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Tuesday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Won, 6-5 vs. Buffalo,
7:05 p.m.		 Hill (3-5, 4.92) vs.
Francis (4-0, 1.80)
Harrisburg Lost, 8-6 @ New Hampshire,
7:05 p.m.		 Giolito (AA debut) vs.
Hoffman (0-0, 1.54)
Potomac Won, 7-1 @ Myrtle Beach,
7:05 p.m.		 A. Williams (1-2, 2.30) vs.
Jo. Martinez (6-2, 3.39)
Hagerstown Lost, 4-2 vs. West Virginia,
11:05 a.m.		 M. Sanchez (5-4, 4.98) vs.
Coley (11-5, 3.93)
Auburn OFF DAY vs. Aberdeen,
7:05 p.m.		 J. Rodriguez(1-3, 4.22) vs. TBD


Syracuse 6 Buffalo 5
• Bleier 5⅔ IP, 9H, 3R, 2ER, BB, 2K
• Runion (BS, 1; W, 5-3) 1IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 0K
• Martin (SV, 4) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Johnson 1-2, 2B, BB, SF, 4RBI
• Gwynn 2-4, R, SB
• Turner 2-5

Josh Johnson’s sac fly in the bottom of the 8th put Syracuse back on top after blowing a 5-0 lead as they edged Buffalo, 6-5 in the series opener. Richard Bleier’s return to AAA was one out short of a quality start as he let in three runs on nine hits and a walk over five and 2/3rds innings. Sam Runion got the dreaded blown-save-win, while Rafael Martin struck out the side in the 9th for his fourth save. Johnson walked, doubled, and drove in four to lead the Syracuse offense.
Roster move: RHP Stephen Strasburg assigned from Washington for MLB rehab.

New Hampshire 8 Harrisburg 6
• Simms (L, 0-1) 6IP, 9H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 5K, HR
• Bostick 2-5, 2B
• Pleffner 2-4, R, RBI

The reigning Carolina Pitcher of the Week was rocked for five runs in the 2nd but gutted out six innings in an 8-6 Sens loss to the Fisher Cats. John Simms went six innings total, allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks and struck out five while losing his first AA game of the year. Pedro Severino and Isaac Ballou both hit two-run homers while Christopher Bostick and Shawn Pleffner both had multiple hits to lead the Harrisburg attack.

Potomac 7 Salem 1
• Mapes (W, 2-2) 5IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Johansen 2IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• DeBruin 2-3, 2BB, RBI
• Bautista 3-5, 2R, 3B, RBI
• Wooten 2-4, RBI

Potomac completed the three-game sweep of Salem with a 7-1 blowout. Tyler Mapes won the spot start with five shutout innings, giving up just three hits, no walks, and striking out three. Jake Johansen returned from the DL to turn in two scoreless while Jake Walsh lost the shutout with a run on three hits over the final two innings. Rafael Bautista continues to swing a hot bat, this time going 3-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored while the P-Nats broke out for 13 hits total.
Roster move: RHP Jake Johansen activated from the 7-Day DL.

West Virginia 4 Hagerstown 2
• Amlung (L, 2-1) 4⅔ IP, 8H, 4R, 4ER, 0BB, 1K
• K. Perez 2⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 0K, 1-0 IR-S
• Carey 2-4, 2B, RBI
• Page 2-4, 2B

West Virginia’s three-run 5th turned a 2-1 deficit into the eventual winning score of 4-2 over Hagerstown. Justin Amlung lost the spot start, charged with all four runs on eight hits over four and 2/3rds innings. Kevin Perez (2⅓ IP) and Deion Williams (2IP) short-circuited the Power the rest of the way, but the Suns offense was eclipsed by West Virginia reliever Dovydas Neverauskas with three scoreless innings himself. D.K. Carey and Matthew Page both went 2-for-4 with a double, but as a team Hagerstown was just 1-for-11 with RISP.
Roster moves: OF Andrew Stevenson reassigned from GCL Nationals; LHP R.C. Orlan reassigned from Potomac; RHP Luis Reyes placed on 3-Day TIL.

Auburn — OFF DAY
The Doubledays return to upstate New York after making the 800-plus-mile road trip to Vermont and Lowell and back to host Aberdeen for three and Hudson Valley for three as they enter a stretch of nine home games out of 12. Unfortunately, Auburn has been much better on the road (12-8) vs. home (4-11).

36 Commments

  1. Ghost on the other site says Reds scouts in Potomac last night. Well, it wasn’t for Tyler Mapes. My .02 says Drew Ward.

  3. All I’ve heard is that they want Arms for Chapman.
    I wonder if they’ve watched Lopez?

  4. Ward didn’t play last night. If it was a regular, maybe Bautista? Johansen wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility, but he certainly has diminished value right now.

    I’ve seen word that the Reds have scouted Fedde and Phillips Valdez. Fedde would seem like a lot to give up in a package for 1.5 years of Chapman.

    Good to see that Stevenson was healthy enough to get the well-deserved push to Hagerstown. Here’s hoping Wiseman will soon follow.

  5. See what the Jays gave up for Tulo?….Hoffman and Castro!! I would say that will come back to bite them. Everyone wants arms!

  6. KW, good pickup. My vote is for Johansen, then. “Diminished value” is in the eye of the beholder. He may be a “lesser prospect” in a deal.

    I don’t Bautista filling a need in Billy Hamilton’s outfield. But since his name came up, Bautista sure is the man of the hour this week. Back with legs in full blaze!

    That really was some kind of deal. They must have wanted Reyes off their hands in a bad way….

    1. I must confess that I was stumped to come up with a Potomac everyday player other than Ward who might be considered enough of a prospect to be included in a major deal. Bautista was the best I could do, particularly with Kieboom on the DL.

  7. Seems like the trade is for Papelbon. Word is a prospect in the 5-10 range. Voth or Robles?

    1. Can’t see them giving up Robles. They’ve got too few top-end field prospects. Voth I could see; not sure I would be thrilled about it, but I could see it.

  9. I wonder if they are going to move Storen? If people are ponying up high for Kimbrel and Chapman, why not a player under more control who is comparably skilled and younger?

    1. I don’t see it–they’re acquiring Papelbon to bolster their bullpen depth. It wouldn’t make any sense to immediately turn around and deplete it again.

      1. Don’t forget how Storen reacted after they brought in Soriano. Not pretty. Whether we can blame him or not is irrelevant.

        1. Storen’s a pro–he pitched fine last year with Soriano around. At least until the playoffs–which I gather is the real reason the Nats are trading for a closer rather than a set up man.

      2. It would if they could get Benoit for a replaceable package to pitch the 8th. The Nats are taking on salary, which does not add up without more moves. I also think this happening on Tuesday, when the deadline is on Friday, makes me wonder whether this is move 1.

        1. Harper over at NB blog the other day had a great analysis of the Nats’ deadline deals during their “window” years. Each season they have made exactly one move with the other team agreeing to pay all or most of the salary of the player acquired. No reason to think this season will be much different other than the Phillies are unlike to be paying ALL of P’s high salary.

        1. GG. This is good. Especially after watching
          Big unit going into HOF.
          What if in history. ? Big unit not traded might
          Have helped bill Lee build new stadium ??

          1. Jeff, you traumatize me, you sadist!

            Actually, if they can figure out how to keep Storen happy (the biggest if), there is so much typical of this trade. As another poster suggested, the money is indeed part of the deal, so the Nats get 1.3-1.4 years of Papelbon at 11m, 3 of which is deferred. The guy is a six time all star who is outperforming all closers right now and was far less costly than would have been Kimbrel or Chapman.

            I don’t know how you rate your prospects, and I have my own system, but I had Pivetta 14th. I also happen to have Voth 7th. So what do I know?

  10. Voth fits the sell high profile, and God knows the organization has depth below pushing up, even after the spate of promotions.

    1. MLB trade rumors now saying it will be a AA pitcher–almost certainly Voth.

    1. It is apparently Pivetta. Would’ve preferred to send Voth (like Pivetta’s upside over Voth’s backend floor) but would have done this deal for either guy.

      Pivetta is basically equal in value to what the Mets just gave up for Clippard, and as much as I like Tyler as a fan, Papelbon is a better pitcher.

      1. And the Mets’ closer just got suspended for a full season for PEDs, so this is basically like a two-for-one for the Nationals.

  12. Pivetta for Papelbon.

    Who is the better prospect…Voth or Pivetta?

    Storen is gonna be pissed! Who can blame him!

    1. To me, Pivetta’s lower career K/9 and higher BB/9 ratios give Voth the edge even though Pivetta is a year younger. Voth also looks close to being MLB-ready, which is important given the impending losses of Z-nn and Fister.

      1. Voth is actually only about a half year older and a lot more polished. It would be a close call. They’re different kinds of pitchers. Pivetta touches 96 but still has a good bit to learn about getting guys out. Here’s the key stat for me, their K/9: Voth 9.2, Pivetta 6.8 (career). Voth just gets more guys out with a bit less stuff. Voth is about .2 better in career WHIP as well, and gives up nearly two fewer hits per nine.

        Anyway, good luck to Pivetta, at least until he gets to the big leagues and we have to root against him! He’ll have more opportunities to advance more quickly in the Phillie organization.

      2. And yes, good point Karl about Voth being closer to being MLB-ready as the Nats likely fill three rotation slots over the next two years.

    2. I say voth is better with his bullpen switch
      Capabilities
      Plus George Carlin would love – yo Nick –
      Potential in philly ! Lol

  13. Pivetta was lower on the depth chart, no way around that. So the Nats traded someone who still had to run a gauntlet of many pitchers ahead of him at the upper levels, and while his value was fast rising. I have concerns about how to fit Papelbon in, but the system retains great depth at starting pitcher.

    It’s still only Tuesday!

  14. Chapman would have been over pay as royals
    Have done
    Zobrist gone ? Why not Jimmy Paredes or Mitch
    Moreland ??

    1. I agree about the Royals. I would make the Nats comps of what they gave up for a half season of Zobrist to be a haul like Fedde and Taylor Jordan.

  15. Why overpay, indeed.

    Sexiness is relative. Obviously both Voth and Pivetta are well thought of. Voth has demonstrated that he has mastered AA. Pivetta has demonstrated he has mastered A+. That’s one big difference, especially when you consider that Ross went right into the big league rotation from Harrisburg. On the other hand, Pivetta was a higher draft pick, so he has that pedigree. And the 11-12, or whatever, Pivetta was a fast riser this year, and Voth has more of a reliable track record. Close call – but it says a lot about the system that such a close call exists.

  16. Stoenman in LAA sure has not lost the touch, GG: Murphy, DeJesus and Victorino rentals or maybe a couple
    2016 guys?
    If the Mets get Cargo from ROX..ouch on that NLEast run for Nats…
    Jimmy Paredes from Orioles for Nats??
    wow how the Hgaerstown line-up has changed: Gardner hitting 9th last night.
    the sadist needs some breakfast.

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