Nationals’ historic first exhibition game to be televised today

VIERA, Fla. – It’s only an exhibition, and it’s only spring training, when wins and losses don’t count.

Still, for a team that finally is setting down roots, it’s a big deal to play a game – any game – with “Nationals” on the jerseys and a curly “W” on the caps.

After so much time in limbo, the Washington Nationals nee Montreal Expos open the preseason Today by hosting the New York Mets, giving baseball fans in the nation’s capital their first chance to root, root, root for the home team since the Senators left for Texas after the 1971 season.

“It’s going to be a very special day, even though it’s just spring training,” general manager Jim Bowden said Tuesday in his office overlooking the field at Space Coast Stadium, where groundskeepers were mowing grass and raking dirt.

“You normally don’t televise the very first game of spring training,” he added, “but we’re on national television tomorrow because this is a historic moment.”

After saying earlier he wouldn’t play a full complement of regulars, manager Frank Robinson shifted gears a bit and is going Today with a starting lineup that might be the same when the team heads north.

Endy Chavez will lead off and play center field, followed by Cristian Guzman (shortstop), Jose Vidro (second base), Jose Guillen (right field), Brad Wilkerson (left field), Vinny Castilla (third base), Nick Johnson (first base) and Brian Schneider (catcher). The starting pitcher will be Tony Armas Jr., who appeared in a total of just 21 games the past two seasons because of major shoulder surgery.

Only Vidro and Schneider manned the same positions for Montreal on opening day in 2004.

“Frank told me how he wasn’t going to start his regulars for the first few days, but, boy, they’re all in there tomorrow, at least for the first couple of innings,” Bowden said. “And I think that’s good, because it allows the fans in Washington as well as America to see some of our players. A lot of these players are not very well known.”

The Mets will bring a watered-down roster, giving such stars as Pedro Martinez and Mike Piazza the day off. But key free-agent signing Carlos Beltran will make the trip, as will the regular infield quartet and Tom Glavine, Today’s starter.