FanPost

YOU GUYS AREN'T DOING IT RIGHT: Padres vs. Nationals in Washington D.C.

So this past weekend, I was off to Washington D.C. for some late-season baseball.  At this point in the season, sports fans tend to divert their attention to the arrival of college and NFL football, especially if their teams aren't doing so well.  That being said, this particular weekend emerged as a surprisingly meaningful weekend for both the Padres and the Nationals.  Both locked up at abysmal 58-95, this was not a battle to see who wasn't the worst team in the league, but more importantly, a battle to see who could suck more, and make themselves closer to chance to lock up one Stephen Strasburg in next season's draft.

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Yeah, we already know the outcome of the weekend, and how much the Padres failed to do what they were supposed to do.  But damn it, I took all these photos with a purpose, and whether you like it or not, they're being posted!

It sucks too, because I had thought of all these clever things to say that would bash the Padres but would garner a positive, supportive response here, because that's what the Padres were supposed to be doing - sucking.  But much to my dismay, the Nationals did the exact opposite of what they should've done when I was up just a few weeks prior when they took on the Braves, and got swept, instead of doing the sweeping.  This season has SO many reasons why I want to lose my faith and start following and getting into Cricket or something.  No matter.  On with the pictures.  Kinda graphic-heavy, but anyone without high-speed connection today needs to get with the program, and stop doing productive stuff like exercising or working.

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Scott Patterson and Heath Bell cajoling with fans who were obviously accosting them for free baseballs.  When will children learn that in order to get free baseballs easier, you have to at least wear a cheap bootleg hat of the away team to pretend like you're an actual traveled road fan?

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More Bell chatting it up with fans.  I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it looks like Bell is propositioning up a trade of flyballs for a sample of DC's Ben's Chili Bowl.

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My dad saw this guy, and he immediately called him the "Fat Gonzalez."

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The oh-so-politically correct Tony Gwynn costume worn by a fat white kid with the throwback jersey, afro-wig with crooked throwback cap, and what can't be seen in the picture is also a brown and yellow afro pick.

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Kouz and Kaz playing catch prior to the game.

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In the 6th inning, the Padres loaded up the bases in a tie-game, with nobody out.  Just for you guys, I clasped my hands together and said a prayer that the Padres would fail miserably, and leave the bases loaded.  Because failing to bring in one run in a bases-loaded, zero-out situation is more than enough to shift the karmic powers of holier-than-thou television announcers to preach and lecture the importance of LOBs and how momentum will shift like ocean waves.  And it also about guarantees that that team will lose.

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Kazmar and Macias strike out miserably, and I feel for a moment that lord Pujols will answer my prayers, but then Will Venable has to eff it all up, and single in a run.  Despite the fact that Antonelli strikes out to end the inning and leave the bases loaded as shown above making the pathetic walk to the dugout, the failure had already been committed - Padres lead.

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The Nationals do some failing themselves and tie up the game, before the Padres feel like gambling, and take yet another lead in the 8th inning.  Heath Bell does us all a favor, and blows the save situation, as shown above.

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However, due to the temporary lead, Bud felt it necessary to believe that the Nationals needed another walk-off homer off of another marquee closer, so he got Trevor up and warming up.  Note the time-stamp of when his first warm-up session began, because it would be almost two hours before he actually got to step onto the field.

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Adrian Gonzalez taking a mighty cut.  Just to show how good he is at everything he's supposed to be doing, he grounds into a 4-6-3 with authority, quickly negating Giles' walk just a minute prior.

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The significance of this shot?  The time - it's midnight on the dot EST.  If anyone was going to end a game in one swing, it's Ryan Zimmerman whose becoming known in DC for his clutch-hitting.  Unfortunately Zim decided (or was told) to stink it up, as his line for the night was pretty much popout, popout, flyout, popout, flyout, popout, popout.

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I took this shot to show that out West, the Mariners and A's were practically done with their own game, while the game on the East I was watching was still dragging along, with no real end in sight.

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Right after I took the previous shot, I wasn't satisfied, so I wanted to retake it, but right before I could re-adjust, the screen went blank.  Moments later, the screen popped back up, but with "today's" scheduled games appearing on it.  But it's okay, that's what cell phones are for.

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I think Ax said it best with the "water into wine when everyone just wanted water" saying.  No matter who's playing, I need to remember that everytime I go to the bathroom, a score will occur.  Savior triples, to bring Kouz home, Nationals fans begin to leave, and moans are heard all around GLB.

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Hundley continues the bleeding with an ensuing RBI single.

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I don't think I can come up with a caption as well as many of you would in regards to what Kouz is saying to Savior here.

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Levale Speigner taking the walk of success to the Nationals dugout, where he is greeted with a standing ovation of about four fans, at doing a job well done for taking the lead in the Strasburg Sweepstakes.

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This is pretty much exactly how many people were left in the bottom of the 14th, hoping to see the Nationals rally from five-down.  Even against an aged Trevor Hoffman who had warmed up about three times, that's still a lofty goal.  No game 163 from last year nightmare to happen this time, as Trevor royally effs up, and pitches a perfect 14th to end the game.

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But all things said, it is always a treat for to see Trevor Hoffman pitch.  One of the best closers in the game, nobody knows how much longer he'll be around for sure.

 

I didn't bother going to Saturday's game, because I had some old friends to catch up with, and I didn't quite feel like getting sucked into another extra-inning affair or anything.  I did go on Sunday, but I figured, most people are tired of seeing pictures of a piss-poor reminder, and I only took like three or four anyways then.

I guess all that's left to say is that look at the bright side - The Padres failed at failing, but so did the Nationals - the Mariners are still in front of both.  It's kind of like Talladega Nights - it's all about Ricky Bobby vs. Sacha Baron Cohen the whole movie, and in the big final race, the guy who technically wins is the guy who crashed his car last.

If you ain't first, you're last!

This FanPost was written by a member of the Gaslamp Ball community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Gaslamp Ball staff or SB Nation.