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Tuesday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Won, 12-4 @ Buffalo,
6:05 p.m.		 Duke (1-1, 5.57) vs.
Harvey (2-1, 4.85)
Harrisburg Lost, 1-0
(12 inn.)		 vs. New Britain,
7:00 p.m.		 Gilliam (1-3, 6.00) vs.
BJ Hermsen (AA debut)
Potomac Lost, 10-5 vs. Winston-Salem,
7:05 p.m.		 Grace (1-2, 7.53) vs.
Heidenreich (1-1, 4.88)
Hagerstown Lost, 7-1 OFF DAY n/a

Syracuse 12 Charlotte 4
• Lannan (W, 2-2) 7IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, BB, 6K
• Lehman 2IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 0K, 0HR
• Johnson 3-5, 2R, SB
• Maldonado 3-5, 2B, RBI
• Hoffpauir 2-5, R, BB, 3RBI

Let the trade blather chatter begin as John Lannan turned in another strong outing with just one run allowed on four hits over seven innings as the Chiefs tripled up the Knights, 12-4. Of course a five-run 1st and six-run 3rd gave him plenty o’ support, as the Chiefs broke into double digits for just the second time this season. Josh Johnson and Carlos Maldonado both went 3-for-5 as Syracuse collected 15 hits total, and made Charlotte pay for walking nine and a sieve-like seven errors on defense. Pat Lehman was roughed up for three runs on five hits over the last two frames in his AAA debut. Jim Negrych went 1-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBI, and two BB.

New Britain 1 Harrisburg 0 (12 inn.)
• Rosenbaum 7IP, 6H, 0R, 0BB, 5K
• Davis (L, 3-1) 2⅔ IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, BB, 3K
• Pahuta 1-4, 3B, BB
• Leon 1-3

The breeze was going both ways in Harrisburg last night — 10 mph in, and 16K out — as the Senators fell 1-0 in 12 innings to the Rock Cats. Harrisburg managed just two hits: A leadoff single in the 5th by Sandy Leon and a leadoff triple by Tim Pahuta in the 7th. Neither man was advanced a base as New Britain pitchers struck out the next batter and then retired the side. Danny Rosenbaum was brilliant once again, posting his third straight start without an earned run to lower his ERA to 0.76. With no walks for the fourth time in five starts, his FIP fell to 1.80. Erik Davis took the loss in his third inninf of relief by giving up two infield singles with a stolen base in between, with the gamewinner coming across on a wild pitch.

Winston-Salem 10 Potomac 5
• Winters (L, 1-3) 4⅓ IP, 9H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, 2K, 3HR
• McCatty 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, 1-0 IR-S
• Freitas 3-4, R
• Hague 2-4, R, 2K
• Kelso 2-5, R

Make that five wins in five games for Winston-Salem, as the Dash smacked five HRs in a 10-5 win over Potomac. Kyle Winters gave up three solo shots in four and a 1/3rd innings to take the loss. Shane McCatty stopped the bleeding and got the next four outs, including two strikeouts. Michael Taylor drove in the first three P-Nat runs with two-out triple in the 6th, to lead the RBI column while David Freitas led the hit column with a 3-for-4 night. Down just 5-3, the Potomac bullpen couldn’t match McCatty’s effort, giving up five more runs to send Potomac back to fourth place in the C.L. North.

Augusta 7 Hagerstown 1
• Hill (L, 3-1) 4IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 3K, WP
• Karns 3IP, 0H, 1R, 0ER, 2BB, 8K, WP
• Dykstra 1-4, R (9-game hit streak)
• Burns 1-4 (15-game on-base streak)
• Skole 1-4, RBI, 2E (5,6)

The GreenJackets took the rubber game of the three-game series with a 7-1 shellacking of the Suns. Taylor Hill posted just one scoreless inning out of four, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks. Nathan Karns struck out eight of the 11 batters he faced, but gave up an unearned run on an error and a wild pitch. Hagerstown collected just seven hits total, with Cutter Dykstra and Billy Burns extending their hit and on-base streaks to nine and 15 respectively. Matt Skole drove in the sole run to keep the Sally League lead at 31, but committed his fifth and sixth errors in 21 games at 3B. The Suns return to the Muni for seven games beginning tomorrow with three against Rome, then four against Augusta.

21 Commments

  1. Karns always throws multiple innings in his relief appearances are they developing him as a long reliever or is there still hope he can be a starter?

    1. Looks like they’re trying to have it both ways as he’s been used in long relief with starter’s rest. Could also be in preparation for when Ray and Purke are activated, though one would think that both would be going to Potomac when that happens (please).

        1. I don’t know about slow so much as waiting for him to get healthy. That said, I’d agree he’s ready to be pushed; 24.5 is too old for the Sally League.

          1. I believe that between the puns, the one-liners, and the references to “Airplane!” being called a “goof” is both warranted and accurate.

        2. I’ve heard whispers about Ray being activated in the near future, which I’m 95% certain would mean him coming to Potomac.

  3. The WSJ ran an article this morning regarding the pros and cons of “long toss” for pitchers’ development and arm strengthening. Apparently Dylan Bundy (O’s), Trevor Bauer (D Backs), and Matt Barnes (Sox) are doin’ it. Bauer reporting throwing 350 feet. The articles says the Rangers and Braves are believers, especially the Braves. Any info re the Nats position on it?

    1. For the others, here’s the article in question. I don’t believe they’re among the clubs that forbid it — let me see what I can find out.

      Bear in mind, the long-toss debate is fervent, almost akin to religion. At the risk oversimplifying: Alan Jaeger is a big proponent and has an impressive array of testimonials from coaches and pitchers. The sports-medicine folk say that it can (italics mine) do more harm than good, citing the research of Glen Fleisig, James Andrews, et al. Others say that it’s not necessarily long-toss that causes injury, but poor mechanics, which opens up the can of worms of “well, if done properly…”

      Like anything to do with pitching, there is very little consensus aside from that the human arm isn’t built for it (and even then, there’s one rather notable exception).

      1. Here’s what I found out: The Nats like long-toss, but the goal is not strength, it’s lengthening the arm (i.e. throwing far with just a little arc) to work out the lactic acid, which in turn should alleviate soreness.

  4. The silence re: Goodwin and Rendon is deafening. It’s so sad, given how much hope we all had for them both (especially Rendon). Everyone make sure you’re sending your positive energy towards Rendon’s right ankle!

  5. I went to last night’s PNats game, other than Taylor’s triple, there were 2 plays that didn’t quite show up in the box score and write up. The good one was RF Randolph Oduber’s catch throw to third base in roughly the 3rd inning that enable the PNats to tag out the runner who was tagging from 2nd and actually prevented the player tagging from 3rd to score (according to the umpire) because the 3rd out was made before the runner crossed home plate. The “not so great play” was Hague striking out with no outs and runners on 2nd an 3rd. For Hague to not even make contact was disappointing. McCatty looked good as you mentioned.

    1. As the regulars know, if I’m there in person I’ll write up a full game story and entitle it with a “Last Night In” or “Afternoon In.” But even then I’m not looking to dissect or disseminate every play of the game, but rather tell a story in 300-500 words (In the daily recaps, it’s 3-5 sentences). In a 10-5 game, I doubt I would have written about either of those plays… but folks are always welcome to bring them up in the comments.

  6. OK, so Erik Komatsu had his cup of coffee, but has been designated for assignment by the Cardinals. Getting him back would be good. Working a trade with the Cardinals for him might also be good, since they saw more in him than the Nats did. The Cards trading him to another team would not be so good- would the new team have to keep him on the roster or return him to the Nats?

    +1/2St.

    1. Yes. The DFA gives the other 28 teams a chance to claim him but the requirement he stay on a 25-man roster remains intact.

    2. Eric looked great in Spring Training, with lots of discussion about how he was healthy for the first time in a year. So … if he comes back to the Nats, where does he go? Syracuse looks solid and experienced with Michaels, Carroll and Brown (and always the possibility of Harper, Moore, Paul or Nady coming back), and Harrisburg has Eury, Destin and Chris Rahl who all want ABs, so not exactly desperate for someone to fill a slot.
      Also, if he does come back to the Nats can he be a Rule 5 selection again next year if they don’t put him on the ML roster?

      1. Q1: Probably to AAA with a phantom injury to make room.
        Q2: Yes, he can be re-selected for the Rule 5 draft.

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