Monday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | Won, 6-0 | @ Lehigh Valley, 7:05 p.m. |
Hill (4-8, 4.25) Ja. Thompson (9-5, 2.29) |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 6-2 | vs. New Hampshire, 7:00 p.m. |
Brady (2-4, 4.14) vs. Greene (2-2, 5.06) |
| Potomac | Won, 7-6 | vs. Salem, 7:05 p.m. |
Fedde (5-3, 3.45) vs. Ball (5-4, 3.89) |
| Hagerstown | Won, 3-2 | vs. Charleston, 2:05 p.m. |
Guilbeau (2-1, 4.67) vs. Morris (6-2, 2.64) |
| Auburn | Lost, 2-1 (11 inn.) |
@ Williamsport, 7:05 p.m. |
Watson (1-1, 1.86) Suarez, R (3-0, 2.56) |
Syracuse 6 Rochester 0
• R. Lopez (W, 2-0) 9IP, 4H, 0R, 0BB, 7K, HBP
• Martinson 3-4, R, 2B, HR, 2RBI
• Sanchez 2-4, 2B
• Goodwin 1-4, R, HR, RBI
Reynaldo Lopez struck out seven, walked none, and shut out Rochester on four hits in a 6-0 Syracuse win that broke a four-game losing streak. Lopez needed just 99 pitches to clip the RedWings as he went nine innings for the first time in his career. Jason Martinson singled, doubled, and homered and drove in two while Adrian Sanchez singled and doubled to lead the Syracuse offense, which surpassed five runs scored for just the fourth time in July. Roster moves: RHP Lucas Giolito recalled to Washington; RHP Koda Glover optioned from Washington.
Richmond 6 Harrisburg 2
• Blackmar (L, 1-1) 5IP, 8H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 6K, HR
• Brinley 1IP, H, R, ER, BB, K
• Bautista 3-4
• Difo, Ballou 1-4, R, HR, RBI
The Senators couldn’t complete the four-game sweep as the Squirrels flew past them, 6-2 in the series finale. Mark Blackmar was charged with four runs on eight hits over five innings to take the loss. He walked two and struck out six in his second start for Harrisburg. Isaac Ballou homered with the bases empty with two out in the 4th while Wilmer Difo led off the 6th with a circle clout as the Sens were held to seven hits and one walk on the afternoon.
Potomac 7 Winston-Salem 6
• Spann 4⅔ IP, 9H, 5R, 4ER, 3BB, 4K, HR
• M. Sanchez (W, 4-0) 2⅔ IP, 3H, R, ER, 0BB, 3K, 2-0 IR-S
• Mendez (SV, 5) 1⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, K, 2-0 IR-S
• Read 3-5, R, 2RBI, CS, PB(15)
• Schrock 2-5, R
• Keller 2-5, R, 2B
Potomac was able to take all five games from Winston-Salem with a 7-6 win in the series finale. Matt Spann started but was dinged for runs in all but one inning he began, as he gave up five runs on nine hits and three walks over four and 2/3rds for the no-decision. The P-Nats ‘pen stranded all six inherited runners and combined for four and 1/3rd innings of one-run ball. Mario Sanchez earned the win (#4), R.C. Orlan the hold (#5), and Gilberto Mendez the save (#5). Raudy Read led the P-Nats 11-hit parade with three singles, a run scored, and two RBI, followed by Max “For Those About To” Schrock and Alec Keller who both scored a run and went 2-for-5.
Hagerstown 3 Charleston 2
• J. Ross 3IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Bourque (W, 3-4) 4IP, 2H, R, ER, 2BB, 3K
• Walby (SV, 4) 1IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• DeBruin 1-3, R, 2B, 2RBI
• Page 1-3, 2B, RBI
The Suns put up a three-spot in the 4th and the originally scheduled starter made it stand up for a 3-2 victory over the RiverDogs. Joe Ross turned in three scoreless innings to begin his rehab tour. After Sammy Solis served up a solo shot in his inning of work, James Bourque provided four innings of one-run relief to earn the win, giving up two hits and two walks while striking out three. Grant DeBruin and Matthew Page both doubled while going 1-for-3 and combined for all three Hagerstown RBI. Roster moves: RHP Joe Ross assigned from Washington for MLB rehab; LHP Sammy Solis reassigned from Potomac for MLB rehab.
Williamsport 2 Auburn 1 (11 inn.)
• Simonds 4IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Reid 5IP, 1H, R, ER, 0BB, 3K, HR
• Conner (L, 1-2) 1⅔ IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 2K
• Barrera 2-5, R, 2B
• Noll 2-4, RBI
Williamsport broke up the Star Trek convention with a one-out solo HR in the 8th, Auburn got it back in the 9th, but the Crosscutters prevailed 2-1 in the 11th. Kyle Simonds got the start and threw four scoreless, with one hit, no walks, and three whiffs. Jonny Reid went the next five, giving up the one run on the one hit (see above), also sans bases-on-balls and a trio of K’s for an impressive NYPL debut. Tres Barrera doubled, took third on a grounder to second, and scored on Jake Noll’s single to right to tie it up. Nick Conner worked around two walks in the 10th, but the Crosscutters cashed in his third free pass with a sacrifice, a grounder to the right side, and an infield single to win it in the 11th.
Please, please don’t trade Lopez! Looks like he wanted to show the organization that the wrong guy got the start with the big club yesterday.
Have you guys watched Giolito’s starts? I’m not surprised to see him not exactly dominating MLB batters. It’s rare for a young pitching to instantly dominate like many batters have recently. (Even the top pitchers in baseball – Kershaw, Bumgarner, Kluber and Arrieta – had pretty unspectacular first seasons in the big leagues).
However, what surprises me is how much Giolito has been struggling with his command. Aside from a month and a half to start the season, when the Nats messed with his mechanics, he’s never struggled with locating pitches. But why is he now? Does he look ‘off’ to anyone? Is it just nerves?
I think what we saw from Lopez was pretty expected. Facing such higher calibre batters takes some adjusting; they’ll crush every little mistake. But the ‘stuff’ still translates. And we saw that with his 9 Ks in 4.2 IP. But with Giolito, it’s different. He’s now struck out 5 and walked 9 in 11 IP. It’s a little worrying.
I have been extremely surprised at how straight his fastball is. There is absolutely no movement and they have him timed on the second time around. The batters are running to the plate to face him. That does not translate to much of a future.
Really thought it was a curious move when they brought Giolito back up to start. While Lopez struggled in the 1st inning giving up 3 runs against the Dodgers last week, he also went through a 3 inning stretch when we was unhittable (6Ks in 8 batters). Looking at the their stats for the last two months, Lopez has been the better pitcher. Starting Giolito in lieu of Lopez likely cost the Nats a win yesterday.
BTW, heard today that the Nats are in the mix for Wade Davis the Royals closer. He has been the best reliever in baseball the last couple of years, and the Nats would control him for 2017. Can’t imagine that Royals would give up for Davis unless they got back at least one of: Giolito, Turner, Robles or Lopez. Maybe two or maybe one plus Fedde plus Koda Glover.
A goodbye to Aaron Barrett today, whose career is almost assuredly over. To those who didn’t hear he fractured his elbow rehabbing from TJ.
After 4+ years in the system he landed up pitching in 90 games for the big boys with an ERA of 3.47. Good luck to him.
On a more positive note, Max Schrock continues to pound High A pitching. After 111 AB’s, his OPS is .883!
He sure doesn’t seem challenged.
Great recovery by Rey Lopez, his future looks very bright.
I saw the Barrett news. That looked devastating. Best wishes to him. He seemed to be an extremely well-liked guy.
Ditto on barrett
Blessings in a bright future
For him and his family
Off the game
Page keeps ripping for Suns. Nice
I mentioned it at the time, but the Nats should have jumped all over Chapman when when the Reds were trying to dump him. I know the optics would have looked bad (and I am not condoning what Chapman did), but they would have gotten him for a pittance, which is exactly what the Yankees gave up to get him. Now, the Yanks will make out like bandits because of the better prospects they will receive while the Cubs will get the last piece of the puzzle for a WS title. And oh yeah, the Nats will still be the bridesmaid and never the bride.I don’t know what it is with the Nats, but they just can’t seem to find/get a true #1 closer since forever.
Yeah, it’s quite weird. If they didn’t want Chapman then (due to his abuse of his wife). None of that has changed, so why would the Nats’ opinion on him change?
If they want a closer, they should kick the tires on David Robertson. He’s been pretty bad this season, but he’s yet another flame-throwing former Yankee reliever (maybe we should hire their bullpen coach?!), who signed a huge deal with the White Sox (4/$46m), and is owed $12m and $13m in the next two years. But because of the pricetag, he’d come much cheaper (i.e. Papelbon).
Plus, the monetary value of someone like Lopez is far beyond what Robertson is still owed. I wonder if the Sox would bite if we offered AJ Cole?
If the Nats are bridesmaids this year, it will be more thanks to Harper, Rendon and Zimmerman. If those guys were hitting up to expectations, the Nats would be cruising.
So part of me thinks the Nats should take advantage of Lopez’ cannon and covert him to the pen, especially after games like yesterday by the big club.
Bit a showing Lopez had yesterday at AAA reminds us of his value as a starter. Four baserunners over 9 innings at AAA is nothing to sneeze at and shows that Lopez can be a very effective starter.
But will he regularly get that chance with the Nats with Stras, Scherzer, Roark, Ross, Gonzalez and Giolito all under team control for several years?
I would hate to lose him but if the Nats aren’t going to convert him to the ‘pen, the best value for Lopez is likely to trade him for something substantial in return like Chapman or a better bat.
Six years of team control of Lopez for two months of Chapman? Not for me, thanks. Actually, the scuttlebutt seems to be that the Nats offered a package headlined by Fedde and the Yankees scoffed. The Reds were said to want Lopez for Chapman last year.
Well it looks like the Yankees essentially got Lopez and more for Chapman. Torres is a consensus top 40 prospect (Lopez was merely top 90). PLUS Billy McKinney (a top 100 prospect), Adam Warren, and another prospect.
To translate to the Nats, that’s basically like giving up Robles, Lopez, Espino and some un-named other prospect. For 2+ months of Chapman. This is crazy.
I’m so glad we didn’t try to get him. And the Yankees come out looking brilliant. They turned a few crappy prospects and 3 months of Chapman into 2 top 100 prospects, an innings eater and some one else.
The Cubs just raised the market on the cost of high-end reliever like Miller or Wade Davis. Not sure that’s a price the Nats should or will pay.
Thus, I’d prefer the Nats stand pat and try and get more out of Glover and see if Lopez can be converted (unless he brings a big bat in return).