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Home > Window on Washington > Archives > 2008 > March > 28 > Entry
Bush won’t pitch to catcher named in Mitchell Report
The Washington Nationals have avoided a potentially dicey opening-night situation by selecting Manager Manny Acta (right), instead of starting catcher Paul Lo Duca, to catch the ceremonial first pitch from President Bush on Sunday night. Nats’ third baseman Ryan Zimmerman also will participate in the ceremony.
The big event will mark the opening of the Nationals’ new stadium near downtown DC.
Lo Duca was a potential problem because he was named 37 times in the Mitchell Report that documented steroid and human growth hormone use by major leaguers. See item below entitled “Bush to pitch to substance abuser?”
White House spokesman Scott Stanzel says the decision was made by the Nationals, with no input from the administration. Bush has been an outspoken critic of abuse of performance-enhancing substances by ballplayers.
“That was the decision that was made by the Nationals,” says Stanzel. “The president has thrown (previous ceremonial first pitches) to starting catchers, backup catchers and to managers before. It varies from team to team.”
Did Bush object to throwing to Lo Duca?
“The president was happy to throw out the first pitch to whoever the Nationals selected,” Stanzel says.
MLB.com reports this response from Lo Duca: “I’m not mad at all.”
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