AFL Update: Oct. 3, 2019
Nick Banks’s second HR in as many games sparked a four-run rally that turned a 6-3 deficit into a 7-6 lead that the Sagauros held for an 8-7 win.
Banks was the sole position player from the Nats contingent to appear in the game, as he batted sixth and played right field. His HR was his only hit on the night as he finished 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and two RBI (sac fly). In the field, he field two flyballs and two singles.
Jacob Condra-Bogan pitched the 9th and Cordero’d through for his third save. After striking out the first batter he faced, he let up a single, issued a walk, and then threw a wild pitch to put the tying run on third and the winning run on second. He got a grounder to first base for a play at the plate for the inning’s second out and then struck out the fifth batter he faced to end the game.
Our eyes in the desert and staff photographer Lee passes along word that Garcia’s injury was to his groin but that the 19-y.o. expects to return to the lineup tomorrow. That matchup will be the Desert Dogs visiting the Saguaros in Peoria.
I have drunk my morning Joe Luke out of my customary Corbin start day coffee mug. .
May Patrick paint some propane and heating on Dodgers forcing the bandwagon LALA fans to exit in the 7 th…
Way to go Nick Banks.
God is with him ..
Max Muncy evolved from an Oakland discard to a 35 HR dodger 2b??
This HP umps K zone is tighter than spandex on a Vegas female street artist …,
Howie we love ya but you are needing oil like a tin man on the defense
Get the oil can out for , Howie !!
Rick Honeycutt is a tie back to the Oakland pitching rich LaRussa / Duncan days.
If the Nats move past the Dodgers .. that would be 1988 Kirk Gibson- esque
Those 19 year olds sure heal quickly!
Unlike the rest of us.
Yes, indeed. I miss having my 19-year old body. Here’s hoping Garcia is fully healed.
Yeah I get an elbow in the groin I need to keep working.
What is it about fans who don’t discard the tee shirt of a retired guy. Here in philly seeing a cliff Lee 33 tee…
Lee M. — nice photo of Banks.
Although Soto has made considerable progress in LF (his whiff on the ball against the wall on Tues. not withstanding), there’s always been buzz that he would end up at 1B. The problem is that they don’t have much in the way of LF options at the moment. I still have a hard time seeing Stevenson as a regular, although he’s done some good things off the bench down the stretch that should put him under consideration an MLB bench fixture next year.
What I’m getting around to is that will be a real opportunity for Nick Banks over the next couple of seasons. He’s taken significant steps forward in 2019, but there’s still a leap from where he is right now to being a major-leaguer, much less a regular. I’m just say that there’s a door or two opening, as they have two more option years on Eaton in RF. If you discount Yadiel Hernandez, who the Nats haven’t promoted for whatever reasons, there’s not a lot of other OF talent in the upper minors other than Banks and perhaps Cole Freeman, who has a narrower skills set than Banks.
So keep those HRs coming, Nick!
Thank you KW!!~
He’s one of those batters that finishes with his arms in front of his face so I was stoked when I caught him admiring a high, long home run.
“playing first base is not hard, tell him Wash”.
“it’s incredibly hard”
Don’t be surprised if Juan Soto is a Gold Glove finalist this year, or even a winner. His OAA numbers in left are as good as any other left fielder in the National League, only matched by Conforto, who also played a lot of center and right this year.
What makes this even more amazing is his defense graded out last year as way below average. Shows what a lot of hard work does.
I should note that Mendoza, who’ll likely end up at 1B, may be a faster-rising talent who may end up keeping Soto in LF. We’ll see. Both Mendoza and Banks need to show more in the HR department to get serious consideration as regulars for a contender at corner “power” positions.
Can Lee or another local spy comment on how Bogan meets the eye test? Have to like that he’s closing, and how he ended AA this year.
Gotta love JCB’s fearlessness. I don’t like a closer putting two guys in scoring position, but he knuckled down and got the save.
Prayers that Koda is 100 pct 2020
Great news about Garcia.
Realize that it’s only a handful of games with a limited number of prospects, but the Nats’ performance in the AZ League has been encouraging.
Sao — by eye test, Soto certainly has improved, and I think he’s enough of an athlete to improve more, but some metrics like him more than others. By the FG defensive WAR number, he’s -7.5, only a tick ahead of Bryan Reynolds (-7.6) from the bottom of the NL qualified LFs. I do question a metric where only 2 of 17 rate a positive number, though! (The old saw about sticking the worst defender in LF seemingly hasn’t changed.)
Luke. Why did Springfield fan post Cole daily @ 1 b on B.B. 9-9-19? Is he going super sub with the depth chart with Cluff, Marincasa, Caufeld …Antuna on the TJ recovery road…