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SPORTS Tuesday 22 OcTOber 2019
Los Viejos -- The Old Guys -- help Nationals make Series

By HOWARD FENDRICH veterans that can show the
AP Sports Writer kids how to play." Makes
WASHINGTON (AP) — NL sense to Suzuki. "Older
MVP candidate Anthony players sometimes get de-
Rendon surveyed his team- valued a little bit, just be-
mates scattered around cause of the age," he said.
the Nationals Park dia- "You can call us old, but
mond, whoopin' it up after that's fine. We don't care.
clinching a World Series We feel like we can still
berth. There were starting contribute and we can still
pitchers Max Scherzer and play at a high level. And I
Aníbal Sánchez, each 35 think that's the only thing
— and each responsible that matters."
for taking a no-hit bid into Scherzer, for example, is
at least the seventh inning a three-time Cy Young
as Washington won Games Award winner who fol-
1 and 2 of the NL Champi- lowed up yet another stel-
onship Series. So was Howie lar regular season by com-
Kendrick, 36, the second piling a 1.80 ERA in four ap-
baseman who earned pearances in the playoffs;
NLCS MVP honors with four Washington went 4-0 in
doubles and four RBIs in the those games. Sánchez has
sweep. And Ryan Zimmer- made two starts this post- Washington Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman reacts with Howie Kendrick after scoring during the
man, 35, the first baseman season with a 0.71 ERA. first inning of Game 4 of the baseball National League Championship Series against the St. Louis
slugging .484 this postsea- Like Scherzer and Sánchez Cardinals Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, in Washington.
son. , Rodney is one of a half- Associated Press
"A lot of old guys on the dozen members of the guys bring, you can't put rience and can teach the oldest team in the league,
team," Rendon observed. Nationals to already have that into an algorithm. You young, talented guys that and everybody said that's
"They call themselves 'Vie- appeared in a World Se- can't put a money value are basically going to carry a negative. We just tried
jos.'" Indeed, they do, and ries (only one, little-used re- on it. So people don't like the game on to the next to flip that and made it a
"Los Viejos" — Spanish for liever Hunter Strickland, has it. But there's definitely a generation how to respect positive, because we know
"The Old Guys" — are a big won a title). place for those guys," Zim- the game, how to play the how good ... we can still
part of why the Nationals Rodney has been a key merman said. "You can't game the right way." play. All of us, even the old
are getting ready to face part of the late-season re- have a team filled with Nationals GM Mike Rizzo guys," Scherzer said. "For
the Astros in the Fall Classic, birth of the team's bullpen: old guys, either. Nobody's likes the way the older me, I don't even feel old.
which opens Tuesday night He has allowed two hits saying that. I'm just saying players mentor the young- I feel young. I feel great
in Houston. and zero runs in 2 2/3 in- that there are spots on ev- er ones. and know that I can go out
There's also catcher Kurt nings in the playoffs. ery team for veteran guys He also likes the production there and do everything I
Suzuki, 36, and reliever "I look at them, and they're who have been there and "Los Viejos" provide. could do back when I was
Fernando Rodney, 42, the not old to me," 55-year-old done that and have expe- "We knew we were the 25 years old."q
oldest active player in the manager Dave Martinez
majors. said. "They're playing like Astros pick Verlander for
"People think we are old I've seen them play when
men and we can't do they were 27, 28." Game 2, Greinke for Game 3
things," said Rodney, who Sure, the Nationals do have
credited Suzuki with origi- a couple of kids playing key
nating the nickname. "So roles in starting outfielders
we say, 'Vamos, Viejos! You Juan Soto, 20, and Victor
can do it!'" Robles, 22. But there's not
They helped make Wash- much else at that end of
ington the oldest club in the spectrum, which is why
baseball in 2019, with an when second baseman
average age of a tad un- Brian Dozier, 32, was asked
der 31. what advice he's giving the
The Astros aren't exactly younger guys, he chuckled
spring chickens, either: and responded: "Younger
With an average age of guys? You mean the two
just above 30, they ranked that's in here?"
third oldest out of Major Dozier thinks it's important
League Baseball's 30 clubs. to have a lot of veterans
Just like the Nationals, their at this time of year — play- Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander checks the runner during the first inning in
roster includes a half-dozen ers who have been around Game 5 of baseball's American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees
players who are at least 35, are used to dealing with Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, in New York.
including rotation stalwarts distractions such as an in- Associated Press
Justin Verlander and Zack creased media presence HOUSTON (AP) — Justin on Friday when the Series age with nine homers, in-
Greinke. and have a better grasp Verlander will follow Gerrit resumes at Nationals Park. cluding three this season
Astros star Alex Bregman of how to, as he put it, Cole and start Game 2 of “Greinke gets to hit. That’s for Arizona before he was
has noticed. "slow the game down a lot the World Series for Hous- going to be fun for him,” traded to Houston on July
"I know how they say let the more" when the pressure in- ton against Washington Astros manager AJ Hinch 31. Houston plans a bull-
kids play," the 25-year-old creases. on Wednesday.Zack Gre- said Monday. Greinke pen game for Game 4 on
third baseman said Mon- "The chemistry and the inke will start for the Astros has a .225 batting aver- Saturday.q
day. "But there are some experience that veteran