Brian McNally, The Examiner
2008-08-01 07:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

The trade deadline came and went Thursday without a significant splash from the Nationals.

For an organization looking for talent any way it can get it, those kinds of moves will have to wait for the offseason. Instead, the front office settled for a minor trade with the New York Yankees, acquiring shortstop Alberto Gonzalez, and then watched exactly why they need a talent upgrade in the first place — an ugly 8-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Starter John Lannan weathered unfounded trade rumors early in the day. Those didn’t rattle him. But the Phillies offense did, battering Lannan for nine hits and eight runs, only six earned.

That’s because the Nats committed three errors behind him. But Lannan (6-11, 3.61 ERA) also hurt his cause with three walks and a hit batter.

“I never had a discussion with the [Chicago] White Sox regarding John Lannan or [closer] Joel Hanrahan,” a bemused Nats general manager Jim Bowden said before the game. “We’re building for the long term. We’ve been consistent. So we weren’t talking about trading our young players. Unless we’re trading for other young players.”

They did trade minor-league pitcher Jhonny Nunez to the Yankees for Gonzalez, 25, a strong defensive player whose skills at the plate are limited. He joins the roster today.

The Nats announced the release of Felipe Lopez and Paul Lo Duca after the game. Johnny Estrada’s release also was finalized. Washington last week traded closer Jon Rauch to Arizona for second baseman Emilio Bonifacio. Bonifacio was promoted to the big league roster, as was Elijah Dukes.

Nats notes » Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman left in the fourth after being hit on the right hand by a pitch. X-rays were negative and he is day-to-day.