Thursday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | Won, 8-4 | vs. Rochester, 6:45pm | Tolman (0-2, 5.60) vs. Senga (MLB Rehab) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 8-4 | @ Reading, 6:45pm | Luckham (3-3, 6.34) vs. Wood (0-1, 3.00) |
| Wilmington | Won, 7-6 | @ Brooklyn, 11am | Maddox (2-4, 4.57) vs. Hall 0-4, 6.46) |
| Fredericksburg | Won, 5-3 | @ Delmarva, 11:05am | Tepper (0-0, 2.25) vs. Orrantia (0-3, 5.23) |
| FCL Nationals | Lost, 4-3 | OFF DAY |
Rochester 8 Syracuse 4
• Cornelio 4IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 6K, HR
• Henry (W, 1-0) 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• House 3-4, 2R, 2HR, 2RBI
• Ortiz 2-4, 2R, 2HR(10), 4RBI
• Ford 2-4, R, RBI, BB
The Red Wings blasted four HRs that resulted in six runs as they doubled up the Mets, 8-4. Riley Cornelio got the start but was charged with all four Mets runs on five hits (one HR) and two walks over four innings. Led by Cole Henry, who earned the win, five Rochester relievers each put a goose egg and combined for five scoreless on three hits, three walks, and three whiffs. Brady House homered twice for solo shots while Abimelec Ortiz hit a pair of two-run HRs (nos. 9 and 10) to lead the Red Wings offense. Roster moves: LHP PJ Poulin optioned from Washington.
Harrisburg 8 Reading 4
• Clemmey (W, 2-2) 5⅔ IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 4K,
• Mejia (H, 4) 1⅓ IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 2K
• Petersen 3-4, 3R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Lomavita 2-4, 2B, 3RBI
• S. Brown 2-5, 2B, RBI
Harrisburg scored in five of nine “ups” and was in control the whole way as they doubled up Reading, 8-4. Alex Clemmey fell one out shy of getting the quality start but won for the eseonc time with two runs allowed on three hits over five and 2/3rds. He walked two and struck out four. Erick Mejia finished the 6th and pitched a scoreless 7th to notch his fourth hold and drop his ERA below 1.00. Sam Petersen was a triple shy of the cycle as scored three times and drove in one with his 9th HR. Chad Lomavita and Sam Brown both singled and doubled and combined for four RBI to power the Senators offense.
Wilmington 7 Brooklyn 6
• Bruni 2IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 1K
• B. Stuart (BS, 2; W, 1-1) 1⅔ IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 2K
• Hill (SV, 3) 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 2K
• R. Diaz 2-4, 2B, RBI, E
• Bazzell 2-5
• Hines 1-3, 2R, HR, BB, RBI
Neither team scored in either half of the inning just three times, which included the 9th as the Blue Rocks were left standing with a 7-6 decision over the Cyclones. Frank Bruni was the opener and retired six of 13 batters faced over two-plus innings, giving up four runs on four hits and three walks. Baron Stuart gave up the tying run in the 7th for the blown save but got the win as the pitcher of record when Hunter Hines homered to give Wilmington the lead. Brady Hill got the last four outs to earn the save. Devin Fitz-Gerald and Yeremy Cabrera also went deep in the Blue Rocks’ ten-hit, five-walk offense. Roster moves: RHP Bryce Montes de Oca rehab transferred from Fredericksburg.
Fredericksburg 5 Delmarva 3
• Johnson 3⅔ IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 3K
• Otanez (W, 3-1) 2⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 4K
• Roberts (SV, 5) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 0K
• Moroknek 1-3, R, BB, HR, RBI
• E. Soto 1-2, BB, 2B
• Hollifield 1-2, R, BB, RBI
Fredericksburg rallied from a 3-0 deficit to score the game’s last five runs and even the series with a 5-3 win. The force was not with Luke Johnson as he was dinged for the aforementioned three runs on six hits and three walks over three and 2/3rds innings. Johan Otanez stranded two runners while finishing the 4th and kept Delmarva off the board for the next two frames to earn the win. Jacob Roberts worked around a walk in the 9th to earn the save. Jack Moroknek walked and homered while Elian Soto walked and doubled and Nick Hollifield… wait for it… walked and singled to lead the FredNats attack.
FCL Mets 4 FCL Nationals 3
• J. Reyes 3⅔ IP, 1H, 3R, 2ER, 1BB, 6K, HBP, WP
• Schoff (L, 1-1) 2⅓ IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 0K
• Cerkownyk 2-2, BB, 2B, RBI, SB
• N. De La Cruz 0-2, R, BB, 2SB(10)
The F-Nats squeezed three runs from four hits, four walks, and six stolen bases but were nearly AWOL with RISP in a 4-3 loss to the F-Mets. Juan Reyes worked into the 4th but gave up three runs on a hit, a walk, a hit batsman. Thomas Schultz took the loss on a triple and a sac fly in the 6th. Brady Cerkownyk reached base three times and delivered the one (1) hit in nine RISP chances.
Keith Law posted an updated prospect list for his top 50. Willits and King both moved up and he gave some love to Fitz-Gerald and Petry though neither cracked the list. still positive on King’s defensive prowess.
If anything, Law has doubled down on his defensive rating, calling it a “70” this time. I still don’t know who to trust here, when FanGraphs gave him a 30! And MLB Pipeline calling him at best average at SS. Its crazy that very talented scouts could be so certain and divergent in their assessment.
I find it almost impossible to gauge defense by watching televised games, so I’m totally lost. But I cannot imagine that one of the best 5 or so defenders in all of baseball – that’s what a 70 scoring means! – could maintain a fielding percentage of .945. At best, it suggests King is a work in progress. I also don’t believe a team would experiment moving possibly the best defensive SS in all of the minors to 2B, as the Nats did earlier this year.
I can imagine King has the potential to be above average, better than FG and MLB give him credit for, but it strains incredulity than King is a 70 defender.
Have followed King going back to his junior year in college. He has the defensive skills to be a good defensive player. He is super athletic and has great lateral movement, with a strong arm. That said, he has never been consistent enough to be a 70 defensive player. King will make the spectacular play and then miss a routine play. That hasn’t changed for three seasons.
So, while a 30 defensive grade on King’s defense is way too low; a 70 grade is also too high. Still think King’s primary defensive value is his versatility. He has a chance to be above average defensively at SS, 3B, 2B and CF (yes, CF). Given how the current Nats front office likes to move players around, think the Nats will use him all over the field.
I just wrote about exactly this at NAR.
What’s more common
The need to play miles Davis blue in green as he walks back to the bar rack after a k
Or Petersen hitting a tater
Abimelec Ortiz is heating up at just the right moment. He’s hitting .273/.317/.818 in May. That last number, by the way, is SLG not OPS…
It looked like Morales may have leap frogged him, but with Ortiz already being on the 40 man, he’s got an inherent advantage. The question then becomes, how much longer of a leash does Andres Chaparro have left? The downside is that Ortiz has the wrong platoon split, generally being better against righties, like Garcia. But it’s a weird year. All 3 of Garcia, Ortiz and Chaparro all have reversed their splits this season.
Meanwhile Jack Moroknek still has an OPS above 1.000 two months into the season. Moroknek is only 5 months older than Elijah Green, but he is almost 3 years older than other Low A hitters, while Green occupies an OF spot in Wilmington with a 48 K%. How much longer will Green’s draft position block other players’ development?
The Nats feel Green is a better prospect than Moroknek. I agree.
In what way ?
Moronek be for butler bulldog blue
Sorry I’m late to the conversation on Seaver King. I have been to almost every home Sens game and watch most away games. Pilchard hit the nail on the head. He makes spectacular plays, but also makes too many errors throwing on the run or fielding with one hand when he has plenty of time.
@LM – What grade would you put on the whole package, assuming he never improves his consistency? Would it still be playable at short?