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Monday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Won, 4-1 ALL STAR BREAK N/A
Harrisburg Lost, 8-1 vs. Erie,
12:00 p.m.		 Voth (3-5, 3.19) vs.
Collier (2-0, 2.41)
Potomac Won, 8-2 @ Winston-Salem,
7:00 p.m.		 Purke (1st A+ start of ’15) vs.
Leyer (3-6, 4.30)
Hagerstown Lost, 3-1 OFF DAY N/A
Auburn Lost, 7-3 vs. Staten Island,
7:05 p.m.		 Bornes (1-­1, 4.91) vs.
M. Rivera (0-0, 4.50)


Syracuse 4 Rochester 1
• Jordan (W, 3-4) 6IP, 5H, 0R, BB, 4K
• Espino (H, 1) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Nelson 2-4, 2R, 2B, SB
• Lisson 2-4, RBI

Taylor Jordan tossed six shutout innings en route to a 4-1 win on Sunday afternoon. Jordan walked one and struck out four while he notched his third AAA win. Jose Valverde Cordero’d his way through the ninth, allowing two hits and stranding both runners for his eighth save. Chris Nelson, Mario Lisson, and Ricky Hague all went 2-for-4 as the Chiefs collected 10 hits total.

Erie 8 Harrisburg 1
• Bacus (L, 5-2) 4+ IP, 10H, 7R, 7ER, 2BB, 2K
• Suero 2IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Pleffner 1-3, R, 2B, BB
• Lozada 1-2, BB

Erie scored four runs in the first two innings and cruised to an 8-1 victory over Harrisburg. Starter and losing pitcher Dakota Bacus was strafed for seven runs on 10 hits and two walks over four-plus innings. Three relievers combined for five innings of one-run relief, but it was for naught as the Sens offense was limited to one run on six hits. Shawn Pleffner and Jose Lozada led the attack, each singling and taking a walk.
Roster move: RHP Colin Bates activated from the 3-Day TIL.

Potomac 8 Winston-Salem 2
• Lopez (W, 5-5) 6IP, 5H, R, ER, 0BB, 7K
• Dupra (SV, 3) 3IP, 1H, R, ER, 3BB, 1K
• Ward 3-5, R, 2B, RBI
• Kieboom 2-4, 3R, 2B, BB, RBI, 2PB
• Keller 2-4, R, 2B, RBI

Potomac exploded for four runs in the 7th to break a 1-1 tie and piled on three more runs in the 8th and 9th as they took Game Three of the four-game series with Winston-Salem, 8-2. Reynaldo Lopez evened up his won-loss record at 5-5 with six innings of one-run ball, giving up five hits, no walks, and setting seven down on strikes. Brian Dupra pitched two scoreless innings before letting in the final Dash run in the 9th. Drew Ward singled twice and doubled once to go 3-for-5 and lead the P-Nats’ 12-hit parade.

Delmarva 3 Hagerstown 1
• Van Orden (L, 5-2) 5IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 1K
• Cooper 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Mejia 2-3, 2B, BB, SB
• Davidson 2-3, RBI

The pitching was there for the Suns, but the bats were not as the Shorebirds took the five-game series finale, 3-1. Drew Van Orden let in the first two Delmarva runs on four hits and three walks over five innings, which was enough to suffer his second loss. Hagerstown managed just five hits total, with Bryan Mejia and Austin Davidson combining for four of them as each man went 2-for-3 on the night.

Staten Island 7 Auburn 3
• Mills (L, 0-2) 1IP, 3H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 1K
• Crownover 3⅔ IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Kerian 2-3, BB
• Lora 2-4, R, HR, RBI

Staten Island put up four in the first and Auburn got three runs back in the first two innings to make a 4-3 ballgame. It stayed that way until the 8th, when the Yankees put up three more, for which the Doubledays had no answer as they dropped this one, 7-3. McKenzie Mills was booted after one inning, giving up the aforementioned four on three hits and two walks with one whiff. All three Auburn runs came on the long ball, with Rhett Wiseman hitting a two-run shot in the 1st and Edwin Lora going solo in the 2nd.
Roster move: OF Rafael Bautista assigned from Potomac for MiLB rehab.

38 Commments

  1. Looks like Giolito (2 scoreless innings, 2 singles, 1DP, 1K) and Turner (double and triple) both impressed at the Futures Game yesterday….

    Also, via MLBtraderumors.com (and Jim Callis), it looks as though the Nats have signed 34th rounder Tyler Watson to a $400k bonus. A high-school lefty pitcher with a 91mph fastball.

    1. Sorry, I was posting at the same time you were! Not sure what to think about throwing $400K at a late-rounds HS arm.

      1. Not trying to be snarky but why would you have an issue with the signing? Clearly we had the pool money left. Use it or lose it, right? Aren’t those late HS picks made exactly for situations like this?

        1. I’m assuming it’s an interesting “reverse Russian roulette” strategy for the very late rounds of the draft. Punt at 5 or 6 high-ceiling, high school players who are pretty unlikely to sign due to college commitments. Then wave some $$$ at them and see if it changes their minds.

          BUT: you’ll need to have saved those $$$ in your first 10 rounds in order to be able to pull off the trick…..

          Would be interesting to see some post-hoc analysis of the success (or otherwise) of late round (25th or later) HS draftees. From the top of my head, I can think of:

          Brad Peacock (I think)?
          Mike Piazza
          Others?

          1. I would guess that they built up the pool savings in case they needed them for Perkins and/or Wiseman. Frankly, Stevenson seemed like a bit of an overdraft/cost saving pick. Since Wiseman couldn’t sign until later because of the CWS, and by that point the Nats’ remaining fund was pretty well known, I was surprised that Wiseman’s agent didn’t push for a bigger chunk of it. Since it was left over, no, I don’t have a problem with using it instead of losing it.

            Someone asked last week whether picks 20 and 23 had signed, both college seniors. Does anyone have any news on that? I was a bit intrigued by the #20 pick, Reeves, the catcher out of Rice.

          2. Our own Chris Bostick was a 44th rounder who was as I recall given a $125,000 bonus, and now looks like he has a decent chance to at least be an MLB utility player.

          3. Former Indians reliever David Riske, taken in the 56th round, appeared in 462 games over 11 seasons, posting a 121 career ERA+.
            Braves pitcher Brandon Beachy, who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2008.
            Former Braves second baseman Marcus Giles, little brother of Pirates slugger Brian (who was drafted 17th overall in 1989), was chosen in the 53rd round with the 1,512th overall pick. Giles was an All-Star in 2003 and compiled 15 bWAR from 2003 to ’05, but ultimately played just seven major league seasons.

          4. According to SI the top 10 late round draft picks are:
            1. Mike Piazza, 1B(s/b C), Dodgers, 1988 62nd round, 1,390 overall
            2. Keith Hernandez, 1B, Cardinals, 1971 42nd round, 785 overall
            3. Mark Buehrle, LHP, White Sox, 1998 38th round, 1,139 overall
            4. Kenny Rogers, LHP, Rangers, 1982 39th round, 816 overall
            5. John Smoltz, RHP, Tigers, 1985 22nd round, 574 overall
            6. Ryne Sandberg, 2B, Phillies, 1978 20th round, 511 overall
            7. Andy Pettitte, LHP, Yankees, 1990 22nd round, 594 overall
            8. Orlando Hudson, SS, Blue Jays, 1997 43rd round, 1,280 overall
            9. Albert Pujols, 3B, Cardinals, 1999 13th round, 402 overall
            10. Kenny Lofton, CF, Astros, 1988 17th round, 428 overall

            I would like this lineup for my team just need to find a couple of corner OFs. Smoltz could start or close.

  2. It was a big Nats showing at the Futures Game as well, as Giolito started and threw two scoreless innings, and Trea Turner doubled in two runs and subsequently tripled.

  4. My guess is that $450k for an 18 year old kid
    Bought away from a free ride to a good west
    Coast program also includes the projection
    In the fastball afew ticks up with more weight
    Put on his frame and cleaned up mechanics ??
    Gil?

    1. My inner natsgm.com came out like a parrot
      On Watson comment .
      Thumbs up on lefty pitcher haul and lefty swingers .
      Mel Rodrieguez interesting guy to follow on his push
      To Hagerstown.

  5. If you want an idea of just how much Padres fans are bemoaning losing Turner and Ross, here is a Pads blogger with an article called: “San Diego Sadness: The Padres Find Rock-Bottom.”

    http://thesportsquotient.com/mlb/2015/7/10/san-diego-sadness-the-padres-find-rock-bottom

    “Now seven months removed from the trade, the Nationals already promoted Joe Ross and are considering Trea Turner as shortstop Ian Desmond‘s replacement this off season, as Desmond will most likely be a free agent. With the Padres in desperate need of a shortstop, trading Turner and not making him part of the club’s future was shortsighted. Given the dismal play at the big league level and dearth of options in the farm system, losing Turner was Preller failure number two.”

  7. LOL @ Will! I had the same reaction and am glad there are other Mejia watchers here.

    As for the other topics of interest, wouldn’t it be ironic if Desmond ended up as the SD SS? My intrigue with Turner is high as can be, but once Rendon returns, the Nats can go put Espinosa at SS every day and make it work, the way he is playing. His defense is remarkable and when Desmond was hurt in 2012, Espinosa played SS every day and the team did fine. We all want Desmond to turn it around, but let’s face it, he has been outcompeted by the three other infielders and the team cannot defend a decision to start him in the playoffs at this rate. It converges rather neatly by the trading deadline. And no one hear will be surprised if by August 1, Turner is on a tear.

    400K for Watson?! 500K for Schrock?! Absolute insanity. But use it or lose it indeed. In the end, it only had bearing on Wiseman. True, he could have twisted every last dollar out of the Nats, but I’ll bet the Nats knew he was signable when they drafted him. I’m sure they had an agreement with Wiseman on 6/24 (after CWS) before they signed Schrock 6/24 and that one triggered the other. 554K for your first job out of college is plenty fine, and his family is not poor.

    It’s not clear if the Nats signed any of the other college products that were higher picks. Perhaps they did and they are in Viera. As for Mack Lemieux, his status is unclear. The only thing one can derive from the Watson signing is that they had closure on EVERYONE else. Otherwise, it has no bearing.

    They obviously like Watson better than the other high schoolers they drafted in later rounds, and those guys were pretty impressive. Agreed on the “potential to add velo” point Jeff made.

    It’s cheaper than a Cuban arm these days. And Travis Ott worked out for the Nats, so why not?

    1. Ha! I almost posted that it would be incredibly ironic if the Padres were to sign Desmond this offseason out of desperation with their lack of good SS options. Apparently, they didn’t learn from the Blue Jays recent example that blowing up most of your team and dumping most of your prospects in headline making trades is fraught with peril.

    2. Cue that song. $$$ makes the world go around .
      Watson went from draft and follow to the guy
      Who bucked Loyola Marymount for $450.G.
      An added comment on possible Desmond deadline
      Deal. Rizz has perfected the three team deal in his
      Term in DC. Let’s see : Nats, SD and SeAttle ??
      Just off Ian’s 20/20 years- Nats should see a four
      Player return even if two are lower farm hands .
      This fact is true. Nats need a couple R/R outfielders
      To plug amidst Raffie, DK Carey and – alas- Randy
      Encarnacion.
      Anybody have an ear in auburn ? Will A. LaBruna
      Return to his switch hit form from USC days ??
      Ty

  8. Preiller is like the Kevin Costner character in the NFL movie. You gotta make a splash and kudos to him. He got Will Myers, who will have his day. It’s not like they got a rental player or worse. Jeff and I were Expo fans for the Mark Langston and Bartolo Colon trades. You want trades that cause riots, hire Omar Minaya! Jiminey crickets what absolute incompetence!!! The WORRRST!!!!! AAAAARGHH!

    Be that as it may, Rizzo deserves all the credit in the world. And more. Let’s look at this big picture – he obviously LOVED, LOVED Turner. And he made it clear that the change in regime in San Diego brought a GM who was not invested in Turner. Now we are only months later and it’s clear that Turner, going at #13, probably went lower than he should have. It’s just wonderful, wonderful.

    One thing I absolutely love about Rizzo and Harris is that they are astute evaluators of talent and projection. Harris was touting Taylor when he was an underachieving A+ player who played great defense and had speed on the bases but little else. And Rizzo made a 210 million dollar bet that Scherzer was a better ace than Zimmerman, Fister, and anyone slated to hit the market in 2016. Foresight and vision are intangibles that enable the trades we talk about – and the trades we don;t.

    Has anyone considered, for example, that the Nats parlayed a player who had no future here (Karns) into at least two players who may on the 25 man roster of this championship-minded team? And helped the Rays in the process!

    1. Yes, I keep hoping that other teams will notice how well Karns has done as the Nats shop a couple of fellas in a similar situation, Taylors Hill and Jordan. We sell quality arms here! I have nothing against the Taylors, but I feel like they are in the same position as Karns was – capable of being back-of-the-rotation starters, not likely to get that gig in DC, and about to age past tradability. I would be disappointed if Cole were to get traded right now, as he’s still young enough to keep developing, although it does seem like Ross has passed him the pecking order.

      Vettleson has been the one disappointment from the Karns trade, although he looked promising at the time.

    2. GG. Did you know Joe Heskith and Brian Holman
      Sons were drafted by SeAttle. ??
      Langston pitched well in his time in MTL but he
      Was just snake bit.
      I just shake my head and grin on the Irish lucky
      Charms covering DannyBoy8 season so far.
      Everything we wished would happen with him/ has!
      He has helped plug the hole left by LaRoche
      Production.
      Another player on Desmond? White Sox??
      Not a slam dunk with Tim Anderson and his
      Injuries.

    4. Oh gawd – I remember the Langston trade like it was yesterday. Thing is, he had a cracking 60% of a season for us that year (2.3 ERA or something?). But what a cost.

      And as for Bartolo Colon. Giving up Grade Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee in ONE trade? How much WAR have the three of them contributed since then? I can’t think of a single trade – bar perhaps the Red Sox trading the Babe to the Yankees – that turned out so badly for someone.

      I still cry on some of the cold, dark nights……

  9. GG I still have a soliloquy for Buddha belly Bartelo
    If we ever meet In a bar or all you can eat taco fest
    Somewhere .
    Honestly. After years of thin lower level depth with
    Middle infielders and lefty pitchers. Blow the money.
    Who is to say that max doesn’t help a Latin kid
    Improve his game. Watson has fours years to grow
    And improve his stuff .
    That Oakland scout just sent the voth report
    To beane’s office.
    Hmmm. Desmond exits for two picks or deadline
    Trade which would keep us from seeing the possible
    Irony : Nats go to series and Ian is MVP. Laugh now
    Cause baseball gods are gag writers .
    Great play he made Sunday on snare .
    Who here likes Johnny Paredes for Nats bench
    And first true trade between beltway teams ???
    Opinions. Comments . Leave a cyber triple stuff
    Oreo.

  11. Well, we know of four teams that value Nats’ developed pitching – Tigers, Twins, A’s, and Rox.

    I think Desmond is a great risk for a team ready to sign him. The guy won the Silver Slugger three times, has a great arm, and is relatively healthy (re Tulo), and is a team leader. Some franchises have greater willingness than others. Look at how much money the Dodgers and Red Sox have flushed down the Cuban toilet. And we thought Yunesky was a bust!

    As for needs, I think that once the ML roster gets healthy, trades just create a logjam. The organization needs upper level power in the outfield and at 3B. Let’s face it, we are relying upon the improbable season of Clint Robinson and a rushed Michael Taylor and an MVP Harper year. Rendon is brittle and will continue to be. Span is ailing and Werth is coming off a wrist fracture, and Zimm is, well, let’s leave well enough alone. Retreads in AAA at 3B and Keyes is even more improbable than Robinson. AA is barren there, too.

    Insurance in the form of a ML rental is someone you trade John Simms for. Voth may be appealing, but as a AA all star pitcher with a steady climb, he’s got more of a Karns return than we give him credit for.

    1. Voth will be going to the A’s in the deal for Zobrist and Clippard. I’m convinced that he’s a Billy Beane type of pitcher.

      1. I would do well not to argue with you KW. Didn’t you call Rhett to the Nats on Todd’s site? Well, you did call Purke to A+ here. So maybe your Voth back to the Pac-10 holds water!

  12. I’m all for anything that creates competition. People who step up when forced to compete are the people you win championships with. That’s why Scherzer is so special. Kudos again to Espinosa for clawing his way back.

    And as for Rizzo, the guy picked Escobar off of the reduced for quick sale pile. There’s our answer. As usual, it will be someone we weren’t thinking of, while he drives up the price of Zobrist to the Mets.

  13. Robbie Ray was the centerpiece of a deal with a GM who is going to get an extension. Yes, Robbie Ray.

    1. Ray actually has a 2.16 ERA and 1.020 ERA at age 23 in eight starts for the D-Backs. Apparently, the desert suits him a lot better than Motown did! Again, we only deal quality hurlers around here at Rizzo’s Used Arms.

    2. Desmond on the Rox makes sense if Tulo
      Truly moved.
      Oakland has moved from the days of adding
      A Wilie McGee to adding other clubs
      Upper farm talent .
      Like most years. Trade deadline seems to end up
      With less traded expected.

    1. Man, it’s been a tough week on former Nat lefties – Det, Gorzelanny, and Rosenbaum all got the ax.

  15. I have to eat a big old crow for my preseason prediction that Souza would have a better year than Bryce. Didn’t see this blowout year coming but it has been beyond impressive.

    1. Having been at Nats Park for Z-nn’s no-no, I will always root for Souza, but his K rate is appalling. Striking out 200 times a year is acceptable for a 40 HR guy, but for a 25-30 HR guy who is average is looms just north of Mr. Mendoza’s famous line, not so much.

  16. Congrats , Gilberto M on your first 2015 GCL
    Hit. Tough to get playing time in GCL
    Chorus line playing audition.

  17. I hope G-bert not hurt. Whoever gets taken out after going 1 for 1 and then stealing second and third?

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