Swengali: Nats Grab Attention, Briefly

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IS IT POSSIBLE that the Washington Nationals have already had their highlight of the year?

Willie Harris' thrilling game-saving catch in left field last Thursday against the Mets was about as good as it gets. For at least that split second, the monotony that defines this year's Nationals was gone.

Reality returned up north in Baltimore, where taking one of three from another rebuilding team was considered an accomplishment.

And you wonder why the Nats struggle to draw fans to a new stadium.

Yes, few franchises have had this sort of trouble achieving sellouts in the first year of a new ballpark. Yet, few teams made as little an effort to field a winning team as the Nationals, who are back at their new home this week to face the Phillies and Brewers.

The future is most certainly not now, so forgive fans for being patient about buying tickets — they are waiting for a competitive squad.

This city has shown it will cheer for a winner. The Capitals, who became the talk of the town in April, were among the NHL's worst in attendance until they turned around their fortune in January.

There is plenty more to do in the nation's capital than watch a boring team.

Harris' catch drew our attention for a brief moment. The Nats will have to do the same for an entire season to fill their beautiful stadium.

Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post