* I'm 22 years old and was raised in the suburbs of D.C. Even though I live in Annapolis now (lots of Baltimore fans everywhere), I was raised to be a D.C. fan only, and that's just the way it will be in life. (Skins, Nats, Terps, Caps, Wiz, etc.)
* Obviously, I grew up without any baseball team in D.C. That (and my general interests) have led me to be an NFL fan almost exclusively. My interests probably run something like this:
1) NFL (Skins)
2) College BB (Terps)
3) NHL (Caps
)
4) College FB (Terps)
5) NBA (Wiz)
6) MLB (Nats)
So, as you can tell, I'm not a big baseball fan. But, I really want this to change now that there's a team in DC. In addition, I'm graduating in May (been in Michigan for college the past 4 years) and will be moving home, where I'll have access to the games on TV.
If I start following the Nats, I'll need some general advice on how to be a good fan. When I start watching baseball, what should I look for? What pieces of news are worth reading about, what kinds of stats should I be interested in, and what's the best way to track the progress of my team?
Obviously, the Win/Loss record is going to be the thing, but I know that baseball is a complex sport. There are numerous hot and cold streaks, pitching concerns. . .the pace of the season is much more patient and geared toward long-term strategy, which I like.
Any advice will be helpful. As of right now I know next to zero about baseball (never even played it as a kid), but I don't think there will be any terminology that I can't look up or get more info on. . .so all you baseball experts can give me your best advice.
So, for example, if someone was beginning to watch the Skins and asked a similar question about football, I'd say things like:
* When watching the game, try to guess what the offense is going to do each play based on the down and yardage. Start with pass / run, but try and discern between different types of passing plays and running plays.
* Watch the offensive line: the way that they move to block, the pulling linemen, and the one on one battles between OL and DL.
* Watch how a team's offensive strategy evolves over the season. For example, with the Redskins, watch for the adjustments that they make in order to spread the ball around more (i.e. the incorporation of WR screens, the use of Sellers and
ey). Watch to see what runs they use, and which runs they start using more often once they figure out what works the best (i.e. running Clinton toward the outside more often in the past 2 seasons).
* Before each matchup, find out about the star players on each team, and look at the injury list for each team. Look for specific matchups such as a certain CB on a certain WR, or a MLB who is known for stopping the run. See where one team might be able to exploit the other, and then watch for it in the game.
* A good defense is harder to spot than a good offense, but it's often more rewarding to enjoy a good defensive game rather than a high scoring one. [I think this might be the same way in baseball, no?]. Try to watch for dominating performances by linebackers, linemen, and safeties.
* Watching the field position battle is a great way to estimate how well a game is going for your team. The score might be 0 to 0, but if every drive of yours starts on the 5 yardline and every drive of theirs starts at the 45, chances are they are really in control of the game. Watch how the momentum of the game shifts over time, and how this is reflected (or even caused by) changes in field position.
* Always try to catch the games between division rivals, because those will always be some of the best games for your team, given that the ramifications of winning / losing are much more intense.
et., etc. Anyway, you get the picture. And, like I said, any and all feedback would be appreciated. I'd love to get into baseball but I want to do it the right way.
Whatever you take the time to write out, I promise I'll read.
