Joel Osteen throws out first pitch at Astros game in Washington, D.C.

Meh. I’d trade him for the Right Reverend McMullen (and clergymen Howard, Ortega and Richert as throw-ins).

When the Nationals invited the Astros for this four-game series, they also welcomed an infiltrator for their ceremonial first pitch as Houston-based pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church and national renown did the honors Monday to promote his upcoming “Night of Hope” event at Nationals Park.

Osteen grew up watching Cesar Cedeno in the Astrodome and said his favorite memory as an Astros fan was Mike Scott’s no-hitter in 1986 that clinched the National League West.

“I grew up watching the Astros going to the Dome all the time and so I’ve seen them a whole bunch of times and still see them quite a few times during the year,” he said. “They’re a young team with all these changes and the new ownership – I’ve met some of those guys – it seems like it’s a few years of rebuilding but we still are rooting for our hometown.”