Nats Season Opener to Feature a Leftie on the Mound

[Clio the Leo]

Another Monday Halladay: After Obama's 1st pitch, new Phillies ace takes mound
By Joseph White (CP) – 17 hours ago

WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals found perhaps the only pitcher who can trump Roy Halladay's debut with the Philadelphia Phillies.

He's a lefty without a whole lot of experience, and one of his big recent victories came by the eye-popping score of 219-212.

Of course, that was a health care vote in the House of Representatives, not a baseball outing. The left-hander is U.S. President Barack Obama, who will mark the 100th anniversary of presidential first pitches by performing the ceremonial duty Monday at Nationals Park.

"I'm going to be talking to him in the cage. I'm going to be warming him up," Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez said. "I'm going to take a picture with him, if he'll let me. It'll be exciting."

Cool customer Ryan Zimmerman gets the honour of catching the actual first pitch - "It's just a pitch. I've met Bush and those guys before," he said - and the Gold Glove third baseman might need to exhibit his best range to save the Commander in Chief some embarrassment. Obama didn't grow up playing organized baseball and nearly bounced his only previous presidential first-pitch attempt, at the all-star Game in St. Louis last year.

"I'll do my best," Zimmerman said. "I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best."

Once the pageantry is done, the focus turns to Halladay, the centrepiece of the Phillies' bid to win their third straight National League pennant, and second World Series in three years.

<snip>

Opening day is one of the few dates the Nationals can actually fill their ballpark, and having Obama on hand adds to a distinctly Washington spectacle that began when President William Howard Taft made a ceremonial toss to Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson in April 1910.

The cherry blossoms are in bloom this time of year in the nation's capital, making the city as bright and cheerful as a baseball fan on the first day of the season.

Zimmerman tossed in his own bit of Nationals optimism when asked if Obama's appearance might be an effective way to steal some of Halladay's thunder.

"Well," Zimmerman said, "Lannan might be able to, actually."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iGnyD3Mp688kXTzOXOt9vrjSbsHg

[SpiralHawk]

1. Red Sox Spank Yanks in Fenway opener yesterday

So all is well with the universe.
For a few hours anyway.

[brendan120678]

2. A rally from being down 5 - 2 after the 5th to winning it...

9 - 7 is hardly a "spanking."
Beckett got knocked out before finishing the fifth inning.