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Friday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Won, 5-1 vs. Rochester,
7:00 p.m.		 Lannan (2-3, 6.10) vs.
Manship (2-0, 2.45)
Harrisburg Lost, 7-0 @ Akron,
7:05 p.m.		 Rosenbaum (4-0, 0.81) vs.
Wright (3-1, 1.13)
Potomac Won, 5-2 @ Carolina,
7:15 p.m.		 Winters (1-4, 5.51) vs.
Goodnight (1-2, 5.06)
Hagerstown Lost, 6-3 @ Lexington,
7:05 p.m.		 Meyer (2-3, 4.28) vs.
Tropeano (2-2, 1.87)

Syracuse 5 Durham 1
• Maya (W, 2-4) 7IP, 7H, 1R, 0ER, BB, 4K
• Lehman 1IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 2K
• Paul 1-3, R, HR, 3RBI
• Negrych 1-3, R, HR, RBI
• Maldonado 1-3, R, HR, RBI

Durham outhit Syracuse 8-6, but three of those six went over the fence as the Chiefs beat the Bulls, 5-1 and took the series 3-1. Yunesky Maya turned in seven strong innings, giving up an unearned run on seven hits and a walk to win his 2nd game of the season. Xavier Paul, Jim Negrych, and Carlos Maldonado each went deep, with Paul’s shot driving in three. Pat Lehman and Josh Wilkie both turned in a scoreless inning to close out the game. The eight-game homestand continues tonight as Rochester comes to town for the next four games.

Akron 7 Harrisburg 0
• Mandel (L, 3-2) 3IP, 6H, 6R, 5ER, BB, 0K, HR
• Davis 2IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Kobernus 2-4
• Hood 2-4, E(1)

Jeff Mandel got manhandled for four runs in the bottom of the first and it was more than Akron would need as the Aeros flew past the Senators, 7-0. Akron opened their half of the 1st with four straight singles, with a stolen base and an error in between, before Mandel would settle down to get three of the next four batters out. The Aeros, however, would post a picket fence with single runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to put the game out of reach. Jeff Kobernus and Destin Hood both went 2-for-4 as Harrisburg was held to just seven hits, shut out for the second time this week and the third time in the last 10 games.

Potomac 5 Salem 2
• Swynenberg (W, 3-1) 5IP, 7H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 2K
• Wort (H, 2) 2IP, H, 0R, BB, 5K
• Cameron Selik (S, 4) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Keyes 2-3, 2R, 2B, HR, 4RBI
• Walters 2-4, R

Perhaps all Potomac needed was a good night’s rest and a chance to take some BP, as emerging staff ace Matt Swynenberg, the back of the ‘pen, and Kevin Keyes led the P-Nats to 5-2 win in the series finale. Swynenberg faltered late, but turned in a two-runs-in-five-innings start for his team-leading 3rd W. Rob Wort and Cameron Selik combined for four shutout innings of relief with just a hit and walk and eight strikeouts between them. Kevin Keyes doubled, homered, scored twice, and drove in four runs to power the Potomac offense. Prior to the game, RHP Adam Olbrychowski was placed on the 7-Day DL with LHP Joe Testa assigned from Harrisburg taking his spot on the roster.

Lexington 6 Hagerstown 3
• Karns 4IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 8K, HBP
• Lucas 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Ramsey 1-2, 2RBI, BB
• Newsome 1-3, R, 2B, BB

A four-run seventh was the undoing of the Suns as the Legends doubled them up, 6-3. Nathan Karns went four innings in his first start, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk and striking out eight. Christian Meza took the loss after giving up two hits in the seventh and leaving with one out and a 3-2 lead. Greg Holt walked the next two batters to lose the lead then gave up a two-run single and a sac fly for the eventual margin of victory. The Suns were held to just seven hits, going 3-for-12 with RISP and stranding eight baserunners. RHP Alex Kreis was placed on the 7-Day DL, retroactive to May 8, making room for OF Chris Curran, who was assigned from Potomac.

14 Commments

  1. Wow, Chris Curran, talk about the loyal organizational soldier. He’s been floating among 3 levels for years now.
    I know he can’t hit, but you have to figure he’s being used in some teaching capacity for the outfielders in the system.
    If anyone has any info on that, I’m all ears.

  2. At what point do you just automatically put Kobernus – 2-4 in every box score. That guy has had an absurd number of multi hit games so far this year.

  3. In the Senators game the first 4 hits never left the infield. Rahl’s double was off the cf fence and then later Valdez and Kobernus hit line drives to the outfield. This is symptomatic of the Senators problems. Lots of ground balls almost no power.

    Kobernus is getting on and stealing but between him and Rahl there is very little firepower in the lineup. Adding to the problem has been a lack of bp on the field for the players due to weather and travel.

  4. any explanation as to why a starter (Olby) is replaced with a reliever (Testa)?

    1. A few possibilities… 1) someone’s coming from XST 2) a pitcher on the DL is coming off 3) the move is to beef up the ‘pen which has been overworked

  5. Yes one of the things the casual fan doesn’t realize is that the players spend so much time together in close quarters that a bug will run thru a clubhouse like wildfire.

  6. For the “Most ridiculous question of the Day” category….related to living together in close quarters. For the minors, are players paired up and assigned to apartments/condos for the season? Does all (or the bulk of the team) live at the same apt complex or are they spread out? Just thinking about the nightmare of moving / leases / etc involved when players move up or down a level. I’m assuming the team handles all of this for them.

    1. The “team” does not handle housing. In Potomac, the Booster Club maintains a list of those willing to house players. Last year was the first time there was a real effort to find host families in Hagerstown. At Harrisburg, there are some host families, but many are employees of the Senators. There are a few places near the field that do month to month leases.

  7. As a casual viewer of this site, I’ve come to really appreciate the dedication and interest in the players the fans have as they are developing. But as someone close to baseball I’d like to comment, because the ignorance is astounding.

    Baseball clubs have very little involvement in or support of the players of the field as far as living arrangements. A list of host families and affordable apartments are given to players in spring training and it is up to them to figure out where and how they are going to live. There is a “team” hotel at each affiliate location that is offered to players at a discounted rate – but most do not opt to stay there full time because it becomes expensive.
    Some players in the lower minors do stay in host families, but there are not that many available. Host families are almost unheard of in AA and non existent in AAA. Most guys stay room with other players and take up 2 or 3 guys in a local apartment – typically month to month leases. Either furnished or they rent furniture sleep on air mattresses. If they do go in on a lease and a guy gets promoted/demoted, the other players are stuck with the lease until they find a new roommate. You will see many guys living in the same complex because it is probably the cheapest and closest to the field.
    When a guy gets promoted demoted the Nats pay for 3 nights in the team hotel at their new location when they arrive. After that, its on the player to find a place to live.
    It is not a glamorous life in the minors. For this reason, guys w/signing bonuses, family money/support from home and big league time are able to play longer and do better – for obvious financial reasons. This is also why guys opt to make money in the winter leagues. The organization has nothing to do with their players winter league play. They players and their agents set those plans up themselves. The organization only approves the player’s wish to play with an off season team or not. But even then, the player can still technically opt to go.

    1. We, of course, appreciate your readership, and thank you for the explanation. I know I’ve done my best to link to players’ blogs whenever off-the-field stuff comes up in the comments, provided it’s germane (if you’re a regular reader than you know it was tough to not make a joke about 15 singles in one night 😉

      Thanks again for the enlightenment and please pass the word along if you enjoy the site. We don’t bite (though my copyeditor might).

    2. Thanks for sharing your insights / experiences Anonymous. Addressing my astounding ignorance is a major reason why I enjoy this site so much and a major reason why I surf it so frequently! I am admitedly the furthest thing from an expert in any aspect of MiLB and so I come here in an attempt to become informed; it’s far and away the best site for Nats’ MiLB info IMO. I personally want to thank you for taking the time to fill me (us) in on the realities of the housing issue. Frankly it reminds me a bit of my college days….having to worry about leases, roommates, moving hassles, furniture, apt searching, etc. Gives one an appreciation for those minor leaguers who make multiple moves in the same season or who make short stays somewhere. I’ve only known one minor leaguer on a personal level; he was married and played for CLE at Kinston back in the 90’s so my knowledge is worse than limited!

      There are several aspects to minor league ball that I have an interest in but personally have had difficulty finding information about. One is the off-the-field human interest side, another is the Nats’ scouting / player development efforts in Latin America and another is the general composition and work of the Nats’ scouting organization. Talk about Black Holes.

      Anyhow, thanks much for shedding some light on the housing aspect. I know I appreciate it! Now, can you pass along a website to help me out with the other areas?!?!

      Thanks again and I hope you drop in more often to share your experiences / insights with us.

  8. Great post by Anonymous. Add to that the plight of married players with or without children. Wives sometimes don’t live in the minor league team city but stay at home and work. Some wives do live with their husbands but are almost always in the category of bonus draft choices and families supporting players. Often the players do not have long term relationships due to the hardships involved. The wives and girlfriends that do support their player deserve a lot of credit and respect.

    The close quarters mentioned in my previous post referred to long bus rides, crowded locker rooms and clubhouses, and 2 or 3 guys to an apartment.

  9. Senators need a win bad! Here’s a humble suggestion for tonight’s lineup.

    1. Kobernus 2b
    2. Leon C (if not then Ivany or Skelton)
    3. Rahl LF
    4. Pahuta 1b
    5. Hood RF
    6. Valdez DH
    7. Lozada 3b
    8. McConnell SS
    9. Perez CF

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