What a tumultuous season. Back in May, at 19-31, 12 games back, the Nats were already written off by many. Now? A one day pause between the end of the regular season, and the Wild Card winner take all, one game playoff. Will they win Tuesday night? I haven’t a clue, but I’m sure glad we have the opportunity, and I’ll be there tomorrow night.

The Nats, our Nats, gave us the ride of a life to get to this point. Yes, we’ve won four Division titles in the past. This season was something else. After that opening disaster, they played some of the best baseball in the League, and slowly clawed their way back.

I have to admit, I felt like a kid from the end of August, through the end of the season. I was following the Nats, but also watching the other teams in the hunt. Although Atlanta had a lock on first place in the division come September, what was everyone else doing? In the morning, I’d check online to see what Philly, the Mets, Cards, Cubs and Brewers did the night before. The tension of a mini losing streak in September only added to the angst. Finally, taking five from Philly and then sweeping Cleveland put us over the top.

There were lots of injuries along the way, and it feels we are now mostly past that. The bullpen is still a semi-disaster and my stomach grumbles every time I watch a game and it gets to the seventh inning. This is different. It’s the playoffs and we’ve got three solid starting pitchers, a team that’s hitting well, and home field for the one and done wild card game. I like our chances for Tuesday.

Will we win? I haven’t a clue. I do know I’ll be there, in the same seats we always have, section 219, Row D, seats 1-4. If we make it past Tuesday, the Dodgers better be ready to play. If we lose? I’ve never thought much of “moral victories”, but I’ll always remember the feelings I had in late August and September of this year.