W: The arriving Nats are suitably bedecked in anticipation of tonight's debate, though it must be admitted the Washington nine, shown above leaping into Spring in 1936, had prior claim to the W cap.

The WaPo DC Baseball section's coverage of baseball's return to Washington includes columns by Thomas Boswell and by Michael Wilbon, who suggests the new team be named after the old Homestead Grays of the Negro Leagues.

A Post fan poll on a new name has Senators leading the Grays. I favor the old longtime quasi-official nickname of Nationals, or Nats, particularly because this time around they'll actually be playing in the NL.

But I could get behind a tribute to the old Negro League Grays and a proud but unsung chapter of Washington baseball history.

Writes Wilbon:

It's not like the name Grays symbolizes anything bad to folks who aren't black. The first person I heard lobby for Grays was ESPN anchor Dan Patrick. Laura Meissner, handing out pamphlets yesterday titled "Bring the Grays Back to Washington," is a young white woman who is vice president of a group devoted to remembering the Grays. A team embracing Negro League history at its best might not work everywhere, but one would think it could work here, in the blackest city in America.

You want a flying start with jersey sales and nostalgic remembrances, and a city-wide feeling of inclusion, name the team the Grays and watch what happens.

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You know it's a good week for Old-Time Baseball stories when George Sisler is a top story on Yahoo! News.

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Meantime, the Pedro Martinez midget has become the fall season's Dominic the Christmas Donkey, to judge from the hit meter. Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy said the other morning he'd be happy to have Nelson de la Rosa stop by the booth and sit in Wally's chair. Mahow mahow!