Bryce Harper & Some Other Roster Moves
The Harrisburg Senators have announced that Bryce Harper has been placed on the temporary Inactive List due to his participation in the MLB Futures Game in Arizona on Sunday. Taking his spot on the roster is RHP Tanner Roark, who was taken off the… wait for it… Temporary Inactive List.
This, of course, comes much to the dismay of the Richmond Squirrels, if not local Nationals fans, who have not been able to watch a first-round pick play within 50 miles of DC since August of 2009 when Drew Storen was assigned to Potomac. Coincidence? Perhaps, but those are the facts.
In other roster moves… 24-year-old Brett Newsome was placed on the 7-Day DL to make room for 25-year-old OF Carlos Alvarez, formerly known as Esmailyn Gonzalez, and typically referred to here as HWMNBM or He Who Must Not Be Named. Alvarez had been hitting .354 with 4RBI and 5SBs in 14 games for the GCL Nationals.
UPDATE: With Pudge Rodriguez on the 15-day DL, the Nationals have recalled Jesus Flores and activated Carlos Maldonado off the 7-Day DL to take his place on the Syracuse roster.
Question about projected roster moves (none are prospects, but are on Nats farms teams, so please don’t be too harsh on me!)…..assuming Wang makes another rehab start (SYR?) and does well, it is close to the decision point for his assignment, correct? Will he be assigned to WAS? If so, for whom does the other shoe drop? JC Romero seems to be finding his stuff (assuming he lost it somewhere). Same question here….if he proves to Rizzo he’s ready, will he get the call-up? With Burnett struggling, this seems like a no-brainer. Lastly, the other lefty retread, Ollie Perez appears to be working some minor mojo….where does he appear headed?
These are some good questions because they do affect the “real prospects.” Wang, has to go on the 40-man after 30 days, so it’s not a question of if but when. Rizzo has been obstinate in not making cuts and unfortunately, it’s a pretty good bet that he’ll swap Wang for Adam Carr, who’s done for the year with shoulder surgery.
i would gues Wang for Carr or LaRoche, as both could go on the 60DL no problem. Thanks for the update on Carr BTW
Wang just needs to go on 40 man, right? Not the 25 man? In other words, could he experience some shoulder discomfort about the time he goes onto the 40 man and then be put on the 15 day DL or something to get him to the Sept call-up?
Wang is already on the 40-man; Activating him to rehab status gave the Nationals 30 days to either activate him to the 25-man roster, or shut him back down for the remainder of the season.
Sue, I thought you were going to be light on posts due to your travels.
I like this kind of slow, good thing too; I just stopped taking my medication due to your site being down earlier this week.
Yesterday and today were lighter travel days, Saturday, Sunday and Monday I’ll be on the road for much longer.
Sue, you were pretty vague on HWMNMB being jumped 2 levels to Hagerstown, that’s big news. The word out of spring training was he was going to be starting in Auburn, so this looks like they wanted to monitor his transition to America in the GCL. Now let’s see what he can really do; look forward to the scouting reports this weekend.
In other nonroster movers, the disgraceful nonpromotion of Chris Manno continues.
Question, what do you do with a player who supposed to be an OG guy but doesn’t cooperate?
Bill Rhinehart now has an OPS of .980! Let me say this again — .980!
The Rhinehart Mafia lives!
We couldn’t be so lucky as to have Alvarez on Auburn when I’m going to see them play twice in 72 hours, right? TBRfan – you’ve been summoned: reports due after next homestand 😉
Oh man….i’m going to be letting people down. 🙁
I’m in Wisconsin right now for job training until Wednesday. I won’t see any games from tonight on.
But hey, I was unemployed, now employed – – so i’ve gotta do what “the man” says for now as my mortgage company likes $$. LOL
Well, TBRFan, the good news is you’re only missing 3 games as they hit the road Monday.
This puts much more pressure on Elliott & Wally.
I’m interpreting that as meaning you’re making a permanent move or that your job will not allow you with enough time to watch baseball? I know what you’re going through if so. Last year, I was unemployed and in-person baseball helped me muddle through joyfully. This year, I’m starting my own business so it’s limited me to the box score duties (when I’m not in Milwaukee ;-( ).
I shouldn’t miss out on any baseball at all, outside of this weekend/week. Actually, this job will free up more time than I had before….for a little while, then things could change. But I agree on your statement about baseball getting you through…If I didn’t have these games, i’d done a lot more sitting at home and a lot more feeling bad for myself. 🙂
Rizzo and company have a lot on their plate … again … the Riggleman distractions (starting with Werth and leading into Marquis then the resignation) I’m sure put more than a few things behind or even on the back burner.
Draft picks/International FA’s still need to be signed. The official trade deadline approaches.
In order for HWMNBN to become a “prospect” again is to start bext year at Harrisburg.
On Reinhart, I dont ocnsider him a OG anymore, and I think he needs to be moved up to Syracuse soon, given an invite to MLB ST next year, and go from there
With the Pudge > DL and Flores > WAS move, wondering if Norris gets a call to SYR? That would be nice to see.
More likely Maldonado gets returned to the Chiefs and Solano picks up Flores’ starts. Solano has been more effective anyway.
If they send up Flores instead of Solano it would be the same logic of Detwiler instead of Milone — 40 man.
Solano’s OPS is 200 (!!) points higher AND he’s a year younger.
Solano’s a real backup catcher prospect at this point, correct? He’s really come out of nowhere it seems to me this year. Any idea about what’s changed for him at the plate?
If I was Rizzo and I was feeling in the mood to make some huge moves, heres what Id do
Promote Manno to Pot.
Promote Testa to Har.
Promote Vanhallen to SYR
Promote Nathan Karns to Auburn
Promote Brad Peacock to SYR
Promote Jeff Kobernus to Har
Promote Wander Ramos to Auburn
Promote Brian Peacock to Har
Promote David Freitas to Pot
Release Garret Mock
Release Matt Chico
Release Devan Ivany
Release Chris McDonell
Place Lee Hyde on 7 day DL
Demote Rick Hughes
Demote Travis Henke
Place Adam Carr on 60 day DL
These moves would be spread out over a long time, what do you guys think?
I agree with a lot of this.
Cory VanAllen is a good arm to look at, was listening to Davey Johnson moaning about not having enough lefthanders in the pen, and there’s really no one to help from Syracuse. VanAllen’s E.R.A. is 2.78, WHIP 1.33, good not great, but if they move him up that would help with the ‘logjam’ of lefties they’re not utilizing very well.
We don’t know what Karns is coming back from. My earlier suspicions have to do with a web site called http://www.livestrong.com. Given the time frame etc. it would fit. And its not something you like to announce although livestrong.com encourages it?
If it is something like what I will leave unsaid you probably don’t want to push Karns too much this year … next year would be about right.
Konnor: A little sorting might be in order first, imo. The Nationals are currently carrying 43 players on the 25/40-man roster, with Strasburg, Wang (on rehab), and Elvin Ramirez on the 40-man DL, by my count. LaRoche is still carried as a 15-DL, even though he’s done for 2011 due to the shoulder surgery, as apparently now so is Kimball.
Mock and Carr are still on the 40-man, but both are statused as 7 day-DL in the minors. Chico is currently off the 40-man, and is no longer a controlling factor.
The team could move LaRoche & Kimball to the 60-day DL, adding two ML roster spots, but will have to make a decision on Wang within the next two weeks (net +1). My best guess is that Wang is activated sometime shortly after the AS game (late July). Gaudin is also in rehab status, and may well come up at the AS break.
That being said, the moves/counters over the next two weeks could turn out to be (as of 7/7/11, 8:30pm)…
– Gaudin back to WSH; Lannan to 15-DL.
– Wang up to WSH; Release Stairs.
– JC Romero to WSH; Detwiler to SYR, Kimball to 60-DL.
– Brad Peacock to SYR from HAR.
The remainder of the roster shuffling will play out however it plays out.
– Gaudin back to WSH; Lannan to 15-DL.
– Wang up to WSH; Release Stairs.
– JC Romero to WSH; Detwiler to SYR, Kimball to 60-DL.
– Brad Peacock to SYR from HAR.
I guess I believe Davey Johnson when he says they’ll have to wrestle him to get Detwiler away from him. Remember, he’s been watching these prospects for a number of years now. He apparently really likes what he sees in Detwiler. That said Detwiler stays for the remainder of the season unless he becomes so terrible his confidence erodes and they have to send him to AAA to rescue him.
I thought they would bring up Solano and they didn’t. Have to wonder if perhaps the idea is to package Flores in an upcoming trade? There are contending teams that are desperate for catching and if Flores looks good enough? Ladson seems to think we’ll see Solano soon so …
Wang -> Wash; Livo to bullpen; Lannan to 15-day DL.
(Hopefully Lannan’s CAT scan will come out okay.)
Peacock->SYR (They are waiting for post-All Star and Futures game here I suspect. They are now short two starters in SYR and Knorr is making due with JD Martin. (Brad Meyers is on the DL think it might be legitimate.) Might throw in Mandel or Tatusko but so far he hasn’t. Peacock is made to order especially since Detwiler isn’t coming back and there’s a chance Milone could end up in the Nats rotation sooner as opposed to later.
JC Romero to Wash; Gaudin released or (Remember, this guy was someone Riggleman wanted, according to Boz. Not someone Johnson wants.) traded. He isn’t a part of the future.
Stairs might yet be released but I suspect they may give him time. It seems like they feel Riggleman pulled an Adam Kennedy, Alberto Gonzalez on him by hardly ever using him and only when coerced by upper level management. Stairs may be someone they still want to evaluate. But he isn’t a part of the future so perhaps not?
Stairs must go for someone who can at least play a position. I’d rather have Michael Martinez than Matt Stairs! To me, Stairs isn’t playing because all he can do is pinch hit. If I were Davey, he’d be the first pinch hitter off my bench from the left hand side for the forseeable future until Rizzo realizes that Stairs can’t hit anymore and DFAs him.
I believe that is what may be happening … he is being used far more extensively by Davey Johnson … we’ll have to see what happens after the All Star break.
from expereince, I must say to The Management be smart with your lefty guys. di not be timid about moving guys up to levels they belong. To skip a level is not a bad thing to rush someone is a bad thing to do. I have a problem with the Testa , Manno move. I ask those who have seen Testa. Is he a specialist or someone that can throw to both righties and leftys.
or are we better with Manno is Harrisburg. Listen I will not TALK FROM MY YOU KNOW WHAT
Testa has reportedly changed his arm angle from a more upright motion to a near sidearm motion this year. A lefthander firing from a 9:30 to 4:00 slot has confounded more than a few Carolina League hitters, but he still lacks some polish on his release point, imo (see the BB/K ratio of around 1).
addendum: That would be a 2:30 – 7:00 slot from the hitters’ standpoint from Testa.
but I look at stats and I look more at WHIP and strike out to walk ratio and Manno is lights out. The only thing I am worried about is Manno is a fresh college kid ,meaning this usually is the time of year where the first full season guys start to tire. been there done that. It is frustrating. I will say it again and again to guys like manno testa and smoker and vanallen. Just keep pitching and do not pay any attention to roster moves. excel where u r and let the chips fall where they may. Rizzo and company are smart baseball guys they will make the best moves (I Hope)
Might I suggest that we re-tag HWMNBM with something a little less cumbersome. Perhaps “JimBo’s Folly”, or some derivative from that. I’ll give him this – the dude raked in the DSL, and hasn’t seemed to slow up after finally getting his Visa to play stateside.
Might as well look at him as another Maya Yunesky given his age and the amount he was paid. Who knows maybe he pans out in a year?
Oh, if anyone happens to see SpringfieldFan remind her gently that Seth Bynum is now playing almost every other day in Syracuse. He is no longer on rehab and honestly given Johnson’s desire for hitting? The guy has a lot of pop for a middle infielder and given what I’ve seen from the bench vets he might be better?