Buzz Saw: The Improbable Story of How the Washington Nationals Won the World Series

Dougherty, the Washington Post’s beat reporter for the Washington Nationals, digs into the exciting story of how the team went from a losing record in May 2019 to World Series champions five months later. The narrative begins in the offseason when the team decided not to re-sign their star pitcher Bryce Harper following a disappointing 2018 season. The team struggled early in the season, as manager Dave Martinez and GM Mike Rizzo searched for answers, and here, Dougherty delves deep into the team’s strategies, such as Martinez encouraging the coaching staff to look at the “little things,” which eventually led to led to their bringing in cast-off players and veterans who would help lead the team’s resurgence. That combo worked, and the team reached the playoffs, which Dougherty captures in a great mix of game recaps and personal narratives that includes Martinez undergoing heart surgery mid season, and a Twitter brouhaha sparked by pitcher Daniel Hudson missing a playoff game to be present for the birth of his daughter. Dougherty highlights the team’s use of modern analytics and traditional scouting during their triumphant march to championships, as the Nationals beat the Cardinals in the NLCS and the Astros in the World Series. Emotional and informative, this is a home run for any fan of the sport. (Mar.)