole Tieman is a Wisconsin native, unapologetic fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, and general lover of baseball. In her spare time, she’s a communications professional on Capitol Hill.
