Since retiring from all professional music activities due to tinnitus, I have had a lot of time to watch baseball. I have always loved the game of baseball, but professional obligations kept me from enjoying it like I do now. I remember one April Saturday when my wife was working and the kids were with their other birth parent I had the television and the house to myself. I turned on a triple header broadcast on ESPN and for the first time in years sat down and took in all three games as the rain fell outside. It was glorious.

The Washington Nationals have been my team of choice since about 2014 or so. I switched allegiances to the Nationals because the ownership of my previous team has demonstrated unscrupulous political idealism that I dissent with. The Nationals ownership group was quite a bit better. They also had Max Scherzer, Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, and Ryan Zimmerman. We won a World Series in 2019 much to my delight and surprise. Once the pandemic hit the team lost their luster. They traded away all of their stars and the rebuild began, and continued…. continues… keeps going…

The 2026 season started with a new manager, staff, and executive managers. The only member retained from the old coaching staff was Sean Doolittle (a member of the 19 WS Champions.) They promised a season of accountability. The season did not start out too well as the schedule was brutal. The bullpen gave up lead after lead. Losses were brutal to be honest, but then some things clicked into place about the 3rd week of April. The pitching staff started to pull it together for the most part. The players on the field adjusted to their roles, and bought into Blake Butera’s philosophy and a more competitive team started to emerge.

This is a team that didn’t hustle to first base last year. The skill level of the players was always hidden by lacksidaisical effort. This all changed. This group of players from around the globe began to gel and work together. I saw this in person at Rate Field in Chicago, IL as they took the series with the White Sox two games to one. Both victories in 10 innings. I was relieved to see the Nationals pluck the victory from the margins of defeat. As of today this team is a couple games shy of .500. A mark that has eluded the team for several years.

The stars of this team are James Wood and C.J. Abrams. Wood is capable of covering large swaths of land whilst looking relaxed. His long legs and strides defy one’s eyes. His ability to hit to the opposite field with great exit velocity is something I am not used to seeing. Abrams is a solid hitter, but his footwork on defense leads to questionable throws and errors. I’m not sure if this is a youth issue or a mechanical one. I just know that every time a ball is hit to him, I hold my breath.

The soul of this team lies in Luis Garcia, Jr. and Daylen Lile. Garcia plays this game with a joy and a smile unlike anyone. Since he debuted during 2020 this young man never stops smiling. He is last man in line for the homer high five. He gives a big hug to the player at the end of the dugout and his smile is contagious. Garcia may not be the best fielder or batter on the team, but his spiritual leadership glues this team together. Lile is the adrenaline or fuel for the team. When he is involved offensively in the game the team responds around him. The series with the Reds during the second week of May demonstrates this as he hit three homers in two games. One of these homers gave the team a lead during a 10th inning series win. His teammates responded around him closing out the victory in a game where they trailed 5-0 after the first inning.

The pitching staff of this team is a rag tag group of men. The only starter that consistently impresses is Foster Griffin. Griffin has come back to the MLB after spending three seasons in Japan. His story is the feel good one of the group. The remaining starters of Cavalli, Irvin, Mikolas, and Littell are still trying to find consistency. The bullpen has seen 17 pitchers and one fielder throw from the mound. A few of this group have distinguished themselves. Brad Lord (a starter last year,) has been an excellent bridge pitcher for the team. His work has kept the team in competitive situations despite trailing the opposition. Richard Lovelady has been a consistent high stakes thrower in the late innings. P.J. Poulin, Gus Varland, and Paxton Schultz have become pretty consistent as of late. They are comfortable closing, opening, or relieving a starter as early as the 6th inning. Mitchell Parker (a former starter,) is still trying to find a groove. His performance is hot and cold. Is this a mental thing or mechanical thing? I don’t know. I just know I root for the kid to have success. He works hard.

This group of young men has made me smile, cheer, grimace, and occasionally swear at the television. Seeing them in Chicago was a blast as I wore my rally cap.

Regardless of how this team finishes in the NL East, I hope they continue to play hard for every out of this 162 game season. I want to see them having fun. I want to see this group of young men supporting one another. Lastly, I want to see more of their families at the games cheering them on. Daylen Lile’s family was at the Reds series and it was a joy to see the family celebrate Daylen’s successes alongside of the team. Baseball is a shared journey. We all come along with the players from game to game, investing our emotions into their performance and careers.

I never forget that these players are young men, and living a dream most of us have had our entire lives. If they lose, the grief is temporary. Like with many professions mistakes, losses, or screw ups happen. These don’t define who we are. How we deal with them and recover from them really does define who we are. This team is impressing me with their grit and tenacity. I hope they can sustain it and show up everyday ready to have fun playing the game of baseball. Baseball is a journey. A developing story. …so it goes…