While the “Big Nats” have been in spring training for more than a week, this week is the early reporting date for the minor-leaguers, a.k.a. accelerated camp. Basically, it’s a chance for the top-tier prospects to get extra time with the coaches and make sure everyone’s going in the right direction. All but a handful …
Some of these names have been mentioned previously over the past few months. I’d like to tell you the latest dispatch from Baseball America on the 2012 international signings gives significant information. Alas, IFAs are much like a politicians — long on promise, short on details. Before I editorialize, let me distill what little there …
The latest transaction post from Baseball America was issued last night, with the Nationals signing six pitchers and Micah Owings — a pitcher trying to convert to playing a position: RHP Jeremy Accardo LHP Will Ohman 1B Michah Owings RHP Mike Crotta LHP Kelvin A. de la Cruz RHP Adrian Green RHP Luis Torres Accardo, …
I hope folks enjoyed this little exercise this week — picking which pitchers will begin where in 2013 — as it finishes today with Low-A Hagerstown. The lowest full-season roster is an estimation as to who did well enough the previous summer in the New York-Penn League to get promoted and who either didn’t do …
Since I’m going in order downward from AAA to Low-A, this is part three. In reality, this is the last roster to be finalized of the four full-season affiliates. Consequently, I’ve learned to keep my expectations in check when it comes to seeing marquee prospects in April. In the past seven seasons, it’s been two …
Usually, what makes the Syracuse staff tough to pick is trying to divine which pitchers will miss the big club but stick on. What makes the Harrisburg staff a challenge is figuring out who’s going to get promoted from Potomac and which of the minor-league FAs will be kept and assigned here. So how did …
After taking a guess at which position players will end up where, last year I tried it for the pitchers for the first time and now it’s time to see how I did. Of course, with the roles of “Big Nats” largely set going into camp, this was not exactly courageous of me. But the …
I hadn’t necessarily planned on revisiting this, but it came up in the comments yesterday, so I figured it might be worth an update and a revisit. During the “dark times” that preceded this site, I remember this would come up on Brian Oliver’s Nationals Farm Authority. Often (usually) in the context of when it …
Like a year ago, I’m anticipating a spring training that’s going to have very little drama in terms of the minor leaguers. As for (melo)drama overall? Well, the heightened expectations coming off a 98-win season, Davey Johnson’s “World Series or Bust” proclamation, the revelation of Danny Espinosa playing with a torn rotator cuff, and of …
In the final installment of “Guess The Rosters,” we have the Harrisburg Senators. This is just the second time I’ve taken a swag at AA, and it’s highly doubtful I’ll expand this to Syracuse anytime soon. A Twitter follower asked if the lack of fluidity at the major-league level makes this easier or harder. I …