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Washington Nationals: To be the champ, you have to beat the champ

By Ricky Keeler

ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 27: Anthony Rizzo #44 of the Chicago Cubs throws his bat after getting hit by a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on September 27, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 27: Anthony Rizzo #44 of the Chicago Cubs throws his bat after getting hit by a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on September 27, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
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In order for the Washington Nationals to achieve their goal, they will first have to beat the defending champions, the Chicago Cubs

There’s an old cliché in sports that goes “To be the champ, you have to beat the champ.” While the Washington Nationals won’t be champions if they win the NLDS, it might be appropriate for them to end the “D.C. sports curse” if they defeat last year’s World Series champions, the Chicago Cubs.

Throughout baseball, we have seen “curses” broken in miraculous ways. The 2004 Red Sox came from 3-0 down in the ALCS to defeat the Yankees and broke “the curse of the bambino.” Then, just last year, the Cubs rallied from a 3-1 series deficit in the World Series to break “the curse of the billy goat.”

It is well known that the Washington Nationals have had their fair share of heartbreak in the first round of the postseason (2012, 2014, 2016). As we saw with the Cubs last year, eventually a team is going to win the title. If the Cubs can do it, why can’t the Nats?

Over the last 20 years, only three defending champions who have made the postseason have lost in the first round the following year. The last team that it happened to was the 2005 Boston Red Sox, who lost to the eventual champions, the Chicago White Sox.

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Out of the possible opponents the Washington Nationals could’ve faced in the NLDS, the Cubs were by far the toughest opponent. While they didn’t dominate in the regular season, they still have a good rotation, one of the toughest closers in the league (Wade Davis), and one of the deeper lineups in baseball.

Chicago might have the experience from their World Series run a year ago, but its safe to say the Washington Nationals probably don’t fear them. The Nats beat the Cubs in their season series, 4-3, and 11 of the 14 meetings between the two teams dating back to last season have been decided by three runs or fewer.

Also, most of the heart of the Nats order has had good success against the Cubs this season. Out of the nine home runs the team has hit against the Cubs this year, six of them have come off the bat of Daniel Murphy (three), Anthony Rendon (two), and Bryce Harper (one).

There will be plenty of storylines to cover over the next week or so such as the managerial showdown between Dusty Baker and Joe Maddon, Harper’s recovery, how both teams will align their pitching rotation, and much more.

Next: Nats bucking bullpen strikeout trend

For now, it is time for the Nats and their fans to embrace trying to take down last year’s champion. It should be an exciting series.

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