Let's address the weather issue first and foremost.

The weather is supposed to be crappy.  Drizzle all night, showers in the morning, 40 percent chance of rain at 1:05 pm, rising to 60 percent at 4:00 pm and 80 percent by 6:00 pm.  High temp of 44 degrees.  Yuck.

When speaking with reporters earlier today, Nats principal owner Mark Lerner said they would do everything they could to get the game in as scheduled, but would make the call early Thursday morning so fans could prepare.  Lerner said they would not play Thursday night, so if it does get rescheduled it will be Friday at 1:05, which is supposed to be sunny and 55 degrees.

Personally, I don't think there's anyway they don't open the doors tomorrow, whether they end up playing or not.  It's just a personal opinion.  But stay tuned here and on twitter (@NatsNewsNetwork) and we'll publish news as soon as we hear it.  We plan to be at the park early (gates open at 10:30 for fans) so we'll get the news to you as soon as we have it.

As for Fan Fest, our Off the Field page will have plenty of pictures and quotes to share very soon (you really should bookmark or RSS it, we'll be busy over there this year), but I have a few quick impressions.

The weather notwithstanding, things went pretty smoothly.  Sure, there were some long lines on an already crowded concourse to meet and greet the players (though no autographs and folks were hurried through lines to keep them moving), but the number of players available was significantly higher than in years past.

Because the team waited until the day before opening day, they had the entire 25-man roster, plus selected minor leaguers (Bryce Harper, Derek Norris, Cole Kimball) present to shake hands and have pictures with the fans.

And there were plenty of fans there, despite the gloomy weather.  I was honestly shocked at the number of folks in the park.

This area is dying for good baseball.  National and out-of-towners can make all the fun they want, but I saw families, fathers and sons, businessmen playing hooky...and there wasn't even a game.  Now granted, we're talking maybe a couple thousand max, but there were games that didn't draw that last season.

Some of the other impressive things I saw and heard:

• Frank Howard, who really should have some semi-official sort of role with this franchise, told his nine consecutive strikeout story no fewer than three times.  And I enjoyed it each time.
• Bob Boone revealed his favorite player growing up was Al Rosen, not his father Ray.
• Phil Wood's personal collection of memorabilia, jerseys and other "stuff" is darn impressive.
• Mark Lerner described Bryce Harper as a "kid on a sleepover" taking his first flight with the team coming up from Florida.
• Lerner also said that other than a few single seats, Opening Day was sold out.  Even without inviting the marauding hoards from Philly to invade the park.
• Stephen Strasburg is really, really anxious to get back on a big league mound.
• Lastly, on our internet radio show on PrimeSportsNetwork.com, MLB.com's Bill Ladson went on the hook for 82 wins.

All in all, a busy, exhausting day at the park.  And I have to be back in about nine hours of this posting.  Hopefully we'll get the game in, and the 2011 season can start unfolding before our eyes.

"The rain couldn't have happened an inning before? It's like, what else can go wrong? I'm beginning to think the baseball gods really do hate us." --Adam Dunn, quoted by MLB Network, June 30, 2009.

THE RESULT: The Florida Marlins scored three times in each of the seventh and eighth innings and took a rain-shortened victory over the Washington Nationals and their beleaguered bullpen, 7-5, before a very small crowd at Land Shark Stadium.

The loss drops the Nats to 22-53-1, last in baseball by nine games. Washington is now 0-8 against the Marlins this season.

Nats starter Craig Stammen pitched well enough through five innings, giving up just one unearned run, due to the first two of Ryan Zimmerman's three errors in the game.

But in the sixth, the 25-year old right-hander gave up a couple of hits to the bottom of Florida's line-up, had a run score on a wild pitch, then gave up a two-run shot to Hanley Ramirez, who took a 90 MPH fastball on the outside corner the other way into the second row of stands in right center field.

For the night, Stammen gave up three earned on six hits -- with no walks -- and two strikeouts in five and one-third innings. He also had a two-run single to help his cause.

Despite the homer, Stammen left with a 5-4 lead, courtesy of his handiwork with the bat, and Adam Dunn's RBI double in the first and two-run homer (20) in the fifth. Zimmerman was aboard for both hits.

But in the seventh, Washington would turn to the bullpen. And once again, they failed to provide relief. Tyler Clippard walked Cody Ross on four pitches, and catcher John Baker moved him up to second. Manager Manny Acta then went to Joe Beimel, and then the floodgates opened.

Pinch-hitter Ross Gload reached on Zimmerman's third error of the night, and Chris Coghlan followed with a walk to load the bases. Beimel struck out Emilio Bonifacio for the second out, which would turn out to be the last out of the game.

Hanley Ramirez singled through the right side to plate two, and Jorge Cantu followed with another single to plate the final run. At that point, the heavens opened up, and the umpires called for the tarp. They would call the game an hour later, sparing the Nats bullpen from further embarrassment.

THE TAKEAWAY: You walk the lead-off hitter in a one-run game, it's not going to be a one-run game for very long.

"You don't need to be an expert in math to know that walks plus errors equals runs," Acta said. "That's basically what happened tonight."

THE GOOD: Middle of the order (bats, not gloves). Zimm went 2-for-4 with two runs, and Dunn went 2-for-4 with the homer, three RBI and a run.

THE BAD: Nick Johnson. 0-for-4 with two Ks. He's now one for his last 25 at bats, and has not walked in that time frame.

THE UGLY: Zimm's glove. What the heck? A bobble and then bad throw on the same play allowing a run to score, then another botcher grounder later in the game that eventually scored. Yuck.

NEXT GAME: Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. for the lunchtime businessman's schedule. If there are 300 paying customers at Land Shark Stadium tomorrow, I'll eat my hat. Jordan Zimmermann (3-3, 4.65) takes on Josh Johnson (7-1, 2.76).

"Right now, our bullpen is throwing a lot better, and we just haven't been able to get the big hit." --Manny Acta, June 10, 2009.

THE RESULT: When a two-plus hour rain delay halted play in the bottom of the ninth with no outs, most of the fans that attended another rain-soaked affair at Nationals Park went home.

Those that stayed, all 125 of them, were treated to a Nats rally, two innings of scoreless ball, and eventual bullpen breakdown as the Washington Nationals fell to 0-8 in extra innings, losing to the Cincinnati Reds 4-2.

Announced attendance was 19,790, but at no time were there anywhere near that many people at the park.

The Reds got a two-run home run from Jay Bruce off Nats starter Shairon Martis in the second inning, an that would be it for the scoring until after the lengthy rain delay in the ninth inning.

Elijah Dukes and Josh Willingham both walked against Reds closer Francisco Cordero, and Josh Bard hit a one-out single to right, scoring Dukes. Alberto Gonzalez then knocked in Willingham with a single up the middle to tie the game. The rally died there, though, as Cristian Guzman struck out looking and Nick Johnson flied out to end the inning.

Cincinnati took advantage of the Nats poor defensive play in the 12th inning. Bruce led off and took a walk from Ron Villone (L, 3-1, 0.53). Alex Gonzalez tried to sacrifice, but Villone misplayed the bunt, and all hands were safe.

Catcher Ryan Hanigan was then asked to sacrifice, but Villone uncorked a ball in the dirt that Wil Nieves couldn't come up with, and with Ryan Zimmerman charging on the bunt, there was no one to cover third, and Bruce advanced.

Manager Manny Acta then lifted Villone with the count 2-0 in favor of Jason Bergmann, who got Hanigan to ground into a 4-3-6-4-6 double play.

But the next batter, Johnny Gomes, pounded a double to left, and Jerry Hairston followed with a single, pushing two across and sealing the deal.

THE TAKEAWAY: The two-through six hitters last night were a combined 1-for-21. Adam Dunn was picked off second base from the catcher. Willingham and Villone both had errors. That's how you lose 42 out of your first 57 games.

THE GOOD: Shairon Martis. Despite the two-run homer, Martis was good. He went seven innings, allowing just two earned runs on three hits and two walks, striking out just one.

Alex Gonzalez is now 5-for-5 pinch-hitting this season.

THE BAD: Nick Johnson. 0-for-5, five left on base.

THE UGLY: The weather. The Nats have now had 10 of their 32 home games delayed because of bad weather. Really? Just ten. Seems like a lot more.

NEXT GAME: Today, at 4:35 pm, the finale of the three-game series with the Reds, and the end of a long, frustrating homestand. John Lannan (3-5, 3.68) hosts Micah Owings (3-7, 4.90).