I would like to sincerely thank the Washington Nationals baseball franchise.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

As you may know, I went to the Florida Marlins opening day yesterday versus the venerable Washington Nationals. And in my 20 years of following baseball, I've managed to see a lot of cool things in person at a baseball game. I've seen playoff games, walk off hits, walk off hits at playoff games, homeruns, monster homeruns, grandslam homeruns, monster grandslam homeruns. I've never seen a no-hitter, but I have once seen a one-hitter.

But you know what I had not seen until yesterday?

An inside the park homerun. Never seen one in person. Seen a couple on TV, but never saw it unfold before my very own eyes.

But by golly, when Nationals pitcher Jesus Taverez sailed one to Marlins' third baseman Emilio Bonaifacio and he hit it deep to center field and over the head of Nationals' center fielder Lastings Millege, and he raced around third and slid into home, well, consider that one done. I have now seen a true, bonafide inside the parker.

And the best part about it? It wouldn't have happened but for the Washington Nationals. If that team from the city of traffic circles had not been here, I would have still be waiting to see my first inside the park homerun. Chances are I would never see one, and I would die, unfulfilled. So thank you Nationals. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

If only there was a resident Washington Nationals fan on this board who I could offer my thanks. If only someone were to step up and put a Nationals logo on his or her avatar and say, yes, I am a Nationals fan. If there were only someone so brave and so willing, I could offer that person my deepest thanks. So if there is a Nationals fan on this board, speak up! I want to thank you for having your team giving me a gift that I may only see once in a lifetime.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Well played. Well played.

:thumbsup:

[charlie and algernon]

2. Bravo!

[BeachBaby]

3. Let the games begin.

:popcorn:

[TZ]

4. I was wondering when you would show up

:banghead: you do know that Emilio Bonaifacio was a Nat last year right? He was with the team when I went to my one game last year.
I see its "hate on Nats Day 2" ..

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. Yeah, I knew. Enjoy Scott Olsen.

Tell him to take it easy on the drinks when he's in DC.

[geomon666]

6. Hope you enjoyed the game.

Looks like you had plenty of leg room.


*From an actual Marlins/Nationals game*

[Ishoutandscream2]

7. Yikes!

That is sad! Looks like Tropicana Field before last year.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. That actually was around where I was sitting.

And, no, attendance wasn't that bad. 34,000 plus (which is good for the Marlins) It actually was pretty crowded in the sections around me, and the crowds were wicked loud. Of course the outfield upper deck was empty, but they usually don't sell those seats anyways.

I think now that fans know that the Marlins won't be moving to Las Vegas or Portland, and that they'll be getting a stadium with a retractable roof to keep out the rain and the heat, a lot more people here will embrace the team and attendance will rise again.

[geomon666]

11. Not gonna happen.

That whole lie about fans coming because there'll be a roof, please.

Sure attendance will be good for the first year or two but once they see that the team keeps getting sold off because the owner is cheap, you're going to see crowds like that shot up there again.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

13. Attendance was good through 1997.

Then Wayne Huzeinga sold off all the key players after the 1997 World Series and it helped put baseball into a funk that it still hasn't fully recovered from yet.

I dunno. They locked up Hanley Ramirez to a long term deal so hopefully a corner has been turned.

[tigereye]

9. um, even I laugh a little at the Nationals - and I'm a Pirate fan...

:hide:

[TZ]

10. nice post madinmaryland

Going for your record 17th straight losing season in a row..Even the Nats aren't close to that.

[flvegan]

12. First opening day, inside the park HR since Yaz did it in 1968.

Go Nationals!