http://www.dcexaminer.com/articles/2005/03/15/sports/d_c_sports/003_nats.txt
>
> Grass installation starts at RFK Stadium
>
> By HOWARD FENDRICH
> Published: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 12:43 AM EST
>
> WASHINGTON - The first pieces of fresh sod for baseball's return to the
> nation's capital were installed at RFK Stadium on Monday, less than three
> weeks before the Washington Nationals' inaugural exhibition game.
>
> A 35-foot long, 44-inch wide rectangle of Bermuda and rye grass was placed
> along the third-base line, starting a process expected to take four to
> five days. About 110,000 square feet of sod is being trucked in from a
> farm in Georgia.
> Grass from Delmar, Md., was supposed to be used, but cold weather --
> including a snowstorm last week -- forced the team to find sod elsewhere.
>
> The Nationals' debut at RFK stadium, the former home of the NFL's
> Redskins, is an exhibition game against the New York Mets on April 3. The
> team's regular-season home opener is April 14.
>
>
>
> It's the first time Washington will have a major league baseball team
> since the Senators moved to Texas after the 1971 season.
>
> The Nationals' move from Montreal wasn't completed until late last year,
> and work on getting RFK Stadium ready for baseball began Jan. 10. But it
> has been a frigid winter in the nation's capital, and on Monday
> temperatures were still unseasonably chilly, not expected to reach beyond
> the 40s.
>
> "It's not going to be an easy task," said Justin Spillman, a turf
> consultant overseeing the project. "It is attainable, though. On April 3,
> we'll be fine."
>
>
>
> The Nationals plan to use the stadium for three seasons, sharing it with
> Major League Soccer's D.C. United, then move into a ballpark to be built
> in the city.
>
> Beltran to have elbow surgery
>
> VIERA, Fla. - Washington Nationals right-hander Francis Beltran was put on
> the 60-day disabled list Monday with a torn elbow ligament.
>
> The reliever will have reconstructive surgery Tuesday.
>
> Beltran, 25, is 2-2 with a 5.87 ERA in 56 games over two seasons with the
> Expos and Cubs. He was acquired from Chicago in July as part of the
> four-team deal that sent Nomar Garciaparra from the Red Sox to the Cubs.
>
> In other moves Monday, the Nationals optioned right-hander Josh Karp to
> Triple-A New Orleans and left-hander Mike Hinckley to Double-A Harrisburg,
> and they reassigned right-hander Dan Smith to their minor league camp.
>
> Nats rained out
>
> Viera, Fla. - Monday's spring training game between the Washington
> Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers was called due to rain in the third
> inning with the Nationals leading 5-0.
>
>
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