Christian: Dream becomes nightmare for Nats

The 100-win mark is something each and every team dreams of when spring training rolls around. Now, with just over a month left in the season, there are four teams battling to stay away from 100 losses.

And yes, the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles are right there.

It is almost a given that the Nationals will bust 100 losses wide-open.

With 27 games remaining, including Saturday's tilt against Florida, the Nationals must go 17-10 to avoid triple-digit setbacks.

Among the four teams in this unwanted basket, it is almost a given the Nationals will end the season with 100 or more losses.

Washington has not played seven games above .500 all season, and that is what it has to do in order to not lose 100 games. It's just not going to happen.

Washington ends the season with 111 losses.

Up the road a bit in Baltimore, the Orioles entered Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers at 54-81.

In order not to finish with 100 losses the Orioles must go 9-18 over their remaining 27 games.

The Orioles are capable of doing that. They tend to get on these small rolls here and there as the season comes to a close.

Baltimore's front office is interested in a youth movement and have taken their lumps. However, the O's have shown flashes of being a good team, but flashes are like lightning strikes, eventually they go away.

Baltimore will end the season with 97 losses.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, an organization that gave up on its city, deserves to lose as many games as possi-ble.

A team that went into its clubhouse and decided to trade every player that meant anything to the organiza-tion started waving the white flag at a point in the season when it was only six-and-a-half games out of first place in the National League Central and in the thick of the wild-card race.

It made no sense then and it makes no sense now with the Pirates needing to play 29 games to complete the season.

The Pirates are 53-80 entering play Saturday against the Central Division leading St. Louis Cardi-nals.

Pittsburgh must go 10-19 to stay away from 100 losses for the season and will struggle to do so. As the season gets closer the end, those who were allowed to stick around and play for Pittsburgh will go through the motions and try to speed the end up.

The Pirates will end the season with 101 losses.

And finally, we come to the Kansas City Royals.

Entering play Saturday, the Royals were 51-83 with 28 games remaining.

In order to stay away from 100 losses, the Royals must go 12-16—almost .500 and again that is something they have not been able to do for almost the entire season.

Kansas City will fight and win the battle, however, finishing with 99 losses.

KEY PICKUP

The Colorado Rockies picked up Jason Giambi this week after he was released a few weeks ago by the Oakland A's.

Since joining the team, Giambi has four RBI in three pinch-hit appearances for the NL wild-card leading Rockies.

Using Giambi off the bench as a pinch-hitter in key situations is the plan for Colorado.

READER REQUESTS

I have received several e-mails this week asking for my predictions for the upcoming NFL season—why I don't know—but for you guys here they are.

NFC East

1. New York Giant

2. Philadelphia Eagles (WC)

3. Dallas Cowboy

4. Washington Redski

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packer

2. Minnesota Vikings (WC)

3. Chicago Bear

4. Detroit Lio

NFC South

1. New Orlea

2. Carolina

3. Atlanta

4. Tampa Bay

NFC West

1. San Francisco

2. Arizona

3. Seattle

4. St. Loui

AFC East

1. Miami

2. New England (WC)

3. Buffalo

4. New York Jet

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh

2. Baltimore (WC)

3. Cincinnati

4. Cleveland

AFC South

1. Indianapoli

2. Tennessee

3. Housto

4. Jacksonville

AFC West

1. San Diego

2. Denver

3. Oakland

4. Kansas City

NFC Championship Game

Green Bay beats NY Giant

AFC Championship Game

Pittsburgh beats San Diego

Super Bowl

Pittsburgh beats Green Bay

Jeff Christian is a freelance columnist and he appears each Sunday in The News & Messenger. He can be reached at