The tarp has been removed from the infield, the grounds crew is putting down the chalk lines and we're just about ready for baseball. Not going to be the most enjoyable playing conditions tonight, with temperatures in the 40s and the wind absolutely whipping in from right field. But they're going to play.

No announcement from the Nats on Thursday night's starter, though Manny Acta did say Matt Chico remains in the bullpen. And Chico said that while he probably could pitch in relief tonight and come back to start Thursday, he figures the club wouldn't want to do that. So whether or not he's used in this game could be a minor clue as to the team's intentions.

With that, here are your starting lineups from Shea...

NATIONALS
2B Lopez
SS Guzman
3B Zimmerman
1B Johnson
CF Milledge
RF Kearns
LF Mackowiak
C Flores
P Perez

METS
SS Reyes
RF Church
3B Wright
CF Beltran
LF Alou
1B Delgado
2B Easley
C Schneider
P Figueroa