The rumors had been around for several weeks, Nats' team President Stan Kasten even discussed the possibility in a recent interview, but as of this morning, MLB.com's Bill Ladson is reporting via Twitter (@washingnats) that Stephen Strasburg will not make his Nationals Park debut this coming Saturday in the Nationals' exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox. There will, however, be another important 1st Pitch thrown in Nationals Park next week, when the sitting President, Barack Obama, (who spurned the Nationals last year to throw out the first pitch for his beloved Chicago White Sox), will become another in a long line of American Presidents to throw out the Ceremonial First Pitch in Washington, DC for the Nats' Home Opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) just posted a note on his Twitter account announcing that future Hall of Fame Catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez will be behind the plate to catch President Obama's pitch, and according to Mr. Kilgore the veteran backstop couldn't be more excited:

"It's going to be an honor for me. It's going to be a special day for me." - Ivan Rodriguez on catching for President Obama when he throws out the Ceremonial First Pitch next week.