So close ... and yet so far
The first half of the Nationals' season was so much better than anyone expected, and yet it could have been so much more than that
The Nationals enter the All-Star break at 48-49, a record most everyone would’ve been pleased with on Opening Day but a record most everyone is frustrated by now.
Consider that the overarching story of the season’s first half. This team is much better than expected, but it could be so much more than that.
“I think that’s probably the hardest part: Looking at how many games we should have won,” manager Blake Butera said, rattling off several of them from memory like he’s kept a detailed chart all along. “It’s hard to forget each of those games. It’s like: ‘Man, we should’ve won that game. Man, we should’ve won that game.’ And when they add up like they have this year, to see the record we have right now – which is a respectable record – but what it could be? That’s probably what sticks out.”
