All Quiet on the Minor-League Front
Sorry, nothing new to report. We haven’t gone dark — there’s just very little to report… unless you get worked up over the Nats signing a 31-y.o. RHP (Scott CopelAAAAnd) to fill out the Fresno rotation or re-signing a longtime backup C (Jake Lowery), both of which were reported by BA over the weekend in a post covering three weeks of “action.”
I’ve finished a couple of more pages on the Watchlist but I’m finding myself not confident to wait for the 2019 books and MLB Pipeline, which is making it a slower go than usual. If the past is indeed prologue, something will break soon now that I’m written a post primarily designed to assure folks the site’s still operating.
Spike lives!
Seems like other orgs, especially the Mets, have been a lot more aggressive in signing potential contributors to minor league deals. Maybe no one wants to get exiled to Fresno?
I’d much rather be in Fresno in April and May than in Syracuse! It might be a different story come July and August, however . . . (so get that June 1 opt-out!).
We’re in sort of a no-man’s land with FA’s right now, when the “best” of the guys who could potentially be had on minor-league contracts are still holding out for major-league ones. The Nats sure could use a couple of capable OFs for AAA, as with the trade of DJ Johnson they’ve got very little in the pipeline behind Stevenson, unless they’re actually willing to give Yadiel Hernandez a shot. Maybe Austin Davidson will get more time in LF.
I’ve seen some predictions Telmito will be the next outfielder up. He should start the year at Double-A. But it’s concerning he just can’t seem to stay healthy, and he’d have a lot more prospect cachet if he still looked like an option in center field.
So what does that leave Potnats for April if AgusTEeeeeN up to Sens? Upshaw? Canning ? Esthay? Freeman to OF?
I wouldn’t be shocked if Canning starts at Potomac, although he didn’t set the world on fire in his brief time at Hags. They seem to have him ticketed as a fast riser, and they certainly need viable OFs in the upper minors. Esthay and Upshaw both struggled mightily at Hags.
Yes him and Ward and as I said before why not Ga MOSH return for that
Infield / outfield rotation Matthew employed @ AA
Pitching wise : Crowe and Sharp shouldn’t stay long in Harrisburg joining the F troop. McGowin , Fedde , Voth Henderson A and Copeland
Senators quorum quartet? Braymer , Reyes , Crownover , Mapes ( F troop material Craig Stammen role?) , healthy Borne ?? another flier on Logan Darnell??
Thoughts on a cold January holi – day ??
How about free agent C Cutbert we are familiar with from Royal years ??
Has anyone read Prospects1500 list of National’s top 50 prospects https://prospects1500.com/top-50-lists/washington-nationals-2019-top-50-prospects/
There’s an occasional statistical nugget or two but the list/site is unabashedly tilted towards fantasy baseball players.
We will all be like spike at one point tomorrow with MLK day and sub 32F temps.
So maybe the nation will chirp on the site here.
Injuries are always a bummer with arms especially last summer, considering the maturation progress slowed down with some guys who might have seen Potomac early 2019 with health and high rising : Troop, Romero, Lee, among others despite Potomac having Hill, Johnston , Jackson T, Raquet around to eat IP
Monday is a chili with beans in the crock day.
My dog wont want to patrol his acreage lol
Good luck Luke with the dog day of JAN.
Cold weather and WAWA coffee: holiday blog opinions :
There are two divided camps on our new guy G. Lara . Some want to pitch a fork in his back while others call him a sleeper . Does he join Williams on Senators with a good spring camp leaving Potomac 3 b to Meregildo or Franco ??
If Ross and Fedde wash out in 2019 maybe Nats should keep an eye on the Martin Perez Minnesota experiment .
Could these names motor through Hagerstown to Potomac briskly : Shaddy , Marinconz , O’Conner, ??
Interesting to see how Nats bring Antuna along following TJ surgery. XST in FLA warmth or just AB duties for Suns maybe playing low intensity position ?
I’m curious about what the Nats are going to do with O’Connor. He’s already starting to profile in the Davidson/Sagdal mode — good bat with no position. He played 2B in college but was in LF at Auburn. Maybe they can figure something out for him after seeing more of him in the Instrux and Spring Training.
Marinconz hit better than Shaddy or Daily so may be the most likely to make a move up. All in all, some decent early returns on guys drafted in the 20s rounds.
Hey, I love reading this stuff. Like a profile on ‘failed prospect’ Gilbert Lara. He’s #50 after the Brewers dumped him on the Nats for Gio.
After paying him $3+ million to sign, sometimes a club doesn’t want to be reminded of that anymore.
This is the classic change of scenery situation.
Almost forgot; he’s all of 21 years old.
Lara to OF for further change of scenery ??
Welcome Vidal Nuno, who seems to be part loogy, part swingman:
https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=9674&position=P
Also, Matt Reynolds cleared waivers, accepted the outright, and can be fitted for his Grizzle uni.