Days before hopping on a plane down to the Washington Nationals spring training facility in Palm Beach, Florida, F.P. Santangelo, color commentator for the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, sat down with me at a crowded coffee shop in Alexandria to chat about winning a World Series title, the upcoming 2020 season, and what kind of makeup he wears on TV.
The former MLB switch hitter turned broadcasting pro sported a scruffy face and black Nationals beanie as he leaned across the table to lament about the long line at the register, which curved down on a narrow aisle to the shop’s front door. “I’d get a coffee, but I don’t want to stand in that line,” he laughed, as onlookers in Nationals sweatshirts and baseball caps watched curiously.
Santangelo doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, one of the things the California-native has enjoyed most about life in Washington since he started broadcasting for the Nationals in 2011 is being around the fans.
“For the first couple seasons, I went back to California in the off-season. But to be good at my job, I needed to be here, to be with the fans. I moved here full-time in 2013, I bought a house, I committed to being here. I love D.C. and being around the fans. I’ll always stop and take a photo or have a conversation.”
For Santangelo, it’s not about celebrity, it’s about camaraderie. “I like being with the fans because I’m a fan too.”
In a transient town like Washington, a loyal fan base can be hard to cultivate. It’s particularly challenging when it comes to baseball, considering the team is relatively new. The Washington Nationals came to town in 2005 after more than three decades without a team. Since Santangelo came to town, that’s been an opportunity for him, who has a knack for teaching in the broadcast booth.
“I like the feeling of teaching, helping people understand why things happen. The farther away you get from playing baseball, the easier it gets to criticize. I have to remember how hard it really is, what [the players] are going through, and help the audience understand more of why something is going on,” he said.
When it comes to bandwagon fans vs. life-long Washington baseball fanatics? Santangelo has an all-of-the-above attitude.
“The more people on the bandwagon, the better,” he said. “Whether you’ve been a fan for 15 years or since Oct. 30, 2019, everyone is welcome. Especially for a city that’s relatively new to baseball, we want to get people excited. Particularly kids. I want to help get them excited about baseball, teach them things, and make it fun.”
In 2019, the Nats definitely made things fun. From funky colored sunglasses and frequent dance parties in the dugout, the light-hearted antics of the team permeated through the stands of Nationals Park and the TV screens of everyone watching. However, those fan-favorite moments may not have happened last season if it hadn’t been for Gerardo Parra, who got the party started with his now-iconic walk-up song Baby Shark. It’s an anthem that’s still buzzing through Santangelo’s consciousness. Baby Shark doo doo do do doo doo. Santangelo said:
When I ask about the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, hoping Santangelo will spill some tea about what the scandal looks like from inside the Nationals franchise, a coy smile spread across his face. He artfully deflected the question, answering only that “yes, it’s definitely a good feeling for the guys to have won against the Astros.”
Interestingly enough, the Astros are the Nats’ spring training neighbors in Palm Beach, sharing the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches facility. Apparently it’s large enough that the teams never accidentally cross paths, but that doesn’t mean that the good folks in the Astros camp haven’t escaped the mild trolling coming from the Nats Twitter account on Valentine’s Day.
Dear @Astros,
This is technically a valentine.#ValentinesDay2020 #NATITUDE pic.twitter.com/qy42WfPFxc
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) February 14, 2020
We’ll see on Saturday evening if there’s any awkwardness between the two teams when they open spring training games against each other.
Another drop of tea that Santangelo wouldn’t spill was where the Nationals organization plans to hang its 2019 World Series banner in Nationals Park, but only because he couldn’t. “I actually don’t know where they’re going to hang the banner. They’re keeping it close to the vest. The guys don’t even know what their rings look like.”
Players and fans won’t have to wait too much longer. The banner and the rings will be revealed during the home opener against the New York Mets on April 2. It will also be the start of the World Series victory hangover for the team and fans alike. As Santangelo said:
Speaking of what’s coming, hopefully, for Santangelo and broadcast partner Bob Carpenter, it is milder weather. Anyone who has lived through a Washington summer can attest to the oppressive heat and humidity. It is, dare I say, truly swampy. Working through it all season long is Santangelo, outfitted in a full suit and tie.
That is until the temperatures reach close to 100 degrees. “Ninety degrees. If it’s 89, we’re wearing suits.” But if the temperature hits 90 degrees or worse, they switch to polos.
And considering it is television, is there a go-to makeup that can stand up to the heat?
“I use MAC. I go into the store and tell the salesperson that I work in TV. They get it right away and set me up with whatever I need.”
After scribbling down this great makeup recommendation, I ran through my list of questions knowing my time was almost up. Deciding I should round out the conversation with something useful, I asked about how he motivates himself on days when he’s not feeling “on.”
“Coffee. When I’m tired and need to go on air, coffee is how I get energized.”
You, me, and the entire city of Washington, F.P.
“But it’s also knowing that people have long days, stressful days. They turn on the ballgame to relax, so I feel a responsibility to the fans to be positive and fun and to help them unwind and have a good time watching baseball.”
No one can predict how the 2020 Nats season will go, but there’s a lot to look forward to. Despite losing Anthony Rendon (I’m still not through all my stages of grief), the Nats have rising stars in the extremely talented Juan Soto and Trea Turner. They have their aces, Max Scherzer and World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg healthy and hungry for strikes, and they have an energized and growing fan base. And in the broadcast booth, they have F.P. Santangelo, unabashedly rooting for his new home team.
“I’m lucky to be doing what I love in a city that I love.”
Nicole Tieman (@NicoleTieman) is a Wisconsin native, unapologetic fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, and general lover of baseball. In her spare time, she’s a communications professional in Washington, D.C.
Correction: This piece previously said the Nationals home opener is on March 28 against the Mets. It’s actually on April 2 against the Mets.
