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Nats Make Some Minor-League Signs

As noted yesterday, the latest BA transactions post—first in nearly two weeks—was published yesterday. Here are Washington’s signees:

• RHPs – Dustin Antolin, Derek Eitel
• LHPs – Yoan Aponte, Braulio Lara
• C’s – Brian Jeroloman, Adderling Ruiz
• 2B – Corban Joseph

Antolin, whose full name (Dustin Kamakana Mai Ku’u Makualani Antolin) makes for a difficult time at the DMV, Aponte and Eitel appear ticketed for Syracuse as inventory while little can be found on Aponte, which leads to the inference that he’s low-tier IFA.

Jeroloman and Ruiz are re-signs and will likely continue in their roles as player and player-coach, respectively. Jospeh spent 2016 with the Orioles organization as a stopgap at AA and AAA and will likely do the same for the Nationals in 2017

23 Commments

  1. Have a sinking feeling that the Nats are about to deplete their stock of high level prospects for Sale and David Robertson. Realize that the conventional wisdom is that the window is closing, and the Nats need to max out over the next two years, but the baseball playoffs are very random; the team with the best on paper talent rarely wins (this past season was the exception, and the Cubs still came within a razor thin margin of losing).

    The better strategy is to have a strong team every year, and those teams that keep the talent level high (Cardinals. Red Sox) and are perennial playoff teams eventually get hot at the right time. Not happy with the idea of trading away future talent to “go for it” over the next two years, with the understanding that the franchise will take a major step back after that.

      1. No Sale! Chisox said to have wanted Trea and Giolito, WAY too much from my perspective, and apparently Rizzo’s as well.

    2. Also consider Indians played Cubs
      Without Danny Salazar
      I guess that the standard process for
      Building farm rosters is wait until spring training to see which guys stick before signing depth @AAA-A plus with everyday players

  2. Considering the Sale trade, the Red Sox paid $62 million for ($31 + $31) for Moncado and added 3 more major prospects.
    Thank you Mike Rizzo for saying no.

    I’m 100% with KW on this.

      1. Let’s discuss that fact that
        Nats do have in house options to
        Further Maddux groom Lopez, Glover, Cole , Gott , (Kelley the vet)…. And who is to say that
        Benincasa and more importantly
        Kevin Mooney could not skyrocket in 2017 like Glover did ??
        There could be a handful of guys to push up the chain ( Banks , Dan Johnson , Dunning , Howard, Simonds)???

        1. It’s astonishing to me that in 2016 there are people who still believe that being a good closer is different than being a good reliever. An average reliever with an average fastball can rack up a ton of saves if you give him the ball with a lead in the 9th (see: Cordero, Chad). Hell, the Red Sox used a knuckleballer to close out games in 1999 and he got 15 in 18 tries, i.e. only slightly worse than Papelbon’s 19/24 last season.

          1. Melancon’s fastball tops out at about 91, and he just got the biggest contract in the history of closers . . . at least for a day or two.

            One big advantage relievers have is that you only have to fool a guy once. Starters need to be able to fool folks at least three times a night.

  3. Of the signees, Antolin looks interesting. He was very good at Buffalo (AAA) last year, so the Syracuse folks would have gotten a good look at him.

  4. Interesting Luke if rAmos rehabs in Tampa Bay and would return to nats if 100 pct rehab 8 months later..
    Yes relievers craft is one of guile , forgetfulness and some cases rubber arms

  5. Nats trade Giolito, Lopez and Dunning for Adam Eaton. Realize Eaton is high WAR player under team control through 2021, but that is a lot of pitching talent departing. Any two of those three would be tough to accept, but all three of the Nats top pitching prospects is a lot give up.

    1. IMO, Fedde was the #3 Nats pitching prospect before the deal, and like with all prospects there’s a lot of variability. It’s not hard to imagine Dunning having the most success of the three pitchers traded, just as it’s not difficult to imagine Fedde being more successful than any of the three traded. I also think that the front office must have a lot of faith in the lower level pitchers in the system to step it up this year.

      It’s hard to say goodbye to such hyped prospects, especially when there was a CF option available on the free agent market, but the Nats dealt from a position of strength (RHPs) to fill a need. Unfortunately, the top of the system has taken a huge hit.

      It’s a good thing Luke didn’t take votes for the top pitchers in the system yet!

      1. Voth Fedde. Maddux working with young arms in house
        Simonds still in house
        Expo fans. This has a slight flashback at first to Langston deal ….
        Eaton and Turner should tire out
        Teams mentally with OBP
        Eaton is a poster model to the stat
        Driven MLB generation

      2. Melissa, one of my first thoughts after hearing about the trade was that the Nats are really banking on Fedde. Yeah, I guess the arms list will look somewhat different now.

        Am I the only one who still fears that Robles will be leaving for Colome?

        1. No on Robles leaving
          Colome could be had for others
          Like a reminder who groomed
          RAmos
          Nats still have kids Robles Ward
          Stevenson
          Relievers for $$ not bodies makes more cents

  6. Jeff, I’m surprised that there hasn’t been more trade interest in Voth. I know he’s not a big strikeout stud, but he’s ready to eat innings at the back of an MLB rotation.

    1. KW. Too much emphasis in winter on big names
      Still the big question in wash.
      Really is the MASN court ruling for $$&&& $$&$$ to nats. Cough it up Angelos

  7. I spent so much time talking about the pitcher rich-position poor system that I feel I’d be a hypocrite for complaining about the trade.
    A big time overpay, but the position studs are still here.

    Thankfully!

    1. True nats junkies : which Latin arms
      Copy Rey Lopez fast rise ??
      Fascinating in the same winter Stevenson wows in AFL nats pay big for All star Adam Eaton, future playoff MVP. Speak reality into existence !!
      And may Nick Banks rise like a john vanderWal through the system.
      Old expo fans know what I mean …

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