December 23, 2008

Make It Stop

By now you've heard the big free agent news. That's right, the Nats signed... Corey Patterson. Yes, this Corey Patterson. This isn't even like waking up Christmas morning expecting an official Red Ryder carbine action, two-hundred shot, range model air rifle and finding a lump of coal in your stocking instead. Coal has value.

Please, JimBo, no more TFROs.

December 20, 2008

The Bigger Picture

As the Teixeira sweepstakes enters that period when no news is pretty much just no news, CBS Sportsline's Scott Miller takes a step back to look at what the pursuit of a premier free agent means for the Nationals, particularly owner Ted Lerner. Aside from being the franchise's first big foray into free agency, it could mark a fundamental shift in Lerner's relationship with his fellow owners.

Miller ties the Teixeira offer to last summer's unsuccessful negotiations with first round draft pick Aaron Crow. Says Miller:

Sources familiar with the Nationals' thinking say the bitter aftertaste of losing first-round pick Aaron Crow last summer is what finally changed Lerner's thinking. The Nationals were following baseball's recommendations for "slotting" -- paying first-round draft picks signing bonuses recommended by the commissioner's office -- in negotiating with Crow, the No. 9 overall pick. Other clubs ignored the recommendations.

It ended up costing the Nationals -- who, remember, have emphasized building from the ground up -- a key pick.


One person with knowledge of the Nats' winter approach characterized Lerner's attitude this way: "I've tried it their (baseball's) way. Now I'm going to try it my way."


It's not hard to understand why the Lerners, the new owners on the block, felt pressure to conform to the slotting recommendations, pressure that may well have been magnified by their unorthodox 2007 deal with LHP Jack McGeary. Attempting to sign Aaron Crow within MLB's recommended range, though, was an exercise doomed to failure from the start. If, as Miller suggests, the Lerners have become more saavy and independent as a result of that failure, then there is at least some silver lining to the Crow debacle. Bringing Teixeira into the fold would be as much concrete evidence of that transformation as any Nats fan could hope for.

If Ted Lerner's "way" is to make the Nationals legitimate players in free agency, ignore Bud Selig's self-defeating slotting recommendations for draft picks and act in the best interests of his team even at the expense of the league office, that would mark real progress for the owner and the franchise.

UPDATE: Roch Kubatko weighs in with some similar thoughts. It seems billionaires aren't used to being dismissed out of hand.
Pique may not be the best reason for handing out a 10-year, $200M contract, but in this case it may do.

December 12, 2008

Willie Be Worth It?

Harris gets two years, $3M; Redding gets railroaded. Shawn Hill, Scott Olsen, Josh Willingham and Ryan Zimmerman get unpleasantly confrontational salary arbitration proceedings.

Initial reaction?
Swell, another outfielder under contract. Trader Jim does understand that it's impossible to single-handedly create positional scarcity, right?

Secondary reaction? Wee Willie had the season of his career last year, he's due for some regression. That's not usually the kind of projection you want to reward with a doubled salary.

Tertiary reaction? Harris is one hell of a defender and he can play everywhere except behind the plate. $1.5M a year for a super utility man is hardly exorbitant. Utility lefties are pretty easy to trade in a pinch. A good signing.

What about Timmy? Well, it was fun while it lasted. But we're talking about Tim Redding here, kids. Let's not lose perspective. There's always another Esteban Loaiza, Ramon Ortiz or Odalis Perez where he came from.

December 5, 2008

Nats in a Box

As we approach the Winter Meetings the Washington Nationals continue to make uncharacteristic appearances in the Hot Stove rumor mill. Typically linked to Severna Park's own slugging 1B Mark Teixeira and perpetual Bowden lust-object OF Adam Dunn, the Nats have also been tangentially connected to A.J. Burnett, Orlando Hudson and several lesser free agent lights. It's always nice to be mentioned, and the barest hint that the Lerners might potentially be considering the possibility of talking about opening the family change purse for a legitimate free agent talent warms the cockles of my frost-bitten fan's heart.

With all that said, here's my problem: Where are these new guys gonna fit in? I don't mean fit in in a "ruining the clubhouse vibe" sense, and I'm not suggesting that any number of free agents wouldn't be talent upgrades over the current lineup, but there are only 25 slots on the active roster and by my count, they're all accounted for. A quick rundown of the 40-man:

  • C - Jesus Flores, Wil Nieves, Luke Montz

Flores probably isn't going anywhere. Nieves is a pretty generic backup, but someone has to do it. Montz is the team's only upper level catching "prospect" but he might not be ready for the bigs just yet.

  • INF - Nick Johnson, Ronnie Belliard, Cristian Guzman, Ryan Zimmerman, Anderson Hernandez, Kory Casto, Alberto Gonzalez, Ian Desmond

Nick "the If" Johnson has to start if he's healthy, but if he's not the 1B pickins are slim. Belliard is potential trade bait, if you can overlook his increasingly Vidro-esque defense. Guzman and Zimmerman aren't going anywhere in the short term, while one of Hernandez and Gonzalez could well start the year in AAA. Kory Casto's a potential roster casualty waiting to happen, and Desmond's a non-factor at the major league level.

  • OF - Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes, Austin Kearns, Josh Willingham, Wily Mo Pena, Willie Harris, Roger Bernadina, Justin Maxwell, Leonard Davis

Here's where it starts to get ugly. Pencil Milledge and Dukes into two of the three starting spots. Kearns, Willingham and (theoretically) Pena will compete for the third spot. All of those guys are right-handed, so if you want a lefty in the mix, add in Harris, Bernadina or Davis. Of course Kearns has a pretty sizable contract, Pena is guaranteed $2M, Willingham will be getting his first arb contract... you get the idea. Justin Maxwell, the Nick Johnson of the outfield, is pretty clearly the odd man out.

Assuming a 11-man pitching staff (which is probably one short of what the Nats need), that leaves 14 position player slots. 2 catchers, 6 infielders, 5 outfielders, 1 utility guy. I just don't know. Who can realistically be moved? Who's expendable? Don't forget we'll probably pick up one guy in the Rule 5 who'll lock up a 25-man slot all season. How does this get done?

November 26, 2008

We Give Thanks...

For a pimpin' new stadium...

An unforgettable Opening Night...

A true American Hero...

And GUZMANIA!, the ineffable faith that sustains us in these troubled times.*

Happy Thanksgiving, from our dysfunctional family to yours!

*Also, for our family; friends; pets; two remaining readers; cold beers, warm nights and a breeze off the Anacostia.

November 24, 2008

Josh Willingham Thinks He's An Outfielder

So says Chico Harlan. But hey, Soriano thought he was a 2nd baseman. And Da Meat Hook thought he was small, earth-orbiting satellite.

Preston Redux?

Beyond the Box Score calls new Nats RHP Preston Larrison "Chris Schroder deluxe." Perhaps the Christmas play is saved after all. But the last Preston in DC didn't work out so well...

November 21, 2008

Frank Wept


Courtesy of Nationals Farm Authority, meet the new manager of your 2009 Hagerstown Suns!

For those of you with short memories, Matt LeCroy is perhaps best known throughout the Natosphere for causing the unsinkable Frank Robinson to spring a leak in late May 2006.


Details of that unforgettable incident here, photo here:


Let me be the first to welcome Matt back into the fold. A word of warning to the Hagerstown faithful: You probably better just start lining up now for Dollar Hot Dog Night. And God help you if Da Meat Hook hits town on a rehab assignment.

November 20, 2008

There Goes the Christmas Play

Free agent and former Nats reliever Chris Schroder signed a major league deal with the Athletics. Terms weren't disclosed, but you better believe it includes a shiny new toy piano. Lucy was unavailable for comment.

Schroder was a pleasant surprise in 2007 and a mild disappointment in '08. His last arm in the bullpen-role seems likely to be occupied by Garrett Mock, Marco Estrada or even Jason Bergmann in 2009.

November 16, 2008

The Whitney - Young Bridge

The Nats signed Cleveland farmhand and former Rule 5 pick Matt Whitney to what shall henceforth be known as the "Pete Orr Special", a minor league deal with an invite to spring training and a promise that, "Gosh, of course you'll be in the mix to make the big club." Riiiiiiiight. Akron's decidedly non-slugging 1B hit .268/.356/.404 at AA last season, production that suspiciously resembles Larry Broadway's .266/.354/.410 line at AAA Columbus.

Perhaps no one has mentioned this to Jim Bowden, but making over a terrible team usually doesn't involve resigning a bunch of role players who were on that team at some point last season. By my count, the roster of potential Opening Day first basemen in the Nats system now includes:

  • Nick Johnson (brittle)
  • Josh Willingham (outfielder)
  • Dmitri Young (fat)
  • Kory Casto (bad)
  • Ronnie Belliard (short, fat, 2B) and
  • Matt Whitney (worse)
Notably absent from the list:
  • Larry Broadway (minor league free agent)
  • Bill Rhinehart (Larry Broadway, Jr.) and
  • Mark Teixeira (not enough money in Congressional bailout package)
Buck sez Matt and Meat are fighting it out for the honor of Opening Day starting 1B in Syracuse, at which point the Chiefs demand a mulligan on this whole association thing. In the meantime, if Trader Jim has his heart set on putting the band back together he could at least bring back Langerhanscendentalism!

November 13, 2008

Poaching Fish

Real life has intervened to keep me from weighing in on the recent acquisition of OF Josh Willingham and LHSP Scott Olsen. In the interim, evaluations have ranged from cautiously praise for Trader Jim's ability to find the slightly burnt bargains at the latest Marlins fire sale to outright hostility to any deal that takes from the still-rebuilding farm system in exchange for a pair of question marks.

To get it out of the way almost right up front, I applaud this deal. Though it is almost the inverse of the Milledge for Church/Schneider deal from last season, I believe it will be another net plus for the team. If the 2008 cavalcade of injuries taught Nats fans anything, it is that there is no substitute for depth and flexibility. This is every bit as true for a pitching staff as for the position players.

Take the 2008 Nationals first basemen. (Please!) Option 1 was OBP-machine Nick Johnson, well known to be only slightly less sturdy than your average Fabrege Egg. Option 2 was man-planet Dmitri Young, coming off a resurgent 2007 campaign, but with chronic illness waiting just around the corner. Even then, the odds of both those guys being sidelined for overlapping extended periods of time? Still, when the entirely thinkable happened, Nats fans got to experience the wonders of Option 3 (Aaron Boone), Option 4 (Kory Casto!) and Option 5 (Ronnie Belliard?!?)

Similar experiments took place at second base (Lopez/Belliard/Bonifacio/Harris/Hernandez) in the outfield (Pena/Milledge/Kearns/Dukes/Harris/Langerhans/Bernadina) and to a lesser extent catcher (He Who Shall Not Be Named, Estrada,Flores, Nieves, Montz). Of course, another run of injuries like last year would devestate the deepest and most flexible roster. Having a guy like Willingham who can play LF, be a credible Option 2 or 3 at 1B and fill-in respectably as an emergency third catcher all while knocking out 20 homers and a .360ish OBP should make the big league club easier on the eyes in 2009. And there's real value in that.

As for Olsen, 24 year old lefties with major league credentials don't grow on trees. Even if he is a headcase, I have near-mystical faith in Randy St. Claire's ability to keep him in line. Again, if all he does is repeat his 2008 he'll be in the running for most valuable starter on staff. You can never have too much starting pitching, and if Opening Day was tomorrow I'd take Olsen over every starter not named John Lannan.

Yes the Nats gave up value to get these guys. That is generally how these things work. Maybe Emilio Bonifacio will be the next Luis Castillo (all OBP evidence to the contrary). Maybe P.J. Dean is the second coming of Greg Maddux. Maybe Jake Smolinski will have 4 fully-functional knee ligaments at some point next season. That's the risk you run. The kids wouldn't be called prospects if they didn't have talent. On the other hand, they wouldn't be called prospects if they'd done something with that talent either.

November 4, 2008

A Great Weight Has Been Lifted


Dmitri outrighted to AAA Syracuse. $5,000,000 buys a lot of BBQ.

November 3, 2008

Reassembling the 2005 Cavaliers

The Nats made a minor move today, swapping pitchers with the Cubbies. Leaving the farm, 21-year old lefty reliever Ryan Buchter, who pitched 24 good innings between Rookie and Low-A ball this season, but has otherwise been unremarkable in 70 innings over 3 seasons. In exchange the Nats get 25-year old righthander Matt Avery, who's put up a pedestrian mid-4 ERA over two stints at AA the last two seasons.

Normally I don't like minor league pitching swaps that make the Nats older and less left-handed, but I'll make an exception in this case because it stocks the minors with another member of the 2005 Virginia Cavaliers. Avery played with Zimm at UVA and was the next Wahoo drafted in '05 after Dutch. And that was a pretty good Virginia team, reaching the regionals at the College World Series that season.

Still needed to complete the set: Jeff Kamrath, Mike Ballard, Tom Hagan (also a punter for the footbawlin' Hoos), Sean Doolittle (tearing up the A's minors), Brandon Guyer, Casey Lambert, Beau Seabury, Mike Mitchell and Pat McAnaney (an Arizona draftee). Go to work boys.

In other news, NFA has the goods on the disturbingly undersized 2008 class of international signees. Apparently, "The Plan" is not valid in the D.R., Venezuela, or the Far East. Dang fine print.

October 30, 2008

Cordero Orr Wagner? None of the Above

The once-promising Flat Hat era ends not with a "Bang! Zoom!" but with a whimper, as the Nats cut ties with former franchise closer Chad Cordero this afternoon. Cordero, along with reliever Ryan Wagner and IF Pete Orr were outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected to test the free agent waters rather than accept a bus ticket to Syracuse. Really, can you blame them?

The NTP crew will try to pull together a group retrospective and appreciation of the Brim Reaper in the days to come, but first a few brief thoughts on Wagner. I'm more than a little surprised to see Ryan given his outright walking papers. On the one hand, it suggests that Trader Jim isn't, or is not being allowed to, cling desperately to his toolsy former Red reclamation projects. That's a good thing. But man, that Kearns/Lopez/Wagner for Bray/Majewski/Harris/Clayton/Thompson deal, that I enthusiastically endorsed at the time, looks pretty bad as a Kearns for Bray/Thompson deal, don't it?

As far as I can tell our current bullpen consists of closer Joel "Wild Thing" Hanrahan, setup guy "Everyday" Saul Rivera (due for the patented Luis Ayala Spring Training elbow implosion c. March 2009), middle reliever Steve Shell and lefty Mike Hinckley. The team must be impressed with the work of young relievers like Zech Zinicola and Adam Carr, judging from the nearly-positive reviews from Pitching Coach Randy St. Claire, the man with the most job security in Washington.

What about Pete Orr, you say? What can I tell you. First Jamey Carroll, then Rick Short, Brendan Harris and Pistol Pete. DC's a tough town on scrappy utility types.

October 18, 2008

Breaking News! Nothing Happening!

Nationals not trading for Peavy, signing Sabathia or firing JimBo. But, in the Motion Masquerading as Progress department, last year's rent will be paid any day now and new road unis in 2009!

My vintage 2005 Guzman away jersey is now a classic. Score!


In other news, Langerhanscendentalism wins a convert and hey, whaddaya know, the Nats AFL team doesn't completely suck! (No thanks to Bill "Larry Broadway" Rhinehart.)

October 15, 2008

So Long Screwy, See You in St Louie

An ignominious end to the Charlie Manning-era in DC. With Reagan long gone we're free to unleash the full might of Hinckley.

Langerhanscendentalism isn't dead, it's just pining for the fjords. Make way for the Tao of Rog?

Gal revels in Syracuse is more like it.

"Bye, Everybody!" Bye, Dr. Ben.

October 2, 2008

And for 2009... we're choosing to be homeless.

As Nate alluded to in a previous post, the NTP crew has made our season ticket decision for 2009.

Like a great many other folks, we will not be renewing our ticket package.

I in particular have taken a lot of grief over the years for my pro-season ticket holder stance. (See "The Business of Baseball" and "Value of Investing in the Team") So this represents a major change in our thinking as fans and “investors”, if you will, in the team. An explanation is in order.

First and foremost, there’s just no added value in owning season tickets to the Washington Nationals. We aren’t in line for preferred seating at the new ballpark. Frankly, hanging onto our tickets from RFK didn’t get us where we wanted to go anyway, and at this point, we’re not looking to increase our investment to snag “better” seats than Section 223. At best, we’d be looking to continue our current spending, but there are better uses for our hard-earned money. The economy IS down, and justifying a big expenditure on tickets is much harder now than it was several years ago, particularly when there are other ways to get the same or better seats with less outlay.

The final straw was my experience with the Padres/Nats game on Saturday. Watson had the tickets, and was taking his family. Ticket price was $25 per ticket, and we sit in Section 223, Row L, seats 8 to 11. My wife and I decided we wanted to go, as well. So off to Stubhub I went, looking for seats. What did I find? Section 223, Row C, Seats 9 and 10... For $12 each. LESS THAN HALF what we pay for our seats farther back, and I didn’t have to reserve anything. Not a thing! Yes, it’s the Padres. But what this showed me was that I could see plenty of baseball, move around the stadium AND get better seats, for significantly less! How about buying a game in Section 104? Then one in 123? Then one up in 402? Then back to 223? Odds are we can practically pick the seats and still spend less than we’re committed to now, at least for 2009.

Now, let’s be honest. The Nats 2009 aren’t going to the playoffs. They just aren’t. The team has gotten worse — much worse — in the short we’ve been watching. I’m looking for a better season next year, but in the words of the immortal Jim Mora, “Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!?!”. So any though of purchasing tickets in hope of having first pick for the post season is folly. We’ll all be happy to be a 81-81 team again, and that ain’t getting you to the playoffs.

What’s more, apologies to Boz, but the Lerners aren’t spending any money. They aren’t paying rent! Say what you will about the stadium not being “substantially complete” , Mr. Lerner, but the city delivered a habitable, useable major league stadium, on-time and on budget. We know because we were there. You look petty — AND CHEAP — with this rent withholding nonsense. It’s bad PR, and when I’m sitting here deciding on my renewal, it doesn’t inspire me with confidence in your commitment to improving the team. Stan the Man may have the Plan, but I don’t see anything turning around fast enough to make 2009 much better than 2008. Certainly not playoff worthy, which is the prime incentive to secure a whole season’s worth of tickets to this mess.

Is the schedule worth it? Securing good seats for premium games? Next year, Opening Day and the last game of the season are both on the road. No special games there. Memorial Day — road. July 4 — home. Labor Day — no game. A 3 game home series with Boston might be a draw, but the annoying Bahstan fans factor is pretty damn high. Looking at the 2009 schedule, there isn’t much worth “securing”. No big first game in the new park. No Opening Day. No Closing Day. Can’t really say there’s anything here that I need to have.

And even if there was, the Nats aren’t even close to selling out the stadium. You can walk up and buy a seat anytime you want, and even with no planning, you can probably get better seats than you’ll get in a reasonably priced season package. If the ownership chooses to push the fans away by not even trying, well, I’m finally done rewarding them. I have every confidence that in a year or two I can line back up for season tickets and get as good or better than what I have now. With season ticket purchases dropping each and every year, the trend suggests that taking a year off won’t cost me any ground.

You need me more than I need you, Mr. Lerner. I can buy what I want anytime I want. You need me to commit to a season ticket purchase to help prop up your revenue base. Your corporate sponsorships haven’t appeared, the demand for tickets isn’t there, and you can’t sell those $400 seats. And now the economy is in the tank to boot. You may not have needed me in 2006, but you will in 2009. You’re in it for the cash too, Mr. Lerner, and I’m looking to get value. And what am I getting for my season ticket commitment? From where I sit, not much.

Thus, we’re not renewing. We’ll be at the stadium in 2009. I’m sure of that. But we’ll be there on our terms.

PS – Who am I kidding? They’ll make their money back from us on half smokes, Miller Lights and helmet sundaes. It’s not for nothing that MLB is a six and a half billion dollar business.

September 27, 2008

100 Games of Suckitude

 Gm  Date          Opp     Score       WL      Winner       Loser           
  4 Thu, Apr  3   @PHI  L   7-8 (10)   3-1     C Condrey    J Colome        
  5 Fri, Apr  4   @STL  L   4-5        3-2     B Looper     O Perez       
  6 Sat, Apr  5   @STL  L   4-5        3-3     A Wainwright M Chico        
  7 Sun, Apr  6   @STL  L   0-3        3-4     K Lohse      J Lannan       
  8 Mon, Apr  7    FLA  L   7-10       3-5     R Pinto      T Redding      
  9 Wed, Apr  9    FLA  L   4-10       3-6     S Olsen      J Bergmann     
 10 Thu, Apr 10    FLA  L   3-4        3-7     M Hendrickso O Perez        
 11 Fri, Apr 11    ATL  L   0-3        3-8     T Hudson     M Chico      
 12 Sat, Apr 12    ATL  L   2-10       3-9     J Smoltz     J Lannan  
 14 Tue, Apr 15   @NYM  L   0-6        4-10    M Pelfrey    O Perez  
 15 Wed, Apr 16   @NYM  L   2-5        4-11    J Maine      M Chico       
 16 Thu, Apr 17   @NYM  L   2-3 (14)   4-12    J Sosa       J Hanrahan    
 18 Sat, Apr 19   @FLA  L   5-6        5-13    K Gregg      S Rivera      
 19 Sun, Apr 20   @FLA  L   1-6        5-14    S Olsen      L Ayala       
 20 Mon, Apr 21   @ATL  L   3-7        5-15    T Hudson     M Chico       
 22 Wed, Apr 23    NYM  L   2-7        6-16    J Santana    T Redding     
 25 Sat, Apr 26    CHC  L   0-7        8-17    C Zambrano   M Chico       
 30 Fri, May  2    PIT  L   4-11      12-18    D Marte      J Lannan      
 33 Tue, May  6   @HOU  L   5-6       14-19    D Brocail    L Ayala       
 34 Wed, May  7   @HOU  L   3-4       14-20    J Valverde   J Hanrahan    
 36 Fri, May  9    FLA  L   3-7       15-21    R Nolasco    T Redding     
 37 Sat, May 10    FLA  L   0-11      15-22    A Miller     M O'Connor    
 38 Sun, May 11    FLA  L   4-5       15-23    L Kensing    L Ayala       
 40 Tue, May 13   @NYM  L   3-6       16-24    J Maine      J Lannan      
 43 Fri, May 16   @BAL  L   3-5       18-25    G Olson      S Hill         
 44 Sat, May 17   @BAL  L   5-6       18-26    B Burres     O Perez       
 47 Tue, May 20    PHI  L   0-1       20-27    T Gordon     J Rauch       
 48 Wed, May 21    PHI  L   2-12      20-28    J Moyer      M Chico       
 50 Sat, May 24    MIL  L   2-5       21-29    S McClung    J Lannan      
 52 Mon, May 26    MIL  L   3-4 (11)  22-30    C Villanueva S Rivera      
 53 Tue, May 27   @SDP  L   2-4       22-31    H Bell       C Manning     
 55 Thu, May 29   @SDP  L   2-5       23-32    H Bell       S Rivera      
 57 Sat, May 31   @ARI  L   0-4       24-33    B Webb       J Bergmann    
 58 Sun, Jun  1   @ARI  L   0-5       24-34    D Haren      S Hill        
 59 Tue, Jun  3    STL  L   1-6       24-35    K Lohse      O Perez       
 60 Thu, Jun  5    STL  L   1-4       24-36    T Wellemeyer J Lannan      
 62 Fri, Jun  6    SFG  L   1-10      25-37    T Lincecum   J Bergmann    
 63 Sat, Jun  7    SFG  L   0-6       25-38    J Sanchez    S Hill        
 64 Sun, Jun  8    SFG  L   3-6       25-39    B Zito       G Mock        
 65 Mon, Jun  9    SFG  L   2-3       25-40    M Cain       T Clippard    
 67 Wed, Jun 11   @PIT  L   1-3       26-41    I Snell      J Lannan      
 68 Thu, Jun 12   @PIT  L   5-7       26-42    T Gorzelanny J Bergmann    
 72 Tue, Jun 17   @MIN  L   1-2       29-43    L Hernandez  J Lannan      
 73 Wed, Jun 18   @MIN  L   2-11      29-44    K Slowey     J Bergmann    
 74 Thu, Jun 19   @MIN  L   3-9       29-45    G Perkins    S Hill        
 76 Sat, Jun 21    TEX  L   3-13      30-46    K Gabbard    G Mock        
 77 Sun, Jun 22    TEX  L   3-5       30-47    V Padilla    L Ayala       
 78 Mon, Jun 23    LAA  L   2-3       30-48    J Lackey     S Rivera      
 79 Tue, Jun 24    LAA  L   3-8       30-49    J Garland    S Hill        
 82 Sat, Jun 28    BAL  L   1-9       32-50    G Olson      J Lannan      
 84 Mon, Jun 30   @FLA  L   5-6 (10)  33-51    K Gregg      J Rauch       
 86 Wed, Jul  2   @FLA  L   2-4       34-52    R Nolasco    C Manning     
 87 Thu, Jul  3   @CIN  L   3-5       34-53    J Cueto      J Colome      
 88 Fri, Jul  4   @CIN  L   0-3       34-54    B Arroyo     J Bergmann    
 89 Sat, Jul  5   @CIN  L   2-3       34-55    F Cordero    J Hanrahan    
 90 Sun, Jul  6   @CIN  L   5-6       34-56    E Volquez    C Balester    
 91 Tue, Jul  8    ARI  L   0-2       34-57    B Webb       O Perez       
 93 Thu, Jul 10    ARI  L   5-7 (11)  35-58    C Qualls     L Ayala       
 95 Sat, Jul 12    HOU  L   4-6       36-59    W Rodriguez  C Balester    
 96 Sun, Jul 13    HOU  L   0-5       36-60    B Backe      O Perez       
 97 Fri, Jul 18   @ATL  L   6-7       36-61    T Hudson     T Redding     
100 Tue, Jul 22   @SFG  L   3-6       38-62    B Zito       J Bergmann    
101 Wed, Jul 23   @SFG  L   4-6       38-63    G Espineli   L Ayala       
102 Thu, Jul 24   @SFG  L   0-1       38-64    M Cain       T Redding     
103 Fri, Jul 25   @LAD  L   2-3       38-65    C Billingsle J Lannan      
104 Sat, Jul 26   @LAD  L   0-6       38-66    D Lowe       O Perez       
105 Sun, Jul 27   @LAD  L   0-2       38-67    C Kershaw    J Bergmann    
106 Tue, Jul 29    PHI  L   1-2       38-68    B Myers      C Balester    
107 Wed, Jul 30    PHI  L   5-8       38-69    J Moyer      T Redding     
108 Thu, Jul 31    PHI  L   4-8       38-70    K Kendrick   J Lannan      
113 Tue, Aug  5   @COL  L   2-8       42-71    M Corpas     L Ayala       
116 Fri, Aug  8   @MIL  L   0-5       44-72    C Sabathia   C Balester    
117 Sat, Aug  9   @MIL  L   0-6       44-73    B Sheets     T Redding     
118 Sun, Aug 10   @MIL  L   4-5 (13)  44-74    G Mota       L Ayala       
119 Mon, Aug 11   @MIL  L   1-7       44-75    D Bush       G Mock        
120 Tue, Aug 12    NYM  L   3-4       44-76    J Santana    S Rivera      
121 Wed, Aug 13    NYM  L   0-12      44-77    J Maine      J Bergmann    
122 Thu, Aug 14    NYM  L   3-9       44-78    O Perez      C Balester    
123 Fri, Aug 15    COL  L   3-4       44-79    J de la Rosa T Redding     
124 Sat, Aug 16    COL  L   6-13      44-80    L Hernandez  J Lannan      
125 Sun, Aug 17    COL  L   2-7       44-81    A Cook       O Perez       
126 Tue, Aug 19   @PHI  L   4-5       44-82    R Madson     S Shell       
127 Wed, Aug 20   @PHI  L   0-4       44-83    B Myers      C Balester    
130 Sat, Aug 23   @CHC  L   2-9       46-84    R Dempster   O Perez       
131 Sun, Aug 24   @CHC  L   1-6       46-85    R Harden     J Bergmann    
139 Tue, Sep  2    PHI  L   0-4       53-86    C Hamels     J Lannan      
141 Thu, Sep  4   @ATL  L   0-2       54-87    J Parr       S Martis      
142 Fri, Sep  5   @ATL  L   5-10      54-88    J Jurrjens   J Bergmann    
145 Tue, Sep  9   @NYM  L   8-10      56-89    J Smith      C Manning     
146 Wed, Sep 10   @NYM  L  10-13      56-90    J Smith      S Rivera      
147 Fri, Sep 12   @FLA  L   1-2       56-91    S Olsen      S Martis      
148 Sat, Sep 13   @FLA  L   2-4       56-92    J Johnson    T Redding     
149 Sun, Sep 14   @FLA  L   7-8       56-93    A Miller     S Shell       
152 Wed, Sep 17    NYM  L   7-9       58-94    B Knight     S Martis      
153 Thu, Sep 18    NYM  L   2-7       58-95    J Santana    T Redding     
154 Fri, Sep 19    SDP  L   6-11(14)  58-96    J Hampson    L Speigner    
155 Sat, Sep 20    SDP  L   1-6       58-97    C Young      J Lannan      
156 Sun, Sep 21    SDP  L   2-6       58-98    C Baek       O Perez       
158 Wed, Sep 24    FLA  L   4-9       59-99    J Johnson    T Redding     
159 Fri, Sep 26   @PHI  L   4-8       59-100   J Blanton    C Balester


Incredibly depressing info culled from Baseball Reference & Retrosheet.