District Daily: October is different ballgame, Nationals core will return in 2015

Good morning DoD readers! Start off your day with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web in our District Daily

Nationals must recognize that October is a whole new ballgame

(Thomas Boswell, Washington Post)

SAN FRANCISCO — Hating the things we can’t change never works. Focusing on our strengths as a way to excuse our faults is a trick of human nature that traps us in almost every corner of our experience.

The Washington Nationals, from their fine front office and manager to their talented players, need to start embracing the thing they hate: the five-game playoff series. And they need to stop wrapping themselves in the warm blanket of “regular season wins” when the postseason exposes their nerves. Read the full article here.

Nationals core will return in 2015, but a couple players may depart

(James Wagner, Washington Post)

SAN FRANCISCO — The visitor’s clubhouse at AT&T Park was near silent. The only sounds were players talking to reporters, packing up their belongings and hugging each other goodbye. The man who built the team, General Manager Mike Rizzo, made his way around the room, talking and shaking hands with each player.

For the past eight months, Washington Nationals coaches, officials and players have spent nearly every day together. The next time they assemble — in four months in Viera, Fla., for spring training — the team won’t be the same. The core will return but a few faces, such as Adam LaRoche andRafael Soriano, are likely to depart. Read the full article here.