Dark Qiviut

When you think about how woeful the Nats were this season, it's shocking that they not only came back to make it to .500, but make the playoffs, much less the World Series. Davey Martinez (a fantastic bench coach under Joe Maddon) was close to losing his job. The clubhouse sounded awful.

Let's take a look at the history they made with this run.

1. Only the seventh team to win a best-of-7 when not trailing (last the 2015 Mets over Cubs)
2. Now one of four teams in Fall Classic after being 12 or more games under .500 (19-31 for them, only the Marlins were worse in the NL). The other three:
   1. 2005 Astros (16-31)
   2. 1973 Mets (53-66)
   3. 1914 Boston Braves (12-28)
3. Bullpen once had a 7.02 ERA. Since then, they posted a 5.07 ERA, still awful, but a major improvement.
4. Gerardo Parra joined the club, transformed the culture, and they now have a world of fun. (Doo-do-doo-do-doo Baby Shark. )
5. After the Nats seemingly lost the NL East, the team was the underdog after being the favorites for the last several seasons. This team plays loose and like they have nothing to lose.
6. They're only the second team to make the World Series after never leading the division at any point, the 2003 Marlins the other.
7. Since the second Wild Card was added, they only the third WC team to win the pennant (the Giants and Royals faced each other five years ago).
8. With their backs against the door, they come up with clutch play after clutch play.
   1. Nats down 3-0 after Scherzer struggles through 5 innings? Strasburg throws 3 shutout innings.
   2. With four outs left in their season, the Nats rally, and Juan Soto rips a three-run single that drove their fans crazy.
   3. Nats survive the top of the 9th, advancing for the first time since moving to Washington.
   4. Massive underdogs against the Dodgers, losing Games 1 and 3, and then down to their last six outs with Kershaw on the mound? No biggie. Just a homer here, a homer there to tie it, and then some journeyman named Howie Kendrick with the biggest hit in franchise history!
   5. Oh, yeah, and the Nats win a series!
   6. Against the Cards and seemingly exhausted? Pressure? Nah! Just throw almost fifteen no-hit innings in St. Louis and then come within one win from their first Fall Classic.
   7. Bases loaded, two out, and Matt Carpenter (who has a career BA of around .450 with the bags packed). Power against power, Carpenter grounded out to Dozier, and then an uneventful ninth!

I'm really happy for this squad!