Now I don't want to get off on a rant here...

Go team W

Baseball adopts Nationals name
The Expos were rechristened the Washington Nationals yesterday with a few glitches and a tussle — but just in time for the Christmas shopping season.
The District's Major League Baseball (MLB) team revealed its new name, logo and colors — red, white, blue and gold — at a celebratory lunchtime gathering at Union Station.
The nickname and the color scheme, first reported by The Washington Times on Nov. 5, are a nod to the city's baseball history. A team called the Nationals played in Washington during the late 1800s and again from 1901 to 1956.

Being a lifelong Baltimore Orioles fan there is absolutely no way my allegiances will be changing summer camps. Being a lifelong baseball fan there is an interest here that I did not really expect. Is it their team hats that make me think of another Washington resident?

I don’t know, but I’m not one that is afraid of change and like seeing new things happen. I’m glad that baseball doesn’t have to endure this type of change often, but it is intriguing when it occurs. Baseball is not like football which is constantly in a state of revision and fine tuning. Perhaps that’s why the American 30 second attention span is satisfied by the sport, but that doesn’t mean it’s the national pastime.

In the history of America we only have one of those and we only have one sport that has captured the minds and the hearts of so many for over 100 years. That being said, the arrival of the Washington Nationals has been a source of controversy for Baltimore Orioles owner, Angelos. He feels there will be lost revenues because I think he fails to see this storied history of baseball.

While professional sports are treated more and more like corporations, fans being the rowdiest of stake-holders and the players morality impaired commodities being traded, I feel it’s important to remember baseball has survived some pretty major world events. The Orioles will survive this rather minuscule in comparison event and baseball fans in the Baltimore/Washington area will have another team to watch.

If nothing else it takes the focus off the Yankees as America’s team. "I'm glad they finally decided to give us a name. I think it sounds patriotic, because we are going to D.C.," said infielder Jamey Carroll. "They wanted to do something right and it's pretty exciting."

Overall I think this is an exciting development in baseball and look forward to getting down to a few NL games soon. Or maybe I’ll even submit my resume?

Posted by price at November 23, 2004 04:00 PM