Nationals Name Obama Opening-Day Starter

No, not really, but it’s as plausible as any other scenario for the Washington Nationals, baseball’s worst team. But what they have done is invite President Obama to throw out the first pitch at their home opener against the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies on April 13, MLB.com reports.

Obama is already considering an invitation from his favorite team, the Chicago White Sox, to handle first pitch duties at their home opener April 6 against the Kansas City Royals. No reason he couldn’t do both, right?

If the president decides to make an appearance at Nationals Park in D.C., though, he might want to think twice about how well he throws the ball. If he throws a strike, Nationals general manager Jim Bowden is liable to run on to the field and offer Obama a contract. (Yes, the Nats are that bad.)

Presidents dating to William Howard Taft attended opening day baseball in the capital (back when the old Senators were the home nine) but that tradition disappeared when the Senators did in 1971. President Bush brought the ceremony back to life when he took on first-pitch duties for the Nats at the beginning of their 2005 inaugural season; Bush was there again when the team debuted its new ballpark last year.

–Jeffrey Young