#saditude

as is becoming our unintended tradition, AWD and i headed to the ballpark friday night to see the home team crash and burn and lose their chance at the next round of major league baseball playoffs (see also: the red sox's spectacular flameout last year).

it was so exciting to have the nats in the playoffs (first time in 81 years or some such) and we were really lucky to score some tickets for game 5. the stadium was packed with every seat and standing room filled, and the nats got off to an incredible start with three runs (including a homer!) in the first inning. we had already lots our voices before the second inning started.

i usually lose focus during baseball games, but this one was completely riveting because every single play mattered so much. and because everyone else was so into it. by the time we were up 6-0, people were feeling pretty good. sort of like this.

and then, just like that, the crappity crap crap closing pitcher walked two batters, loaded the bases and before you knew it we had lost the whole thing, 9-7. it was so sad. and a little pathetic. but mostly sad. everyone just sort of shuffled out of the stadium in silence, and it was a pretty quiet metro ride home.

the good news is, the nats winning or losing doesn't really have any impact on the long-term quality of my life. (though i can't say the same for the guy on the metro who kept saying there was no reason to go on living.) and, even though the outcome was less than ideal, it was an incredibly exciting, fun game.

not to mention that, seeing as we are a household made up of a red sox fan and a mariners fan, we are pretty used to this sort of thing.

root (root root) for the home team

it's been a big baseball season for our household.

first, i finally saw nationals wunderkind pitcher stephen strasburg in action. and, as baseball luck would have it, the game was against the atlanta braves and my first baseball love, chipper jones. chipper jones who is retiring this season. so it didn't actually bother me that the nats blew a 9-0 lead to lose 10-11 in extra innings. because a win for chipper is a win for all of us.

then AWD's beloved mariners had a red letter night, with a perfect game pitched by felix hernandez, aka: the king. that's 27 outs. up and down. even i could tell it was a beautiful thing.

and this weekend we made our annual pilgrimage to see the southern maryland blue crabs. skill-wise it might not be the best baseball you've ever seen, but ambiance-wise it cannot be beat. and the blue crabs were in rare form, soundly defeating the sugarland skeeters 5-2.

not to mention that the post-game fireworks show is the best you'll see.

america's pastime indeed.