Photo by MudflapDC.

It’s been a blasé season for the Washington Nationals. Most people expected this. But when the highlights of the season so far have been dollar-ticket night, the debut of the JFK racing president costume and somehow managing to float around .500 despite hitting an anemic .228 as a team, well, fans of the team could really use something positive to look forward to. Like, say, the return of Stephen Strasburg!

At the risk of getting too far ahead of things, Strasburg threw off a pitching mound for the first time in nearly nine months yesterday in Viera, Florida. Strasburg, who had Tommy John ligament surgery last fall, said via Twitter that he “Felt great!” after the bullpen session.

What’s that mean? Well, if Strasburg sticks to a similar timeline as his teammate Jordan Zimmermann who also had the same surgery two years ago, Nats beat writer Adam Kilgore notes, he might start pitching in the minors in September. That means fans probably wouldn’t see him at Nationals Park until 2012 — but hey, the fact that he’s on the way back might just be that little glimmer of hope Nats fans need.