Further, the city’s reputation suffers from the cantankerous disposition of its part-time residents — members of Congress — who have managed to come together, at least a little bit, in their baseball joy.

“One thing that you never hear often enough is the Republican leader and I love watching baseball,” Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said on the Senate floor this week, referring to Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky. “And we share often our views of the team, and how if we were there we may do things a little differently, but we still are a booster for the team.”

Image Baltimore Orioles fans celebrated after their team won the American League East earlier this week. Credit... Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Mr. Reid also noted, for roughly the millionth time, that the Nationals’ manager, Matt Williams — who perhaps mulls what things, if he served in the Senate, he might do a little differently — and the outfielder Bryce Harper are both from his home state.

Mr. McConnell, with far less animation, conceded the point. “It is a pretty exciting development and has a lot of Nevada connections,” he said, and then moved on to trashing Mr. Reid’s agenda.

A generational struggle, this is not. Thousands of nonnative Washingtonians have spent their years here rooting for other teams. Many fill Nationals Park, marring the reigning Natitude with their loud hooting for the Phillies or the Braves or whatnot.