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Broderick Making His Case For Roster Spot

Nats' Losing Streak Stopped With 7-2 Win

With another two sold innings of work in a 7-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, Brian Broderick continues to make his case for sticking with the club.

The Rule 5 pick allowed two singles in the sixth, but got the key grounders when he needed them (four in total) and tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning to earn his fourth hold of the spring. His ERA is now 0.77 after seven appearances, totaling 10⅔ innings.

The win broke the Nats’ seven-game losing streak in a game that featured a bit of a beanball war after (guess who?) Nyjer Morgan collided with Albert Pujols. Former National Miguel Batista was ejected after hitting Ian Desmond with one out and nobody on in the top of the 7th, which prompted the benches to clear.

Former Potomac Nationals manager Trent Jewett prevented Morgan from reaching the infield during the scuffle, in which no punches were thrown, though he was pinch-hit for in the top of the 8th.

Danny Espinosa started the game and went 1-for-4 with 2 RBI while Wilson Ramos came off the bench to pinch-run for Ivan Rodriguez and caught the final three innings.

The Nationals return to Viera tomorrow afternoon to host the Astros. The game can be heard (Houston broadcast) online via MLB.com Gameday Audio.

10 Commments

  1. If Broderick hasn’t made the roster by now, I can’t imagine what more it would take – 8GP, 12.2IP, 0.71ERA, 0.631WHIP, .140BAA, and an incredible 4.5:1GO/FO ratio to date. Granted, those are Spring Training stats, but WOW! He doesn’t seem to be a hard thrower, so that sinker must be wicked good.

    The Cardinals posted him to the AFL with a purpose in mind, and I don’t think it was to have Rizzo steal him as a RuleV, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Two weeks ago, I’d have hoped the Nationals could work a trade to keep him in our system, but now I believe he’ll make the 25-man roster outright. Nice pickup by Rizzo & staff.

    2. The Cards put him in the AFL for the sole purpose of evaluating whether to include him on their 40 man roster in December. They thought him un-worthy of such a spot. That was why he was available in the Rule 5.

      We did the same with Kimball and Carr.

  2. No mention of Harper’s sprained ankle …

    Kind of agree with BinM Broderick IMHO he looks heads-and-tails above Gaudin? I am afraid Gaudin will get the nod (sounds like he already has?) just because he is a Riggleman veteran.

    @BinM, my understanding is that Broderick’s sinker can exceed 92? That’s kind of like Chien-Ming Wang I think? The extra velocity seems to have helped him as it did in the case of Ryan Tatusko?

    1. I passed on making a mention on Harper’s ankle because the story had been already brought up in the comments and there wasn’t much more to it, except perhaps to mention it had reminded me of when Strasburg had a minor injury in the AFL in ’09.

      I don’t think Broderick’s sinker is that fast, but in the big picture, what does it matter if it gets grounders?

      1. Exactly. If the bottom drops out of what looks like even a 87-89mph fastball, hitters can’t barrel up on it & just pound it onto the ground.

  3. Anybody got Broderick’s K to BB ratio? I am guessing that he doesn’t miss a lot of bats, which is why this is a seemingly hard decision (and the fact that he has little experience above A-ball competition).

    There isn’t much to lose by keeping the guy around for a bit as the long man and riding a hot arm into the season. I am just a little concerned that part of the reason he achieving success is because he is an unknown quantity. I hope that he is more of a vintage CM Wang than a Luis Atilano–Wang was good until he got hurt, Atilano was only good until big leaguers learned his tendencies.

  4. There are some NL hitters salivating for Chad Gaudin in middle relief.
    Will the Spin Williams-Oliver Perez prior ties come to play in DC or shall another club take a flier on the ex-Buc?
    Any minor league additions since camp has gone on- say an odd middle infielder from another org???

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