It is about 4:48, which means we are either 11 or 71 minutes from hearing MLB’s press release telling us they “are monitoring the situation.” In the meantime, I thought I would give a run-down of what people out there think of the Nats chances of staying here beyond ’05:

Ryan Moore of Dinstinguished Senators – not sure

The Post’s Tom Boswell – dead

The Post’s Marc Fisher – dead (new column from this a.m.)

WTOP’s D.C. political guru Mark Plotkin – not sure

My brother – dead

Maryland Bureau Chief Sam Basile – dead

Guest editor Fritz Hamme – dead

Ball-Wonk – not sure

Capitol Punishment – not sure

Nats Blog – dead

Tony Williams – not sure, but thinking it is dead

Jack Evans – not sure

Washington Baseball Blog – not sure

Me – dead

Charlie Brotman, former P.A. announcer – they will work it out

I would like to think that Charlie is right, but my head tells me he is not. Remember, D.C. would not let Jack Kent Cooke build a new football stadium with his own money next to RFK.

Linda Cropp will go down in history as the one who murdered D.C. baseball, regardless of what she does the rest of her life. She may very well run for mayor on this and get elected, probably three times or even four if she gets caught smoking crack. Plotkin thinks she is naive, I am beginning to think not and that she knew exactly what she was doing.

Feel free to comment and add your vote — dead or not sure.