12 Things I won’t, and will, do in the off-season

12 Things I won’t, and will, do in the off-season:

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What I won’t do:

1. Watch Jose Fernandez’ last game. Unless I want to cry.
2. Micro re-manage any Nats’ losses. Baseball is a game of inches; luck & skill in varying proportions; and baseball is a game of failure (in case anyone didn’t already know that).
3. Worry about things I can’t control:
   1. Whether Rizzo leaves for Arizona.
   2. Whither Gio.
   3. Which Bryce Harper shows up in April 2017, and October 2017.
   4. How many games the Nats will play in October 2017.
   5. Whither Danny Espinosa.
   6. Whether any players will do something stupid in the WBC, showing off for their home country, and end up out for the season or ineffective.
   7. Whether Ryan is done as a full-time baseball player.
   8. Whether Jayson Werth has one more good season in him.
   9. Whether Ben Revere just needed time for his oblique to recover.
   10. Who will close for the Nats in 2017 (In Rizzo I trust . . . to get us a non-choking closer).
   11. Whither Ramos.
   12. How many starts we’ll get from Stras before something else stretches/strains/breaks/cramps up.
   13. Whether Giolito will ever live up to his hype.

Now, I will not necessarily refrain from speculating about any of the above, because I’m a fan with an opinion and an Internet connection—and that’s what fans with opinions and Internet connections do.

4. Inventory tag my baseball collection (because I did that last offseason during SnowZilla).
5. Buy any more Nats gear . . . . . . . until I figure out where I’m going to put it. Seriously, I’m finding rally towels everywhere (yes, Clancy, you can keep the one you swiped to put in your cat bed).  I only need about four of them (I put them on top of the door hinges to keep the cats from closing certain doors).  Maybe a quilt top? With a few t-shirts thrown in, I think I’m on the way to our 4^th quilt top.  Queen sized.
6. Bid ridiculous amounts of partially deductible dollars at charity auctions on baseball experiences that I enjoy and can blog about later. Probably.
7. Mention baseball to my brother, the Giants fan (and chaplain for one of their minor league teams), for a couple of months.
8. Renew my season plan for Sec. 313—because I already did that.
9. Not believe any rumors I read on Twitter unless there’s a link to an article with quotes from the subject of the rumors . . . and maybe not even then.
10. Be surprised by anything Rizzo does. Only if he did nothing would I be surprised.
11. Expect that MASN lawsuit to be settled. By the time that lawsuit is settled, Lawyerball will be as long as Bleak House.
12. Expect honest, complete answers about player’s health. From the Nationals, the agents, or the players themselves.

What I will do:

1. Re-watch several good games, or listen to C & D’s calls of games I attended.
2. Re-read the Physics of Baseball. Every year I learn more about what really goes on in the eternal battle of pitcher vs. hitter.  Definitely for non-physicists!
3. Go to Winterfest. Yeah, I know, the cheesiness-to-signal ratio is kind of high, but you never know.  Last year, ended up chatting with Dusty about fishing in Florida and watched Jayson Werth really let his hair down in the kid’s press conference.  Besides, it’s awesome to get on the Metro in December with thousands of red-clad non-Santa people.  Who smile at each other.
4. Try to figure out a way in the budget and work schedule to get down to Spring Training. Maybe the paint will still be wet, and maybe the fans will need binoculars or drones to see the player workouts, but someone needs to be there to determine that and report back, right?  Right?
5. Read a baseball book I haven’t read yet. Guy at the picnic tables behind 313 recommended Extra Innings (about the reincarnation of Ted Williams). Other suggestions welcome.
6. Meet up with other fans—in DC or elsewhere (like, hmm, Portland OR).
7. Go to the Hot Stove event and ask Valerie what the Nats are going to do if MLB has another 8 p.m. playoff start . . . other than direct them to DC’s memo.
8. Donate some stuff. Anyone need a charity auction Nats gift basket?  I’ll put it together, wrap it, and deliver it.  Guaranteed to include two bobbleheads, at least one of which will not be MAT or Danny Espinosa.
9. Reach an agreement with the three other couples on how we’re sharing the two full season seats in 217.
10. Buy Nats gear for the great-nephew expected in Feb. He shouldn’t grow up thinking that Alabama football is the only sport on earth.
11. Do hundreds of non-baseball related activities, while (mostly) metaphorically staring out the window and waiting for spring.
12. Watch Jose Fernandez’s last game anyway. And cry. Because, baseball.