MLB Playoffs contest

[AT Funchal-Madeira]

So the M's have an almost iron clad opportunity to break the Nationals record...... 50 years since that franchise has begun and they just made the World Series which is the longest it took any franchise to achieve the goal. The Mariners haven't been around for 50 years, but they are single digits away....

[D-train]

So the M's have an almost iron clad opportunity to break the Nationals record...... 50 years since that franchise has begun and they just made the World Series which is the longest it took any franchise to achieve the goal. The Mariners haven't been around for 50 years, but they are single digits away....

That's why JD wisely started the rebuild with 9 years to spare.

[Hy Feiber]

The Washington Senators began in 1901, and last won a World Series in 1933.

[Donn Beach]

the Washington Senators are the Twins now

[Hy Feiber]

the Washington Senators are the Twins now

And the Expansion Senators began in 1961, with the move to Minnesota, then became the Texas Rangers in 1972.

However, the DC Franchise was first established in 1901.

The current incarnation moved to DC from Montreal in 2005.

[D-train]

the Washington Senators are the Twins now

And the Expansion Senators began in 1961, with the move to Minnesota, then became the Texas Rangers in 1972.

However, the DC Franchise was first established in 1901.

The current incarnation moved to DC from Montreal in 2005.

Definitely the MLB city with the most convoluted history. Don't forget about playing in Puerto Rico as well.

[Hy Feiber]

the Washington Senators are the Twins now

And the Expansion Senators began in 1961, with the move to Minnesota, then became the Texas Rangers in 1972.

However, the DC Franchise was first established in 1901.

The current incarnation moved to DC from Montreal in 2005.

Definitely the MLB city with the most convoluted history. Don't forget about playing in Puerto Rico as well.

The Expos were a solid franchise for years, but they couldn’t get past all those great Braves teams.

[D-train]

Passan:

But ... but ... but ... the Nationals are going to be rusty, right?

Inside the greatest night in Nats history

Washington is finally going to the World Series. Here's how original Nat Ryan Zimmerman and all of D.C. soaked in the celebration. Alden Gonzalez

Ah, rust. A time-tested October narrative. Is it real? Does it exist? The answer is: Of course it can. But that doesn't mean it will. And that especially doesn't mean teams like the Nationals, who will have six days off after the NLCS, can't avoid it.

Just last year, the Boston Red Sox went into the World Series on four days' rest while the Los Angeles Dodgers entered with two. The Red Sox won the series in five games. It broke a nine-year streak in which the team with less rest had won a championship. Which came after a 14-year stretch in which the team with more rest captured the World Series. Since the wild card came into existence in 1995, there have been 24 World Series. The team with more rest has won 12 times. The team with less rest has won ... 12 times.

As for those with six days or more of rest: the '95 Atlanta Braves, '96 New York Yankees and '08 Philadelphia Phillies won, and the '06 Detroit Tigers, '07 Colorado Rockies and '09 Philadelphia Phillies lost.

So, yeah. Rust unquestionably exists in granular form, with individual players, but in terms of an entire team oxidizing simultaneously? No. If the Nationals lose, it won't be because of the layoff.

[D-train]

– Wednesday, Feb. 12: Pitchers and catchers report
– Monday, Feb. 17: Position players report
– Saturday, Feb. 22: First game against #Padres

[DanielVogelbach]

Yanks-Astros rained out, another day for the Nats to sit, could be a damn week?

Has no impact on start of WS... They will play two games in NY then play in Houston with no off day. 4 games in a row with no break if it goes 7, which favors Houston, because they rely less on their pen. Cole is also game 7 starter, so Yankees best opportunity is to win in 6.

It's impossible to quantify the impact of "rust". Did they play poorly due to rust, or did they just get outplayed by a better team? My guess is that the impact of rust is minimal. The statistic with the 11 series is poor. The stat needs to take into account favorite/underdog status. If 75% of favorites are losing when they have rust, then that would be significant. If the Astros/Yankees beat the Nats, it's not going to be conclusive regarding rust.

Of course, your preference would not be to sit on your butt for so many days without competing. However, there could be much worse things than sweeping an NLCS.