Game Thread: Washington Nationals at Los Angeles Dodgers- 2008 Game 105 of 162. "DC's Sunday Matinee In LA...or...If Lo Duca Wants To Leave DC, Federalbaseball.com Will Help With His Luggage..."

I'm as tired of writing about DC starter Jason Bergmann's losing streak as I'm sure some of you are of reading about it, but here we go...

DC righty Jason Bergmann (1-7, 4.21) , straight out of Neptune...New Jersey, takes the hill today in LA against the Dodgers' rookie right-hander Clayton Kershaw (0-3, 5.18 ERA) in the finale of the three-game weekend series at Dodger Stadium between the visiting Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jason Bergmann's in the midst of a 6-game losing streak that stretches over 12 starts dating all the way back to Bergmann's lone '08 victory over the New York Mets on May 15th in Shea Stadium. The Nationals are (1-11) when Bergmann's turn in the rotation has come around over the streak, and in spite of how well or poorly the 26-year old former Expos' pick has pitched, the result is the same...Bergmann starts, DC loses...

Bergmann's made only 1 start against the Dodgers in his 4 MLB seasons since debuting with Montreal on August 28, 2005, a no-decision on August 28, 2007, here in Los Angeles, where he pitched 6.0 innings, allowed 6 hits, 3 ER and 1 HR, with 1 walk and 1 K in a 4-3 Dodgers' victory. On the road this season, Bergmann's (1-5) in 7 starts and 8 appearances, allowing 43 hits and 21 ER's in 44.0 IP.

The humidified baseballs didn't help LA rookie Clayton Kershaw in his last road start in the mile-high air of Colorado on July 22nd, where the Dodgers' 2006 1st Round pick, (7th overall out of Dallas, Texas), was hit hard, giving up 10 hits, 5 ER, 1 HR and 3 walks with 2 K's in 3.0 innings of a 10-1 Rockies' win.

At home in Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium in his rookie campaign, Kershaw's (0-2) in 4 starts with 20 hits, 10 ER, 2 HR and 12 walks surrendered in 20.0 innings pitched, over which he's accumulated 20 K's. Kershaw's still looking for his first win 9 starts into his MLB career, though the Dodgers are 4-5 in games he's started...

Nationals' #'s During The Day In '08...

Jesus Flores - 18 G's - 20 for 53, .377 AVG, 6 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI's.

Cristian Guzman - 28 G's - 38 for 121, .322 AVG, 11 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR's, 15 RBI's.

Austin Kearns - 17 G's - 16 for 61, .262 AVG, 2 2B, 2 HR's, 10 RBI's.

Jason Bergmann - 8 G's, 7 GS - (1-2, 3.82 ERA) in 37.2 IP.

The Only Dodger With Significant #'s Against Bergmann...

Jeff Kent - 2 for 3, .667 AVG, 1 HR, 1 RBI.

If Paul Lo Duca Wants To Go...Federalbaseball.com Will Help With His Luggage...

Paul Lo Duca's taken every chance he's gotten recently to let everyone know that he wouldn't mind leaving DC. (ed. note- "Where he's been beaten out of his spot behind the plate by Jesus Flores.") Lo Duca's telling anyone who will listen that he'd still like to catch, and though, of course, he's happy with Washington, he'd welcome a move, which is akin to saying, "No offense, but..." before blatantly offending someone...

Washington Post writer Chico Harlan delivers the bad news to Lo Duca (and DC fans) in a Nationals Journal post entitled, "On new teams and new starts", where he writes about Lo Duca desire to move to a contender, and quotes the Nationals' 1B/LF/C who expresses a desire to fill the whole behind the plate with the Yankees, as Mr. Chico writes:

"Asked about the possibility of pinstripes, Lo Duca said, 'Yeah, sure [I'd like it]. I live there. I've got a home there. Yeah, definitely. You have to stay even keel, because you don't know what's going to happen. I'm happy to be here, but sure, I would love to be in a pennant race. It's one of the best franchises in sports, and to play in the last year in Yankee Stadium, yeah, it would definitely be neat.'"

One problem, however, Mr. Harlan points out:

"...a familiar source says the Yanks have no interest in Lo Duca. Zero. If Lo Duca wants to catch in a pennant race, it'll have to happen elsewhere."

...And according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article, "Deadline could bring Lopez trade", Felipe Lopez may be out the door, in a trade before the Deadline...or, if not, then after the season ends, as Mr. Ladson writes:

"If he is not traded, Lopez will not be with the team next year. The team already announced that Emilio Bonifacio will be the everyday second baseman in 2009 and make his Nationals debut sometime this season."

The July 31st Trade Deadline is now just 5 days away, it'll be interesting to see what the Nationals' roster looks like come Thursday...

4:10 pm EST start in LA, where it'll just be ten past one...Bergmann vs Kershaw. DC tries to avoid being swept in six straight in California, after a promising 2-1 series win over Atlanta, the Nationals now find themselves, 2-6 after 8 of 9...Then it's at home against Philly for three starting Tuesday night in Nationals Park...But first! Let's win one game in LA? PLEASE? Who's Watching the Nationals?...