Category Archives: News and Notes

For the second straight day, the Nats have made a trade to pick up a minor-leaguer, with the Milwaukee Brewers dealing Cutter Dykstra for CF Nyjer Morgan.

Unlike yesterday, Dykstra is a younger and more promising player. As a 21-year-old, he posted a .312/.416/.411 line with 27 SBs in 35 attempts at Low-A Wisconsin in 2010. Here’s what the estimable John Sickels had to say about the Grade-C prospect:

After a poor 2009, Cutter Dykstra needed a good year in ’10 to prove that he wasn’t just a bloodline draft pick… [and] got that [by] posting a +15 percent OPS. He didn’t show much power, but he made contact, drew walks and annoyed people on the bases. I expect this to continue at higher levels, but at what position?

Sickels goes on to note that he’s likely to shift away from the infield to the outfield, citing his 20+ errors at his last two positions (2B in ’09, 3B in ’10) as well as his lack of power. Outfield, however, is where he played in 2008, making four errors in 33 games for a .933 fielding percentage and a range factor of just 1.7 (all three CFs in Vermont, for example, were 2+ in 2010, as were Eury Perez and Chris Curran).

At 5′ 11″ and 180 lbs, Dykstra is slightly bigger than his famous father, who played for the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies for 12 seasons from 1985 to 1996, but has been (to put it gently) controversial in his post-baseball career.

Given the talented outfielders expected to be placed on the Potomac roster, as well as the infielders Steve, the 2008 draft pick is probably more likely to begin the 2011 campaign at Hagerstown, perhaps to learn left field.

UPDATE
During his in-game interview during today’s Nationals radio broadcast, Rizzo mentioned that he felt like Dykstra may be moved back to second base. This, of course, would most likely mean that Jeff Kobernus would be staying put at Hagerstown if he indeed does start the season at Potomac. Reminder: GMs often talk in generalities regarding the minors and there are multiple possibilities that can be inferred from such a statement.

Five pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout as the Nats blanked the Astros 10-0 for their fifth straight win. With three games to go, and a 15-12 record, the Nats will finish at .500 or better in Grapefruit League play since 2005.

Livan Hernandez pitched the first four innings and allowed one hit while walking one and striking out one. Collin Balester followed with two innings with one hit given up, while Tyler Clippard, Todd Coffey and Sean Burnett each pitched a 1-2-3 inning to finish the game out.

Danny Espinosa went 0-for-4, lowering his ST average to .281 while Wilson Ramos got a pinch-hit to raise his to .349 for the spring.

Prospect Roundup…

…Tyler Moore went 1-for-2 with a run scored and played the last five innings on defense at first base.

…Josh Johnson went 0-for-1 and played the last three innings on defense at second base.

…Jhonatan Solano went 0-for-1 and caught the last two innings.

The Nationals return to Viera tomorrow to host the Marlins for the final Sunday of Spring Training. Ross Detwiler is expected to get the start, as John Lannan will once again pitch versus the minor-leaguers rather than give Florida batters a “free look.”  The game will be broadcast on 106.7 WJFK.

The drama is dwindling, but the Nats are now winning, edging the Cardinals 3-2 last night in Viera.

Tom Gorzelanny fell victim yet again to the longball with a two-run shot in the top of the fourth inning after a one-out walk, but turned in a quality start with six innings pitched, four hits allowed, and five strikeouts. His next start will be during the regular season.

Wilson Ramos got the start behind the plate and was instrumental in the Nats second run with a two-out double to left in the sixth. He went 3-for-4 while batting fifth behind Ryan Zimmerman.

Some quick hits, because the prospect angles are almost gone…

…Yunesky Maya was optioned to Syracuse yesterday and Ross Detwiler is almost certain to follow.

…MLB.com’s Bill Ladson is reporting that Brian Broderick will make the 25-man roster.

…Boomer Whiting laid down a perfect sacrifice (batting lefthanded) to set up the game-winning run in the seventh.

With the win, the Nats are 14-12 in Spring Training and return to Kissimmee to face the Astros, a game which will be broadcast on 106.7 WJFK.

With Spring Training winding down, the Nats made a couple of moves this afternoon, adding Oliver Perez via a minor-league deal and claiming LHP Lee Hyde from Atlanta on waivers. To make room for Hyde, Stephen Strasburg was officially placed on the 60-day DL, a move that was widely expected. Hyde was immediately optioned to AAA Syracuse.

Perez will report to minor-league camp to work with his former pitching coach, and current Nationals pitching coordinator “Spin” Williams. There are reports that Perez will be assigned to AAA to start the season, a move that could cost a prospect some playing time or impede his progress or perhaps even cost someone a job.

Hyde is a 26-year-old left-handed reliever that split time between AA and AAA last season but was not listed in either the 2010 or 2011 editions of Baseball America or John Sickels’s books. The lone scouting report that I could locate is from his 2009 AFL stint, in which he was described as having an 88-91 fastball and low-80s slider that was particularly effective against LHBs.

Hyde was originally drafted in 2006 (4th Round) and underwent TJ surgery in 2007. In 2010, he posted a 3.41 ERA overall but struggled with his command at AAA, walking 12 in 21 innings pitched over 22 appearances. All eight saves were earned at AA Mississippi.

A two-run HR by Michael Morse in the bottom of the eighth gave the Nats their second straight win and 3-1 win going into their lone day off this spring.

John Lannan tossed six solid innings, allowing just one run on two hits and a walks while striking out three. He was followed by Collin Balester, Doug Slaten, and Drew Storen, each of whom threw a 1-2-3 inning.

Once again, Danny Espinosa and Wilson Ramos drew starting assignments. Espinosa went 2-for-3 with an RBI double , a walk and strikeout, raising his ST batting average to .327 and his RBI tally to 15 in 16 games. Ramos went 1-for-4 with a run scored and picked off Oswaldo Navarro to end the 3rd inning.

With the win, the Nationals return to .500 and have tomorrow off, their only scheduled day off during the 2011 Grapefruit League season.

Some quick hits…

…Bryce Harper‘s injury suffered yesterday has been described as a “medium” left ankle sprain. MASN’s Byron Kerr reports that the injury should keep Harper out of the lineup “four to five days,” according to an unnamed source.

…MLB.com’s Bill Ladson is reporting that Henry Rodriguez has been shut down to “work on his mechanics.” Yours truly is predicting that a minor injury will be discovered shortly.

…Rule 5 pick Elvin Ramirez, reported to have been suffering from shoulder soreness, has begun long toss and will starting throwing bullpens soons, according WaPo’s Adam Kilgore, who also believes that Ramirez is likely to be stashed placed on the DL to begin the season.

More tomorrow, as we examine options and how they may affect the last week of Spring Training.

After winning eight of eleven to start the Spring, the Nats have turned off one faucet in favor of the other, losing their seventh straight today by a 6-1 count to the Detroit Tigers.

Tom Gorzelanny ended the string of poor starts from the starts, turning in a mediocre performance with two runs allowed over five inning, both coming on a third-inning HR on another breezy day in Viera. The bullpen struggled again as none of the three that followed — Todd Coffey, Drew Storen, & Tyler Clippard — were dominant.

None of this mattered much as the Nats offense, which managed to outhit the Tigers 12-10, couldn’t score unless they hit the ball over the wall (Matt Stairs, 7th) and stranded 10 baserunners, while the defense committed four errors, including errors by Danny Espinosa and Wilson Ramos.

Your prospect roundup…

• Ramos went 1-for-3 with a strikeout
• Espinosa grounded into a double play in his lone at-bat
• Tyler Moore followed Adam LaRoche on defense and had an assist

The Nats are now 10-12 and have afternoon games the next two days (at St Louis, vs. Houston) before an off day on Wednesday.