So this is awesome: Instead of the pump-up music they use during home batting practice, the Nationals are playing pump-down music for their opponents. Tim Rohan of the New York Times has the story:

All of this was by design. Starting this season, for now at least, the Nationals are playing slow soft-rock songs during the visiting team’s batting practice. As if their standout starting rotation were not daunting enough, the Nationals are also trying to gain a psychological edge on their opponents, at least in some small way. Because the Mets were in town for the first series of the season, they served as guinea pigs. Over three games, they heard the Carpenters, Elton John, Sarah McLachlan, Sinead O’Connor, R.E.M. and Kansas (“Dust in the Wind”)…. “We like to be fun and creative with our in-game entertainment, and the songs we play during visiting team batting practice is part of the show,” Valerie Camillo, the Nationals’ chief revenue and marketing officer, said in a statement.

The Times article goes pretty deep on the subject and is worth the read. Hilarious move by the Nationals, regardless of its efficacy.

But then, it could always backfire. The Nats will host the Marlins three times this season, and Giancarlo Stanton is on the Marlins. And there’s almost no way that Giancarlo Stanton taking batting practice to even the sappiest of soft rock songs wouldn’t prove an inspiring and triumphant display.

Try this out: Hit play on the first of these videos, with the volume all the way up, then scroll down and watch the second one with the volume most of the way down (but not quite all the way down). For real, do it.

Now tell me that’s not the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in your entire life, an exhilarating portrayal of the deep and true romance between Giancarlo Stanton and majestic homers. Straight-up art, friends. And the Nats are going to treat the Marlins to nine shows a year.

What does that do but make you want to hit glorious homers?