As fans rolled into Nationals Park for the first time in 2013, there was a different feeling in the ballpark. The air seemed crisper, the grass seemed greener, and the city of Washington, D.C. was ready for something it hadn’t seen since 1924. A World Series title. The Nationals won their game that day 2-0 against the Miami Marlins, but that day was just the opposite of what was to come.

The Nationals came into the season with what many considered a “stacked” roster. They returned all key players from the previous year’s’ team that won the NL East division crown, except for outfielder Michael Morse. They added outfielder Denard Span, and veteran relief pitcher Rafael Soriano to further bolster the lineup. Sports Illustrated predicted they would play in the World Series, as did many other baseball experts. However, as the season progressed, players got injured, including Bryce Harper, and others had unexpected bumps in the road. Normally steady third baseman Ryan Zimmerman led the team in errors. “I was really worried that I would have to listen to all the Nationals fans brag about their title. I was pretty relieved when they collapsed,” said freshman Matt Macioce.

As the dog days of summer hit, it became more and more apparent that this was not the Nationals’ year. “The (Nationals) hype should have been put on the Orioles,” said senior Muhamad Khatib. The Atlanta Braves hit a double digit win streak during August, and the Nationals fell behind the NL East lead by as much as 15.5 games. Washington, expecting one of the strongest offenses in the league, became one of the worst. They routinely lost games when pitchers, such as Steven Strasburg, would pitch a great game, and only allow two runs in eight innings pitched. “I thought they should have fired Davey Johnson early in the season,” said Khatib.

As bad as the year was for the Nationals, they are making a late season push for the postseason. However, their previous struggles earlier in the season are preventing them from making the playoffs. The team is still very young, and will return all key players next year, leaving room for improvement. Last year, the Nationals had one of the best pitching staffs in the league, and a young, energized lineup full of superstars. “They need to get back to basics. If they go back to the things that made them successful last season, they’ll have a good future,” said Macioce.