Tuesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Probables |
| Rochester | OFF DAY | @ Worcester, 6:45 p.m. | Rutledge (1-0, 4.76) vs. TBD |
| Harrisburg | OFF DAY | vs. Altoona, 6:30 p.m. | Henry (0-2, 7.50) vs. Shortridge (5-6, 5.16) |
| Wilmington | OFF DAY | @ Brooklyn, 7 p.m. | Cáceres (0-3, 14.18) vs. Colina (2-2, 3.62) |
| Fredericksburg | OFF DAY | vs. Myrtle Beach, 7:05 p.m. | Susana (1-5, 3.46) vs. Hull (5-2, 3.55) |
| FCL Nationals | Lost, 11-3 | @/vs. FCL Marlins, 10 a.m. | |
| DSL Nationals | Won, 4-3 | vs. DSL Angels, 11 a.m. |
Rochester Red Wings, 11-10, T6th place I.L. East, 2½ GB – 45-49 Overall
After taking four of six from Durham, Rochester is above .500 for the second half. If you’re a MASN Commenter lurking to see who might be the next guy added to the 40-man roster, the two best candidates are Blake Rutherford and Travis Blankenhorn, both of whom, unlike Derek Hill, could be outrighted if needed,
Harrisburg Senators, 8-13, 6th place E.L. Southwest, 4½ GB – 39-50 Overall
Naturally, when the Senators are described as a team that might make a run for it, they drop five of six to the BaySox to fall into the cellar for both the second half and overall. This week, Altoona comes to town for six with a Wet Nose Wednesday tomorrow that will hopefully be called off with “Real Feel” temps in the high 90s.
Wilmington Blue Rocks, 8-16, 6th Place, 9GB, Sally Lg. North – 37-51 Overall
Wilmington travels to Brooklyn this week for six, then returns home for six against Hudson Valley. That means for the next two weeks I’ll be able to get the probables from the opposing team’s media folks! For those holding out hope of a Jake Bennett sighting, it’s now been a full month since his last appearance in a game that counted. There is no plausible explanation for that long of an absence that doesn’t involve an injury, a behavorial issue, or a violation of the law or team policies.
Fredericksburg Nationals, 10-13, 6th Place, 3GB, C.L. North – 40-46 Overall
The FredNats salvaged a split with a 17-4 ass-kicking in the finale and return home for a 12-game homestand against the Pelicans and the Red Sox. No pressure, but if this team is to make a move they’ll need to repeat what they did in late May/June when they went 10-3 against Delmarva and Charleston. The good news is that the C.L. North is bunched together. The bad news is that if either Carolina or Down East are ahead of Fredericksburg, the FredNats will need help from another teams as they do not play either the MudCats or the Wood Ducks again this season.
FCL Astros 11 FCL Nationals 3
• Agostini (L, 0-5) 5IP, 2H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 4K, HR, 2HBP
• Carmona 1IP, 0H, 0R, 3BB, 2K
• Antuna 2-4, R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Ju. Garcia 0-2, 2BB
The FCL Astros blasted the FCL Nationals, 11-3 to kick off the week. Gabriel Agostini gave up a first-inning grand slam but recovered to throw four scoreless innings while losing his fifth game. Sunk cost Yasel Antuna homered and doubled to lead the F-Nats offense. RHP Jefrem Leon was named the FCL Pitcher of the week for July 17-23 for striking out eight in four no-hit innnings on July 18.
DSL Nationals 4 DSL Phillies Red 3 (9 inn.)
• Farias 3IP, 3H, 0R, 1BB, 3K
• A. Peña (W, 2-0) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Tavares 1-1, RBI
• Rosario 0-1, RBI
The D-Nats rallied for two in the 7th to force extras, one in the 8th to tie, and one in the 9th to win, 4-3 over the DSL Phillies Red. Carlos Tavares delivered an RBI single off the bench while pinch-runner Helder Rosario plated the game-winner on a groundball to third that the D-Phillies Red couldn’t convert into an out.
“Sunk cost Yasel Antuna” — it’s hard to believe that he’s still only 23! After 412 minor-league games, his career slash is .224/.326/.349. It still boggles the mind that they added him to the 40-man after he hit .227 at the A+ level.
What an irony that both Wil Harris and Cole Henry attended LSU .
We’re all awaiting to see if JC9 ends up with Marlins and for which pitching prospect .
I think the Sens chances would improve if they sat a couple of their sunk costs in Casey & Fox.
Trying to figure out the keeping Casey. He got dropped from AAA and still has not improved.
Casey is a perfect example of a scouting director who fell in love with a player on the east coast .
UFA RH reliever Matt Bollenbacher out of Dallas Baptist .
looks like Dyson got released yesterday. also Dylan Bundy released by the Mets, oh what a prospect he was supposed to be. injury claims another
Tyler Dyson was a 5th round pick in 2019. He was pitching well when he went down in August 2021 with TJ.
A reminder that Tommy John surgery is far more successfull with major leaguers than those in the minors.
I’m saying Oh Lord ( have mercy !)
On duel Oh Henry and Susana night when Bryan Caceres has a five IP night we wish for both Cole and Susana
What a fiasco the top of the 2019 draft was for Rizzo. Third rounder Drew Mendoza was released this spring and now 5th rounder Dyson. Meanwhile, 4th rounder Matt Cronin is on the DL at AAA and 6th rounder Jackson Cluff is 26 and a career .206 hitter…. in the minors. 7th rounder Todd Peterson is still at A+ 4 years after the draft (and after 3 years of college), Jeremy Ydens (8th) was released last summer, Hunter McMahon (9th rounder) was traded for Ryne Harper, who has been released after getting shelled in 57 games for the Nationals and Andrew Pratt (10th) has been in the witness protection program since playing 34 games in 2021.
If Rutledge didn’t surprise everyone this season with his bounceback, that could have been a historically bad top 10.
Its actually quite interesting, because the Nats will almost certainly get pretty good value (comparatively) out of their picks 11-25 than 1-10. You’ve already summarized well the disaster of the first 10 rounds, but we have 2 players after then who’ve reached the majors: Willingham (17th) and Alu (24th). Then there’s several more with a good shot of reaching the majors: Knowles (14), Ribalta (12), Cuevas (23), and maybe even Dunn (20), and (cheating here) Bennett (39).
https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F74475677-0905-44fd-854b-ae7c59b56ffc_1788x1490.png?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Just put down some plastic before clicking on that link 😉
(Source: Down on the Farm Substack)
Unfortunately, people will bring their dogs to wet nose Wed for a noon start in 90+ degree weather.
2019 was an odd year in many ways
and most fabulous in one way in particular
And that is why they get a pass!
Speaking of Tommy John, just read that 3 of the top 12 prospects for the Rockies will have TJ surgery next month.