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Tuesday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitcher
Syracuse All Star Break N/A N/A
Harrisburg Won, 6-3 All Star Brea N/A
Potomac Won, 11-10 OFF DAY N/A
Hagerstown OFF DAY @ Augusta,
7:05 p.m.		 Robbie Ray (2-1, 1.75) vs.
Taylor Rogers (6-8, 2.59)
Auburn Won, 3-0 OFF DAY N/A
GCL Nationals Lost, 13-12
vs. GCL Marlins		 OFF DAY N/A
DSL Nationals Lost, 5-0
vs. DSL Cubs2		 vs. DSL Marlins,
10:30 a.m.		 Jesus Guzman (0-0, 1.13) vs.
Miguel Del Pozo (3-2, 4.32)

Syracuse Chiefs — ALL STAR BREAK
Multiple sources are reporting that Brad Peacock will be joining the Chiefs starting rotation but the move has not been officially made yet, thus it’s not known what ripple effect will be. Most likely: A player will be placed on the DL in Syracuse, Oliver Perez will be activated from the temporary inactive list.

Harrisburg 6 Richmond 3
• Martis (W, 7-3) 6IP, 9H, 3R, 2ER, BB, 10K
• Lehman (S, 4) 1IP, 0H, 0ER, 0BB, 3K
• Rhinehart 2-4, 2R, 2B
• T Moore 2-4, R, 2R HR, 3RBI
Shairon Martis continued his case for a promotion to Syracuse, striking out ten and walking only one while beating Richmond for his seventh win of the season. Harrisburg scored five of its six runs via the long ball. In the fourth, Tim Pahuta hit a three run shot that scored Bill Rhinehart and Archie Gilbert. In the sixth, Harrisburg scored an unearned run when Bill Rhinehart reached on an error in front of a Tyler Moore two-run clout. Hassan Pena, Corey VanAllen, and Pat Lehman combined for three innings of scoreless relief to seal the victory. With the win, Harrisburg improves to 53-36, good for a 5½ game lead over Bowie and Richmond.

Potomac 11 Lynchburg 10
• Demny 1⅔ IP, 6H, 7R, 7ER, BB, 2K, 3HR
• Smoker (W, 3-1) 1⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 2K
• Nelo (S, 10) 1IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K
• Higley 3-5, 3R, 2B, 2RBI
• Bloxom 2-4, R, HR, BB, 2RBI

Overcoming deficits of 7-1 and 8-3, Potomac put up four crooked numbers in the 4th, 6th, 7th & 9th innings and held on for an 11-10 win. Paul Demny gave up a season-high seven runs on six hits, including three home runs, in just one and 2/3rds innings. J.R. Higley led the 16-hit attack with a 3-for-5 game and 2RBI as five P-Nats had multiple hits. Josh Smoker got the win in relief while Hector Nelo got save #10 with an unearned run on two hits in the ninth. The win keeps pace with Frederick and maintains the ½-game lead for first place in the Carolina League North.

Hagerstown Suns — OFF DAY
Tonight begins a seven-game road trip to Georgia and Kentucky, with four against the Augusta Greenjackets and three against the Lexington Legends. The Suns are 12-6 and hold a one-game lead over first-half division champ Hickory.

Auburn 3 Jamestown 0
• M Rodriguez (W, 1-1) 5IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Mirowski (H, 1) 3IP, 5H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Kreis (S, 2) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Montilla 3-3, R, BB, 2SB
• Rowe 1-3, R, SB

Manny Rodriguez (W, 5IP), Richie Mirowski(H, 3IP), and Alex Kreis (S, 1IP) combined for a 3-0 shutout of the Jamestown Jammer, taking the series two games to one. Angel Montilla led the Doubleday offense with a 3-for-3 effort, inculding two stolen bases and a walk. Bowden’s folly played shortstop, committing an error but turning two double plays. The win improves Auburn to 14-11, one game behind Jamestown in the Pinckny division of the New York-Penn League.

GCL Marlins 13 GCL Nationals 12
• King 4⅓ IP, 3H, 4R, 3ER, 2BB, K
• Arnold 1⅔ IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Mock (BS, 1; L, 0-1) ⅓ IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 0BB, K
• Je Valdez 2-4, R, 2B, RBI
• A Ramirez 2-5, R, 2B, 3RBI

In a battle of generosity, Garrett Mock proved to be in the most giving mood. He gave up 4 runs in one third of an inning to turn an 11-9 win into a 13-12 loss. The Marlins tried to give it away as well, allowing the Nationals to score 12 runs on just seven hits thanks to six errors and eight walks. With the loss, the G-Nats fall to 8-11, good for fourth place and 4.5 games behind the GCL Mets.

DSL Cubs2 5 DSL Nationals 0
• Pineyro (L, 1-4) 5IP, 4H, 2R, 0ER, 3BB, 4K, WP
• Barrientos 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, K
• N Ortega 0-2, BB
• W Rodriguez OF assist @ 2B

Three DSL Cubs2 pitchers combined on a no-hitter to defeat the DSL Nationals 5-0. Just two D-Nats reached base: one via walk, the other via error. Ivan Pineyro took the loss, pitching five innings and allowing two unearned runs on four hits and three walks. The D-Nats committed four errors on defense, but did throw out a runner at second base. The loss drops the DSL Nationals to 17-18, 5½ games off the pace set by the DSL Rangers.

35 Commments

  1. Honestly, if Mock is doing that poorly in the GCL, it must be just about time to set him loose.

    +1/2St.

  2. Jim Callis of Baseball America just came out with his Top 50 prospects and the Nats have 3, count ’em 3 on the list.
    1) Harper

    9) Anthony Rendon

    42) Peacock

    Not too shabby.

    1. Maybe I’m in the minority on this, but seeing unsigned players on a team’s prospect list just feels wrong.

      1. Yes, it feels very wrong as they arent in the MiLN yet, how can you be a prospect and not be in minor league ball?

      3. Rendon wasn’t on the list. There was a question put to Jim on the BA site where he saw the new draft case if they were put on the prospect list. Still it’s cool that he felt Rendon would go that high. The upside on him is spectacular. The downside is well we don’t want to go there.

  3. Bill Rhinehart = a young matt stairs. Is that a good comparison for those who have seen him play. I have only seen highlights on youtube at this point.

    1. It’s easy to forget this now, but at one time Stairs was NOT a defensive liability in the outfield. Rhinehart’s footspeed and defensive skills are definitely on the low end of the scale (even at 26 yo).

  4. Anyone know why Lombardozzi has been playing SS at Syracuse?

    He’s also cooled in his last 10 games to “just” a .283 BA. His OPS in that period is also just .667 due to only on BB. The SLG is also slowed with only 4 XBH.

    Antonelli has also cooled recently. I guess he and Lombo switch at SS/2B a bit because they profile the same defensively?

    1. It might have something to do with Knoor having four infielders (Lombardozzi, Antonelli, Bynum, & Hullett) that he’s using in a rough rotation / matchup.

      1. And Tug Hulett at 5’10”? Let’s just say that I’d like to be measured by that ruler — I’d go from point guard to small forward.

    2. No, Lombardozzi’s arm too weak for SS on a long-term basis. This also true for Kobernus, BTW.

    3. My guess is that they are “trying” to turn him into a utility infielder ala Jamey Carroll. But as Sue and others have said is arm is too weak for SS.

  5. My guess on Lombardozzi is that, if he gets a callup, it will be at shortstop. I doubt they’d change Espinosa mid year and risk giving him too much to handle. If Lombardozzi hits as he has been, next year at spring training they switch.

    Van Allen has 19Ks and 1BB in his lat 10+ innings, not too shabby.

  6. So, who are the big prospects that are rule V elligable next year.

    I have
    Tom Milone
    Brad Peacock
    Steve Lombardozzi
    Bill Rhinehart
    Anyone I am missing?

    1. Assuming you mean this December and by big you mean ones that most folks would know…

      Tyler Moore
      Derek Norris
      Brad Meyers (eligible last year)
      Pat McCoy
      Cory VanAllen (eligible last year)

      There are others, of course, but I’m looking AA and above right now and are relatively young. McCoy and VanAllen are included because they’re lefthanded. Of the two, I’d expect more interest in McCoy because he throws harder.

      You’re also looking at what I would expect to be the majority of the guys going to the AFL.

      1. Brad Meyers looks major league ready if he can get past the injury bug. Shouldn’t he solicit some interest from teams that need help in their starting rotations?

        With both Carr and Kimball recovering from shoulder injuries. Throw in Mock, Stairs, Severino, and there have to be a lot of openings on the 40-man. However, with 4 Scott Boras clients coming in at least 3 could be taken? We’ll assume that Purke, like Espinosa won’t get one. But it could be 4.

        On BinM’s prospect ranking list I would again (just like Sickels) throw in Nate Karns as a sleeper candidate along with Santa Barbara Community College draft pick Kylin Turnbull. A lefty who has a lot of potential but with rough edges. His arm strength is pretty amazing.

        1. Karns (& the 2011 draft crop) are still in ‘show me what you’ve got’ mode. Until they’re signed & start to rack up measurable minor-league numbers, they are all just teasers, imo.

          Karns is racking up nice numbers, albeit a very small sample size with the G-Nats; Clegg & Selik did the same with Hagerstown earlier this year, and look at them now.

          1. Is it worse than putting Skoles on the list? A 2011 draft pick?

            Karns is different. He specs out as a closer at this point I imagine. My guess is he’ll get joined with Manno to make a Clipp & Stor type duo out of the bullpen in Hagerstown/Potomac. A lefty and a righty as it should be. That’s where I project him.

      2. Of thoes I would expect all but McCoy to be protected, and by big I meant the ones that will probobly be protected or taken. So was I right on the guys I listen, or way off base

  7. Keith Law has clarified his take on Peacock: reliever. He finds the curve to be hard to control, if Peacock’s description as a “knuckle curve” is accurate, thinks his delivery is very hard to repeat, and knocks his size.

    2. And it’s useful to see what folks are saying outside our little bubble. Last thing we should want is an echo chamber.

      Law is caustic — particularly on Twitter — but like Sgt. Hartman in “Full Metal Jacket,” I believe he hates everyone equally. And I think that’s his shtik since nearly every national baseball writer/broadcaster gets accused of being biased sooner or later. His negativity is toying with the fans that have lost all objectivity.

    3. I diagree. I know its still early, but Peacock I think will have a legitimate chance. Lets see how he does in AAA…hint,hint,hint. Promote him!

      1. Peacock is pitching in Detwiler’s slot in the rotation this Saturday for Syracuse. Remember, Brad Meyers, Tom Milone and Craig Stammen are also still there! (Pointedly at Bill Ladson) and two of those guys might be due for R5 eligibility.

  8. Sue, I have a article proposal that Ive worked up, care to give me your email?

      1. Outstanding! Another contributor seeking to possibly join our merry band of minor-league minded seamheads. Hope it’s good stuff, Konnor.

  9. A fair point regarding KLaw. He initially struck me as just bitter that he didn’t have a MLB gig anymore (while Bowden did), but I look at him now as another voice on the prospect side of the equation. It’s too bad nearly all of his stuff is buried behind the subscription wall at ESPN.

    1. Sue’s right BinM if you follow KLaw on twitter its his “schtick”. He’s trying to be humorous. He likes to wave his Harvard education in your face a bit. But, like all the other sports pundits he follows the herd and the trending teams. Watch out when that happens to the Nationals.

      On that note I am now wondering if perhaps we’ve been too hard on the Nationals draft? Even the distant pre-Strasburg drafts? Consider:

      SP Strasburg 1st 2009
      SP Zimmmermann 2nd 2007
      SP Lannan 11th 2005
      SP Milone 10th 2008
      SP Peacock 41st 2006
      SP Meyers 5th 2007
      SP Stammen 12th 2005
      SP Detwiler 1st 2007

      SP Solis 2nd 2010
      SP Cole 4th 2010
      SP Ray 12th 2010

      SP Meyer 1st 2011
      SP Purke 3rd 2011
      SP Turnbull 4th 2011

      RP Storen 1st 2009
      RP Kimball 12th 2006
      RP Carr 18th 2006
      RP Manno 26th 2010

      3B Zimmerman 1st 2005
      SS Desmond 3rd 2004
      2B Espinosa 3rd 2008
      MIF Rendon 1st 2011
      UTIL Lombardozzi 19th 2008
      1B Marerro 1st 2006
      RF Harper 1st 2010
      CF Goodwin S1 2011

      Just picking guys who are already on the 40-man or who I suspect will be on the 40-man sooner rather than later …

      Not a bad starting lineup all things considered?

    2. KLaw is pretty popular regular reading and that’s why he is “buried” behind the subscription wall. Much prefer him to regular Riggleman apologist SI’s Heyman … he’s still at it.

      Bowden isn’t because … well he’s Bowden … still trying to live off his past “laurels”. His video / pod cast was better because he would Skype in other GM’s to discuss the why’s and wherefores of being a GM in baseball. A lot of what they had to say (as opposed to JimBo) was interesting and informative. Sometimes provocative. His new blog with his new employer is just “meh”.

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