Teddy finally wins Presidents Race as Nationals clinch top seed in National League

These are not your old Washington Nationals any more.

That's a fact, of course, that became readily apparent over the course of the 2012 regular season, which ended on Wednesday with a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The victory was Washington's 98th of the season and clinched the National League's top seed over Cincinnati. What it means is that the second-seed Reds will head to play the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS that starts on Saturday while the Nationals will start Sunday on the road against the winner of Atlanta-St. Louis.

That news, however, may pale in comparison  to the media attention that will be showered on the result of the final Presidents Race of the season. After experiencing a rough ride and losing the first 538 dashes in the gimmick's history, Teddy Roosevelt finally came through and ended the incompetence that inspired the "Let Teddy Win" movement.  TR's victory was a long time coming  — the first race was held on July 21, 2006 —and many had theorized it'd take place whenever the Nats broke through to their first postseason appearance. Well, they did and Nathan Fenno of the Washington Times has the full story on what Teddy's triumph means in DC.

Bull Moose, forever.

Are you ready for the postseason?
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