With nearly a decade gone since the Montreal Expos relocated and granted D.C. and its metropolitan area residents the gift of a professional baseball team for the third time in Major League Baseball history, the Washington Nationals have long-buried the ineptitude of their geographical predecessors.
From the “First in war, first in peace, last in the American League” slogan lovingly placed upon the Washington Senators by their fans, to the maladroitness that embodied the last-place Nationals teams in four of their first five seasons, Washington baseball has come a long way and no longer has the mindset of succumbing to mediocrity.
The list to follow will discuss the critical moments and decisions that transformed Washington baseball from a laughing stock into a serious contender.