The Nationals bullpen is really bad. How bad? Well, obituaries are being written about them.
Jake and Patrick Killebrew of Richmond, Virginia have a routine. When the Nationals play, they watch. The Nationals also have a routine, when they have to turn to their bullpen, they lose.
Both of these dynamics were in play last Monday night when Jake sat down with his father Patrick to take in a game.
In a pattern that’s become all too familiar to Nationals fans, starter Tanner Roark found himself unable to get outs, despite being posted to an early 6-0 lead which resulted in the Nats having to go to their bullpen.
“Here we go again,” Patrick Killebrew said to his dad.
Things certainly did unravel from there. According to the Washington Post, “Sure enough, Jacob Turner allowed a game-tying home run in the seventh inning and Enny Romero gave up a walk-off single in the ninth in an 8-7 loss to the Marlins.”
However, that wasn’t all that happened that evening. “Sometime in the hours between Jake and Patrick lamenting another blown lead by the Washington bullpen and the next morning, Patrick died in his sleep.”
Then Patrick wrote an obituary for his dad in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, which just might the greatest sports fan obit ever:
KILLEBREW, Patrick, “Pat,” age 68, passed away peacefully at home, June 20, 2017, after watching the Washington Nationals relief pitchers blow yet another lead. Beloved father and husband, longtime attorney, former U.S. Navy Navigator and avid baseball fan and player. Join in a celebration of his life July 2, 6 to 8 p.m., at the SCA Clubhouse, 9601 Redbridge Rd., 23236. In lieu of flowers, send “donations” to the “Nationals Bullpen Fund.”
Jake got the thumbs up for the awesome, yet highly unorthodox obit from his mom who, according to the Washington Post, thinks her son summed up his dad quite nicely:
He would’ve loved it. He’s probably up there laughing right now. For the fact that somebody in that bullpen might read that thing on the Internet? That’s the greatest thing that could ever happen. If you knew Pat, that’s exactly what he would’ve wanted.
This Monday night, the Nationals bullpen squandered six innings on a one-run ball from starter Gio Gonzalez by giving up four total runs in the eighth and ninth innings and allowing the Cubs to win the game 5-4. Ergo, your donations to the “Nationals Bullpen Fund” are welcome and needed.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter: @themightygwinn
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