I have always loved the baseball video games. I love stats and I love piling them up. I got this year's game soon after it's release and selected my beloved Nationals. This was the first year I didn't have to make a bunch of trades pre-season because as we all know the Nats are stacked with talent. I did however add last year's #1 draft pick, Bryce Harper, and as always myself (I wanted to be a 3rd baseman but Zimmerman had that job on lock so I moved to short).
Pitching was a huge issue early as I found ways to score runs but could never hold a lead. Trades were made after the 1st couple of months bringing Scott Baker and Nick Blackburn over from Minnesota. They became my #2 and #3 starters right away and later with the addition of Kyle Lohse as our #4 and with original Nat John Lannan the 5 we worked out the starting pitching. The bullpen was never awesome early on but they improved. Todd Coffey was a favorite of mine with the Brewers and I was pleased to have him on staff. Later when Jason Motte was picked up we had two solid setup men. John Maine was a free agent pick-up that started for awhile before finding a place in the pen as a long reliever. The closer is Drew Storen and after a rough start he made the all-star game and became a force.
In the field this would become the 1st season ever I didn't make any trades for position players. Bryce Harper, Nyjer Morgan (I started playing the season before he was traded to the Brewers), and Jayson Werth made up such an awesome outfield that Rick Ankiel rarely got starts, but he was huge off the bench. Zimmerman had 3rd on lock down despite a rough start batting, his defense is top drawer. Piche was solid at short and with Danny Espinosa at 2nd made an awesome double play combo. Ian Desmond fit in to either spot well off the bench, and with Mike Morse playing almost everywhere at some point the infield was on lock down mostly due to... Adam Laroche at 1st... what can I say the guy's a stud... he only fell a few percentage points behind Nyjer Morgan in avg from being a Triple Crown winner. He broke Barry Bonds 'record' for homers in a season (77). He mashed and he did so with wreckless abandon... the NL MVP. When he needed a rest or when a pitcher needed a hitter we always called on Matt Stairs... dude hurts baseballs. Period. In the playoffs I actually had him play some right field just to get his bat in the lineup. Oh and I almost forgot our catching duo. Ivan 'Pudge' Rodriguez is probably one of the best of all-time and he taught Jesus Flores so well that he won a gold glove for his efforts.
Basically what I'm saying is that after a full 162 games of play you get to know your virtual guys... you pick up on their habits, make up stories about their lives, and even nicknames they give each other. They develop handshakes, and heartaches... they overcome obstacles and adversity. I virtually love these guys.
But here's where the story gets interesting... sorry it took so long.
After clinching the NL East title in the final weeks we watched to see who we'd play. Low and behold the Cardinals won the wild card.
The Cardinals were my favorite team growing up. My dad is still a huge Cardinals fan. I was such a big fan growing up that it's hard to find a picture of a young Pich' without the red STL on my head. It also figures that they smoked us during our regular season meetings early on taking the overall series 5-1. Plus a big pitcher swap between us mid-season added to my personal drama. Cause after playing 162 you don't want to lose now...
The first game was frustrating and long but in the 13th inning Jayson Werth won in for the Nats with a walk-off HR. The next two games were also battles but my pitching shut down the usual potent offense of the redbirds we won game two 6-2 and game three 4-2.
With that first series win under our belts we felt cocky until we realized that the Central Division Champion Milwaukee Brewers were coming to town. another team that handed us our butts during the regular season. Little did I know I'd be in for the series of my life between my two favorite teams...
Game one was all Nats until a pinch hit homer by Mat Gamel put the Brewers up 3-2 in the 8th. In the bottom of the ninth with one on and 2 outs Ryan Zimmerman became Mr. Clutch as he hit a walk-off homer to win it for the Nats. I was going crazy like a fan would at a game, waving my rally towel and going silently bananas as to not offend my upstairs neighbor that late at night.
Game two the confidence of game 1 carried over and we won it 5-1. The pitching so far had been great. The thing that plagued us during the season. Again I foreshadow... the Brewers were about to turn it around at home.
Game 3 was a complete shellacking. I lost 8-2 and was down early and couldn't come back. I didn't fret much as I almost expected to lose a game, but really with most sport video games by the time you hit the playoffs you're dominant and it's just a matter of time til they crown you.
Game 4 started well. Got up 3-0 in a hurry and slowly the Brewers clawed back until finally tieing it in the 9th... I was one strike away from the 3 games to 1 lead and our team never recovered. Eventually the Brewers took it in the 13th when Ryan Braun scored on a Jonathan Lucroy hit.
I remember walking away from the game literally at that point... I didn't have it on this day... I needed to come back fresh tomorrow in my first game 5 ever in any sport video game where I couldn't win the series. Not only that but I was guaranteed a game 6 which I had never done either. The stakes had been raised and I was tense.
Game 5 was a statement game. 6 home runs for my squad led the way to a huge 12-6 win. The Brewers clawed back again and again though and made me angrier than I should have been.
Heading home up 3 games to 2 I assumed all was once again right with the world. Especially after falling behind 2-0 on four pitches only to return the favor with 5 runs of my own in the 1st. It should have been a cruise to victory feel, but... up 8-2 in the 6th the Brewers did what they do and crawled back into it. I was still up 8-6 in the 9th and ready to close it out for the NLCS win... but nope... I was one pitch away, but Carlos Gomez, who played the entire series like he was Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder combined, hit a two run homer and now they had a 9-8 lead. With 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th Adam Laroche hit one down the line that was a bomb but it just missed the foul pole... the next pitch he grounded out and the series had a 7th game!
I was nervous about game 7, my first anywhere ever, we had tired pitchers, tired players, and a worn out dude on the controls. Nick Blackburn got the start but got injured in the 2nd inning. I filled in until calling for Strasburg in the 4th. I was pulling out all the stops. The game was tied 3-3 from inning 3 to inning 8 with every at-bat a huge one. Finally with 2 outs in the 8th Bryce Harper hit a solo homerun to give us the lead. A tired bullpen turned to Luis Atilano for a rare save chance... and he came through! The celebration was on. Seriously... I lost my head celebrating... and yes... tearing up... this meant so much to these virtual guys that in meant that much to REAL me. We had done it... the 1st World Series appearance for the Nationals... what a feat.
So now who do we play in this World Series you ask? Well if we've taken on all of my favorite teams to this point it's only natural that the team standing in my way of my mission, my goal... is none other than my most hated of all sports teams... The boston red sox.
Before you assume a stream of hate will follow that, hang in there...The red sox have an interesting story too. They traded away Josh Beckett and J.D Drew... they gained Ichiro in right field... they were 3 games out of the wild card with three games to go in the season. They won their final three games to force a one-game playoff. Then they went to Tampa Bay and won that game. Then matched up against the team with the best record in the league, the Tigers, and every major trophy winner on squad they beat them in 3 straight to earn a shot at the ALCS and a match-up with their biggest rival and AL East Champion the New York Yankees. After beating them in 6 games its safe to say that the sox are hot right now and ready to end their magical year with a World Series Championship.
NOT ON MY WATCH! I hate virtual boston too! Game 1 of the World Series comes soon... Stay tuned!
