For The 3rd Time In 6 Years, Sports Illustrated Has Picked The Nats To Win The World Series #NatsYear

Washington Post - Sports Illustrated predicts the Nationals will get over their proverbial hump in the National League Division Series and then ride that momentum, or perhaps actual camels, to the team’s first World Series title over the New York Yankees in 2018.

If this all sounds familiar, it might be because it’s the fourth time since 2013 that Sports Illustrated has picked the Nationals to win the National League pennant, and the third time the magazine has predicted the Nationals to win the title. Washington, of course, is still looking for its first playoff series win in team history.

After winning 97 games in 2017 and losing in the fifth game of the NLDS for a second consecutive season, the Nationals are the favorites to win their third consecutive NL East division title.

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God dammit, Sports Illustrated. You didn’t have to do this. After not ever winning a playoff round in their existence, after being predicted to go the World Series every year and not getting close (thanks Matt Williams!), SI couldn’t just let it chill for a season? Predict someone else! Don’t put this evil on me year after year after year. I mean yeah, the Nats have been absolutely loaded every single season, and are again this year, but I’m ok with it staying a little more low key for Pete’s Sake.

But for real…the Nats are gonna be awesome again.

“This year’s Washington team has a good chance to be even better,” SI’s Dan Gartland writes. “Adam Eaton, last winter’s big acquisition, is back after tearing his ACL in April and should be an upgrade over Jayson Werth in left field. Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson and Brandon Kintzler, acquired midway through last season to prop up the perpetually beleaguered Nats bullpen, will have a chance to make a greater impact in a full season. Washington also solidified the back of the rotation by adding Jeremy Hellickson.”

Add in a fully healthy Bryce in a contract year, a more seasoned Trea Turner, the return of the Scherzer/Strasburg combo, and maybe most importantly, no Dusty Baker to make incredibly bad baseball decisions.

I’m actually pretty excited for this baseball season. I think it just goes in circles. I loved baseball as a kid, then didn’t really care about it til the end of college, and now I’m hyped about it. Never been more out on football and high on baseball in forever. Go sports! #NatsYear