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Monday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Probables
Rochester Won, 8-7 (13 inn.) OFF DAY N/A
Harrisburg Cancelled END OF SEASON N/A

Rochester 8 Lehigh Valley 7 (13 inn.)
• Mengden 2⅔ IP, 6H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 0K, 2HR
• Reyes 2⅔ IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 2K, HBP
• Cate (W, 2-1) 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K, 2-0 IR-S
• Tostado 4-5, BB, RBI, CS
• Baker 3-4, 2R, 2BB, SF, RBI
• Rutherford 2-4, 2R, BB, 2-2B, RBI

The Red Wings battled back from deficits of 4-1, 6-5, and 7-6 to outlast the IronPigs, 8-7 in 13 innings. Daniel Mengden got the spot start with Cory Abbott recalled to Washington for the 4th time this season and coughed up four runs on six hits (two HRs) and a walk over two and 2/3rd innings. With tomorrow being an off day, Rochester emptied the bullpen with each moundsman pitching multiple inning, with Tim Cate stranding two in the 12th and pitching a 1-2-3 thirteenth.

Rochester knocked out 16 hits, led by Frankie Tostado with four singles, followed by Darren Baker and Jake Noll with three safeties apiece, while Blake Rutherford doubled twice. Brady Lindsly sent the game into extras with a sac fly in the 9th while Darren Baker sent in the game-winner with the “run-scoring flyball” in the 13th. The Red Wings were 6-for-23 with RISP and left 13 runners on base.

Roster moves: RHP Daniel Mengden activated from Developmental List; RHP Cory Abbott recalled to Washington; RHP Amos Willingham optioned from Washington.

Bowie Baysox vs. Harrisburg Senators – CNCLD

Rain denied Harrisburg the chance to get back-to-back wins in September as the series finale between the Senators and BaySox was cancelled.




23 Commments

  1. I’m going to miss AA ball.

    Looking at the roster the only hitter who might start at AAA next year is James Wood and his whiff rate says more seasoning is needed.

  2. I’m not unhappy I went to Harrisburg for the non-finale yesterday. I have no regrets.

    The parking attendant was deeply apologetic for taking my five dollars. “It’s been raining for an hour. The teams aren’t even suiting up. If it were up to me, I’d call it off.”

    I got thoroughly soaked. My hoodie is hanging in the bathroom and it’s still damp.

    But, I met Mick Reinhard, the baseball blogger, after chatting with him occasionally on Twitter for the last decade.

    And, in the Fan Appreciation giveaway, I took a Chris Andree statue. (Andree was the Senators’ PA announcer. He was also a deejay on the River 97.3. He died in 2018, and the press box was named for him in the 2019 season.) I can’t find when the team gave this out; the giveaway of the day the press box was rededicated was a kids hoodie. I’ll wait a few days and email the team and ask.

    1. Another positive was they only waited 5 minutes after the scheduled start time to call it off. It will be interesting to see who starts the season in Harrisburg next year.

      1. I was standing at the first base end of the concourse above the stairs to the plaza talking with a family, and we noticed the Harrisburg players started leaving with their gear about 12:50 and were heading out out the first base gate. The players knew, even if it wasn’t official to the crowd yet.

        Bowie’s team bus didn’t return until about 1:30, because I passed it on the ramp to the Market Street bridge as I was leaving.

    2. Allyn you truly experienced what baseball truly is outside the chalk lines
      People , connection priceless memories.
      Ty for sharing

  3. What a rollercoaster of a season for the big league team.

    Over the past 20, we are 5-15
    Over the 20 before that, we were 14-6.

    I don’t really know what kind of team we’ll get next season. The one that went 28-47 over the first 75 or the one that has gone 38-37 over the last 75. Right now, we look a lot more like the first half team than the 2nd half one.

    Perhaps most discouraging is how few of the prospects/minor leaguers emerged this season at the major league level. Jake Irvin and Jose Ferrer, and I guess Stone Garrett counts here too are the few exceptions. Hopefully next season when the Blue Chip Prospects start arriving, we’ll have more luck.

    1. given that the real meat of the system started so far down, I wouldn’t be discouraged. DM has done a good job giving the ones who broke through legit looks as well. there may be 2-3 that stick long term. not bad at all IMO

    2. I just realized that Jake Irvin has broken our draft futility streak. From 2012 to present, we didn’t have a single draft pick generate more than 1 WAR (combined, across multiple seasons) for the Nationals (I think Spencer Kieboom at 0.5 WAR was the previous most valuable draft pick). But Irvin is now up to 1.4 bWAR in just half of a season. That’s a great accomplishment, and hopefully a sign of more to come.

  4. For guys who actually played yesterday, I hope Blake Rutherford will get another MLB chance at some point. It helps that he’s on the 40-man, and they’d likely lose him if they DFA’d him based on his terrific MiLB stats. How terrific? Well, .336/.393/.571 across AA/AAA this summer. He’s out of options after this season, though.

    There are a lot of highly touted OFs in the pipeline, of course, but there’s no such thing as a sure thing, and who can say when they’ll be MLB-ready.

    1. Thomas, Call, Garrett, Robles, Rutherford will be the competition out of spring training for four spots. you could get your wish.

      have to think Jacob Young opens the year in AAA. Crews and Wood will be banging on the door.

        1. not going to disagree but with only 17 PAs in AAA Young could use the everyday work, maybe develop a little more pop

    2. Don’t understand the Blake Rutherford love. His AAA numbers are similar to Derek’s Hill’s numbers:

      Rutherford:
      151 ABs 5 HRs 5 SBs .331/.395/.536/.931
      Hill:
      301 ABs 10 HRs 16 SBs .322/.379/.512/.891

      Both failed miserably in short MLB stints; not sure why Rutherford is more deserving of a shot next Spring.

      FWIW, would be shocked if Call is back next year. Would bet he his DFA’d. Wouldn’t be surprised if Rutherford is as well. The White Sox cut him loose last year.

  5. On an interesting note, Andrew Stevenson had 44 steals, a line of .317/.394/.522 and .916 OPS in 416 AB, all in Triple A.

    1. But in typical Andrew Stevenson fashion, he’s only hit .200/.231/.200 in the majors.

      I really hope he can find a team that will give him an extended run out in the OF, because there’s clearly some talent there. It’s also a shame that he left the org when he did, because CF has been wide open this season. He’d have definitely had a better shot this year than in the past. But I understand why he left, not getting a single game in the majors in 2022.

      1. It wasn’t entirely Stevenson’s decision to leave. He became a free agent after Nats didn’t offer him a 2023 deal. He’s a great late inning defensive replacement and baserunner.

  6. I don’t know if Rutherford can play at the MLB level . . . but neither do they. Yet they’ve given Call (.196/.300/.296) 429 plate appearances, which is some sort of bizarre malpractice. Yes, he’s good in the field, but he clearly can’t hit. They didn’t give Rutherford or Hill much of an MLB opportunity. They’re giving Alu and Kieboom every opportunity in the world.

    I’m not claiming that any of these guys will amount to anything. But few thought Lane Thomas and Joey Meneses would, either. Neither is a star, but both have turned into functional players when given the chance.

  7. I really hope they change Rochester’s pitching coach next year ( too lazy to look up who it currently is)

    I get he had little to work with, but jeez, I can’t think of one single pitcher who improved even a little there.

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