Nationals Farm Authority

From the P-Nats

The Potomac Nationals today announced their playoff roster for the Northern Division Championship series against the Wilmington Blue Rocks including the additions of Osvaldo Rodriguez, Cole Kimball and Dan Leatherman from the Low-A Hagerstown Suns. In addition, the P-Nats have also set their rotation for the first round of the postseason.

The 24-year-old Rodriguez officially made his debut with Potomac Monday afternoon in the regular season finale working three innings and giving up one unearned run without allowing any hits. He struck out four, walked two, and hit a batter. The Hatillo Palma, Dominican Republic, native began the season with DSL Nationals1 and went 12-0 in 13 starts while posting a minimal 1.01 ERA. The right-hander held opponents to a .191 batting average against and was promoted to Hagerstown where he went 1-2 with 1.06 ERA in three starts.

Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002, Rodriguez appeared at three different levels in his first professional season topping out with Advanced-A Vero Beach. He began the 2004 season with the GCL Dodgers and was released after posting a 5.56 ERA in four appearances, of which three were starts.

The 23-year-old Kimball joins Potomac after going 6-8 with a 5.05 ERA in 28 appearances including 27 starts with the Suns. The New Jersey-native struck out 122 batters in 128 1/3 innings of work while holding opposing hitters to just a .226 average against. After struggling to a 1-3 record and a 7.04 ERA in the first half of the season, the right-hander had a solid second half going 5-5 with a 3.62 ERA.

The 12th-round pick of the Washington Nationals in 2006 out of Centenary College in New Jersey spent each of the previous two seasons in Short-Season Vermont putting up a combined 4-10 record with a 4.76 ERA in 30 games including 18 starts.

In his first season in the Washington Nationals organization, Leatherman makes his Advanced-A debut with the P-Nats. After being signed as a minor league free agent this off-season, the 23-year-old was solid out of the bullpen with Hagerstown going 1-2 with a 2.68 ERA in 26 outings. The Frederick, Maryland, native struck out 62 batters in 50 1/3 innings while holding hitters to just a .222 average against.

Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2006 by the Minnesota Twins following an open tryout at the Metrodome, the University of West Virginia product spent two seasons in the Twins farm system going a combined 11-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 70 games including one start at three levels.

To make room on the 25-man roster, infielder Darryl Lawhorn, and right-handers Hassan Pena and Martin Beno were all placed on the disabled list. Lawhorn hit .203 with two RBI in 16 games with the P-Nats. Pena made eight starts with Potomac going 2-2 with a 4.15 ERA, and Beno appeared in 30 games out of the Nationals bullpen going 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA and was 7-for-7 in save tries.

Additionally, the P-Nats announced their probable starting rotation for the best-of-series with the Blue Rocks. Getting the nod in game one of the series is right-hander Luis Atilano (5-2, 2.32). Right-hander Erik Arnesen (4-3, 4.46) will start game two on Thursday night. Left-hander Ross Detwiler (8-8, 4.86) gets the start in game three at Wilmington on Friday night. If necessary, right-hander Jeff Mandel (6-6, 3.86) would start game four in Wilmington on Saturday. Should the series go five games, Kimball would get the start for Potomac in game five.

Wilmington is expected to counter with right-hander Matt Kniginyzky (9-8, 3.57) in game one followed by right-hander Mario Santiago (8-8, 3.43), left-hander Everett Teaford (8-6, 3.80), right-hander Ed Cegarra (6-7, 4.67) and left-hander Ray Liotta (1-1, 1.80).