The Washington Nationals formally threw in the towel on the 2018 season Tuesday, then promptly let Teddy win.
125 games into the season, the once heavily-favored but snake bitten Nationals finally accepted the reality of their losing record and today announced trades of Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams — key players in the final year of their contracts — to the Cubs and Cardinals, while issuing a public statement of explanation and disappointment.
Then, as if to send a message that all bets are off, they let Teddy win the presidents race.
It’s been many years now since Theodore Roosevelt’s initial epic 6 1/2 year losing streak was first broken, but Teddy returned to his consistent losing ways in 2016, and lost 86 straight heading into this year. When the Teddy won on opening day, it appeared that the team had a change of heart regarding the Bull Moose, but then the losing began again.
As chronicled in our season standings, Teddy’s misfortunes this season have been epic. He’s been slammed into the wall and attacked by swords multiple times. He’s been distracted by bowling, haircuts, hypnotism, picnics, selfies, penalty kicks, pet cats, bunnies, and the YMCA.
But after Nats ownership admitted to throwing in the towel on the playoffs, they perhaps superstitiously also took the handcuffs off Teddy, who raced from the back of the pack to run away with Tuesday’s race.
It’s too late for Roosevelt to catch Washington, Jefferson, or Lincoln in the standings, but Teddy, like the Nats, have six weeks left to regain respectability.
LET TEDDY WIN 