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Catching Up On Transactions

It’s been a little more than three weeks since we last checked in, so here’s a recap of the transactions of note since then. Basically, one acquisition and a few departures:

  • OF Brett Carroll has signed as a minor-league free agent. As noted in the comments, he’s likely bound for Syracuse.
  • RHP Luis Atilano has signed with the Cincinnati Reds
  • RHP J.D. Martin has signed with the Miami Marlins
  • RHP Garrett Mock has signed with the Toronto Blue Jays
  • RHP Shairon Martis has signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates

If last year is any guide, we should a see a few more of these next week.

17 Commments

  1. Outfield in Syracuse is starting to get a little crowded. Brown, Valdez, Rahl, Carroll, Harper, maybe even Bernadina seems like too many players. No wonder Komatsu not protected.

    1. Good eye Jeff. Looks like a ‘change of scenery’ move to me; Bally was out of options, and Perry may be as well. Except for K-W ratios (edge Balester), they’re about the same statistically.

      1. Perry has 1 option left, that’s why the trade was made. Plus, Rizzo didn’t draft Balester, and we know how important that is.

        1. There’s certainly a case to be made that getting put on the 40-man between April and August isn’t necessarily a promotion (e.g. Bixler, Maldonado).

          1. Unless the callup is given a clear-cut opportunity, it’s treated as a bench band-aid nowadays for position players. I.E. Bixler behind both Cora & Hairston when RZim was injured in 2011.
            For pitchers, it’s a slightly different story. When a pitcher ‘goes south’ through either ineffectiveness or injury, the callup usually steps into the vacated role & is expected to produce at a higher level.

  3. The pickup of Carroll intrigues me; 19 OF assists in 117GP at AAA last year. That’s a lot of players thrown out in roughly 2/3 of a season. Sadly, he can’t hit his weight in the bigs (.203BA – 210 weight) with 2+ years of MLB service time.

  4. To be honest, the only one that hurts at all here is Martis, as he was still very young.
    J.D. was a good soldier, but his time truly had passed maybe he can reach his dream with a much thinner Marlins organization.

    1. Look at it this way – The guys who are leaving the Org. are moving to teams where they may have better chances.
      – Nix to a 2-year deal w/PHI.
      – Balester to DET (trade).
      – Antonelli to a MLB contract w/BAL.
      – Meyers to NYY (Rule 5).
      – Komatsu to StL (Rule 5).
      – Mock to TOR (minors).
      – Martin to MIA (minors).
      – Atilano to CIN (minors).
      – Martis to PIT (minors).
      – Blanco to SF (minors).
      All of these guys, save Meyers & Komatsu have had sniffs at ‘the show’ before, but probably weren’t going to get another one with the Nationals. I wish them all well.

      1. Good points all! But there’s another? The Nationals appear to have extremely high confidence in the prospects they are grooming in the minors … even to the point of arrogance? Perhaps that’s overstated. I say this because the cupboard in no longer bare, but its still sparse … except for the top shelf which is getting rather full. Not even close to as full as Tampa Bay … or even KC … but getting closer.

        There’s a lot of confidence in those players who spent the year in Hagerstown last year.

        Still, it seems interesting to note that what they appear to be looking for in FA are the right veterans to finish mentoring their prospects in the majors. If that is true they should sign Zimmerman now not later.

        Finally has anyone heard anymore on Sammy Solis visit to Dr. Lew Yocum? Any outcome?

  5. Mock + Martin + Martis

    Started 45 games for the 2009 washington nationals. Things have changed.

    1. You can’t sum up the progress the team’s pitching corps have made any more succinctly than this. 🙂

      The 2011 staff gave up 230 fewer runs than the 2009 staff. 230 fewer runs! That’s nearly a run and a half a game, just an unbelievable amount. Testament to just how awful the 2009 pitching staff was, yes, but also great progress. And there’s still room for improvement.

      1. That’s what they are relying on from the current crop in the minors … however losing Solis would be a major blow to the Nats newest “waves” combined with losing Meyers to of all teams, the Yankees?

        1. No news on Solis is probably good news at this point. Meyers hasn’t exactly been the picture of health over the last couple of years, but I’m glad he’s getting a look with another team – He probably ranked #9-10 on Rizzo’s SP depth chart for 2012.

  6. Under the heading of offseason housekeeping?

    For the Big board (ala Feelwood on WaPo 😉

    Corey Brown bats left throws left.
    Ryan Tatusko bats right throws right.
    Brian Goodwin bats left throws left.

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