At the moment, the Washington area is united in its desire that the Nationals become a hit. Why? With the exception of a few D.C. Council members who could say, "I told you so," there's nobody who benefits by a Nationals flop. Consider the Redskins. Does anybody with this area's interests at heart want them to fail financially or leave town? If so, find the scoundrel. The Redskins are part of the city's extended family of valuable and almost indispensable institutions.

Well, the Nationals are here now. They've joined our family of core institutions. Unless you think a business that attracts 2.5 million people a year to 81 events at about $30 a head, not counting many millions in ancillary spending at restaurants, hotels, clubs and retail outlets, is a peripheral part of city life.

No great city goes without a symphony, opera, art galleries, a zoo, universities, libraries, public gardens and countless other core aspects of modern urban life, ranging from the serious to the frivolous. For 34 years, Washington has had a ludicrous hole in its community fabric. Every city in the country that was comparable to Washington, and plenty that weren't, has had a big league team as well as an NFL and NBA franchise. Now, with the Nationals joining the Redskins and Wizards, Washington has simply returned to the state of affairs that should have existed long ago. There's no need to thank baseball.

This is how it's supposed to be. And this is almost certainly how it's going to be in Washington for a long time. Though it will, no doubt, take a while for many of us to digest the return of such a dependable and, often, powerful pleasure.

For example, yesterday the Nationals beat the Braves, 11-4, to win a series in Atlanta. Take that, you tomahawk choppers with your dubious nickname. The Nats are now tied for first place. (Repeat as many times as you please. Enjoy the moment.) Jose Guillen leads the majors with five home runs. There is not only a sellout Opening Night at RFK, but, amazing as it still seems, another 80 home games this season. This baseball ship has sailed. We're all on it. Nobody wins if it sinks.

But that doesn't mean we aren't worried and looking for leaks in the hull.

"Be careful what you wish for," goes the cliche. "You just might get it."

On Opening Night, countless people will get what they have hoped for so many years or even decades. With trepidation, a new era begins. Don't worry. It's as unlikely as a quadruple play that we will ever be sorry our wish was finally granted.

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