World Series Wrap-Up, NFL Week 9 Picks

Nats Win 2019 World Series

With a 6-2 Game 7 victory over the Houston Astros Wednesday, the Washington Nationals won the 2019 World Series and ended a thrilling playoff run enjoyed by baseball fans along the Potomac.

Venerated Washington Post sports columnist Thomas Boswell compared the Nats run to the championship a "baseball miracle."

I think Boswell is one of the best, but I don't think this was a miracle. The Nationals paid starting pitchers Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin a total of $90 million this year, and those three went 4-1 with 34 strikeouts across 34.1 innings in the series. Third basemen Anthony Rendon got almost $19 million from the Nationals this year, and he hit three doubles and two home runs with eight RBIs during the series.

That's not a miracle - that's a lot of money spent by the Lerner family on the right dudes.

Strasburg earned his money and the World Series MVP for winning Games 2 and 6. The Nationals haven't lost the past seven playoff games that he has appeared in, according to Michael Baumann of the TheRinger.com. Strasburg can opt out of the remaining four years of his contract this winter. To keep him, it will cost Washington more than the $36.4 million they paid him this year.

Rendon only hit 0.276 in the series, but he was money in the most critical situations. See Sam Fortier's tweet below, "Tony Two Bags" delivered in clutch moments throughout the playoffs. Rendon will also be a free agent this winter and will wait to see if the Lerner family is willing to deliver him around $30 million a year.

Time out: Read this tweet one more time. Right? Nuts!

The Lerners could have spent approximately $30 million a year on Bryce Harper last winter, but they let him walk. The bulk of that money was spent on bringing in Corbin. Corbin gave Washington their money's worth when he threw three shutout innings of relief to help secure the Series finale on top of a workman-like season and playoffs. 

Whether it was drafting and paying for players like Strasburg and Rendon or ponying up extra cash for a big time free agent pitcher like Corbin, Washington general manager Mike Rizzo guided the Lerner family into making all the right moves with their sacks of cash. Nationals field manager Davey Martinez pushed all the right buttons throughout the playoffs. The players that got paid a king's ransom to bring a title to D.C. did exactly that and baseball fans along the Potomac loved it.

Joe M. (Nats fan for 10 years): That Nats are the team my kids have grown up watching. The team we would take them to see random Sunday afternoons and just enjoy being outside together. 

It was great fun to go to those games, but we always knew it was best to stop watching after the regular season ended. The results seemed inevitable in the end, so why bother? 

The Nats shared the (old) Capitals penchant locking up in the playoffs, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of choking each postseason. Best to avoid disappointment...until they weren't supposed to win. 

Something changed with this iteration of the Nats. Maybe they had nothing left to lose, or maybe they just finally had the right mix of guys, but whatever it was, they evolved into another animal. They became that thing in sports that just won't be denied. They became Clutch.

They were the ultimate survivors...a team composed mostly of wily old veterans that only had today to play for - tomorrow was never promised to this team. I found them very relatable and they just seemed to be having so much darned fun out there. They were playing for one another, not for the expectations put upon them by a stressed out city and fan base.

I want to say "Thank you, Nationals" for never saying die and for showing us how good this game really can be! #FightFinished

Nancy H. (Nats season ticket holder): A lot of people describe the Nationals winning the World Series as "unreal" or "unbelievable." But for me, it is totally real and believable...and about time!

I've been going to Nats games since I moved to DC in 2006 and have been a season ticket holder for seven seasons. In the last eight seasons, we've been to the postseason FIVE times...I know the outcomes for those postseason runs were heart breaking (some folks still have an emotional reaction to hearing Storen's name) because I fell from the highs each time the rug was pulled out from under us.

This year the team was/is different. They are a true team and fought back and through the tough breaks together! I was there when they came back from being down 10-6 and scored seven runs in the bottom of the 9th with two outs. I was there when Max played an amazing game with a broken nose and I was there for the Wild Card game.

The boys love some drama, but always stayed in the fight as a team. The World Series championship means so much to me as a fan because I believed in them and they had fun playing because they believed in each other.

As a veteran, they who "Stay in the Fight" meant a lot to me. You have to keep pressing forward toward the objective no matter what challenges get in your way and you have to have each other's "six."

I love this team. Go Nats!

Let's do some picks!

NFL Week 9 Picks

Houston Texans (-1) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (in London): It might be your last weekend to enjoy Minshew Mania as Jacksonville QB Nick Foles is recovering from his broken collarbone and possible to start next week over his back, Gardner Minshew. Deshaun Watson is the starter for Houston and he is playing better than most quarterbacks in the NFL. - TEXANS

Minnesota Vikings at Kansas City Chiefs (no line): This is a tough one to pick. The Vikings have won four in a row, but do you really want to put your name on QB Kirk Cousins at a traditionally tough road venue? The Chiefs will likely start Matt Moore at quarterback again this week and their defense is ranked 17th in total defense and 25th in scoring. Do you feel comfortable putting your name on a backup quarterback and a suspect defense? Me neither. Make me like it, Kirk! - VIKINGS

New York Jets (-3) at Miami Dolphins: I haven't put my name on the Dolphins all year, but I did pick the Jets over the Bills Week 1, which was dumb. We have to pick one of these losers this week though. Andy Vasquez of NorthJersey.com says the Jets are the more talented team, but believes the Dolphins have the capability to pressure New York QB Sam Darnold and force a mistake or two. - DOLPHINS 

Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers (-1): The Colts are an up and down team...beat the Atlanta Falcons, followed by an ugly loss at home to the Oakland Raiders; get big wins over the Chiefs and Texans, followed by a narrow escape at home versus a terrible Denver Broncos team. Indy can with this game, but they do not have a decided advantage.  - STEELERS

Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles (-5): Talk about up and down, the Eagles got throttled by the Dallas Cowboys two ago and then ran up 31 points in a win over the Buffalo Bills at Orchard Park last week. The Bears, however, are very consistent - they have lost three straight. - EAGLES 

Tennessee Titans at Caroline Panthers (-4): The AP reports the Panthers defense showed distinct weaknesses against the run in their blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers last week. The AP also said Titans RB Derrick Henry leads the NFL in rushing yards since Week 14 of last season. - TITANS 

Washington Redskins at Buffalo Bills (-9.5): Finally an easy one. The Redskins are awful.  - BILLS

...and now we find ourselves on a Sunday morning of a busy weekend and this thing is not complete. AND one of our HOTPO staff has a birthday today. That means we go to the lighting round for the rest of the picks!

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks (-6.5): Tampa Bay QB Jameis Winston is a turnover machine and Seattle QB Russell Wilson is having one of his best seasons ever.  - SEAHAWKS

Detroit Lions at Oakland Raiders (-2): These two teams both need a victory to stay in the playoff hunt. - RAIDERS

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos (-3): I don't full real confident about Browns QB Baker Mayfield, but the Broncos really seem to be a dysfunctional team. - BROWNS

Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5): The Packers have found ways to win when QB Aaron Rodgers has not been at his best. The Chargers are genius at finding creative ways to lose. - CHARGERS

New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens (-3.5): Patriot coach Bill Belichick confuses the most experienced quarterbacks with his defensive schemes and he obliterates young quarterbacks. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is only in his second year. I will be cheering for Jackson, but he is in for a tough day. - PATRIOTS

Dallas Cowboys (-7) at New York Giants: The Giants are on a losing streak and the Cowboys are coming off their bye week. Losing streak continues. - COWBOYS  

Enjoy the games.