Well, it didn't take long for the Nats to try out their latest experiment. Felipe Lopez is starting in left field today against the Phillies, the first time he's played outfield in his professional career.

With Wily Mo Pena and Elijah Dukes out, the Nats are kind of desperate for a left fielder, and the guys they've thrown out there so far (including Willie Harris) haven't exactly been productive. Harris finally singled in the ninth inning last night to make Nats left fielders 1-for-11 for the season.

So it's Lopez today. He worked in the outfield yesterday during BP and he was out there again this morning with coach Jerry Morales learning how to track down fly balls and play caroms off the wall. It could be a bit of an adventure out there today, but Manny Acta said it's worth the shot.

"This is not the final game of the World Series," Acta said. "This is the fourth game of the regular season. This is a time for us to find out if he can do it or not."

Some might argue that the last six weeks in Florida would have been a better time to find out if Lopez can play outfield, but then again, it's not like the Nats knew they'd lose both of their top two left fielders already.

In other pregame news...

-- Chad Cordero played catch and reported no problems with his right shoulder. The team is still being cautious with the closer, though, so he'll throw off a bullpen mound Saturday in St. Louis and then possibly be available to pitch in Sunday's game.

-- Dmitri Young is still battling a bit of a stiff back that plagued him this spring. It doesn't prevent him from hitting, but he can't really play the field a full nine innings. So that means Aaron Boone is starting at first base today against left-hander Jamie Moyer, with Acta wanting to give Nick Johnson a day off.

-- Jesus Flores also in the lineup behind the plate filling in for Paul Lo Duca. Flores may not remain on the roster much longer, though, because Johnny Estrada is ready to begin a rehab assignment at Columbus tomorrow and will be ready to return soon.

With that, here's today's lineups for the 1 p.m. game at Citizens Bank Park...

NATIONALS
SS Guzman
CF Milledge
3B Zimmerman
RF Kearns
1B Boone
2B Belliard
LF Lopez
C Flores
P Bergmann

PHILLIES
SS Rollins
CF Victorino
2B Utley
1B Howard
LF Burrell
RF Jenkins
3B Feliz
C Coste
P Moyer