Home Run Derby

I think it’s safe to say that the Washington Nationals are by far and away the worst franchise in baseball right now.

They’ve had a enormous uniform FAIL, no one watches them on TV or at their stadium, they can’t spell Roosevelt, and that stupid Screech the eagle mascot is just embarrassing.

Not to mention that the team can’t perform ON the field either, where the Nats are currently a  Major-League worst 52-100.  That’s their second consecutive 100-Loss season.  Ugh. 

On that note, their fans seem to be taking it in stride. 

Here’s a Jersey some Nats fan (I think?) made before the 2008 season which looks like it will be good for years to come.

Simply awesome and well-played.  Self-deprecating jerseys always rule.

The only way it could be better is if it said NATINALS across the front.

“Nationals Hundred Losses” Jersey Rating

• Cleverness:  9
• Originality:  9
• Understandability:  10

I think that’s the highest score since the bodypainted Phillies fan (NSFW).

Found the Jersey in a thread over on FARK.

The Washington Nationals have gotten a lot of flack for their misspelling snafus lately (Natinals, anyone?) … but they aren’t the only Beltway team that can’t spell their own team’s name.

Check this out.   From the Baltimore Orioles’ Twitter page. 

On the left side …

Does that say Oriloes.com? 

Oriloes?  Seriously?  Is there something in the water over there that causes baseball people to lose their ability to spell?

I would like to offer my services as a proofreader to any and all MLB teams who don’t want to look stupid anymore.

[Update - They fixed it.  We get results.]

H/T:  Uniwatch

Hey Beltway Baseball fans – be sure to check out the best Nationals jersey you’ll ever see.

You can buy cool “Natinals” shirts here.

I think it’s safe to say that the Washington Nationals are by far and away the worst franchise in baseball right now.

They’ve had a enormous uniform FAIL, no one watches them on TV or at their stadium, they can’t spell Roosevelt, and that stupid Screech the eagle mascot is just embarrassing.

Not to mention that the team can’t perform ON the field either, where the Nats are currently 15-40.  That would put them on pace for a second consecutive 100-Loss season and flirt with a 120-Loss season.

On that note, their fans seem to be taking it in stride. 

Here’s a Jersey some Nats fan (I think?) made before the 2008 season which looks like it will be good for years to come.

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So someone actually used the Jersey of the Week tip line and sent me a heads-up that there was a Snuggie Pub Crawl in Chicago sometime in April.

Wait a minute - there was a Snuggie Pub Crawl?  And I wasn’t informed? 

You know Snuggies – the blanket with sleeves – which have developed their own cult-like status among Americans.

Either way, I guess this Crawl meandered through all the bars I used to frequent on the North Side of Chicago.  And as you might expect, there were some Snuggies which were devoted to the Chicago Cubs.  But since you can’t buy MLB-themed Snuggies … they’re all homemade.  I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

Here’s some pics of some Cubbie Snuggies.

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So it’s been a few weeks since we did a Jersey of the Week post here at Home Run Derby.  So we’ll make it up to you.  With a bunch of them. 

And all of them pertain to one of our favorite baseball-related activities. 

Drinking.  Sometimes, just going to a baseball game isn’t enough.  You’ve got to get your drink on. 

And unfortunately for some people … sometimes that isn’t enough either … sometimes people are going to be loudmouth, stumbling drunks while they’re at it.  If you’re going to do that … at least have the courtesy to pre-identify yourself as such …. by wearing a personalized Jersey which lets everyone know that you’re going to be … that guy.

We’ll start off early in the game, where this White Sox fan is going to let everyone know what he wants.

Gotta tell ya – I like that Jersey a lot.  I saw it on TV last season … and danged if someone didn’t capture it.

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Well with the temperature at Home Run Derby headquarters currently at -7 degrees (wind chill of -29) and not expected to rise above zero for the next 27 hours … I was trying to stay warm by thinking about baseball.

Crack of the Bat, lush green grass, hot August sun, an ice cold beer, and a Kosher dog with grilled onions doused with the Stadium Mustard my brother in law sent me (hey Mike, I need more) and another ice cold beer.  That warmed me up for a while …

And then I accidentally clicked on Wrigley Field’s Webcam and saw this disturbing sight …

Singing at the Winter Classic may be all done, but it’s still winter at Wrigley.  And I got to wondering what the other MLB playgrounds look like in the snow and cold.   Let’s find out.

Staying at Wrigley, it looks like Harry Caray and Ernie Banks are keeping a quiet and chilly sentry along Addison Street.

Anyone else afraid of how cold it will be when if the Cubs do ever win the World Series? I hope I’m retired and living in Green Valley, Arizona by then.

Heading South, as in the South Side of Chicago … when last we saw US Cellular Field, it was in the midst of a “Blackout.” Now it’s in the middle of a “White-Out.”
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I have been accused by my good friends at the Nationals Enquirer of being a “pathological Nats-hater” but I must say that the Nationals are my second favorite team.  Well, at least for this weekend anyway.  They get the honor of filling in the blank of my regular quip:

“My two favorite teams are the White Sox and whoever is playing the Cubs”

Of course, not expecting any chance of a win this weekend at Wrigley for the Worst Team in Baseball, I must say I was pleasantly surprised to see this team clobbering the Cubs 10-5 in the 9th.

No wait, 13-5!!!  And to make it even better, ex-White Sox Willie Harris (you know the man who scored the final run of Game 4 in the 2005 World Series) jacked 2 Home Runs and knocked in 6 runs.  Wooo Hoo!!!  Go Nats.

Wait…Willie Harris has 12 Home Runs this year. Tied for the TEAM lead.  OK, it is official.  The Nats are not only the Worst Team in Baseball…They are the Worst. Team.  EVER.  Willie Harris leads the team in Home Runs.  You got to be kidding me. 

Yet, It’s a final…they just be the Cubs!

Home Run Derby has been accused a few times of being Gnat-swatters. 

I suppose we fall into that category, considering how much we love to bash the worst team in baseball … the Washington Nationals (currently MLB Worst in Wins, AVG, SLG, OBP, Runs, and Save %).

But even though we predicted that the Nats would be the worst team in baseball and told you about their misfortunes plenty of times this season  … we’ve never ripped on Nats fans (we may have questioned their judgement once or twice).  As a long suffering Cub fan, I just can’t do it – I know how it is to have a team that’s not quite up to competing in the Majors.  Besides, the Nats fans turned out in droves to support their Racing Presidents in Mascot Brackets.

And via the JotW tip line, one special Nat fan is now rewarded with Jersey of the Week honors. From Nationals Stadium …

BEER !!

You gotta love a guy who can tell a vendor what he wants without saying a word or turning around.  My guess would be that a Nats fan needs a lot of beer to get through a Nationals game.

BEER Jersey Rating:

• Cleverness: 7
• Originality: 5
• Understandability: 10

If the jersey number was $7.50 (price of beer at Nats Stadium) or 16 (as in ounces) instead of “80″ … it would have been a perfect score.

If you see a great baseball jersey that everyone else needs to see … let us know at the JotW tip line !!

The Phillie Phanatic came back from an early deficit to slaughter Southpaw last week, so it’s time for another Mascot Matchup.

Let’s head to the Primate bracket, where we’ve got a transcontinental showdown between two last place teams with first-rate mascots. To make things more interesting … it’s a battle between Church and State.

#2 - Swinging Friar (San Diego Padres) vs #6 – Racing Presidents (Washington Nationals)

Your vote decides who moves on!!

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