Shifting Gears
Like two years ago, I’m not making this call based on a set of cuts or circumstances. It’s just time for me to stop covering the spring training games and wait for the minor-league seasons to begin.
It’s pretty clear from the playing time that Brian Goodwin, Rafael Bautista, and Pedro Severino will be the first position player to be recalled from Syracuse if/when needed.
Yesterday’s loss not withstanding, I’m fairly confident Koda Glover will make the club, though I doubt he’ll be pitching in the 9th inning at the outset.
Conversely, A.J. Cole appears to have pitched himself back to upstate New York, even if the Nats brass finally decides he may be better suited to relief (as I wrote in the player reports before spring training started).
Simply put, there’s just not enough of an excuse to continue writing every day – I’ve gotten back into the rhythm, shaken off the rust, etc. It’s an indulgence anyway for a minor-league site to write this much about the big club anyway.
I’ll be ready to go in a couple weeks, and look forward to Season 8 of covering, lamenting, celebrating, and kvetching about the Washington Nationals’ minor leagues.
That sounds good, as soon as you add a sentence on whether you think Enny Romero or Sammy Solis will make the Opening Day roster. Thanks for your posts, as always.
Romero is out of options so he’s nearly a given to make the OD roster, barring a trade. Solis, Grace, Martin and Cole each have one left. A lot will depend on Baker/Rizzo’s preference for a long man vs. preference for multiple southpaws. Todd Boss thinks it may be Vance Worley as the former.
As you can probably infer, my position is that it’s probably not going to be one of “our guys.” Even if Rizzo finally gives Det. Holmes an enema, he’ll probably send Cole down to get used to relieving… because he can. Remember, Rizzo gets his hair cut more often than he makes unforced 40-man moves.
Luke ty for all the work through time .
Love the dog in the drivers seat
Worley has too much Sacramento
Vibe not to be the long guy
Thanks again for the international
Run down of latest signings .
DSL should have an interesting blend if the notable guys are not – red shirted-.
Back to cleaning the mud off the boots .
Marlins appear very interesting for in 2017
Love your work! Just caught on this year and read daily now. Can you get me a Jakson Reetz update? Played two innings in first spring training game and don’t know where he went from there. Thanks in advance.
He heard a where his “c” went and is now looking for it? All kidding aside, the Nats rarely use players so young in the major-league ST games; his best bet to appear again is this Friday night in the road split-squad game against the Marlins. He’s undoubtedly playing in the minor-league and intrasquad games, and you’re in luck in that he’ll be at Potomac this season where I’ll see him as a season-ticket holder.
I still consider Difo “one of our guys”, and would certainly include him on that list of candidates to be the first recalled (since I’m thinking he will probably also just miss the cut for sticking with the big club).
Seems like Baker likes to have at least 2 of his “long-in-the-tooth” guys on his roster. Although, one would think he would have learned from last season that Rizzo and his scouts might perhaps be better at gauging talent than Dusty is? He’s no Davey Johnson when it comes to that.
So, Worley probably makes it … and maybe Nathan too.
As for the outfield I have to wonder how quickly top prospect Robles develops? You keep hearing that Rizzo doesn’t like to rush prospects but he might be their best best to make a difference if he’s everything Sickels et al thinks he is … and then there’s the guy cautious Sickel’s stuck his neck for : Juan Soto which he ranks third in the system. What if his bat proves to be too much for A and A+ pitchers?
At this point it sure seems like Taylor, Goodwin, et al aren’t going to end up starting for this club but those two just might?
The boy in the driver’s seat reminds me of my ATL based English bulldog nephew Hamish.