That is spot-on and I couldn't agree more. Would only add that they also got very lucky with Asdrubal Cabrera.
And there's nothing wrong with luck, by the way. That's why they play the games. Part of what makes sports so great is the balance between long-term planning with analytics and just sheer luck. We need the superstars and the dynasties. We need the "analytics revolutions" so we can make cool charts and sound smart. But we also need the miracles and the outcomes that defy all logic (zero wins by the home team?!). We need the 2019 Washington Nationals/Expos.
Warren from third.
Parkman doing his little shimmy.
It drives the women here in Cleveland crazy.
Vargas, the little left-hander, set at the belt.
Here's the pitch.
On May 28, the Nationals had less than a 0.1% chance to win the World Series. In the playoffs, they won five elimination games. In the World Series, they won four road games. We will never see anything like this again.
I would sign some buy-low SPs on 1-2 year deals and give the kids we have in the system another year to develop. We're still building.
That said, I like Alex Wood and Odorizzi if the price is right.
He's actually 31 and just put together his first full healthy season in 5 years. He'd get more than 4/$100m, that's for sure, but he won't get Cole money.
These 2019 Nationals and all their camaraderie and dancing and celebrating every little thing with smiles and hugs, actually reminds me of the 2011 World Series Cardinals and their 'happy-flight' clubhouse mantra.
"There isn't a right-handed hitter in the world who's not going to be in fair territory for a bit coming out of the box."
MLB Network's Mark DeRosa on last night's controversial call, plus a breakdown on the actual diamond they played on (at like 1 AM, probably) by DeRo and Mark Reynolds.: