Saturday’s News & Notes
Three wins, two losses and a rainout (really) on a Friday night for the Nats
The Quick Rundown…
| Team | Yesterday’s Result | Today’s Game | Pitching Matchup |
| Syracuse Chiefs | Lost, 5-2 | @ Charlotte, 7:15 p.m. | Craig Stammen (5-3, 3.84) vs. TBD |
| Harrisburg Senators | Won, 8-4 | @ Altoona, 5:05 (doubleheader) |
Brad Peacock (7-2, 2.33) and Erik Arnesen (3-0, 2.78) vs. Jeff Locke (5-5, 4.46) and TBD |
| Potomac Nationals | Postponed | vs. Salem, 5:35 p.m. (doubleheader) |
Trevor Holder (3-7, 6.31) and Paul Demny (3-6, 4.38) vs. Anthony Ranaudo (1-2, 2.55) and Ryan Pressly (4-6, 4.58) |
| Hagerstown Suns | Won, 2-1 (10 inn.) | vs. Delmarva, 7:05 p.m. | Taylor Jordan (6-3, 2.84) vs. Luis Noel (4-6, 5.76) |
| Auburn Doubledays | Won, 6-1 | vs. Batavia, 7:05 p.m. | Wirkin Estevez (0-0, -.–) vs. Patrick Daugherty (0-0, -.–) |
| DSL Nationals | Lost, 5-4 @ DSL Braves |
vs. DSL Yankees1, 10:30 a.m. | Anthony Marcelino (1-0, 0.57) vs. Cesar Vargas (0-2, 6.30) |
Charlotte 5 Syracuse 2
• Milone (L, 4-5) 5⅓ IP, 7H, 5R, 4ER, BB, 6K
• Tatusko 1⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Aubrey 2-3, 2R, 2B, HR, RBI, BB
• Hulett 2-2, 2B, BB
The Charlotte Knights’ Lastings Milledge picked last night to show one of those flashes of offensive brilliance that has tantalized and tormented Nats fans. He had a two-run double after Tug Hulett allowed Eduardo Escobar to reach on a fielding error. Milledge also had a two-out RBI single to almost singlehandedly beat the Chiefs. Tom Milone showed control (six K’s and just one walk for the IL strikeout leader entering the game), but didn’t miss enough bats within the strike zone to earn the win. Offensively, the Chiefs struggled to score early when they got their leadoff man aboard, wasting a leadoff single in the first, a Tug Hulett walk in the second, and an Adam Fox double in the third. Overall, the Chiefs went 2-for-10 with RISP and left nine runners on base.
Harrisburg 8 Altoona 4
• Davis (W, 3-2) 6IP, 10H, 4ER, 0BB, 8K
• VanAllen 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Rahl 3-4, 2R, 3B, RBI
• Moore 2-4, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Norris 2-3, 2RBI, 2BB
The Altoona Curve pitching was a bit flat as the Harrisburg offense exploded for eight runs in Altoona. Six Senators had multihit games. Eight Senators tallied in the box score with either runs or hits. Harrisburg did half of its damage in a four-run third inning. Tyler Moore’s two-run double was a key blow, followed by a Derek Norris RBI single, and an RBI single from Alex Valdez that scored Bill Rhinehart, who had doubled earlier in the inning. If it wasn’t for a caught stealing of Alex Valdez, Harrisburg might still be batting. Erik Davis was didn’t walk anyone but caught too much of the plate, yielding 10 hits and four runs in his six innings. Pat Lehman, Corey VanAllen and Zech Zinicola combined for three innings of perfect relief to shut the door on the Curve.
Potomac Nationals — PPD
Heavy thunderstorms in the six-o’clock hour dumped enough rain on the Pfitz field to force a rainout and a Saturday night
doubleheader between the High-A affiliates of the Boston and Washington franchises of the same names.
Hagerstown 2 Delmarva 1
• Ray (ND) 5IP, 7H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 4K
• Swynenberg 4IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 7K
• Harper 2-3, 2RBI, 2BB, SB
• Freitas 2-3, BB
Hagerstown snapped its six-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Delmarva Shorebirds, but it may be too little, too late as both Greensboro and Hickory won on Friday night to reduce the Suns’ elimination number to one. Randolph Oduber drove in the gamewinner in the bottom of the tenth after back-to-back walks issued to Bryce Harper (intentional) and Mills Rogers (unintentional) after Blake Kelso’s leadoff single. Ben Graham got the win in relief, following four scoreless and hitless innings from Matt Swynenberg. Robbie Ray started and allowed the lone Delmarva run on seven hits and one walk over the first five innings.
Auburn 6 Batavia 1
• Demmin (W, 1-0) 5IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 4K
• Bates (S, 1) 4IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Nieto 3-3, 2R, HR, 2RBI
• Moldenhauer 2-4, R, 2B
Hendry Jimenez’s two-run triple highlighted a three-run sixth, as the Auburn Doubledays broke open a 2-1 lead for a 6-1 victory on the Opening Day of the New York-Penn League. Ryan Demmin returned to action as a starter after struggling in relief for Potomac with the lone Muckdog run allowed on three hits and three walks over five innings. Adrian Nieto returned from his PED suspension with a 3-for-3 night, including a solo HR and two RBIs. Colin Bates finished the game with four scoreless innings to earn the save.
DSL Braves 5 DSL Nationals 4
• Moscat (ND) 5⅔ IP, 6H, 4R, 3ER, BB, 4K
• Guzman 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 1K
• Difo 2-5, CS
• Rosario 0-1, R, 2BB, SB
The D-Nats dry spell was extended to three straight with a 5-4 loss to the DSL Braves. Starter Felix Moscat couldn’t hold an early 3-0 lead, coughing up four runs over five and 2/3rds innings. A run in the top of the eighth gave him the no-decision, but the ‘pen gave it back in the bottom of the inning for the loss. Wilmer Difo went 2-for-5 to lead the offense, which managed seven hits for the game.
Getting a half-inch of rain in 30 minutes will make a mess of things in a hurry.
Looking ominous again outside. Do you think they will get one or both games from Potomac in? What’s the field look like there ST holders?
Rizzo said he has 15 contracts for draft picks pending approval in Ladson’s Q&A. No movement on top picks however. But he did say if he manages to sign them they will have had the best 2011 draft of any other franchise.
Wonder if that’s on top of the nine confirmed by Baseball America – Rosters at Auburn & GCL show 18 of the 2011 crop so far, and one other player (Cotten) is rumored to be signed as well.
Rizzo can say that but I don’t believe it! I’ve already lost trust in this guy just based on how he has handled the affiliates, let alone how he handled this bull-pen roster this season (I excuse Riggleman for now). Why has Peacock and Manno not been promoted yet? Why is Harper (our best offensive prospect) still in low A when he has proven that he is better than the pitchers down there? Why do we give a $million chances to suceed to guys like Mayo and Mock and Chico? Peacock is the man! Bring him up. Arnesen belongs in AAA; bring him up. When does Lombardozi get promoted? I still want to see Marrero in the bigs. Please Rizzo, get a little more aggresive with your promotinos and moves.
Remeber what happens when you rush players, Bill Reinhart was killed by being rushed, Desmond set back. DOnt want to go all Jim Bowden and reck the farm system
Too aggressive can ruin prospects if you have to send them back down. Too conservative can get them overconfident so that they think they can wreck shop at the next level. I feel that Rizzo made a bunch of personnel moves (sign LaRoche, sign Gorzelanny, sign Coffey) so that he can be patient with prospects (Marrero, Detwiler/Maya, and Balester/Kimball/H-Rod). I encourage this approach, and I hope that while guys are waiting to get promoted they can earn their promotions with team performance as well. I’m curious what the locker room and professionalism were like in Hagerstown and whether they’re one reason Mr. Harper remains on the Sally-League bus.
Concur with Souldrummer/Jeff550. Too many failures JMax is another good example.
However, Rizzo can be flexible when needed. He made the decision to allow Danny Espinosa to finish developing platoon batting in the majors to gain access to his glove in the majors. In other words he too went to the majors sooner than he should have.
Excellent point. I was one who wanted Espinosa to get more time in AAA last year and was a bit concerned by the callup. I consider myself whipped by Mike “The People’s RZA” Rizzo.
I’m with you about the Steve Howe-minus-the-cocaine treatment of Mock and Chico, but the slower progression of prospects is actually the norm and not the exception. As for Harper, let’s stop and think. Seriously: Stop. And. Think. Jason Heyward spent the entire season in Low-A at the same age (18), then spent his age-19 season mostly split between A+ and AA. I could be wrong, but Atlanta does seem to be pretty smart about developing homegrown talent, so following that path is hardly a waste.
Why did we start Carlos Matinez at AA tonight? Come on! Of all nights they are facing Aaron Thompson. I want to bury this smoked, under-performing leach. Keep smoking them down the pipe Aaron! You have all the stuff of a smoked out 1st round draft pick. I hope you saved your signing bonus; another great smoking Rizzo move. I am losing faith in the front office.
Wow! Really! I need to take an aspirin…
Every move isn’t going to succeed? Rizzo is attempting a rapid jump start of the minors. He is taking some risks with players like Chien-Ming Wang and Oliver Perez. They look to be failures. But there are successes such as Ryan Mattheus ancillary to the failures. Aaron Thompson was a failure. You move on.
Rizzo, Clark, and Kline had the best draft of every major league franchise in 2011. The best. Its a matter of signing all the top picks and then hoping the injuries associated with Purke and Rendon aren’t serious. If Rizzo has the same success signing the picks he had in 2010 then the Nats may be serious contenders for top franchise in the majors along with Tampa Bay, KC, Boston, Texas, etc. THAT would be a really FAST jump start!
I have a hard time pronouncing ours the best draft until we actually see some of these guys fill out uniforms and play. Kevin Keyes was a 7th round pick who looks completely overmatched at Hagerstown right now. Until you see these guys play games, it’s hard to know for certain what you have.
Yeah but as Brian Oliver said, the three top guys three years in a row. Imagine Strasburg followed closely by Harper and Rendon to the majors. That could be three 6+ WAR players added to the roster and lineup all at once.
Why would anyone need Pujols much less Fielder given that the above is a very realistic possibility. If they keep top WAR guy Zimmerman … they just really need one additional power pitcher at the top of the rotation and then …
It’s rather common for a long reliever to get a spot start in a doubleheader in order to keep the rotation intact. It’s even more common if there’s a complete game thrown in the first game. One of the more subtle aspects about minor-league doubleheaders is the effect of the bullpen having four less innings to cover, which gives the team some leverage.
Yeah, I was going to mention that. In a lot of ways, a minor league doubleheader will be treated as a fourteen inning extra innings game. Do you ever see guys pitched in both games of a minor league doubleheader? Plus, when’s the last time you’ve seen somebody pitched on short rest in the minors? Those kinds of solutions suggest that you’ll start out with a long guy as if it’s the middle of the game sometimes.