Nats 1B Ryan Zimmerman presented President Trump with a commemorative jersey during the visitMELANIA TRUMP
More than 5,000 Nationals fans gathered on the White House lawn to "celebrate the first World Series championship in the nation's capital in 95 years," according to Peter Baker of the N.Y. TIMES. Several players "stayed away" from yesterday's visit, including 3B Anthony Rendon. However, Rendon's agent Scott Boras said that the player was "not making a political statement." Nationals P Sean Doolittle was the "only one who publicly attributed his decision to skip the ceremony to antipathy" for President Trump. Club ownership was represented by Principal Owner Mark Lerner and his wife, Judy, but the rest of the Lerner family, including patriarch, Founding Owner Ted Lerner, "did not attend." It was "perhaps the only no-win situation the Nationals organization faced all year" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/5). In L.A., Chuck Schilken notes of the 25 players on the Nationals' World Series roster, 18 "were in attendance." In addition to Rendon and Doolittle, Nationals OFs Victor Robles and Michael Taylor, and Ps Joe Ross, Javy Guerra and Wander Suero were "not listed as being in attendance" (L.A. TIMES, 11/5). In DC, Nakamura & Dougherty cited sources as saying that the club "did not discuss the decision to attend with players." They were "only asked whether they planned to attend or not." Nationals 1B Ryan Zimmerman, who praised Trump's leadership while presenting him with a commemorative jersey, and C Kurt Suzuki, who donned a "Make America Great Again" hat during the celebration, "drew blowback online from Trump's critics, but they also garnered high-profile support" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/5).
HAT CHAT: USA TODAY's Christine Brennan writes by "apparently not cautioning their players" to avoid politics, Suzuki's "aggressively partisan gesture ... will become the day's enduring image." Brennan: "The Nationals and MAGA are now linked for as long as people remember this White House visit" (USA TODAY, 11/5). THE ATHLETIC's Brittany Ghiroli writes the sense from the Red Sox and Astros, the other two World Series champs to visit Trump's White House, was "smile, don't make a scene and move on." However, that "wasn't the case for the Nationals." There was "effusive praise" for Trump from Zimmerman in addition to the "bizarre" actions of Suzuki (THEATHLETIC.com, 11/5). In DC, Scott Allen notes Suzuki put the cap on when he was "summoned to the lectern" by Trump, who then "reached his hands under Suzuki's arms to give him a brief hug as Suzuki saluted the crowd assembled on the South Lawn." Trump said of Suzuki, "I didn't know that was going to happen" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/5). In Honolulu, Ferd Lewis writes Suzuki's action led to people "weighing in vehemently, pro and con," with opinions on social media. Lewis: "Welcome to real hardball, Kurt" (HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER, 10/5).
POMP & CIRCUMSTANCE: The White House said that "approximately 5,300 attended" yesterday's ceremony, which was made available to the public. In DC, Matthew Paras notes Trump "called the gathering a record for those on the South Lawn, though it wasn't immediately clear if it was" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/5). In DC, Brian McNally noted the Nationals' celebration was a "much bigger event than many in recent years with fans allowed onto the South Lawn behind ropes and hundreds of reporters documenting it." Still, no players, coaches nor execs were "made available to the media for questions afterward." These events have "become so sensitive with teams not wanting to alienate fans on either side of the political spectrum" (NBCSPORTSWASHINGTON.com, 11/4).
POKING THE BEAR: Late night television was quick to take shots at the Nationals' White House visit. CBS' James Corden said, "At one point after catcher Kurt Suzuki put on a red MAGA hat, Trump embraced him in a kind of unusual way. When he saw this Joe Biden was like, 'Hey, that's my move!'" ("The Late Late Show," CBS, 11/5). CBS' Stephen Colbert said, "It wouldn't be a Trump event without some creepy touching, as we saw when catcher Kurt Suzuki put on a MAGA hat, got a nice pat on the shoulder from Trump, and -- oh! Oh, no! He tried to steal second base!" Trump during his speech yesterday said, "America fell in love with Nats baseball. They just fell in love with Nats baseball. That's all they wanted to talk about -- that and impeachment! I like Nats baseball much more." Colbert: "That's the MLB's new slogan, 'Baseball: More fun than losing your job!'" ("The Late Show," CBS, 11/4).
