Ugh, for me the 2010 Washington Nationals have officially become a lost cause. Sure, they have long since been eliminated from the playoffs, a winning record, a .500 record or taking the series against the cowardly Baltimore Orioles. The only thing I they had delivered me was a Primanti Bros. sandwich for taking the Pirates series. That’s great, maybe I will actually get to Pittsburgh next season to claim my winnings. The bragging rights I really wanted were different though and seemingly unattainable — a season series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

One of the things I most looked forward to with the Nats being here and in the NL East was the season series with the Fleas. The Ombudsman/Cliff/Matthew character is a Phillies fan and the back-and-fourth is a convenient way to avoid ever discussing something meaningful.

During the 2005 season, when the two teams were tied with each other in the season series, I proposed the Half-Smoke/Cheesesteak Challenge — “a mayor’s bet” based on the foodstuffs of the respective cities. He declined to start it until the next full season which was fine after the two finished tied in 2005. The next year, perhaps shockingly, the regressing Nats pulled out a season series win (and just about eliminated the Fleas I think) in a rain-delayed game. Good times, especially 3 months later when I got to eat my cheesesteak at Jim’s Steaks on South Street in Philadelphia.

It has been downhill since then. This season marks the 4th consecutive year that I have had to buy a half-smoke for my friend. He claimed the first one, but he has not returned to the area since then, having moved to Boston a few years back. I have to pay up 3 seasons worth of losing off now.

Later this week The Ombudsman/Cliff/Matthew is making his first trip to D.C. in a long time. It coincides with the Fleas at Nats. I imagine I’ll pay off my bet, times 3, at one of those games.

He should just be glad I did not photoshop another two half-smokes in there.

Anyway, a few quick summaries of this weekend’s games:

Friday: Early lead turns into Phillies rout
Saturday: Early lead turns into Phillies rout
Friday: Early lead turns into Phillies lead, turns into Nats lead, turns into walk-off loss