As I walked into Nationals Park for the first time this season to see the Nats faceoff against the Phillies on Wednesday, it sure felt like I wasn't in DC. Greeted by a sea of red jerseys, not Zimmerman and Dunn's but Howard and Utley's. The Phils would go on to topple the Nats 8-4 and upon leaving the game there was a standing ovation for the visiting team! There is a reason baseball has failed multiple times in the nation's capital, fans just do not care.
Now I understand that the Nationals are relatively new to the area and have yet to make the playoffs in DC (or come anywhere close to doing so), but the ballpark is full of people who honestly could not care less if the Nationals won or lost. After visiting half of the current MLB ballparks, I cannot say that I have ever heard the opposition get 10x the amount of cheers than the home team does. Yes, the Phillies have won two consecutive National League titles, but come on Nationals fans, this is pathetic.
The Nationals roster is no longer the joke of the National League. Featuring Josh Willingham, Adam Dunn, Ryan Zimmerman, and Nyjer Morgan, this team can score runs. Management showed that they are willing to spend some money as Jason Marquis, Matt Capps, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez were signed in the off season. Still, playoff hopes are already slim to none and it seems as if all fans have to look forward to is the coming of the savior Stephen Strasburg. Until then, the Nationals need to find a way to bring some excitement into Nationals Park, or baseball in DC will be a failure once again.
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