AFL Update: October 29, 2010
The highs and lows from Thursday's AFL action
Scottsdale snapped its three-game losing streak with a 9-5 win over the Surprise Rafters. Sammy Solis got the start, Adam Carr relieved and three Nats appeared in the lineup. Here are the highlights…
- Solis went five innings (70 pitches) and allowed five runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk while striking out three. He gave up a HR and committed a throwing error.
- Steve Lombardozzi’s struggles continued with an 0-for-5 night in the leadoff spot, though he did help turn two DP’s.
- Offensively, Derek Norris drove in five, three by an eighth-inning HR, while catching and batting sixth. He also doubled and scored two runs. Defensively, his streak of throwing out runners ended as St. Louis farmhand Adron Chambers swiped three bags and Detroit’s Francisco stole one. Norris also allowed a passed ball, his third of the fall.
- Michael Burgess went 1-for-4 with an RBI while playing R, but struck out three times.
- Adam Carr pitched a 1-2-3 ninth and stuck out a batter.
The win puts Scottsdale at 9-6, tied again with the Mesa Solar Sox for first place. Tonight they host Mesa, and tomorrow afternoon they face Peoria. Look for the weekend wrapup and updated AFL stats on Monday.
Derek Norris certainly has some pop in his bat. It’s great to see him having a lot of success at the plate in the AFL. Solis looked good, overcoming 4 Scorpion errors while throwing 51 of 70 pitches for strikes. Lombo struggled a bit at the plate but showed his usual defensive prowess. Carr is extremely consistent so far …. things are looking good for the Nats with this group, I think.
The AFL is showing that none of the Nats prospects, while they have potential, right now are major league ready.
That’s not the point of the league. It’s considered a finishing school from AA to AAA, though lately teams have been using it as a means of deciding which Rule 5-eligible guys to protect. Take, for example, Adam Carr and Cole Kimball. I’ve seen Carr pitch for quite some time and on his best days, he can get MLB batters out. Kimball appears to have found another gear and could also make the jump, but I’m more skeptical because he’s had no success (or experience) at AAA, unlike Carr who finished ’10 with 9 saves in 16 appearances and appears to be prepping for the role with the preferred hair 😉
Hi Sue.Totally off topic, but I’ve been reading about recent international signings made by other mlb teams. Have you read anaywhere of maybe the Nats being involved in any? It would be nice to supplement the news of some of our players doing well in the AFL with news that the Nats signed a highly regarded international prospect.
I’ve seen little since Maya. Most folks believe Smileygate is still a factor. I seem to recall that there are still some unresolved lawsuits, one of which I believe is this one: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/09/20/nationals.baez/index.html
3 passed balls for Norris so far is a bit of a concern. Hope his defense solidifies in AA. But the bat continues to play. Very, very encouraged by Norris’ performance at the plate in the AFL. Even more than the Harper showcase, Norris was my major interest for the AFL and so far he’s exceeding my hopes at the dish. I remain all in for Norris.
Although he’s not been ‘lights out’ so far, in Solis the Nats are getting someone who”s anything but a ‘dumb jock’. His family has built and run 2 orphanages in South Africa, in the poorest part of that country to help with all the aids orphans.
Listening to him talk is very enlightening and he admitted that right now A.J Cole had stuff as good as him. Probably not true, but worth hearing anyways.
Mark L: Hopefully Solis is solidly grounded, and of high character as well; His parents certainly seem to have had the best of intentions in bringing him up. The question here is, does he really have ML ‘stuff’? As a LH, he can get along with 92-94 on his fastball, but can he throw two other pitches consistently for strikes? It’s still early, but I’m beginning to think that Peacock might be the better SP candidate.
BinM — Good question, all the scouting on Solis was he would rocket through the Nats system next year and be ready to go with the club in late ’11 or early ’12.
Dug these up from June —
Andy Seiler- 6’5″ 230 lbs. “With the first pick in the second day of the draft, the Nationals got a quality arm that was squarely in my top 100, and I thought Solis was a strong supplemental 1st round pick. However, his he fell due to an injury involving his back, and his stuff is more of a #3/4 starter than a #2. He should sign sooner rather than later, but he is a sophomore eligible, so he could wait it out if he wants to.
John Sickels – was being mentioned as a first round posssibility, so getting him here is nice. Decent southpaw stuff @88-92, good breaking pitches and changeup, throwsstrikes, won’t need long in the minors. DOB 8/18/1988
Same age as Peacock.
You think??? force feeding Solis since McGeary and Smoaker are bullpen fodder now if that…lets cross our fingers that in time Smoker pulls off a CJ Wilson and remerges as a starter down the road..anybody have a clue what the new knits may resemble??? I liked the original road knit design…