Monday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup |
| Rochester | Lost, 7-1 (6 inn., rain) | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Harrisburg | Lost, 6-5 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Wilmington | Won, 6-5 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Fredericksburg | Lost, 8-4 | OFF DAY | N/A |
Lehigh Valley 7 Rochester 1 (6 inn.)
• Suero (L, 0-1) 1IP, 1H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 2K
• Fuentes 2IP, 3H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 0K
• Nolin 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Noll 2-3, 2B, HR, RBI
Jake Noll’s two-out solo HR spared Rochester from a possible shutout as Lehigh Valley took the series finale, 7-1 in six innings. Wander Suero “worked on some things” for two runs in the 1st and was credited with the “L.” Steven Fuentes, the announced starter, pushed his ERA from 16.20 to 19.64 with five runs given up over two innings on three hits and three walks. Alec Keller, Tres Barrera, and Ali Castillo each had a safety to go with Noll’s homer and double to round out the Redwing hit column.
Roster moves: RHP Wander Suero assigned from Washington for MLB Rehab.
Somerset 6 Harrisburg 5
• Cate 4IP, 5H, 5R, 4ER, 4BB, 3K, 2HR, WP
• McMahan (L, 0-1) 2IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, BB, 2K, HR
• Klobosits 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Duarte 1-3, 2B
• Geraldo 1-4, 3B, 2RBI
• Mendoza 1-4, R, HR, RBI
• 1-for-12 RISP, 3LOB, 3E, 2PB
The Senators were able to filibuster for four innings, but the Patriots got the deciding vote in the 5th and held on for a 6-5 win. Tim Cate was tagged for only five runs instead of six but got the no-decision. The loss went to Pearson McMahan, who gave up a solo HR in the 5th. Harrisburg squeezed five runs out of four hits, thanks to three extra-base hits and a Somerset error.
Wilmington 6 Aberdeen 5
• Rutledge 3IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 4BB, 3K
• Cronin (W, 1-0) 2⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Marinconz 2-4, 2R, HR, 3RBI
• Rhinesmith 2-4, R, 2B, RBI
• Connell 2-4, R
Wilmington broke its 0-for-2021 with a 6-5 win over Aberdeen in the series finale. Jackson Rutledge lasted just three innings, charged with three runs on three hits and four walks over three innings. The win went to Matt Cronin, who stranded two in the 7th and shut down the IronBirds with scoreless innings in the 8th and the 9th. Kyle Marinconz smacked a three-run HR in the Blue Rocks’ four-run 5th that gave them the lead at 5-4. He led off the 8th with a single and came around to score on Andrew Pratt’s two-out single.
Lynchburg 8 Fredricksburg 4
• A. Hernández 4IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 0K
• M. Pena (BS, 1; L, 0-1) 1IP, 2H, 4R, 0ER, IBB, 0K, HR
• Randa 1-4, 2B, 3RBI
• Díaz 1-2, 2BB, E(4)
• Arruda 0-1, 3BB, 2SB
The F-Nats only committed one error, but it led to four unearned runs in the 7th, which were in the difference in an 8-4 decision that gave the Hillcats the six-game sweep. Alfonso Hernández went the first four and let in the first two runs on four this and two walks. The loss went to Malvin Pena who was charged with the deciding runs on two hits and an intentional walk, the kill shot coming on a two-run HR that came after a two-run error. Fredericksburg drew eight walks, led by Jake Arruda (3), who also stole two bases. Jake Randa drove in three on a two-out, bases-loaded double in the 1st to give the F-Nats its first lead of the series. The 4-3 F-Nats lead taken on a passed ball in the 6th was the second.
Yikes, it’s not getting much better with time. I’ll say it again, this is going to be a loooooonnnnngggg season.
Someone asked another day whether we were just exceptionally bad or the other teams were just really good, which piqued my curiosity (and challenged my notion that we are indeed just really bad across all levels) so I looked into it.
Using FanGraphs prospect ratings, which rate around 1200 players on the 20-80 scale, with only those rated 35+ being considered “prospects” (for example the Nats have only 22 prospects and the Rays have 62), it worked out to the following:
Lynchburg have 7 prospects on their roster.
Aberdeen have 11 prospects on their roster.
Somerset have 4 prospects on their roster.
Lehigh Valley have 10 prospects on their roster.
On average, each team should have about 7 prospects (1200 players for 6 levels on 30 teams). So you could claim Aberdeen and Lehigh Valley are “better” than average, while Somerset are worse than average.
Meanwhile, the Nationals have the following prospects on each team:
Fredericksburg: 0! There’s not a single “prospect” of note on the entire team!
Wilmington: 9 prospects
Harrisburg: 3
Rochester: 1
With that out of the way, I think next I’m going to look up the worst record ever for a MILB team, because I think Fredericksburg have a shot at whatever that record in futility is…
Found an old article from 1993 about the 1954 Jackson General/Central City Reds (they moved from Jackson to Central City mid-way through the season forfeiting 16 games in the process) who finished the season 14-85 (even though 16 of those losses were forfeits) for a .141 winning percentage. That’s probably out of sight, as it would require the FNats finishing 17-103…
However, given the general instability of the ’54 Generals/Reds, I looked at more modern results (2017-2019) and the worst teams in that period were:
’19 West Michigan: 49-90 (.353)
’18 Iowa: 50-88 (.362)
’19 Mobile: 50-86 (.368)
’17 Florida (A+): 48-81 (.372)
’18 Burlington: 50-84 (.373)
I seriously thinking Fredericksburg have a shot at that West Michigan winning percentage.
Hey, hey, another win, pushing the minor-league organizational record to 3-21.
Looking for positives . . . Justin Connell is off to a great start, with 8 hits in 20 ABs (.400), albeit with only one for an extra base, and no walks yet. Anyone making regular contact stands out, though. On the flipside, his more highly touted teammate, Antuna, didn’t play on Sunday and remains hitless. Nice to see the HR power from Mendoza at AA.
Reasonably good outing from Alfonso Hernández, but starter struggles up the line with Rutledge, Cate, and Fuentes. A dominant performance out of the ‘pen by Cronin, though, who would be on the early-promotion watch list. Also another good outing from Klobotsits at AA.
There was a lot of bad baseball played on the farm last week but time to focus on the good parts.
For starting pitching the best so far were Cade Cavalli and Carson ‘no respect’ Teel. Teel got no respect when he was drafted in the 16th round and continued to get no respect through his 1st two years. Right now he has a 2.83 ERA for his career.
In the bullpen we have a terrific trio of Cronin, KLob, and Brzkcy. Looks like a mistake that Cronin was put in high A and he should be in Harrisburg shortly.
For a 36th round pick KLob has been very good and seems to be fully recovered from his TJ surgery.
After the draft flamethrower Brzkcy had over 15 clubs offer him a contract last year. He chose the Nats because he thought they would develop him better than anybody else.
I thought him in High A was ambitious but so far no one has touched him.
As for position players Baseball America doesn’t think Luis Garcia is a prospect but I do and so do the Nats. He is the youngest player to play in Rochester in 21 years and he’s playing like he belongs there.