Saturday’s News & Notes
Nationals affiliates take three of four games played on Friday night, plus a look at the returns from the latest salary dump
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup |
| Syracuse | Won, 7-4 | vs. Buffalo, 7:05 p.m. | Joe Ross (MLB Rehab) vs. Stewart (2-0, 4.15) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 4-3 (10 inn.) |
@ Richmond, 6:05 p.m. | Milone (MLB Rehab) vs. Ch. Johnson (2-5, 4.04) |
| Potomac | Postponed | @ Wilmington, 4:35 p.m. | Tetreault (0-1, 6.32) and Johnston (5-1, 3.86) vs. Tillo (3-4, 4.32) and Hope (5-3, 4.90) |
| Hagerstown | Lost, 6-3 | vs. Kannapolis, 6:05 p.m. | Held (5-7, 3.61) Portland (0-0, 0.00) |
| Auburn | Won, 6-2 | vs. Batavia, 1:05 p.m. | F. Peguero (4-3, 3.02) vs. Guerrero (3-5, 3.24) |
Syracuse 7 Buffalo 4
• Valdez (W, 6-7) 7IP, 7H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 6K
• Gott (SV, 3) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Gonzalez 3-4, R, HR, 3RBI, 2SB
• Sierra 2-4, R, RBI
• Severino 2-4, R, RBI
The Chiefs’ lead in the loss column was not reduced they handed the Bison their 8th straight loss, 7-4. Phillips Valdez tossed seven innings of two-run ball on seven hits and a walk while striking out six. It was his sixth win. Thanks to Chris Smith coughing up the next two runs in Kelley-esque fashion, Trevor Gott came on in the 9th and got three outs to earn the save, his third. Bengie Gonzalez power the Syracuse offense with three hits and three RBI, followed by Moises Sierra and Pedro Severino, who both went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Roster moves: LHP Sammy Solis recalled to Washington.
Harrisburg 4 Richmond 3
• Vargas 6IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 4K, 2HR
• Self (W, 5-2) 2IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Mendez (SV, 11) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Ward 3-4, R, BB
• Keller 2-4, BB, RBI
Harrisburg erased a 3-0 deficit with two in 7th and one in the 8th and completed the comeback with a run in the 10th to defeat Richmond, 4-3. Cesar Vargas went the first six and gave up the aforementioned three runs on six hits, including two HRs, while striking out four. He walked none in the no-decision. The “W” went to Derek Self, who pitched two scoreless in the 8th and 9th innings while the save went to Roman Mendez for keeping the free runner from scoring while retiring the side in the 10th. Alec Keller drove in Daniel Johnson after a Jake Noll sacrifice to plate the game-winner. Drew Ward led the Sens hit column with three singles in four trips to the plate.
Wilmington vs. Potomac – PPD
Rain washed away the first of five scheduled games between the Blue Rocks and the P-Nats to close out the regular season. Meanwhile, the Hillcats shut out the Red Sox, 8-0 to reduce the magic number to two over the former and one over the latter. Officially, last night’s game will be made up tomorrow, but one would hope that if Lynchburg clinches tonight, common sense will prevail and they’ll play just one.
Kannapolis 6 Hagerstown 3
• Alastre (L, 4-8) 6IP, 8H, 5R, 4ER, BB, 3K, HR
• D. Smith 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Franco 3-5, RBI, CS
• Choruby 1-3, R, BB, SB(13)
Kannapolis put up two in the 2nd and three in the 5th en route to doubling up Hagerstown, 6-3. Tomas Alastre lost for the eighth time as he let in five on eight hits and a walk over six innings. Anderson Franco went 3-for-5 to lead the Suns’ 10-hit, six-walk, 14-whiff offense.
Auburn 6 Williamsport 2
• N. Gomez (W, 2-1) 5IP, 4H, R, ER, 2BB, 6K
• Day (H, 1) 3IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Rhinesmith 2-3, 2R, BB, RBI
• O’Connor 2-4, R, HR, 2RBI
• Daily 2-4, R, RBI
The Doubledays tripled up the Crosscutter to take the game, 6-2, the series, 2-1, and a &frac;12; game lead in the NYPL wildcard race. Niomar Gomez won his second game with five innings of one-run ball on four hits and two walks while fanning six. Chandler Day followed with three hitless innings of relieve before David Smith struck out the side in the 9th to close it out. Nic Perkins and Pablo O’Connor both homered while Jacob Rhinesmith, O’Connor, and Cole Daily all had multiple hits to lead the Auburn attack.
Salary Dump Returns
As noted in the comments, the Nats picked up some minor-leaguers in return for trading Ryan Madson and Gio Gonzalez:
• Andrew Istler (Madson)
• KJ Harrison (Gonzalez)
• Gilbert Lara (Gonzalez)
Of the three, only KJ Harrison is current prospect and carries the red flag of splitting time between catcher and first base both this season and last spring with Oregon State. The Brewers were said to be “thin at catcher” when he was drafted, so the natural inference is that his future is probably at first base. Not coincidentally, first base is a (very) soft spot in the Washington system.
Lara was a highly regarded IFA in 2014 and was a Top 30 MLB.com prospect as recently as last season but has lost some luster. Like former farmhand Kelvin Gutierrez, the gap between his size (6’4″ 198) and his power (.353 SLG% this season, .324 career) is troublesome.
Istler turns 26 later this month. He was drafted in the 23rd round in 2015, which means he’s Rule 5 eligible. You should be able to draw the correct conclusion from those three facts, but for the MASN/WaPo commenters lurking here: he’s a roster-filler who will probably replace someone at AA departing via free agency.
Harrison looks like a potentially legit prospect, albeit one who completely fell off a cliff this season. He was a significant player on one of the top college teams. He hit well in college and in rookie ball (http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=188005). I assume the Nats will at least try to keep him at catcher, much as they’ve tried with Gushue. As Luke noted, they could use help at the 1B ranks, too.
Lara supposedly was the #4 rated Latin player the year that he signed, but his pro results are very underwhelming.
Luke. Love the sarcasm. Salary dump returns. One cannot use words to describe the delivery truck backing up into the deli delivery bay sound. Beep beep beep.
Nic Perkins may be more legit than KWilliams.
I don’t get the retool plan that nobody knows may be in Rizzo brain.
Does he add a surprise free agent young lefty like young Patrick Corbin off Arizona free agency or Joe Panik to fill the once large presence of Murphy before his physical age caught up with reality ??
Years before the Expos moved to D.C. I thought this first window de opportunity with first built Nats club would end up like this even with the fatter bank rolls in DC especially with Ted Turners former legal eagle .
I guess we can only wish next June Rizzo finds a bona fide young lefty starter like Suarez in SF Giants plans who should have been signed instead of the Bryce Harper American Bandstand adoration with ex amateur teammates and Elder brother brought in for family love. Eghads
One could almost give up following this mensgetie we call sports.
Menagerie .
I think Harper walks.
Soto learns platoon 1b so Dave can utilize Kendrick and Robles more than 3 days a week .
Musical chairs with the yearly winter parade of bullpen arms signed for AAA shuttle, NRI list and AA stash depth.
One would think Luke that possibly Ishtar … I mean Istler pitches in Potomac playoff club for a looksie along with Williams and maybe Lara toils with auburn ??
Does Berrera read this column because he just went nuts on Royal Aggie alum Corey Ray tonight. Nice infield rotation Keister is implementing : one DHs the other plays SS or 2b especially The Monestary Man .
Any thoughts on Vargas value beyond this year ? He moves into another org via FREE agency ?
I was surprised they managed to get ANYTHING other than money for the two they traded. Seriously, how is a month of 2018 Gio or Madson worth more than 6 weeks of Adams? The Nats traded away every healthy and soon to be free of Camel Town asset that wasn’t tied down and came away with a pocket full of scratch tickets for a financially stressed state lottery.
Amen. Count de money , Lerners. ( Harvey Kormann. History of the World. Mel Brooks )
Like Karl, I’m really surprised that they got anything breathing in return for these deals. The Dodgers claimed Madson, so the Nats could have let him go for just the $50K waiver claim price.
The whole “plan” here was to unload expiring contracts and try to get under the luxury tax line. (They apparently don’t know whether they succeeded.) But the core is still sound. It’s not like they’re headed back to 2008.
Relevant to the immediate future: they now have two 40-man slots open. Fedde and Ross both need 40-man slots coming off the 60-day DL, though, so let’s not get too ahead of ourselves promoting McGowin and Williams.
Grant Paulson is reporting the Nats will call up Austen Williams today, which is fantastic news for us fringe-prospect enthusiasts (and for him and his family, of course!). Well deserved promotion for the Texan.
Remains to be seen who slides into Gio’s rotation spot, but I think Fedde is eligible to return Monday or Tuesday, and he’s on turn to pitch Tuesday. If the Nats want to put some training wheels on him to start out — the way they did when they babied Ross along in September 2016 by tag-teaming him with Reynaldo Lopez — then Kyle McGowin will also be on full rest for the Tuesday game. Hopefully the Nats don’t try to use Williams as a starter after he’s had such success pitching out of the bullpen this season.
I could see Fedde and Ross playing spring training innings. One goes four the other 2-3
Williams is up. Great story of perseverance. His career was on life support just a year ago.
Can someone make a compelling argument that Fedde and Ross won’t just swap places with Herrera and Hellickson?
Even with Williams added, there’s three open 40-man roster spots before Fedde and Ross are activated — but yeah, Herrera is an easy placement on the 60-day DL, Milone needs to be really good today for him to look like a guy who should come back this month versus going to the 60-day DL to open another spot, and every time I hear about Hellickson “progressing” but still not being able to throw his best pitch, I scream internally.
Agreed. Look to the future. Helly walks anyway.
Karl not even the Gene Wilder $20 scratch off variety which usually nets something to lynch off of. Lol
Another solid start by Valdez.
Lara is the intriguing one here, maybe a total bust but still so young that there is a chance.
Agree with KK, if the Brewers did indeed pick up the rest of Gio’s salary, how did we get anything other than used socks as a return.
I wonder if Johnny DiP scouted Lara heavy a few years ago
Istler’s 2018 numbers are good, broadly comparable to Suero’s last year (who is a year older than him) or Williams’ this year (same age) despite the fact that the Texas and Pacific Coast leagues have a reputation as hitters’ havens. He should get a look, if not this month then in next year’s spring training.
Age seems to matter much less with relievers than it does with most other players, in significant part because they are so volatile that you’ll see talented relievers flame out at what would be considered the prime age for a position player, and you’ll also see journeymen figure out a way to keep pitching into their late 30s or early 40s. Istler’s way far from a sure thing, but what did we expect for one month of the decaying husk of Ryan Madson?