Catching Up on Transactions
Yesterday, the Nats “sent down” IF Carter Kieboom to make room for LHP Sean Doolittle. “Quotes” because in this surreal season, the move doesn’t have the same meaning.
Ordinarily, it’d mean Kieboom would go back to the minors so he can play every day rather than sit the bench. Instead, he’ll scrimmage and do the glorified instrux ($$) that’s going on in Fredericksburg and elsewhere.
Here’s a rundown of some other moves that have a minor-league and/or prospect connection:
ADDED TO 40-MAN
• RHP Wil Crowe
RECALLED TO DC
• LHP Ben Braymer
PLACED ON I.L. AFTER A “FALL”
• LHP Seth Romero
TRANSFER FROM THE GCL TO THE NYPL FOR SOME REASON
• CF Braian Fernandez
ADDED TO 60-PLAYER POOL
• C Israel Pineda
• 1B Drew Mendoza
THANKS, GRANDPA
• SS Jake Boone signed as an NDFA
As always, feel free to discuss in the comments.
What are the percentages that Romero story about his fall are true…. maybe 5%? I laughed when I saw Luke put fall in quotes. 24 year old athletes don’t just fall unless something else was going on.
Agree with KW on Mendoza, he needs the development and the Nats don’t have a lot of other choices as hitters.
I haven’t seen notice of Sterling Sharp being picked up off the waiver wire, so I assume he’ll be offered back to the Nats soon. He torched some bridges with the Nat organization on Twitter after being taken in the Rule 5 draft. I assume he would go into the Fredericksburg pool if reclaimed, although it would be interesting if the Nats make him cool his heels for a while without a 60-man invite.
Mark — my bona-fides as a Romero critic/skeptic are well documented, dating back to before the draft, when he was just rumored for the Nats. I didn’t want any part of him. That said, I sorta feel sorry for his unlucky break at this point. We’ll likely never know what happened, but Karma has really become a bear for him.
More concerning to me at this point is that he just didn’t look that great when he did pitch. He did get out Freddie Freeman, but on a fat pitch that Freeman was furious that he popped up. Romero’s fastball averaged only 92 mph, which is only going to work if his off-speed stuff is sensational. Right now, it isn’t. Maybe it will get there one day; maybe it won’t. But for someone we’ve heard for years was a “top 10 talent,” he looked very average. Admittedly, he has had virtually no pro seasoning, so we’ll see.
KW, I remember BEFORE the draft you had said ‘ I hope they don’t take that Romero kid’. I just don’t think luck had anything to do with his fall.
That said, they were going to have to put him on the 40 man in December anyway. He probably needs another full season in AA/AAA for seasoning.
As for Sharpe, I’m happily surprised no one has claimed him. It’s always good to have inventory, but we go through the whole 40 man question again come December.
Unless Sharp reports to Fredericksburg and really impresses, I’d leave him exposed to Rule 5 again. If one of the most undermanned teams in the league was unwilling to keep him on the (expanded) roster for only 60 games, what other team is going to think that he’s worth a 162-game stash in 2021?
Interesting about B. Fernandez within this new paradigm of virtually no farm affiliate ladder steps right now . He and Arias eyes on
Luke , I have a German Shepard in the pet hospital ( not a Steven King novel ) with a severe urinary tract infection . 8 months young . Prayers please …all the best with your canines !