The first two game times for the Washington Nationals first ever trip to the National League Division Series have been announced:
3:07 p.m. on Sunday (during the second half of the Redskins game)
4:37 p.m. on Monday (I’m glad I took off Columbus Day for the first time ever)
MLB’s desire to show the #Yankees in primetime will force the #Nats to battle the “Sun Monster” in the NLDS: bit.ly/Vr3wCQ
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) October 5, 2012
I’d rather have the games on in the afternoon than at 8:30 p.m. or later. I may have to reserve a conference room for Wednesday for the big screen if game 3 starts early enough, otherwise it is Charlie & Dave for the first few innings on the commute home.
Of course, because of the stupid second Wild Card and play-in game (the Texas-Baltimore and St. Louis-Atlanta games are being played in Dayton, right?) we don’t know who the Nats opponent will be or where the series will start. That being said, this is a good problem to have, isn’t it?
The umpires have also been announced. From that Zuckerman post:
Meanwhile, a familiar (and not-so-popular) face will be umpiring the Nationals’ Division Series: Marvin Hudson. Hudson, who blew a call at first base during a Sept. 15 loss to the Braves that led to manager Davey Johnson’s lone ejection of the season, was named by MLB as one of the six umpires on the crew for this series.
The full list of umpires: Joe West (crew chief), Paul Emmel, Ed Hickox, Hudson, Jim Joyce and Alfonso Marquez.
Hudson is from Marietta, Ga. by the way. That’s just “outside the perimeter” (aka Interstate 285 which encircles Atlanta). So, go Cardinals tonight?
TODAY’S MUST READ; BUY THE DEAD-TREE VERSION OF THE POST
At 99, Nationals fan recalls city’s only World Series title — in 1924
J. Freedom Du Lac has a great profile of Bertram R. Abramson, a 99 year old lifelong D.C. baseball fan. He was at Game 1 of the 1924 World Series between the Washington Senators and New York Giants.
The rest of the Post coverage looks really good and I’m going to buy the dead-tree edition.
MEANWHILE, OVER ON NEW YORK AVE. NE, THEY ARE DOING IT WRONG
The Wash. Times has an A1 story on Orioles fans from around here. Really, last weekday before the first D.C. playoff game and they go with that?! One of the reasons I have blogged about the Nats for so long is the high concentration of Orioles fanboys in the D.C. sports media. These guys gave Peter Angelos a free pass on some really bad faith to D.C., the Nats and their fans.
Additionally, the special section The Wash. Times put up is a PDF. A PDF! it is like we’re back in 2001 or something. Even then it was a bad idea that made Web professionals in news organizations cringe.
ALL TEDDY ALL THE TIME
By the time this post is finished, Teddy will be chatting on The Post site.
JIM RIGGLEMAN HAS NO REGRETS
Jim Riggleman spends no time wondering what might have been
He does not feel as if he missed the chance to guide the Nationals in their breakout season, expressing doubt he would have been brought back even if he had not walked away because he had no guaranteed years remaining on his contract.
“I don’t know that I would have been a part of this team if I . . . whatever,” Riggleman said in a telephone conversation Thursday afternoon.
I think he’s right he wouldn’t have been back or had a long-leash. He also wouldn’t have gotten 98 wins out of this team. He isn’t bitter about it, though he’s not big on riding the bus.
MORE ZUCKERMAN
Washington becomes a baseball town – CSN Washington
I HAVE GOT TO GET TO STONEY’S
They have a magic number for the World Series title up…
Is it Sunday yet?