Friday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup (’18 Stats at the Level) |
| Fresno | Won, 5-4 (10 inn.) |
vs. Reno, 10:05 p.m. | Copeland (3-3, 3.09) vs. Widener (5-8, 2.75 @ AA) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 8-4 | vs. Bowie, 7:00 p.m. | Fedde (0-1, 2.25) vs. Harvey (1-2, 5.57) |
| Potomac | Lost, 15-0 | vs. Fayetteville, 7:05 p.m. | Tetreault (1-1, 4.37) vs. France (1-0, 0.90 @ A-) |
| Hagerstown | Lost, 9-8 | @ Greensboro, 7:05 p.m. | Cate (0-3, 5.57) vs. Bido (4-6, 4.18 @ SS-A) |
Fresno 5 Reno 4 (10 inn.)
• McGowin 3⅔ IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 6K, HBP
• Self 2⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, K, 3-0 IR-S
• Nuño3 (W, 1-0) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Cowgill 2-3, 2R, BB, HR, RBI
• Reynolds 2-3, R, 2B, BB, RBI
• Gushue 1-1, RBI
Fresno’s relievers got the memo about late-inning meltdowns as Austen Williams served up a HR in the 8th and Tanner Rainey walked the first batter he faced in the 9th and let him score on a two-out triple to send it into extras. The Aces picked the wrong catcher to pitch to in the 10th as they intentionally walked Raudy Read only to give up the game-winner on pinch-hit single by Taylor Gushue for 5-4 win 10 innings. Veterans Collin Cowgill and Jacob Wilson both homered while Matt Reynolds reached base three times on a walk, singled, and a double.
Roster move: 1B-3B Jake Noll optioned from Washington.
Harrisburg 8 Bowie 4
• Crowe (W, 1-0) 5IP, 3H, R, ER, 2BB, 3K
• Barrett 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Ward 2-3, 3R, 2-2B, BB
• Barrera 2-4, R, RBI, 2K
• C. Taylor 2-3, R, HR, 4RBI
The sixth time was the charm for Wil Crowe as he finally got his first AA win while Senators doubled up the BaySox, 8-4. Crowe gave up a run on three hits and two walks over five innings while striking out three. Rhett Wiseman, who led the Nats minors in HRs last summer, smacked an Earl Weaver special in the 2nd while Chuck Taylor hi-topped a grand slam in the 6th to power the Harrisburg offense.
Roster move: OF Michael Taylor assigned for MLB Rehab.
Fayetteville 15 Potomac 0
• Johnston (L, 0-1) 2⅓ IP, 3H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 5K
• McKinney 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Agustin 1-4
• Masters 0-1, 3BB, E(1)
While the decision to go for two in the 4th (inning) may have been questionable, the Fayetteville defense pitched a one-hit shutout against Potomac for a 15-0 win in the opener. Kyle Johnston got the start and the loss as he was chased after two and 1/3rd innings with four runs allowed on three hits and three walks, thought he racked up five K’s. The ‘Peckers went to town on Carlos Acevedo and A.J. Bogucki for eight runs in the aforementioned 4th to put the game out of reach. Telmito Agustin broke up the no-hitter with two outs in the 6th while David Masters drew three of the team’s eight walks to lead the P-Nats “offense.”
Greensboro 9 Hagerstown 8
• Alastre 3⅔ IP, 5H, 6R, 3ER, 2BB, 4K, HR, 2HBP
• Stoeckinger 2IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 0K
• Day (L, 0-1) 2⅓ IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, K, 1-1
• Blash 2-4, 2R, 2-2B, 2K
• Canning 2-5, R, HR, 2RBI, OF assist
• Lara 2-5, R, HR, 2RBI
Gage Canning’s two-run HR in the 9th was too little, too late as the Suns dropped the season opener, 9-8 to the Grasshoppers. Tomas Alastre couldn’t make it out of the 4th as he was lit up for six runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out four and hit two batters. Chandler Day took the loss as he let in an inherited runner and three of his own over two and a 1/3rd innings. Gilbert Lara also homered while Jamori Blash doubled twice to lead Hagerstown’s 12-hit parade.
Hey, hey, the games are back! Thanks to Luke for his efforts on this page, every season.
I guess the best news of the night is the very solid AA start from Crowe. He was shaky at A+ last year while compiling the 10-0 record, then he seemed to run out of gas at AA. The Nats really need him to continue to develop into a legit MLB prospect.
Nice two IP from Stoeckinger at Hags. Looks like there may be some slots available soon at Potomac for any functioning arms.
Lara is a real wild card. He was a big-money Latin signee by the Brewers who they considered a flop. He’s a big, toolsy guy, though, and only 21.
I like how an empty stadium equates to announced attendance of 3,434 at Potomac.
It’s not gonna help that the team is moving and that the current squad ain’t great. Hope there’s a big infusion of talent from Hags at some point.
A few observations:
Being a good GM is not so easy as it looks. The trades you make, the trades you don’t. The signings you make and don’t. We have seen both from Rizzo.
I think in time, Severino will start in Baltimore and carve out a second division career for himself behind the dish. The Nats held onto him too long, could have gotten real value for him when the White Sox wanted him in the same offseason as the Eaton trade. I wonder whether we might still have one of the three arms we parted with if we knew just when to trade him.
Gomes has seized the job. That’s a good problem to have. It also means, more immediately, that Suzuki is no more than a bench bat for now. And it also means that S. Kieboom, brother of the next “America’s Top Model” ( cue Don Henley ‘New Kid’), is at his peak value and with nowhere to start and enhance his bat and glove skills. He has turned into an extreme version of Mike Morse after the Zimmerman move, and in a game that needs starting catching. No reason Spencer Kieboom will not be a long-term ML catcher.
I would never root for an injury, but I do hope the desire for a better clubhouse does not force the Nats to flip such an asset unless they get real quality (arm) in return.
That noted, Lara is young, and it’s one game. But Gio went from Nats to (at least now) oblivion, and shocking though that is, kudos to Rizzo for a couple of intriguing players in an August 31 scramble deal for Gonzalez.
Baseball is funny, and I would still not be shocked if by the end of the year, we see Gio and/or Clippard or by off season next, even BGoody back in the organization.
I’ve forgotten exactly what, but Clippard had some parting shots involving the way the organization treated his roommie Storen. Rizzo has a long memory. Goodwin would be fine as AAA depth, and probably is better overall than Stevenson, but he’s out of options and therefore not useful for shuttle duty.
Suzuki will be fine and will start two or three times a week whenever they stop having so many off days. I assume he will catch Sanchez regularly since that duo had so much success together in ATL.
Lots of great tidbits to glean. I’m following McGowin closely and really pulling hard for him to be the #6 starter. Just as it feels like Ross will be a bullpen asset this year.
Rainey still being fashioned as a closer. Self quietly making himself relevant, like a tortoise. Lots of bullpen arms to watch in Fresno without paying for Kimbrel. If Rosenthal can’t get command, they can send him down and route others in.
But in the meantime, both Miller and Sipp are Rizzo pickups. Sipp vs.Solis, Miller vs. Albers. Cheaper or better or both or neither?
Canning power shows up. Wilson the ignition at the top of the Hagerstown lineup. Alastre still showing more pedigree than result. Crowe showing result – as did Aaron Barrett!
Second division career.
Nice line like adventures on the pillows.
Could we interject the thought that Rosenthal ‘s arm and psyche may not be all the way back in high pressure / leverage situations ??
Yes Wiseman picked up where he left off in Potomac last summer especially hitting lower in lineup
Interesting that two old for their level exited the Nats chain not getting the bump to Potomac and the quiet canyon known as the Fitz. Esthay and Shaddy . Safer to repeat guys than go with some guys who might clog the pipeline .
Still love the idea of walking my dog one last time , Luke, following Fresno on the west coast .
Let’s imagine Potomac after the June draft and further : Antuna , OConner, Sanchez , Rhinesmith , Lara or KW Williams , or others depending on how long brass wants some guys to incubate in low A.
Michael A was 0-4 with 2 Ks for HBG in rehab. Crowe threw well and Barrett closed it out. Ward banged 2 deep doubles and the 2 homers you mentioned were “no doubters.”
Taylor is in mid-season form!
Fresno’s game ended at around 2:45 this morning. You know that someone whose as big a control freak as you’d have to be to become a GM probably stayed up till the end getting updates. The fact that Rizzo is now going to have to remain awake until the wee hours every morning warms my heart since it was his screw up that resulted in the team being stuck with Fresno as its AAA affiliate.
We also shouldn’t mock the ‘Peckers too much. A friend of mine who lives inFredricksburg told me they are having one of those dreaded name the team contests rather than just sticking with Nationals. Personally, I think they should go back to being the Cannons, but they’ll probably end up with some atrocity like Wolfcats or something equally nonsensical and inane.
Carpetbaggers makes for lousy branding, but is otherwise accurate.
I don’t really expect anything from Lara, but he is a sleeper this year. Ward is worth watching, too — prospect fatigue has long since set in with him, but he’s still pretty young and the power was showing up more late last year. Plus we’re short organizationally on near-majors lefty bats with any amount of pop whatsoever (sorry, Stevo).
Potomac looks baaaaad this year. Telmito Agustin, Jackson Tetreault, and Nick Raquet are the only active players on that roster worth paying much attention to, give or take Steven Fuentes and Malvin Peña.