Monday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Lost, 5-4 | vs. Buffalo, 2:00 p.m. |
Rosenbaum (7-10, 3.81) vs. Weber (7-5, 2.71) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 7-3 | @ Richmond, 12:05 p.m. |
Gilliam (3-6, 4.64) vs. Gloor (9-7, 3.87) |
| Potomac | Winning, 4-3 (Susp., 6th) |
@ Frederick, 12:30 p.m. (Comp. DH) |
Mooneyham (0-2, 10.13) vs. Berry (10-7, 3.82) |
| Hagerstown | Lost, 5-3 (5½ inn.) |
@ Kannapolis, 1:05 p.m. |
Turnbull (6-5, 3.81) vs. Bucciferro (3-5, 2.59) |
| Auburn | Won, 10-0 | vs. Mahoning Valley, 7:05 p.m. |
Selsor (0-5, 4.17) vs. Sulser (2-2, 2.06) |
| GCL Nationals | Won, 7-2 | END OF SEASON | N/A |
Buffalo 5 Syracuse 4
• Tatusko (L, 5-8) 5IP, 6H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 4K
• Lowe 2IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 5K
• Brown 2-4, R
• Kobernus 1-2, R, 2BB, 3SB
The Bison scored twice on sacrifice flies in the 5th to take a 4-2 lead and held off the Chiefs for a 5-4 win. Ryan Tatusko took the loss with four runs allowed on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts over five innings. Every Syracuse batter hit safely for a total of 10 hits, with Corey Brown the sole Chief to have multiple safeties. Jeff Kobernus reached base three times on a single and two walks and stole three bases to break the 40-steal mark for the third consecutive season.
Roster moves: LHP Ian Krol, RHP Erik Davis recalled to Washington; C Sam Palace activated from the 7-Day DL.
Richmond 7 Harrisburg 3
• Treinen 5IP, 1H, R, ER, 0BB, 7K, HR
• Grace (L, 6-3) 3BF, 1H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 0K
• Holland 1IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 0K, HR, 2-2 IR-S
• Souza 2-4, R, HR, 2RBI
• Rivero 1-3, R, HR, RBI
The Squirrels went nuts against the Sens ‘pen in the 6th, scoring five times to break a 1-1 tie as Richmond handed Harrisburg a 7-3 defeat. Matt Grace took the loss, unable to retire any of three three batters he faced while Neil Holland let in both inherited runners and two of his own in the innings. Billy Burns walked and stole two bases and came in on a groundout for the first Harrisburg run while Carlos Rivero and Steve Souza Jr. hit solo shots in the 8th and 9th innings to account for the Harrisburg runs. Blake Treinen pitched five innings of one-hit ball, giving up a leadoff homerun then setting down 15 of the next 16 batters (seven on strikes) but got the no-decision. Erie and Bowie were rained out, thus the Sens’ magic number to clinch the division remains at one.
Roster moves: C Sandy Leon recalled to Washington; C Jeff Howell reassigned from Syracuse
Potomac 4 Frederick 3 — SUSP.
• Demny 5IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 6K
Play was called with the P-Nats leading the Keys 4-3 in the bottom of the 6th. The game will be resumed this afternoon followed by the regularly scheduled, nine-inning game. Roster moves: IF Cutter Dykstra activated from TIL; C Cole Leonida placed on the DL
Kannapolis 5 Hagerstown 3 (5½ inn., rain)
• Encarnacion (L, 10-9) 5IP, 10H, 5R, 4ER, 0BB, 8K
• Norfork 1-3, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Severino 2-2
Rain ended this one after five and a 1/2 with the Intimidators overtaking the Suns with a two-run fourth for a 5-3 win. Kannapolis struck first with three in the bottom of the 2nd while Hagerstown tied it in the 4th on a two-run double by Khayyan Norfork and an error. The Suns got sloppy in the bottom half of the frame, with a dropped third strike with two outs extending the inning and an error on a bunt single to the next batter setting up a two-run single. Pedro Encarnacion gave up all five runs (four earned) on ten hits for his ninth loss. He walked none and struck out eight. Hagerstown had four hits in six “ups” with Pedro Severino collecting two of them while going 2-for-2. The loss combined with a doubleheader sweep by West Virginia gave the Power the second half Sally North division title.
Auburn 10 State College 0
• Orlan 4IP, 1H, 0R, 3BB, 5K
• Cooper (W, 2-1) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K, HBP
• Lippincott 2-3, 2R, 2BB
• Yezzo 2-4, 2R, HR, 3RBI
• Foat 1-5, 2R, HR, 5RBI
Four Auburn pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout while the offense exploded twice for big innings for a 10-0 win. R.C. Orlan turned in four innings of one-hit ball, walking three and striking out five in his final start. Andrew Cooper got the win as the first man out of the ‘pen, retiring six of seven batters faced (hitting the other) with three strikeouts. Bryan Lippincott reached base four times with two singles and two walks to lead the 13-hit attack, which included a three-run shot by James Yezzo in the four-run 4th and a grand slam by Matt Foat in the six-run 8th.
GCL Nationals 7 GCL Red Sox 2
• Suero (W, 1-0) 5IP, 1H, R, ER, 3BB, 7K, HBP
• Sylvestri 2IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Marmolejos-Diaz 2-4, R, 2B, BB, 2RBI
• R. Encarnacion 1-3, 2R, 2BB, RBI
• Gordon 2-4, R, RBI
The G-Nats did precisely what you’d expect a team that went 49-9 in the regular season to do: Win the league championship.
Since the season is nearing the end, who do you have as the pitcher and hitters of the year?
For batters the pickings are slim. I’d choose Walters, with an honorable mention to Souza, Burns and Renda (in that order).
Pitcher of the year has a bit more competition, between Karns, Cole, Ray, and Taylors Jordan and Hill. Jordan had the best numbers, but because he spent nearly half a season with the Nats, I’m excluding him.
You could make a strong case for Hill. He had the lowest ERA (2.95), and has succeeded at each level after two promotions. But I’d take one of Karns, Ray or Cole.
Each was in the top 20 in strikeouts among ALL minor league pitchers, neither throwing more than 9 Ks more than the other over the course of the entire season (unless you include Karns’ 11 Ks in the majors). They each had nearly identical ERAs, 3.26 vs 3.36 vs 3.60, wins 10 vs 11 vs 10, HRs allowed 14 vs 13 vs 15, and IP 132.2 vs 142 vs 142.2. The only significant difference between the players is walks, where Cole excelled (33) compared to Ray and Karns’ merely good tallies of 62 and 48. And for that reason Cole get’s PotY honors from me.
Michael Taylor should be considered for Nats minor league position player of the year. He has more RBI than Walters, stole 49 bases and unlike Walters, is an elite defensive player.
Taylor bats 3rd, while Walters has batted 7th the entire season. Despite that, Walters has only 10 fewer RBIs and 60 fewer plate appearances.
I considered including Taylor, but for everything he did well at there was someone better.
If doing a little bit of everything well but not excelling at any one thing is what you like, as Taylor has done this season, then why not Renda or Souza?
Renda had a better offensive season than Taylor, plays good defense and stole a bunch of bases.
Souza was much better than Taylor offensively. Hit for loads of power (.257 ISO), has good patience (13% BB rate), good speed (20 SB), and is good defensively at a non-premium defensive position (RF) but can play CF in a pinch.
But ultimately, Walters hit the 9th most HRs in the minors as a SS. That’s pretty impressive, and deserving of hitter of the year, in my opinion.
I think you mean on offense, Will, but for those who haven’t seen Taylor play CF — imagine Eury Perez’s range and speed combined with Rick Ankiel’s arm. The most complete defensive CF I’ve ever seen in Woodbridge, and that includes Roger Bernadina.
I’ve teased about Walters’s error totals in the writeups, but as we’ve seen with Ian Desmond, the organization is patient with middle infielders that can HIT. I’d be surprised if he’s not the PPOTY.
I’ve heard positive things about Taylor’s defense (that it was very good), but this is the first I’ve heard about it being truly exceptional, which is why I compared Souza and Renda (who are also both above average defenders) with Taylor. But if Taylor’s defense is as you describe, then that does change things a bit.
But even with that said, Walters is still playing the most demanding and difficult defensive position in the game (besides catcher), a position much more difficult than even CF. Had Walters been rightly moved to 3B or even 2B, I think we’d have seen him fare quite better defensively.
Blake Schwartz would be my pick for pitcher of the year, closely followed by AJ Cole. I might have to say Zach Walters for position player of the year but I’m really digging Billy Burns right now.
It’ll never happen, but if you’re looking to be an Elks Club pimp, Wander Suero delivered the most bang for your buck — lowest ERA, WHIP, OBA, FIP — in his league, but even I’d vote for Cole if I had one because he’s still younger and did what he did at higher level.
I didn’t know age mattered! What a surprise!
Yes. Age does matter. From John Sickels’s prospect book:
That’s the reason why I created the “Too Old For The Level?” page that’s on the front page. The Nats skew older; it’s a natural effect of drafting so many collegiate players. That they also like to take chances on medical reclamation projects, which exacerbates this even further (not only that, Skipper, it makes it worse).
Folks may not like this, but them’s the facts.
Kearns still had better numbers then both!
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: may the schwartz be with you!! he was a bulldog for two A levels.
we will never know what a full season Ivan P would have put together.
minor league hitter of year~Renda. table setter from two hole. suns would not be in playoffs without him.
coach of the year. Franklin Bravo. he tookme back to bulldog work ethic working with so many arms in the ilk
of Joe Kerrigan, Randy St. Claire, —-those expo pitching gurus in their hay day. Bravo worked under St. Claire in
chains in MTL and WASH- figures.
my sleeper who woke up- Caleb Ramsey, the pet project of Brian Daubach. Ramsey a future Nats goon squad member
Souza withyout DL time would have very nice numbers.
the farm crop is better
oh yeah! we still have Matt Skole healing and on the depth chart to unseat Adam laroche or at least turn one of
those bats into a bench option,.
I still like Cory Brown. Brown for Josh W is still OK. Corey and Ian Dickson who should learn the knuckle ball.
if birdland is learning the knuckler-then why not Nats::???
Bravo GCL since that age group wants to play ball and party in florida but the various personalities banded together
and smoked the Yanx, Pirates and the ass kissed Bisox!!!
nice LH bats on the horizon!