Shairon Martis pitched a complete game in the Nationals 6-1 victory over the Cardinals on Saturday, the franchise's first complete game from any pitcher since 2006. Unfortunately, because the Nationals game and Washington Capitals playoff game vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins both started at 1 PM, the impossible-to-predict complete game from Martis meant that the baseball game ended at the same time as the hockey game instead of an hour later, spilling fans from both games into the subway at the same time. Ordinarily, the extra five to six hundred Nationals fans wouldn't have been an issue, but Saturday was Latino Heritage Day and the free T-shirts ("Los Nacionales, Al Rojo Vivos!") provided to fans brought nearly 20,000 fans to the stadium. Said hedge-fund trader Brett Doctrum, "With the firm not giving out bonuses this year, the free shirt was impossible to resist." Not even the swine flu frenzy being whipped up on Republican talk radio was enough to overcome the lure of free clothing.
D.C. Transit Chief John Ohlenbach was stunned by the subway delays, saying only "Washington D.C. has a baseball team? I had no idea." No deaths were reported after the subway incident, but officials said things could have gotten out of hand if Nationals fans had been given time to have more than 3 beers before the 7th-inning stretch and accompanying last call. Still, the situation was one that won't soon be forgotten. Upon emerging from the Dupont Circle Metro escalator bruised and beaten, and carrying a ripped Los Nacionales T-shirt in each hand, D.C. resident Vance Terry told this reporter, "It's like 'Lord of the Flies' down there," before disappearing into the nearest sex shop.
The picks:
Los Nacionales -143, 1.43 unit to win 1 unit
Grover and I were both at that Nationals game on Saturday, so some of that gibberish above is based on fact. And, yes, that is a MINUS sign next to the Washington Nationals at your sportsbook. They are actually favored to win a game. That's too goofy to pass.
San Francisco Giants +175, 1 unit to win 1.75 units
Disregard Jonathan Sanchez's ERA (2.60) because it's deceivingly BABIP-aided (he's been getting some lucky bounces on balls hit into play), but his FIP (fielding independent pitching) is the same as Dempster's and his strikeout rate is better, so +175 looks like good value today.
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