BASEBALL
Nats' Tentative Schedule Might Start on the Road
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The Washington Nationals have not revealed their 2008 schedule -- the first they'll play in new Nationals Park in Southeast. But club officials are working around a tentative schedule that has the team opening and closing the season in Philadelphia.
The schedule does not include the March 30 Sunday night opener the Nationals are hoping to use to christen the ballpark in front of a national television audience. The opponent would likely be the New York Mets. ESPN, which carries the opener annually, remains in discussions with Major League Baseball, a network spokesman said yesterday.
"There are several potential venues, including Washington," ESPN's Nate Smeltz said. "It's being considered."
Whether the Sunday night opener is granted or not, the Nationals are tentatively scheduled to begin a road trip March 31 in Philadelphia, then play a series in St. Louis before returning home for a three-game series against Florida on April 7-9, the first true series at the new ballpark. That would kick off a homestand that would include games against Atlanta and the Mets.
The Chicago Cubs would be the first opponent from outside the National League East to visit Washington, a three-game weekend series tentatively scheduled for April 25-27.
In interleague play, the Nationals are scheduled to host Texas on June 20-22, the Los Angeles Angels on June 24-26 and Baltimore on June 27-29. They are scheduled to play at Baltimore on May 16-18, at Seattle on June 13-15 and at Minnesota on June 17-19.
One indication of the schedule's fluidity: The schedule the Nationals were issued does not have games scheduled for Memorial Day (May 26) or Labor Day (Sept. 1). But the Web site for the Milwaukee Brewers shows a Nationals-Brewers game in Washington for the afternoon of Memorial Day, and the Phillies' Web site shows a Labor Day game at Nationals Park. In each case, only a one-day shift of series would be required.
The Nationals are tentatively scheduled to be in Cincinnati on July 4.
In other news, the sod for the field at Nationals Park is scheduled to be delivered today, when installation will begin. The club is scheduled to host an official unveiling Nov. 13.
-- Barry Svrluga
