Geico Geko, originally uploaded by Rob Bluey.

Last night’s final home game at Nationals Park was billed as Fan Appreciation Night. It was fitting that the game was washed out by rain. After spending the whole season under-appreciating fans, the baseball gods expressed their displeasure at the Nationals on our behalf.

I’ve been a partial season-ticket holder ever since the Expos moved to Washington in 2005. I remember the excitement that first winter when tickets went on sale. Three years of watching games at RFK Stadium was far from ideal, but there was always hope about the future.

Well, the future finally arrived this year. And after a full season of watching games at the new $611 million stadium, I’m thoroughly disgusted with the franchise. After shelling out $400 for seats that were worse than last year’s at RFK, I’m done. Ted Lerner won’t get my check next year.

Just how bad did it get at Nationals Park this year? The team, which is on the verge of 100-loss season, will end with the lowest average attendance (29,005) for a new ballpark since 1991. They’re also probably overtake my pathetic Pirates as the team with the worst record during the first year in a new stadium.

My personal experiences are a telling example of the dire situation. When I went on Stubhub earlier this month to sell some extra tickets, it was painful to see others near my section selling their $20 seats for as little as $3. My tickets for the first-place (at the time) Mets wouldn’t move. I couldn’t give them away. Even some of the most expensive seats are unattractive to fans. Earlier this week my uncle, in town for a conference, called his D.C. office to inquire about any leftover tickets. We ended up sitting in a nearly empty Lincoln Suite for most of the night.

Thomas Boswell is correct when he says there’s more at stake for the Nationals than just losing baseball games. And Thom Loverro rightly points out that this franchise is no jewel. The ownership has left such a bad taste in my mouth this season that I will cut back on games next year. Contrary to what Nationals executive Chartese Burnett tells us, there’s no value in going to Nationals Park. (Who can afford paying $7.50 for a beer and $7 for a slice of pizza?) When I do go, albeit sparingly, there’s no way I’ll pay full price for my tickets, especially when I can get them for a fraction of the cost on Stubhub.

With equally miniscule numbers of people watching on TV and listening on radio, the Nationals are unquestionably the worst franchise in baseball. This stems from Commissioner Bud Selig’s personal intervention to pick the Lerner family as owners. President Stan Kasten has clearly lost his touch from his glory days with the Atlanta Braves and General Manager Jim Bowden is a bumbling fool who couldn’t run a 7-Eleven let alone a baseball club.

I honestly don’t know where the Nationals go from here. But after this pathetic season, it can’t get much worse.