Tuesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | OFF DAY | vs. Buffalo, 6:05 p.m. | Aa. Sanchez (0-0, 4.50) vs. Hatch (0-0, -.–) |
| Harrisburg | OFF DAY | vs. Portland, 6:30 p.m. | Fuentes (0-0, -.–) vs. Bello (0-0, -.–) |
| Wilmington | OFF DAY | @ Aberdeen, 7:05 p.m. | TBD vs. Tavera (0-0, -.–) |
| Fredericksburg | OFF DAY | vs. Carolina, 6:05 p.m. | Caceres (0-0, -.–) vs. Cornielle (0-0, -.–) |
Rochester Red Wings (4-2, 3rd, 1GB, International League East)
The first thing you’ll notice is that the Red Wings have a winning record. The second is that the lawsuits have been settled “legacy” league names are now back in place. Oddly, instead of creating four five-team divisions or restoring the 2019 setup, there are just two divisions of 10. Given the geographical weighting, this makes little sense – especially when there are teams in the division that Rochester will not play at all. Next up: six against the Bisons at Frontier Field.
Roster moves: LHP Josh Rogers recalled to Washington; OF Gerardo Parra assigned to the FCL Nationals.
Harrisburg Senators (2-1, T1st, 1GA, Eastern League Southwest Division)
Harrisburg took two of three from Altoona. The Eastern League is back but the new division names stay the same. Like the ‘Wings, the Sens are also making their home debut, hosting the Sea Dogs for six.
Wilmington Blue Rocks (2-1, T2nd, 1GB, South Atlantic League North Division)
The Blue Rocks also find themselves in an unfamiliar position, one game out of first place in the reborn South Atlantic League’s North Division. Just five teams are from the old Sally League, but given the large footprint (southern New York to the North, central Kentucky to the West, and crazytown Georgia to the South), MLB simply took the path of least resistance. Again. This week, Wilmington heads down 95 to visit Aberdeen for six.
Fredericksburg Nationals (2-1, 2nd, 1GB, Carolina League North Division
Fredericksburg needed just three games to win two (as opposed to 19 games for the 2021 edition) and, like Rochester and the O.B. (Other Burg), makes its home debut this week. The FredNats host the Mudcats for six.
If you’re not sick of these yet, Prospect Digest has released its Top 10 for Washington. In a related story, has anyone heard about that new virus spotted in the Wuhan Province in China? They say it could be even worse than the Zika virus.
Aaron Sanchez watch continues ..
Second cup of Joe ..
BOSSman parks Parra on FCL complex list like overflow parking at a sporting event ..
Vega continues to hit .. speaking of parking old vehicles in overflow parking
Some of us are old enough to admit we drove a Chevy Vega …
Fuentes was one of the best pitchers results-wise in the organization in 2019 but struggled mightily in 2021. It’s fair to assume that he was dealing with injuries as he didn’t pitch much, and he had what seemed to be a rehab stint.
Fuentes had most of his earlier success as a reliever but was converted to a starter again in the latter part of 2019. Considering the tremendous relief needs of the big club, though, and that he’s mostly a two-pitch guy, why don’t they have him re-developing as a reliever?
Anyway, here’s hoping for a re-emergence of one of the better under-the-radar arms in the organization in 2018-19.
Attention! All Nats farm teams have winning records. When was the last time you could say that. I honestly don’t remember when.
Gabe Klobosits was claimed by the A’s. The reason he was offloaded was to make room for 38 year old Annibal Sanchez, who hurt himself sleeping.
I had just seen the news about Klobosits. Drat. I can name a few guys on the 40-man they could have released instead. Fair winds to Big Gabe. What a story, 36th-round pick, #1093 overall. Considering what a disaster that 2017 draft was for the Nats, he turned out to be one of their better picks, certainly better than their #1 choice. (It should be noted that 20th-round pick Jake Cousins, who the Nats released in 2019, made the majors briefly with the Brewers last season.)
Insane. And not the first time the Nationals have carelessly given away quality arms. Remember when we gave away Austin Adams after he threw one mediocre inning in April 2019? Across the four seasons since we traded him for a PTBNL (Nick Wells), he has a 3.96 ERA and 135 K in only 88 IP.
I wonder if Rizzo realizes why the bullpen is so bereft of talent.
He also had 53 walks (5.4/IP) and 25 HBP (2.6/IP) in those 88 IP.
And yet in spite of that, he was still better than 95% of the Nationals bullpen in that period.
The whole Anibel Sánchez situation has left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
Rogers being sent down despite Sanchez’s absurd spring stats, not to mention his making only one spring start against an actual team and still making the team. And losing a potentially good relief pitcher to boot. (Maybe two spring starts.)
I think Rizzo was hoping Sanchez and Parra could bring some of the 2019 magic to this year’s team. Even baby shark played over the loudspeakers at Nats Park isn’t going to make up for the players who were lost in last summer’s trades.
I agree with Jackson on Josh Rogers. He should have been the one on the opening day roster. Sometimes I just can’t figure out what the brain trust in DC is doing.
One would hope that Rogers earned the opportunity to stick around for a while with his strong start in ATL last night. Logic has been missing in some of these decisions, though. They’ve got Nellie Cruz for “veteran Latin leadership.” Leave Parra and Sanchez out to pasture where they belong.
Joel Hanrahan getting through to Theophile and Caceras or just
God blessed talent elevating ?
Maybe both !