New Podcast Up

Steven of FJB and I have our latest Natmosphere in your Ear podcast up where we talk about Ian Desmond and Bobby Williams among other things

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Tragic Number Update 09/09/09

Next team eliminated and the Nationals first round pick will be protected against free agent compensation. The top 15 picks of the first round are not used for Type A free agent compensation

MLB W L GA Left Tragic
Washington 47 91 0.0 24 -
Kansas City 53 85 6.0 24 18
Pittsburgh 54 83 7.5 25 17
Baltimore 56 82 9.0 24 15
Arizona 61 79 13.0 22 10
Cleveland 60 78 13.0 24 11
San Diego 62 78 14.0 22 9
NY Mets 62 76 15.0 24 9
Toronto 62 76 15.0 24 9
Oakland 62 76 15.0 24 9
Cincinnati 63 75 16.0 24 8
Milwaukee 66 72 19.0 24 5
Houston 67 71 20.0 24 4
Chicago Sox 69 71 21.0 22 2
Minnesota 69 69 22.0 24 2
Chicago Cubs 70 67 23.5 25 1

Eliminated (14): Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, Cardinals, Red Sox, Phillies, Rockies, Rangers, Giants, Tigers, Marlins, Mariners, Rays, & Braves

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Norris/Meyers Win Awards

Just out from the Nationals …

The Washington Nationals today named catcher Derek Norris as their Minor League Player of the Year and righthander Brad Meyers as their Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo and Vice President of Player Development Bob Boone made the joint announcement.

Norris, 20, hit .286 with 30 doubles, 23 home runs, 84 RBI and 78 runs scored in 126 games with Hagerstown of the Single-A South Atlantic League. He paced full-season Washington farmhands in home runs, walks (90), on-base percentage (.413), slugging percentage (.513) and OPS (.926).

For his efforts, the right-handed hitting slugger earned both mid-season and post-season SAL All-Star honors. Last week, Norris was named by the South Atlantic League as its Most Outstanding Major League Prospect. He was recently cited in Baseball America’s annual Best Tools survey voted upon by league managers as the Best Batting Prospect and Best Power Prospect in the SAL. He was selected by Washington in the fourth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.

Meyers, Washington’s fifth-round selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, went a combined 11-3 with a 1.72 ERA in 24 games (23 starts) with Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League and Potomac of the Single-A Carolina League. Meyers’ 1.72 ERA led all full-season minor league pitchers. He allowed two earned runs or less 20 of 23 starts (87%) this season.

The 24-year-old went 5-1 with a 2.25 ERA (12 ER/48.0 IP) and a 3.9/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (43 K/11 BB) in nine starts with Harrisburg. Prior to his July 7 promotion to Harrisburg, Meyers dominated the Carolina League, going 6-2 with a league-best 1.43 ERA (14 ER/88.1 IP) in 15 games (14 starts) with Potomac. He was selected as a mid-season Carolina League All-Star. The Loyola Marymount (CA) University product twice earned MiLB.com Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors (May 4-10 and June 29-July 5).

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Across the Affiliates 09/08/09

The regular season for the minor leagues finished on Labor Day with the four full season affiliates polishing off their schedules.

I’ll update with any organizational or roster news I hear but I don’t expect much information until the fall & winter leagues kick off in a month or so.

Syracuse

  • Defeated Pawtucket 5-3 (box/gamer). RHP Shairon Martis gave up three runs on six hits and a walk over 6IP with two strikeouts, but did not figure in the decision. A trio of right-handers promoted after the game finished off the final game of the season. RHP Marco Estrada pitched a scoreless inning; RHP Zack Segovia gave up two hits and struck out one in one inning to pick up the win; and RHP Logan kensing earned his 17th save with a scoreless ninth. CF Mike Daniel was 1/3 with a walk; DH Brad Eldred was 1/4 with a solo homer; LF Leonard Davis was 1/4; 2B Seth Bynum was 1/3 with a double & run scored; SS Ian Desmond was 2/4 with a run scored; and CA Gustavo Molina was 1/4 with a double & three RBI.
  • The Syracuse Post-Standard calls the first year of the National/Chief partnership a success

Harrisburg

  • I wanted to thank Harrisburg’s Terry Byrom for the invitation to sit with him on the last broadcast of the season. I enjoyed it and hope that those who listened found it interesting.
  • Defeated Bowie 4-2 in a rain-shortened six and half inning game (box/gamer). RHP Brad Meyers gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks over 5IP while striking out seven to pick up the win. LHP Justin Jones earned the save with a scoreless sixth, walking one and striking out two. LF Bill Rhinehart led the way on offense, going 3/3 with a solo homer & two-run double; 1B Chris Marrero was 2/3 with a double & RBI; CA Sean Rooney was 1/3; SS Jemel Spearman was 1/3 with a run scored; and RF Francisco Plasencia was 1/4 with a run scored.

Potomac

  • Defeated Kinston 9-4 (box/gamer). Potomac scored eight runs over the final two innings to both win their final game of the season and knock the K-Tribe out of the playoffs. LHP Will Atwood allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits & two walks over 5IP with two strikeouts. RHP Hassan Pena picked up the win with two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit & striking out two and RHP Cole Kimball earned his 9th save with two shutout innings of relief. 2B Michael Martinez was 2/5 with two runs & one RBI; SS Danny Espinosa was 3/4 with a double, triple, stolen base, run & two RBI; LF Jesus Valdez was 1/4 with a double, run & three RBI; RF Michael Burgess was 2/5 with a double & RBI; and CF Boomer Whiting was 1/2 with two walks, one RBI, two runs & his 54th stolen base of the season.

Hagerstown

  • Lost 4-2 to Lake County (box/gamer). RHP A.J. Morris fell to 0-4 on the season, allowing three runs on five hits & two walks over 5IP with four strikeouts. 2B Stephen Lombardozzi was 2/3 with two runs scored; RF J.R. Higley was 2/3 with a double & RBI; DH Tyler Moore was 1/3 with one RBI; and SS Jose Lozada was 2/4 with a double.

Tragic Number Update

MLB W L GA Left Tragic
Washington 47 90 0.0 25 -
Kansas City 52 85 5.0 25 20
Pittsburgh 54 82 7.5 26 18
Baltimore 56 81 9.0 25 16
Arizona 61 78 13.0 23 11
San Diego 61 78 13.0 23 11
Cleveland 60 76 13.5 26 12
Toronto 61 76 14.0 25 11
Oakland 61 76 14.0 25 11
NY Mets 62 75 15.0 25 10
Cincinnati 63 74 16.0 25 9
Milwaukee 66 71 19.0 25 6
Houston 67 70 20.0 25 5
Chicago Sox 69 70 21.0 23 3
Minnesota 69 68 22.0 25 3
Chicago Cubs 69 67 22.5 26 3
Atlanta 70 67 23.0 25 2

Eliminated (13): Yankees, Angels, Cardinals, Dodgers, Red Sox, Phillies, Rockies, Rangers, Giants, Tigers, Marlins, Mariners, & Rays

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Promotions

Promoted from Syracuse are SS Ian Desmond, RHRP Logan Kensing, RHSP/RP Zack Segovia, RHSP Marco Estrada, and LHSP Ross Detwiler.

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Across the Affiliate 09/07/09

Syracuse

  • Friday – Defeated Pawtucket 7-3 (box). LHP Ross Detwiler allowed two runs on six hits and four walks over 5IP with one strikeout. RHP Clint Everts gave up a run on two hits & two walks over 1 1/3IP. RHP Zack Segovia pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief striking out two. CF Mike Daniel was 0/4 with one stolen base; LF Leonard Davis was 2/4 with two solo homers; 3B Kory Casto was 2/5 with a solo homer; 2B Seth Bynum was 1/5 with a three-run homer; and DH Daryle Ward was 3/3 with a run & RBI.
  • Saturday – Lost 8-2 to Pawtucket (box). RHP Andrew Kown allowed five runs on eight hits and two walks over 6IP with three strikeouts and RHP Zech Zinicola gave up three runs on four hits and three walks over 2IP. Ward was 3/4 with a two-run homer; SS Ian Desmond was 2/4; Davis was 1/4; Daniel was 1/5; Bynum was 1/3 with a stolen base; and RF Norris Hopper was 1/5 with a run scored.
  • Sunday – Swept by Pawtucket in a doubleheader, losing game one 12-5 (box) and game two 10-2 (box). In the first game, LHP Jack Spradlin made the spot start, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk over 4IP; RHP Josh Wilkie allowed two runs on three hits & one walk over 1IP; and Zinicola surrendered four runs on six hits over 1IP. Desmond was 2/3; Ward was 2/4 with one run; DH Brad Eldred was 1/3 with a double, two runs & two RBI; Casto was 1/3 with one RBI; Bynum was 1/4 with one RBI; Davis was 1/4 with a run scored; and CA Jhonathan Solano was 2/3 with two doubles, a run & RBI. LHP Horacio Ramirez gave up  six runs on six hits and a walk over 3 1/3IP. Casto & Eldred spelled the pen over the final three innings with Casto surrendering four runs on four hits & four walks. Daniel was 1/4; Ward was 1/3; Eldred was 1/3 with a double & run scored; Davis was 1/3 with one RBI; 3B Matt Whitney 2/3 with a solo homer; and Desmond was 1/3.
  • Today – Pawtucket RHP Enrique Gonzalez (8-11, 5.26) at Syracuse RHP Shairon Martis (4-4, 5.00) 2PM

Harrisburg

  • Friday – Defeated Bowie 7-3 (box/gamer). LHP Aaron Thompson allowed a run on two hits & three walks over 4IP with three strikeouts; RHP Adrian Alaniz picked up the win, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks over 3IP and RHP Jesse Estrada pitched the final two scoreless innings of relief. SS Jemel Spearman was 2/5 with a double, run & RBI; RF Ricardo Nanita was 1/5 with a double, run & RBI; 3B Joel Guzman was 2/5 with a double & RBI; 1B Chris Marrero was 2/4 with a double and his first Double-A homer, a two-run homer; and CF Francisco Plasencia was 2/4 with a double & two runs scored.
  • Saturday – Swept by Bowie in doubleheader, losing game one 7-1 (box) and game two 5-2 (box/gamer). In the first game, RHP Erik Arnesen gave up seven runs on eight hits and two walks over 5IP to take the loss. The Senators managed only one hit on offense, a solo homer by Nanita. In the second game, RHP Carlos Martinez made the spot start, giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk over 3 2/3IP. RHP Dan Leatherman made his Double-A debut, giving up a solo homer over his 2 1/3 innings of relief, striking out four. Nanita was 2/2 with a double, homer & two RBI and CF Charlie Fermaint was 2/3 with a run scored.
  • Sunday – Lost 5-2 to Bowie (box/gamer). RHP Jeff Mandel allowed two runs on five hits and a walk over 6IP while striking out seven, taking the loss. Marrero was 2/4; CA Sean Rooney was 2/3 with a triple & run scored; and 2B Nick Arata was 1/2 with one RBI.
  • Today – Harrisburg RHP Brad Meyers (4-1, 2.51) at Bowie RHP Ryohei Tanaka (4-3, 2.70) 2:05PM

Potomac

  • Friday – Defeated Kinston 8-1 (box). RHP Osvaldo Rodriguez allowed an unearned run on three hits & three walks over 3 2/3 innings in his spot start, striking out three. RHP Luis Garcia picked up the win with three scoreless & hitless innings of relief, striking out five. 2B Michael Martinez was 2/4 with a stolen base, RBI & two runs scored; CA Devin Ivany was 2/4 with a double, homer & four RBI; 3B Stephen King was 2/4 with a run & RBI; and CF Boomer Whiting was 1/3 with a run scored.
  • Saturday – Defeated Kinston 7-0 (box). LHP Tom Milone was great in his final start, holding Kinston to four hits and one walk over 8IP with four strikeouts, picking up his 12th win of the season. SS Danny Espinosa was 1/3 with a homer & two RBI; RF Michael Burgess was 1/4 with two runs scored; Ivany was 1/3 with a homer, two runs & two RBI; and 1B Tim Pahuta was 2/3 with a homer & three RBI.
  • Sunday – Lost 9-3 to Kinston (box). RHP Brad Peacock gave up six runs on nine hits & one walk over 5 2/3IP with four strikeouts over 5 2/3IP. LF Jesus Valdez was 1/4 with a solo homer; Ivany was 2/4 with a double & run; CA Brian Peacock was 2/4 with a double & run; King was 1/4 with one BRI; and Whiting was 1/3 with one RBI.
  • Today – Kinston (TBA) at Potomac LHP Will Atwood (8-8, 4.58) 1:05PM

Hagerstown

  • Friday – Defeated Lake County 9-4 (box). RHP Juan Jaime gave up four unearned runs on five hits & three walks over 4 2/3IP with six strikeouts; RHP Chris Lugo picked up the win with 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits; and LHP Austin Garrett pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out two. DH Tyler Moore was 3/3 with two doubles, two RBI & two runs; RF J.R. Higley was 2/4 with a double, run & RBI; 1B Brett Newsome was 1/4 with a double, run & two RBI in his Hagerstown debut; and CA Travis Reagan was 1/3 with a run & RBI.
  • Saturday – Defeated Lake County 6-5 (box). RHP Pat Lehman allowed just two hits over 7IP with nine strikeouts, but did not figure in the decision. LHP Clayton Dill blew the save allowing two runs on two hits and one walk over 1IP but picked up the win when the Suns rallied for the win. 2B Stephen Lombardozzi was 2/5 with one RBI; Higley was 2/5 with a double; Moore was 2/5 with a run; Newsome was 3/4 with a double, run & two RBI; 3B James Keithley was 2/4 with one RBI; and CF Chris Curran was 1/3 with a triple & two runs scored.
  • Sunday – Lost 2-1 to Lake County (box).  RHP Marcos Frias gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits & two walks over 6IP with five strikeouts and RHP Patrick Arnold pitched three scoreless innings, allowing two hits & one strikeout. Newsome was 2/4 with a run scored.
  • Today – Lake County (TBA) at Hagerstown RHP A.J. Morris (0-3, 3.58) 2:05PM

Vermont

  • Friday – Defeated Staten Island 5-2 (box). RHP Matt Swynenberg picked up the win, allowing a run on two hits & one walk over 5IP with four strikeouts; RHP Gary Amato struck out five over 3IP, giving up one run on two hits; and RHP Dean Weaver pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his second save. CF Jay Sferra was 3/4 with two stolen bases & one RBI; 1B Ronnie Labrie was 2/4 with a run scored; CA Sandy Leon was 1/3 with a homer & three RBI; LF JP Ramirez was 0/5; and RF Destin Hood was 0/4.
  • Saturday – Lost 11-2 to Staten Island (box). LHP Jack McGeary surrendered eight runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks over 1 2/3IP with three strikeouts; LHP Chad Jenkins gave up three runs on two hits & four walks over 2 1/3IP with two strikeouts. Sferra was 3/4; and SS Sean Nicol was 3/4 with a run scored; Ramirez was 1/4; and Hood was 1/3 with one RBI.
  • Sunday - Defeated Staten Island 11-2 (box). RHP Kyle Morrison picked up the win, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk over 5 2/3IP with four strikeouts. RHP Dustin Crane pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, giving up a hit and walk & striking out two. And LHP Evan Bronson pitched a scoreless ninth. 2B Francisco Soriano was 1/5 with a double, run & RBI; Nicol was 1/5 with a double, two runs & two RBI; Ramirez was 2/5 with a double, two runs & three RBI; Hood was 1/6 with one RBI; Leon was 2/4 with two runs scored; and Sferra was 2/4 with a run & RBI.
  • Season over

Tragic Number Update

MLB W L GA Left Tragic
Washington 47 90 0.0 25
Kansas City 51 85 4.5 26 21
Pittsburgh 54 81 8.0 27 18
Baltimore 56 81 9.0 25 16
San Diego 61 77 13.5 24 11
Arizona 61 77 13.5 24 11
Cleveland 60 76 13.5 26 12
Oakland 61 76 14.0 25 11
Toronto 61 75 14.5 26 11
NY Mets 62 75 15.0 25 10
Cincinnati 63 73 16.5 26 9
Houston 66 70 19.5 26 6
Milwaukee 66 70 19.5 26 6
Chicago Sox 68 70 20.5 24 4
Minnesota 68 68 21.5 26 4
Chicago Cubs 68 67 22.0 27 4
Atlanta 70 67 23.0 25 2

“Eliminated” (13): Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, Cardinals, Red Sox, Phillies, Rockies, Rangers, Tigers, Giants, Rays, Marlins, & Mariners

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Bobby Williams Fired

Geoff Morrow of the Patriot News confirmed news I heard yesterday afternoon,

The Washington Nationals’ director of player development, Bobby Williams, was fired Friday after three years on the job.

This seems to be the first step as Mike Rizzo begins to reshape the organization.

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Josh Wilkie to AFL

Chico Harlan confirmed that RHRP Josh Wilkie will be the sixth and final representative for the Nationals in the Arizona Fall League.

This was news I had heard rumored earlier this week and I’m happy to hear that Wilkie will get the chance to work against some of the top talent in MLB.

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Roster Moves

LHP Atahualpa Severino to the DL in Harrisburg

RHP Dan Leatherman promoted from Potomac

No word on replacement in Potomac who are now down two players

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Video from the GCL

Surfing around this morning, I found the Space Coast Baseball site which has video from yesterday’s championship game. Not sure why I had not stumbled upon this before.

Enjoy.

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