Bush to make pitch at home opener

President George W. Bush has accepted the Nationals' invitation to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the regular-season home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 14 at RFK Stadium, club president Tony Tavares confirmed on Thursday. President Bush, an avid baseball fan and former co-owner of the Rangers, will become the first president to throw out the first pitch in Washington, D.C., since Richard Nixon.

"The president has told me he will [throw out the first pitch]," Tavares said. "It's outstanding. I've seen [presidents] throw the first pitch on television. I just haven't been there in person."

Game time will be at 7:05 p.m. ET. Fans can purchase tickets on Nationals.com. The club will be off on April 15 before resuming the three-game series against Arizona on April 16.

The Nationals announced Thursday that they will make their D.C. debut on April 3, when they host the Mets at RFK Stadium in a charity exhibition game. All proceeds from the game will be given to the soon-to-be-established Washington Nationals Foundation. Following the game, the Nationals will travel to Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, where they will open the 2005 regular season against the Phillies on April 4.

Tavares recently said the purpose of an April 3 game against the Mets is to raise money for local charities as well as a dress rehearsal to make sure the Nationals don't have stadium issues in advance of the regular-season home opener.

Tavares said on Thursday that he was able to get the Mets on board because of his relationship with Mets general manager Omar Minaya, who held the same title with the Expos from 2002-04. Tavares said the deal came together during a recent White House dinner with President Bush.

This isn't a roster, it's a list of excuses...

Pitchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
36 Tony Armas	R/R	6-3	225	04/29/78
56 Luis Ayala	R/R	6-2	185	01/12/78
55 Francis Beltran	R/R	6-6	230	11/29/79
47 Roy Corcoran	R/R	5-10	170	05/11/80
32 Chad Cordero	R/R	6-0	200	03/18/82
54 Zach Day	R/R	6-4	215	06/15/78
58 Joey Eischen	L/L	6-0	215	05/25/70
61 Livan Hernandez	R/R	6-2	245	02/20/75
-- Michael Hinckley	R/L	6-3	170	10/05/82
59 Joe Horgan	L/L	6-1	200	06/07/77
-- Josh Karp	R/R	6-5	210	09/21/79
-- Esteban Loaiza	R/R	6-3	215	12/31/71
50 Gary Majewski	R/R	6-1	215	02/26/80
34 Tomo Ohka	R/R	6-1	200	03/18/76
-- Antonio Osuna	R/R	5-10	225	04/12/73
21 John Patterson	R/R	6-5	210	01/30/78
-- Darrell Rasner	R/R	6-3	210	01/13/81
51 Jon Rauch	R/R	6-11	260	09/27/78
-- Danny Rueckel	R/R	6-	175	09/25/79
52 T.J. Tucker	R/R	6-3	265	08/20/78
33 Claudio Vargas	R/R	6-3	230	06/19/78
Catchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
-- Gary Bennett	R/R	6-0	210	04/17/72
23 Brian Schneider	L/R	6-1	195	11/26/76
Infielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
-- Tony Blanco	R/R	6-1	175	11/10/81
44 Larry Broadway	L/L	6-4	230	12/17/80
5 Jamey Carroll	R/R	5-9	170	02/18/74
-- Vinny Castilla	R/R	6-1	205	07/04/67
-- Wil Cordero	R/R	6-2	230	10/03/71
-- Cristian Guzman	S/R	6-0	205	03/21/78
12 Brendan Harris	R/R	6-1	200	08/26/80
24 Nick Johnson	L/L	6-3	225	09/19/78
-- Alejandro Machado	S/R	6-0	160	04/06/82
4 Henry Mateo	S/R	6-0	175	10/14/76
3 Jose Vidro	S/R	5-11	195	08/27/74
6 Brad Wilkerson	L/L	6-0	205	06/01/77
Outfielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
19 Endy Chavez	L/L	5-10	155	02/07/78
38 Ryan Church	L/L	6-1	190	10/14/78
-- J.J. Davis	R/R	6-5	250	10/25/78
-- Carlton Godwin	L/R	6-	200	07/10/79
-- Jose Guillen	R/R	5-11	190	05/17/76
48 Terrmel Sledge	L/L	6-0	185	03/18/77

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