Can A Sandwich Help The Washington Nationals Win The World Series?
More than any other sport, baseball is a game of superstitions. We've heard it all before: Don't step on this line, take exactly this many steps to the dugout, don't even think of talking to this player right now. Major leaguers are also known to have quite the set of beliefs regarding diet routines. Wade Boggs was referred to as "Chicken Man" for his steadfast refusal to eat anything but poultry before games. Turk Wendell (remember him?) chewed on black licorice while he pitched and brushed his teeth between innings. But could the Washington Nationals be taking things to the next level with their affinity for sandwiches? Not just any sandwiches. Mayo-banana sandwiches. Naturally.
Back in June, Nationals' bullpen coach Matt LeCroy revealed that he eats a banana and mayonnaise sandwich (apparently, a Southern specialty of sorts) every time his team hits a midseason snag. At last check, the team were 5-0 on the days that their coach consumed the sammy. Of course, since the proclamation, the Nationals have also been one of the hottest teams in the entire league, coasting to a division title and earning the NL's first playoff seed.
So, why write about this at this exact moment in time? Well, that's the thing about superstitions: once the wins start falling into place, it's fair game to attribute them to your quirk starting to work its magic. Jordan Zimmermann's no-hitter last weekend? Obviously, a direct result of the mayo-banana wonder 'wich. We'll be the first to take credit for re-heating the sandwich story if it leads to October glory for the Nats. As for me? I'm picking the Baltimore Orioles over the San Francisco Giants in this year's Fall Classic.
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