Max Scherzer was done. He tried his best, but he simply didn’t have it on a night he was needed most. The Astros tagged him early and often yesterday, and, all things considered, he did incredibly well to post a pitch count of 103 through five innings before manager Dave Martinez decided he was done. It certainly helped that he had luck and incredible defense on his side; his relative lack of control notwithstanding, he gave up only two runs, and, if nothing else, put the Nationals in prime position to craft yet another comeback in the very last set-to of the season.
In retrospect, it was, perhaps, too much to ask Scherzer to be at his finest after he couldn’t even get off the bed to start for Game Five of the World Series over the weekend. That the three-time Cy Young awardee was on the mound for yesterday’s winner-take-all affair underscored the resolve with which he approached his craft. Determination and cortisone shots combined to allow him to throw just three days after neck spasms so debilitated him that he couldn’t even turn his head any which way. Under the circumstances and given his history of neck and back ailments, he put together a heroic effort.
Needless to say, Scherzer’s work was appreciated by the Nationals. Regardless of the score, it epitomized their desire — and capacity — to exceed themselves. And, no doubt, it spurred them to claim the World Series over the heavily favored Astros. That they prevailed yesterday in hostile Minute Maid Park was remarkable in and of itself. That each of their previous three wins was likewise on the road served only to highlight their refusal to accept the odds. To the contrary, they relished bucking them over and over again, in full cognizance that they have been, and will continually be, better than the sum of their parts.
Looking back, the Nationals couldn’t have been seemingly worse-equipped for a title run. They lost erstwhile star Bryce Harper to free agency in February, and then scraped the bottom of the barrel with a 19-31 slate in May. And still they never lost sight of the ultimate prize; they wisely proceeded to take the season a game at a time, making the most of the opportunities presented them en route. They scratched and clawed to the playoffs with the wild card, and then rallied from deficits to prevail in an unprecedented five elimination contests and ultimately give the franchise its first World Series triumph.
So, yes, Scherzer deserves his place in the spotlight — as do all the players on the Nationals roster. From Most Valuable Player Stephen Strasburg to homerun-hitting Howie Kendrick and Anthony Rendon to workhorse Juan Soto to insurance-provider Adam Eaton to closer Daniel Hudson, they have proven that their time is now. And up until they meet the Astros anew for an exhibition at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in February, they’re right to bask in the glory they’ve earned together.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, oprerations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
