Byline: Thomas Boswell

With the debut of the Washington Nationals, a professional baseball team is representing Washington, D.C., for the first time since Sept. 30, 1971.

Washington Post sports columnist Thomas Boswell was online Friday, May 20, at 11 a.m. ET to take your questions and comments on the team, Major League Baseball and his recent columns .

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The transcript follows.

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Rockville, Md.: Tom,

Love the coverage you and Barry are providing. I look forward to the articles every day, and feel doubly lucky when there is a chat.

I wonder if you guys are hearing from folks like me, who, having figured they would go to 3 or 4 games this year, went once and got hooked. Even before I went to the first Sunday home game I had already bought tickets to 2 other games. After that Sunday, I bought a 20 game plan. Now I absolutely hate when the Nats are playing at RFK and I am not going! I didn't think I would be so obsessed, but my team is back an I am loving it!

Tom Boswell: I went to RFK yesterday on my day off. Sheinin almost went. The sports editor and assistant sports editor both snuck out. I think I saw a famous neo-con commentator (no not G Will) JOGGING across the street in front of RFK to make sure he was in his seat by the first pitch. (No, nobody tried to run him down. A very bi-partisan crowd, fortunately.)

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We want Boswell Bobbleheads: It is interesting to me that Castilla and Johnson have made several stolen base attempts. I assume that Frank told them to and it seems like he'll send them when the situation calls for it regardless of the speed of the baserunner. Wilkerson is not running as much as I would have thought. And, Guzman would have to be on base to steal. Are there any runners with the green light? Why not more from Wilky? And, am I incorrect in my belief that Castilla and Johnson are below average in speed?

Tom Boswell: The Phils manager set me straight on the Nats speed. I'd underestimated it. Even though they aren't base stealers, they are ALL good baserunners __1st to 3rd, 1st to home. He said Castilla was the slowest on the team "and he's not slow." Castilla WON yesterday's game by scoring on a short passed ball not more than 20-25 feet from the plate. He gambled. Brewers weren't expecting it and flubbed the play.