Monday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Lost, 6-2 | vs. Pawtucket, 7:00 p.m. |
Maya (4-5, 3.38) vs. Cook (3-0, 1.89) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 4-0 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Potomac | Lost, 5-0 | ALL STAR BREAK | N/A |
| Hagerstown | Lost, 5-3 | ALL-STAR BREAK | N/A |
| Auburn | N/A | @ Batavia, 7:05 p.m. |
Jordan (0-0, 0.00) vs. Freeman (0-0, 0.00) |
| GCL Nationals | N/A | @GCL Marlins, 12:00 p.m. |
TBD vs. TBD |
| DSL Nationals | OFF DAY | vs. DSL Cubs2, 10:30 a.m. |
Valerio (0-2, 7.04) vs. Araujo (1-0, 1.80) |
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 6 Syracuse 2
• Roark (L, 3-9) 6IP, 10H, 6R, 6ER, 0BB, 8K, HR
• Arnesen 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Brown 2-4, 2-3B
• Rivero 2-4, 2B, RBI
The Yankees got to Tanner Roark early with three runs in the 1st and cruised to a 6-2 win to take three of four at “home.” Roark allowed all six runs on 10 hits, including a solo HR in the 5th to suffer his 9th loss. Corey Brown and Carlos Rivero went 4-for-8 combined, with a double and two triples, but the Chiefs were otherwise held in check with six hits total. RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx was essentially loaned to Harrisburg, transferred to and from the Senators before and after the game. C James Skelton and RHP Ryan Perry were transferred to Harrisburg.
Trenton 4 Harrisburg 0
• Tatusko (L, 1-3) 5IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 2K
• Bibens-Dirkx 3IP, 2H, R, ER, BB, 4K
• Rahl 1-2, BB
• Pahuta 1-3
Four Thunder hurlers combined on a four-hit shutout as the Senators lost, 4-0. Ryan Tatusko took the loss, giving up three runs on five his and two walks while striking out two. Chris Rahl was the sole Harrisburg player to reach base twice. Roster Moves: SS Chris McConnell was released following the game while IF Stephen King was demoted to Potomac. OF Destin Hood was transferred to Auburn for rehab purposes. LHP Mike Ballard was placed on the DL with elbow discomfort.
Myrtle Beach 5 Potomac 0
• Olbrychowski (L, 2-6) 5IP, 4H, 3R, 2ER, 3BB, 5K, HR
• Demmin 2IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Walters 2-4
• Sanchez 2-4, 2CS
Potomac was shut out for the 10th time this season by Myrtle Beach by a 5-0 count. Adam Olbrcyhowski suffered the loss with the first three runs given up (two earned) on four hits and three walks over five innings. Zach Walters and Adrian Sanchez both went 2-for-4 to account for half of the P-Nats eight hits. If you guessed that the moves in Harrisburg meant promotions from Potomac, say goodbye to SS Zach Walters and 1B Justin Bloxom. If you’re hoping for news about which Suns are on the way to replace them, you’re going to have to champ at the bit because both Potomac and Hagerstown are coming back from half-ending road trips that had them rolling into town as late as 6:00 a.m. this morning
West Virginia 5 Hagerstown 3
• Meyers 5IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 9K
• Encarnacion (L, 0-1) 2⅓ IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 0K
• Goodwin 3-4, R, HR, BB, 2RBI, CS
• Dykstra 1-3, R, 2B, BB, 2SB (19,20), E(5)
Alex Meyer struck out a career-high nine batters, but left the game down 3-0 after five innings. Brian Goodwin’s two-run shot tied in the top of the 7th, but the ‘pen faltered for a 5-3 loss to finish the half. The Suns offense struggled in the clutch, going 0-for-8 with RISP and stranding eight baserunners. Goodwin led the attack with a 3-for-4 afternoon. Matt Skole and Jason Martinson are two obvious candidates to replace Walters and Bloxom, but as Brian Oliver noted this a.m. during a Twitter exchange, folks need to consider how the Suns roster will be restocked. As seen with King, demotions are possible – as are backfills via several players for which a release or an assignment is unknown
Auburn Doubledays — OPENING DAY
The 2011 N.Y-Penn League finalists open the 2012 campaign with a home-and-home series against the Batavia Muckdogs.
GCL Nationals — OPENING DAY
With the departure of the GCL Mets, it’s Marlins, Cardinals, Astros, home and away for 60 games this season (20 games vs. each), starting with the Marlins.
DSL Nationals — OFF DAY
The second-place D-Nats host the D-Cubs2 and D-Giants today and Saturday while playing home-and-home’s against the Mets1, and first-place Yankees1 from Tuesday through Friday.
Man what a lousy day for DC baseball, the entire org lost! Gotta turn it around system-wide this week!
This is sure going to be an interesting 4-5 days. Going to need charts & graphs.
There are going to (should) be some guys who come back and empty their lockers and head home for good. The break is the time for releasing dead wood, and there is, unfortunately, plenty to go around. Potomac doesn’t need to change its infield as much as overhaul its pitching staff.
With McConnell, another dream dies. No surprise, as his OPS this year was .473 and he was 26.
Both Martinson and Skole should have started the season in Potomac, and both have done little to contradict that since. It’s about time that they get their well-deserved promotions.
One of the few bright spots of the farm system this year has been the Suns’ batters.
You could make a very good case for Goodwin, Burns and Souza to get promotions as well, especially considering the players who are currently blocking them in Potomac. But, yeah I know, Rizzo is very conservative in making moves down on the farm…
In looking at the Senators lineup during their last swoon I find some confusing things. The lineup usually goes Perez ( now in Florida) or Kobernus (now back from rehab) leading off. Batting second has been either Mayorson or Losada, third is Valdez, fourth Pahuta, fifth Hood (now on rehab) or Rahl, if Hood is 5th then Rahl is sixth, then Van Ostrand. Kobernus is a given at the top but then things get strange.
Mayorson is hitting .300 over his last 10 games but only hits .250 with runners in scoring position and .263 with runners on at all. Lozada does much better batting .294 in his last 10 games and hitting .295 with runners in scoring position for the year He hits .324 with runners on.
Valdez the normal 3 hitter is hitting .244 in his last 10 games and for the year is batting .258 with runners in scoring position and .266 with runners on.
Pahuta the normal 4 hitter is hitting .265 in his last 10 but only .153 with runners in scoring position for the year! In fact he is only hitting .179 with runners on anywhere!
Rahl hits fifth with Hood out and sixth when Hood plays. Rahl is hitting .342 in his last 10 games , hits .299 with runners in scoring position and hits .302 with runners on! Hood is hitting .200 with runners in scoring position for the year and .2336 with anyone on base!
Van Ostrand hits sixth with Hood out. He is hitting .387 over his last 10 games and .463 with runners in scoring position and .320 with anyone on!!
The question is why the players with the worst numbers are put in the positions in the lineup that should go to the most productive hitters. The players in question are not “prospects” so they aren’t being developed for those roles. If Kobernus leads off shouldn’t Rahl or Lozada hit second with the other one hitting third. Shouldn’t Van Ostrand be in the clean up spot while he’s so hot?Valdez should hit lower in the order since he isn’t a base stealing threat or an rbi guy. Pahuta should be in the bottom third since most of his damage comes with no one on! Can some one explain this to me?
Let’s be honest. Matt LeCroy is not Randy Knorr or even Trent Jewett’s caliber. It was evident in Potomac last year, it continues in Harrisburg this year.