Wednesday’s News & Notes

39 Commments

1. Two solid starts in a row from Purke. Time to push him on to Potomac and elevate Giolito and Pivetta to Harrisburg. Great to see such a strong start from Voth. Should we start worrying about Lopez yet, or just write the struggles off to growing pains? I see that he struck out eight, so presumably his stuff is still strong.

2. Reynaldo Lopez was picked as the 19th best mid-year prospect by Baseball Prospectus. That is looking kind of generous at the moment.

   1. But not at the time.

      Dude was unhittable. Between June 26 2014 and May 17 2015, he gave up 3 ER in 83.2 innings. That’s a 0.32 ERA and absolutely outrageous.

      Comparatively, former Nats farmhand, Alex Meyer has been much worse than Lopez this season (5.43 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 32 K, 64 BB in 59 IP), but was ranked far more highly (#14 overall) by BP.

      Prospects have ups and downs. Lopez is valued by scouts for his stuff, and while he’s been having more difficulty inducing poor contact, he still has that 100 MPH fastball. Plus, he’s striking out batters with a higher frequency, but suffering from a highly inflated BABIP (.342) compared to last season’s (about .200).

      1. Meyer finally made his MLB debut a couple of weeks ago, at age 25, and got clobbered. I think he is back in Rochester. The Twins have given up and made him a reliever, which many always suspected he would become. So far, the Span deal is looking pretty one-sided.

         Lopez is actually striking out more per 9 than he did last year, so there’s nothing wrong with his stuff. He’s just got to learn how to get outs in a league he can’t completely overpower. Giolitto has had to do the same thing.

   2. Don’t know if this is hurting Lopez’ numbers, but apparently Potomac’s defense is pretty bad. And that doesn’t just show up in unearned runs. I read some of the national writers commenting about Giolito that he is doing really well, especially with how bad POT’s D is.

3. I don;t think we need to worry about Lopez at all. He is simply a pitcher who has to adjust his talents. He has already demonstrated the ability to dominate the competition. All that we are seeing is the results of his not having refined command on his secondary pitches. That is harder to manage at higher levels that have scouted you. It’s not like he is Robbie Dickey, a much more financed prospect who is disintegrated, or even Jake Johanssen, whose glimmers do not yet even amount to flashes of prospect.

   As for the others, it’s time for Giolito to move up, and Pivetta has nothing more to prove either. Since the case can be made for Voth being bumped to Syracuse, and a starting spot is available for him there, Harrisburg with Bakus, Bleier, Giolito, Pivetta, and Bates sounds fine to me, with Spann in long relief/swing as Jeff suggested.

   I’m hopeful we can see Fedde in Hagerstown soon. So long as Purke keeps getting through starts without walks, we can breathe easier. No word about his velocity, though. I guess we have to wait just a little longer for his “Last Night in Woodbridge” sendup.

   BTW, Souldrummer must be happy with what’s happening in Harrisburg. I am starting to think, as anemic and injured as the Nats are, that we will see Matt Skole in DC *this year* if he keeps up his raking. i have no doubt he could come off the bench and get a clutch hit as well as anyone, and they will need that in September.

   Luke! We miss your Jefferson Dry Cleaners!

   1. I’m not sure where the continuing Matt Skole fascination comes from. He’s a 25yo repeating AA; he should be dominating rather than putting up an unremarkable .761 OPS. That’s not exactly “raking.” There was tremendous angst that the Nats didn’t put him on the 40 man roster before the Rule 5 draft, too. But it’s been a long time since he put up 27 HRs at Single A Hagerstown – and even then he was a bit old for the level. There’s a reason he doesn’t show up on lists of prospects in the Nationals’ system.

      1. He hits very well, very well, in the clutch and hits hard, and he knows how to take a walk. That’s not bad to have around the house, and while not a fascination, it’s time to appreciate that his body of work for well over a month now reflects that he is more than brute numbers.

         The old for the level nonsense was the same thing we were hearing about Souza. When one is healthy, one is healthy. Skole hit well in spring training and I have yet to hear a cogent argument that what he has been showing for well over a month does not translate to the Nats bench in September.

         1. When Souza was “old for level”, he completely destroyed each league that he was in – and he did it successively from A+ (2012) to AA (2013) to AAA (2014). Which is what you have to do to be considered a serious prospect. Souza did, and while he’s having his own growing pains at the MLB level (if he wasn’t leading the league in K’s when he went on the DL, he was in the top 3) he’s certainly shown that he belongs. Souza also can run the bases and play OF defense, while Skole doesn’t bring much to the table outside of his bat. So arguably his bat would need to be better than Souza’s to be the same level of prospect. And it’s not.

            If you don’t accept “one solid (not spectacular) month in AA by a 25yo bat-only player who hasn’t produced solid numbers since his injury two seasons ago does not a prospect make” as a cogent argument then we’ve really reached the limits of our conversation. Skole might get a cup of coffee in the bigs at some point in time – I’d bet against it, but weirder things have happened – but his record does not stand up against Souza’s.

      2. Skole didn’t get added to the 40-man, plus the Nats had an open cattle call in the spring for LH bats. They might not have completely given up on Skole, but neither are they counting on him. Clint Robinson seems to be laying a pretty good claim to the role that Skole could have had. Of course Robinson is also the perfect example of why teams shouldn’t give up on a guy with a good stroke.

         1. To reach where Robinson is now, Skole is essentially going to have to rake for the next 3 seasons. Since he hasn’t really raked in the last two seasons, that’s hard to see.

            1. OK, so we’ll watch and wait and hope for the best, shall we?

         2. KW, just to add to consideration, last year, while recovering from an injury, Skole went through a stretch of about 200 plate appearances in one of the worst lineups in the minor leagues with an on base percentage over .400, a batting average well over .300, and good production. He was raking. He faded, it happens, and it impacted organizational planning. He was not ready to rise.

            He looked very good this spring — again, started extremely slow – again, and is now turning in on — again. It may not be enough, and I may be the only guy who cares, but the best reason to like Matt Skole is not only his bat, but his penchant for the big hit in an organization whee the ML team that for all of its pricey stars, could not buy a big hit when it counted last year in the playoffs.

            What happens is all mysterious, but signs of life from Matt Skole in particular are always welcome. As Souza proved, and Robinson is proving, as did Roark and others, including Christian Garcia, age-ism has its limits in accounting for why people lose their years.

            1. In addition to all that has been mentioned, Skole essentially skipped Potomac (except for a brief stop at the end of 2012). In retrospect, you have to wonder if that was problematic, all the more so after he missed basically a full season. Taylor, Souza, Keyes, and several others have repeated Potomac in recent years, so the Carolina League seems to be a significant step for hitters, particularly power hitters. Ward looks well on his way to spending another summer in Woodbridge as well. Not an excuse, just an observation . . .

            2. Yes Skole’s wrist injury interrupted a time table .
               Fortunately the Dodgers had too much talent
               To accommodate Clint Robinson.
               Time tables. Clocks ticking. Varied timing for
               Players , brass and fans expectations .
               Grissom’s audition theme makes sense : Meiija
               Getting ABs in Suns outfield while Abreau, Masters,
               Kinery and Davidson play under the microscope .
               2016 in mind for affiliation depth chart?
               No Skole ? Pleffner repeats AA with Ward coming up
               From Potnats with Perez , Norfolk?
               Yezzo injury a bummer since he needs more
               Repetitions @ Potnats to determine his value
               Whether @ A plus or AA or exodus.
               The real determination is which RH bats help
               The depth chart below AAÀ and which outside help
               Is needed to added

         3. Robinson is a study in age-ism and why prospect rankings are misleading. The Nats pegged him and picked him up, despite his age, because he had a “simple, repeatable swing.” They like him because he gives a “reliably good at bat.” And so, proving once again, that numbers tell one thing, but scout’s eye tells that much more.

            The heralded pickup was supposed to be Mark Minicozzi, deemed under the radar find by the statheads on one of the sites. Well, he’s gone. So is Kila. So is Brock Peterson, out of that same Dodger organization. And who made it? Not just to the major league roster but the starting lineup? Yes, 30 year old Clint Robinson. Here’s to the old guys!

            Jeff, I can’t see Ward getting to AA next year. And that’s OK. It worked for Taylor. I can’t see Pleffner repeating AA, either. In a way, he’s like Renda. Not enough power to make it to the bigs, but you know he will hit. And he will hit AAA.

            Kevin Keyes is an interesting person; I can’t see them adding him to the 40 man, and I wonder whether he is at MLFA? It didn’t work out that well for Destin Hood. Hard to see daylight for Brian Goodwin, either. So other than Caleb Ramsey and Goodwin, the upper minors OF is one big question mark.

            Did anyone guess the first ’13 GCL Nat to AA would be Wander Suero?

   2. Speaking of Johanssen, can remind remind again me what happened to him? If I recall correctly, he had injury, but i thought it wasn’t that serious, but it feels like he’s been out a while now.

      1. Sorry meant to write…”can someone remind me again,,”

   3. A scout told me in June during Purke outing
      Fastball high @92 mph .
      Interesting. 3 number listed for both wiseman
      And Stevenson on auburn .
      Gil, time for Jose to go to potomAc to play
      Some 1 b/ DH while Yezzo is on DL???

   4. Luke I am sure you will red highlight these
      Moves. Jake Mayers FINALLY activated.
      Jose Morales pushed up to hags with Koda
      Coffee Glover. @ least Bryan Meiija getting his
      ABs in outfield .

   5. Skole is reading this site
      HR 12 th tonight. Lol!
      Rain is a Nats bullpen friend PPD
      Ty luke for your weekly daily ish
      Efforts

      1. If my skepticism inspires Matt Skole to greatness, I’m OK with that 🙂

4. Wondering where the dominoes fall when Wiseman signs.Perhaps Stevenson is “Gone With the Wind” from Auburn.

5. Oh . Ashley ashley Ashley I do declare !!!!
   Skole in dc unless Sullivan is right in Nats
   Looking into ryan Rayburn !!
   My cold bath awaits , Scarlett!!!
   GG. Kkkkkkkkk

6. Haha – Nats need thump. Can’t see a prospect trade for a guy with a big contract on this Lerner team. Especially because at some point, this team WILL be running on all cylinders and thoroughly running away with division. The Cabrera trade was made under different circumstances, as in injury and lack of depth. This year, there is Espinosa and Escobar, though the hammies are tricky. As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls.

   1. Cue Pat Methany with kyle mays music stream .
      Yes. The Nats full health matched with best
      Winning streak has revealed itself yet.
      Gil, the question is can Stevenson reach potomAc
      By sept final 3 games .

   2. Span goes on DL? Call up Kevin Keyes .
      Let Senators keep the mojo with Difo .

7. Totally agree with fore on Purke, we need to see what he can do at High A.
   Love to see him completely recovered from his college coach, aka “the butcher”

   1. For those of us in yorba linda. Who is the butcher
      @ TCU???-

      1. The TCU coach is a noted butcher of arms. Must be a Texas thing, as the Rice coach is equally bad.

8. Well, Rhett Wiseman is now signed and officially part of the Auburn Doubledays. There is the first answer.

   Here is another. Koda Glover to the Hagerstown Suns. He takes the lead in the first leg as the most promising of the draft picks. Has moved em down in Auburn, now let’s see what he can do with more polished players.

   1. I was thinking that Rivera might have a chance to move up soon as well until he got knocked around in his start this week. Glad to see they are pushing some of the college kids ahead.

   2. Glover – what an awesome baseball player name!

      Not as good as Joan Baez, but a very nice addition to the “names” roster

   3. Great news on Wiseman, that means they signed the first 13 rounds. Much better than last year.

      Have to wonder about the Round 20 & 24 guys….. seniors with no place else to go. Always hard to imagine when someone doesn’t want to follow their dreams.

9. Pushing is the word. Austen Williams and Purke indeed promoted to Potomac, Nick Pivetta to Harrisburg. Congratulations to all and don’t come back!

10. The force , Luke. Plays on my tv here
    It was destined. Rhett, Rhett, Rhett the same week
    Olivia DeHaviland turned 99.
    Purke up cause potomAc needs a lefty .
    Ross would be called up but Nats are good until
    After All Star break.
    They should have a Koda bobble head doll soon!!

11. How about a Dominican arm attracting Bosox
    To send 300 G intl bonus slot to Nats amidst
    The Rhett Wiseman matinee idol time period??

12. Two outs from .500 in harrisburg. Lock down Lee!
    Celebrate . soul drummer .
    Funny that auburn roster shows uniform
    Number 3 for both wiseman and Stevenson , who has two hits tonight .

13. Jeff, you turn sage on your therapy of souldrummer all winter. Though not with the roster any of us expected.

    Here comes the Trea Turner drumbeat. And from the leadoff spot, just as Span withers and Desi wiffles.

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