Spring Training is officially over. The Washington Nationals have packed their bags and headed north, and that means real baseball is very, very close.

But before the 2013 campaign begins in earnest, the Nationals and their fans still have a few more days of preseason – that magical period when anything is still possible and expectations run high – a few more days when all 30 teams have a clean slate, a few more days of mounting anticipation.

Although there won’t be any Nationals games for two whole days before Opening Day, these two days are like the final deep breath before the plunge. They allow the anticipation to build until it bubbles over and you’re finally standing in Nats Park (or your living room), unable to suppress your cheers as the 2013 Nationals lineup is announced for the first time.

These two days provide an opportunity to reflect on all the reasons to be excited about the return of baseball and the potential of this year’s Nationals. At the Nats Blog, we wanted to know what would be filling your thoughts during these final moments in anticipation of the best day of the year. Thank you to everyone for your responses, and see you at Nats Park soon!

Nats fans, what excites you about baseball in 2013?

“To see if our heroes can rise from the heartbreaking defeat of Game 5 to finish what #Natstown has started. And hot dogs.” - @Munsonism

“Beers and sunshine with #Natitude.” - @dick_bowen

“[Baseball] means it’s summer. And…I think I’m catching Natitude; the Phanatic in me is slowly dying. I’m most excited to see the Nats possibly head to the World Series this year!” – Kayla G.

“I think it's impossible not to be excited when baseball returns each year. There's something about it that, if you've grown up in America, is sort of magical. It's never spring until the first pitch is thrown out and I can smell the freshly cut grass in the stadium.” – Paul S.

“For me, baseball a central element in my life. I did not miss but one or two games last year. It’s something you can count on being there every spring. I can remember the Senators leaving, and forcing me to travel to Baltimore to get my fix for more than 30 years. 
I’m not excited about THIS season rather I’m simply eager for it to begin. I want to see the Nats play competitive ball, I want to see them win more than they lose, but if they don’t win the last game of the season it won’t really matter to me, because I’m looking forward to the journey not the destination. I would like to see Davy go out with a ring. I think the youngsters in the dugout will do everything they can to get him one.”  - Carl W.

Dave Nichols of District Sports Page organized the 2013 Washington Nationals rountable this year, where a few Nats bloggers (including me) were asked to make predictions about the coming season. It's a seven-part series, and I'll be crossposting the links here as well as my answers to each of the questions.

In case you missed it, you can check out parts one, two, three, four, and five. In part six, we make the dreaded final record and division standings prediction. You can check out the post and everyone's responses here, and here is what I wrote about on the subject:

"A final record is the worst thing to have to predict of all baseball predictions. I always predict, and I’m rarely ever right. So, take this for what it’s worth. I expect the Nats to win the NL East with 97 wins. That’s my official number. However, can I see the Nats winning 105 or more games if everything goes according to plan? Definitely. And can I see the Nats at 90 wins with just a few key injuries? Yes."

Dave Nichols of District Sports Page organized the 2013 Washington Nationals rountable this year, where a few Nats bloggers (including me) were asked to make predictions about the coming season. It's a seven-part series, and I'll be crossposting the links here as well as my answers to each of the questions.

In case you missed it, you can check out parts one, two, three, and four. In part five, we talked about who we thought was the prospect to watch this season. You can check out the post and everyone's responses here, and here is what I wrote about on the subject:

"I know it’s the cliché answer here, but Anthony Rendon. Rendon showed in Spring Training why, if he can stay healthy, he will be a dominating force at the MLB level. The health will obviously be the biggest concern with him, as he’s shown a propensity for injury, but his potential is sky high. I look forward to taking a trip to Harrisburg this season to see him start up, and maybe we’ll even see him at Nationals Park at some point in 2013."

Dave Nichols of District Sports Page organized the 2013 Washington Nationals rountable this year, where a few Nats bloggers (including me) were asked to make predictions about the coming season. It's a seven-part series, and I'll be crossposting the links here as well as my answers to each of the questions.

In case you missed it, you can check out parts one, two, and three. In part four, we talked about our biggest concern with the upcoming season. You can check out the post and everyone's responses here, and here is what I wrote about on the subject:

"Health. Plain and simple. It’s not that I’m concerned that the team is hurt or dinged up now. I’m concerned if someone does get hurt, especially from the starting rotation. That could significantly hinder the team’s performance considering the lack of quality starting pitching depth in the organization that is MLB ready. On paper, there truly isn’t anything that I’m outwardly concerned about, besides maybe Danny Espinosa’s strikeouts. But even then, he’s a bottom of the order hitter who can hit for power and provides exception infield defense. If that’s among your top concerns, it’s probably going to be a good year."

It's an episode of predictions this week. We talk about Sports Illustrated season predictions, the FanGraphs predicitons based on ZiPS, and we make our own predictions, too. We're just a week from the regular season, and it feels so good.

Dave Nichols of District Sports Page organized the 2013 Washington Nationals rountable this year, where a few Nats bloggers (including me) were asked to make predictions about the coming season. It's a seven-part series, and I'll be crossposting the links here as well as my answers to each of the questions.

In case you missed it, you can check out part one and part two. In part three, we talked about what we were most excited about in the coming season. You can check out the post and everyone's responses here, and here is what I wrote about on the subject:

"For me, it has to be the pitching rotation. That said, I don’t think there is a right answer here. If you told me that the Nationals lineup did it for you, how could I possibly blame you? With a one through six of Span, Werth, Harper, Zimmerman, LaRoche, Desmond, there is significant potential for a huge offensive season for the Nats.

However, there isn’t going to be a single day of the week that I’m not excited about who is taking the bump for the Nats to start every game. From Strasburg to Gio to JZimm to Haren to Detwiler, there’s not a slouch among them, and on many, many teams, those three through five starters are one through three starters. K Street will be back in full swing… and miss… form. (Sorry, I couldn’t avoid the pun there.)"

One week from today, the Washington Nationals season will be underway. After the best season in their history, the Nats will try to exceed expectations with a team that many expect to win the National League East, and the NL on the whole. How can you possibly exceed those expectations? I’m not sure, but this team sure seems poised to do so.

When the 98-win Nationals started their 2012 season, no one expected much from the team. Most expected them to achieve their first winning season since the 2005 Inaugural Season, but the final regular season result changed the dynamic of baseball in our Nation’s Capital. And it all happened with the unique dynamic created by Nats’ GM Mike Rizzo.

The pitching rotation is obviously the core of the team’s future success. With Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, Dan Haren, and Ross Detwiler, the team is poised to, once again, have the best pitching rotation in all of baseball. Detwiler is poised to be the best number five pitcher in the game for the second straight season, and Stephen Strasburg will have a full season to show his worth and value to the best team in baseball.

The offensive and defensive lineup is nothing to be ashamed of either. The one through six of Denard Span, Jayson Werth, Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche, and Ian Desmond is among the best top six in the game, and it improves the lineup of a team that was already the best in the NL last season.

So, on paper, there’s so much that should be better this season. The only thing that’s changed is the expectations. After such an incredible and unexpected 2012, the 2013 Nats have a whole lot of pressure surrounding them.

Jayson Werth is used to that sort of pressure, but there aren’t many others who are. Zimmerman, Desmond, Harper, and others have gotten the postseason experience from last year, but turning those expectations into results isn’t quite as simple as it sounds. People expect more of them this season.

Quite honestly, I do, too. And most others do, as well. It’s going to be an incredible season of baseball in Washington, DC, which starts in just a week, and it all starts with what we expect from this team. Let those expectations run high. After last season, you deserve the high expectations.

If you haven’t read Adam Kilgore’s article about Jayson Werth this past weekend, now’s the time to do so, because it really embodies the state of the Washington Nationals. In one week, we’ll be talking about the result of a true, meaningful baseball game. And then for six plus months after that.

If you’ve been around since 2005, the importance of these circumstances won’t be lost on you. We’re in the homestretch of an offseason that may prove to be the most important in team history. It’s finally about time for some baseball, and it’s time to expect greatness from a team that’s been set up to succeed. 

Dave Nichols of District Sports Page organized the 2013 Washington Nationals rountable this year, where a few Nats bloggers (including me) were asked to make predictions about the coming season. It's a seven-part series, and I'll be crossposting the links here as well as my answers to each of the questions.

In case you missed it, part one is available here. In part two, we talked about the expectations for Bryce Harper this upcoming season. You can check out the post and everyone's responses here, and here is what I wrote about on the subject:

"I fully expect Bryce Harper to have an outstanding season, and one in which he may even be in MVP contention.  Do I think he’ll win the NL MVP in 2013? No. But I do think he’ll get enough votes to crack the top 10, and maybe even the top five. Harper will hit in the three spot this year, ahead of both Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche. He’ll have opportunities drive in runs and be driven in, which is infinitely important to those that vote for the MVP.

Further, he has star power on a team that will be closely watched by national baseball writers all season long, so he’ll be acknowledged and not forgotten. Playing the corner outfield should allow him to stay more fresh throughout the year as well, so we can see the power that we’ve all come to expect from him."