Dan Lovallo

As I write this, the Washington Nationals are one win away from their first trip to the World Series.  The Nats, who stunned the Dodgers last week in the NLDS, are now putting the Cardinals in a stupor with their pitching.  Viewing this dominant performance, I cannot help but think about Washington's Connecticut connection. Remember, Washington was 19-31 in May and fired their pitching coach, replacing him with Paul Menhart.  The Nats pitching has been among the elite, since Menhart became pitching coach.  He grew up in Mystic, CT and attended Fitch High School. Then there is NLCS game three winning pitcher Stephen Strasburg.  He spent one summer in Torrington, as a pitcher with the Torrington Twisters, then a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. And let us not forget Jack McKeon, a baseball legend.  McKeon will turn 89 on Nov. 23 and he is still going strong, as an adviser to Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo.  He has been a manager, executive and adviser and among his achievements is winning the