Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals: Hope springs eternal

The Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros share a Spring Training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. Eight months after first playing each other, the two teams will meet again in the 2019 World Series.

“Hope springs eternal” is a cliché that’s endlessly repeated at the dawn of almost every team’s Spring Training. In 2019, the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals proved the saying right by reaching the World Series.

Houston and Washington’s October aspirations didn’t simply start on the same day or in the same state. They took root on the exact same field. Since 2017, the two teams have shared the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida.

I was in the stands on February 23, 2019, when Nationals ace Max Scherzer took the mound against the Astros to open the 2019 season as a gentle breeze added to the comfort of a beautiful South Florida evening. Almost exactly eight months later, Scherzer will toe the Minute Maid Park rubber during the first game of the Fall Classic.

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As one of the first season ticket holders at the Nats-Astros Spring Training stadium, my already insane level of excitement for the World Series has grown even higher. My rooting interests are obvious as a Washington Nationals fan, but for the past three years, I’ve got an up-close look at the Houston Astros each spring. Both as players and people, the Astros are the real deal. Every baseball fan should feel fortunate to watch what could be the sport’s next dynasty.

Baseball fans should also relish the opportunity to watch the league’s two best starting rotations go head-to-head in what should be an epic World Series matchup. Nobody is pitching better right now than Houston stud Gerrit Cole, with Washington’s Stephen Strasburg not far behind. Scherzer and Justin Verlander are both future Hall of Famers and former teammates. Zack Greinke and Patrick Corbin are also two of the game’s best.

Both teams have similarly excellent lineups, with the bullpen edge clearly in Houston’s favor even though Nationals closer Daniel Hudson has been better than Roberto Osuna so far in the playoffs. Either way, these are two elite squads that earned their respective spots in the Fall Classic.

After spending a lot of time around both teams in February and March, two things are for sure: the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros respect one another and work extremely hard. Both squads are intense, but from what I’ve seen up close, they are also extremely likable.

I remember the day the Nats-Astros Florida facility opened in 2017 like it was yesterday. Fort Lauderdale native Michael A. Taylor, who is still a member of the Nationals, christened the new ballpark with a walk-off home run. Even during that spring day’s excitement, it was hard to imagine the two teams one day facing off in a World Series.

That’s exactly what’s about to happen, which should teach all baseball fans two important lessons: Spring Training matters, and the dreams that ballplayers, coaches and fans dream in February and March can come true. For proof, look no further than the Washington Nationals, the Houston Astros and a picturesque, palm tree-filled ballpark in sunny South Florida.