The Fanbase: Recent numbers reported by Dan Steinberg in his sports blog reflect a woeful story. MASN’s Nat’s numbers have dropped precipitously over the last year — so that now there are only 9000 households in DC who tune into Nats games, a figure that is down 43.5 percent from last year. Steinberg’s firebell warning was in response to an article on baseball television ratings that was written by SportsBusiness Journal reporter John Ourand, who notes that TV numbers for baseball games are down all over the country. Except, of course, for select markets.

MASN’s viewer ratings are, in fact, more than disturbing; they could be pointing to an overall trend that would reinforce those critics who have always claimed that D.C. is simply not a baseball town. Even so, amidst this piece of bad news there is some good — modest though it might be. Nats fandom, for one, continues to support the team; attendance numbers are good, particularly considering the on-the-field product, and support for the team (an intangible) is growing. The NATS are sixteenth in attendance, averaging over 29,000 fans per game. The NATS are ahead of the first place White Sox and Rays, the second place Marlins, as well as the A’s, Rangers and Twins.

While it’s true that a continued poor showing of the on-the-field product could bring those numbers down next year, the Nats can be justly proud of taking the necessary first step in building a loyal following: the city has built a beautiful ballpark in a soon-to-be-booming neighborhood with a commitment to finding good young ballplayers. There are skeptics, but I believe the commitment. So … I am simply unwilling to follow the advice given by Ian Koskie, over at NationalsPride, who says he will not renew his season tickets. He gives eight reasons: reckless call-ups, unfulfilled promises, widely available individual game tickets, inability to give away excess tickets, sheer boredom, MASN HD, constant extortion and no hope.

Ian can make his own decisions and he has a right to, but I’ve made mine. I will be renewing my season tickets. Here’s five reasons why:

1. Fulfilled promises: The Nats promised they were going to build a team from the bottom-up, with young players who were committed for the long haul. They’ve kept that promise by putting Ryan Zimmerman, Jesus Flores, John Lannan, Collin Balester and Lastings Milledge on the field. They’re good ballplayers, not castoffs — and they could form the nucleus of one of the National League’s better franchises.

2. The Team Cares: I saw the D-Backs play the other night on MASN (I am one of those 9000 households). They looked like they didn’t care. Chad Tracy Buckner’d a ball in the 7th inning that he should have had and Micah Owings took himself out of the game. I have seen some pretty poor play in the 17 games I have gone to at Nationals Park, but I have never seen the team concede a game. I have never seen Manny Acta lose focus. So here it is: as long as they give a shit, so will I.

3. MASN: Don Sutton and Bob Carpenter are very, very good announcers. I like Sutton (I don’t like his love affair with Austin Kearns, but hey — he has a right) and the in-studio commentary of Johnny Holiday and Ray Knight is first rate. Ray Knight knows his stuff and I get the sense there isn’t a mean bone in his body. You want lousy announcing — go to Cincinnati or St. Louis or listen to a White Sox broadcast. They’re just plain awful. It’s like listening to NFL analysis: it’s all about character and leadership and “smash-mouth” competition. Waddabunchacrip. Not with Sutton, et. al. They think it through. Byron Kerr and Debbi Taylor are better than average, and I like Phil Wood. He’s clearly a fan who ended up behind the microphone and he talks like a fan. These people, it seems to me, are dedicated to doing the best they can. Someday, they’ll be rewarded with tens of thousands of viewers.

Or would you rather go back to the days of Ron Darling?

4. Nationals Park: I was standing outside the 1st Base gate one night (inhaling my lousy habit) and I started talking with another fan. Here’s what he said: “Isn’t this great?” and I nodded. “You know,” he said, “maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I just have to. These guys got this right. What a stadium — what fun it is to be here.” That’s right: this city can’t even build a decent convention center, but somehow they built a ballpark. Nationals Park is just a great place to watch a game. And the people in the stands are beginning to realize that. You ever been out to watch a Redskins’ game? I have. Once. I won’t go again.

5. Grow Up: What did we think would happen? I’ve been a Cubs fan since 1962. You know what that’s been like? If you’re a Cubs fan you regularly blame the drought on black cats and errant foul balls. But the truth is, for thirty of those years, the Cubs were owned by people who just didn’t care. No Cubs fan will say that out loud — but it’s true. So you learn to be a baseball fan, to root for the game, to appreciate a good play. And that’s what I’ve learned to do. The wins will come to the Nats. It’ll take a while. But they will come. And when they do, I’ll be in the same seats that I have now rooting for this team. Because that’s what being a fan means.

Now then, back to the sarcastic unfair criticism.