My oh my, what a wonderful day ... to be at Disney's Wide World of Sports, spring home of the Atlanta Braves. Far be it for me to be critical of the most powerful media/entertainment corporation in the world, but this place always kind of gives me the creeps. It's a little too hokey and manufactured for my tastes. How so? Well, the security guards on the field wear black-and-white, Foot Locker-style referee jerseys and black shorts. Over the PA system, they were just playing a dance remix of the Jackson Five's "ABC-123." You get the idea.

Anyways, the Nats are here tonight to play the Braves, with an interesting little pitching matchup: John Patterson vs. Tom Glavine. Patterson, of course, is making his third appearance of the spring (second in an official Grapefruit League game after last week's scheduled start was rained out). Team officials want to see him throw free and easy at last, something he did toward the end of his last start at the minor-league accelerated camp.

Other news to report: Odalis Perez is currently flying to the Dominican Republic and has a noon appointment tomorrow to secure his work visa. He'll be back in Viera tomorrow night and will be ready to pitch in a big-league game by the end of the week. Good news for a rotation that has so many questions.

More good news: Shawn Hill played catch today for the first time since receiving his cortisone shot on Friday. Reports are that he had no pain. Obviously, though, there's still plenty to watch with Hill over the next two weeks.

With that, here's tonight's Nats lineup against Mr. Glavine:

SS Felipe Lopez
2B Bret Boone
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Nick Johnson
LF Wily Mo Pena
CF Elijah Dukes
C Jesus Flores
RF Ryan Langerhans
P John Patterson, who will be the first Nats pitcher to bat this spring

Updates to be provided later...