RHP Collin Balester was knocked around for seven runs on eleven hits over just three innings in a 9-1 loss to Norfolk (box/gamer). Balester is now 0-3 in three May starts with a 8.76 ERA and 2.59 WHIP over 12 1/3IP. RF Jorge Padilla was 2/4 with a stolen base and RBI and 3B Pete Orr was 2/4 with a stolen base in the loss.
Tonight: Norfolk RHP David Pauley (2-3, 4.85) at Syracuse RHP Marco Estrada (1-0, 3.49) at 7PM
Harrisburg managed only four hits off of Altoona pitching, losing 2-1, their fifth straight loss (box/gamer). The Senators only hits were a double by SS Freddie Bynum (1/4 with a run) and singles by 3B/LF Leonard Davis (1/4 with a stolen base & RBI), LF Marvin Lowrance (1/3), and 2B Michael Martinez (1/2). A highlight for Harrisburg was the pitching of LHP Cory VanAllen who allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk over six innings with six strikeouts. RHP Erik Arnesen made his Double-A debut with 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, giving up three hits.
Today: Altoona LHP Daniel Moskos (1-2, 5.02) at Harrisburg RHP Adrian Alaniz (1-1, 5.27) at 10:35AM
Potomac lacked the firepower and the pitching faltered in the fifth en route to a 7-1 loss to Salem yesterday (box/gamer). LHP Will Atwood fell to 0-4 on the season, surrendering all seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks over 4 1/3 innings while striking out six. RHP Cole Kimball made his 2009 debut for the P-Nats with 2/3 of an inning of relief allowing a hit and a walk. DH Francisco Plasencia was 2/5 with a double; 3B Stephen King was 1/2 with a pair of walks and a run score; and CF Boomer Whiting was 1/2 with a double in the losing effort.
Tonight: Salem RHP Kyle Weiland (1-2, 8.57) at Potomac RHP Jeff Mandel (3-1, 2.43) at 7:05PM
The Suns rode the bat of DH Derek Norris and the bat and baserunning of CF Chris Curran to a 6-3 win over West Virginia (box/gamer). Norris was 2/4 with a solo home run, his seventh of the season. And, Curran was 3/4 with two doubles, two stolen bases and two runs scored. LF Aaron Seuss was 2/3 with a double, 3B Steven Souza was 2/4, and 1B Tyler Moore was 1/4 with one RBI for Hagerstown. RHP Terrence Engles picked up his third win of the season, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk over five innings while striking out five. And, RHP Osvaldo Rodriguez pitched the final 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn his fourth save of the season.
Today: Hagerstown is off today before opening a series in Greensboro
#1 by Ronny - May 13th, 2009 at 09:54
Brian. Where do you think Derek Norris would have been drafted if he went to college and came out 2010. Would he be a top 10 pick?
#2 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 09:56
Top 10 overall? Probably not. If he developed like this I would imagine he would have worked himself into the back end of the first round but I’m not sure it would have been top 10.
#3 by Ronny - May 13th, 2009 at 10:10
Do you think he’s better than Cincinnati’s first round pick Devin Mesoraco(who was the first high school catcher taken in the 2007 draft)?
#4 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 10:21
Mesoraco has disappointed to a degree since he was drafted. From a defensive point of view, I’d give Mesoraco the edge. From an approach at the plate, the edge goes to Norris.
At this point, it might be a coin flip. I’d lean slightly towards Norris.
#5 by Ryan - May 13th, 2009 at 10:26
Ronny-
I think Norris and Josh Phegley from Indiana in this draft would be a fairly decent gauge/case study… both are strong hitters with few questions that the bat will play and is major league quality, both are extremely athletic, but both have enough detractors that think they cannot play catcher in the majors long term to question their value.
#6 by Ronny - May 13th, 2009 at 10:35
Well if Norris doesn’t workout as a catcher then I would move him to the outfield. He’s fast enough and has a strong arm, why not.
#7 by e - May 13th, 2009 at 10:43
Brian — when do you think the Nats will start moving some players up and down the minors ladder? I seem to recall that around the middle of May is when we’d start to see some movement. I’d like to see some players moved up a level to see how they respond.
Players like HAG relievers Osvaldo Rodriguez and Carlos Peralta, starters Brad Peacock, Marcos Frias and Terrence Engles, 1B Robert Jacobsen and C Derek Norris.
And maybe POT starters Brad Meyers and Jeff Mandel and maybe it’s time to see if reliever Clint Everts can get out of high-A ball. 1B Chris Marrero needs to see if he can hit AA pitching and maybe see if OF Francisco Plasencia can do the same.
#8 by Andrew F. - May 13th, 2009 at 10:47
Loving Norris. Not loving Balester, but he’s still so ridiculously young. Seems he should be pushing 25 or 26 by now.
#9 by Dick - May 13th, 2009 at 10:50
Wagner is clearly not ready to help out with the bullpen mess! I hope he can work things out but control seems to be a big issue for him. I fear he will never be the player he was or could have been.
#10 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 10:54
I could see promotions starting in a couple of weeks. Maybe the first big wave around June 1
#11 by Marcus - May 13th, 2009 at 11:00
Loving what Norris is doing hopefully he makes the BA Hotsheet this week. Curran finally seems to be heating up as well.
#12 by Eric - May 13th, 2009 at 11:01
Promotions from Potomac have already started with Arneson. Hopefully, Atwood is done ruining the Potomac season and will be sent down soon.
#13 by Nick - May 13th, 2009 at 11:02
Hi Brian,
What is your opinion of Clint Everts? If I’m not mistaken, at one point he was highly touted as a starter, but I believe injuries forced him to the bullpen. He seems to be able rack up the strikeouts. With the bullpen mess in Washington, don’t you think they should promote him to at least see what he can do at higher levels or I’m I over rating his potential?
#14 by Marcus - May 13th, 2009 at 11:03
btw with our BP problems any chance Kendall Volz will be available when we pick in the second round.
#15 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 11:04
Nick - I honestly thought the conversion to the bullpen last year was a long time coming. With a fastball and his plus curve, he has the pitches to be a solid reliever. The problem is that the Nats sent him back to Potomac again this year which does not necessarily speak highly of where he is on the depth chart.
#16 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 11:05
Marcus - Volz at #50 … might be a stretch but you just never know .. especially in this draft
#17 by Nick - May 13th, 2009 at 11:11
Thanks Brian. I too was wondering why they sent him back to Potomac. Is there something that i’m missing? Like you said, he seems to have the arsenal to at least be a decent reliever.
#18 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 11:15
No idea. He turns 25 this summer so the window is closing. He was Rule 5 eligible last year and not surprisingly passed through without being claimed.
#19 by Nick - May 13th, 2009 at 11:27
Brian, on another topic, has there been any new developments on the international signing front? Isn’t the international free agency period coming up? Have you heard any whispers of the Nats targeting someone?
#20 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 11:29
July 2 is when the next international signing period kicks off. I have not heard anything abiut if/to what degree the Nationals will participate. I’d hope they would get back in there but I have a bad gut feeling it’s going to be another lost year as they reconstitute down there.
#21 by Pilchard - May 13th, 2009 at 12:09
In a recent article (I think it was on mlb.com, but could be wrong), Rizzo claimed that the Nats planned to be aggressive when the international FAs become available. We shall see.
#22 by Ronny - May 13th, 2009 at 12:18
Brian? Who do you like better, as far as upside goes. Jarrod Parker or Shelby Miller?
#23 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 12:22
Jarrod Parker because we know more about him as a professional. Still too many unknowns about Miller.
#24 by Ronny - May 13th, 2009 at 12:31
So you’re saying Jarrod Parker didn’t have many unknowns coming out of HS? Parker was projected to go around the same pick as Miller is( around the 8-13 range). I even heard somebody compare Miller to Zack Greinke when he came out of HS.
#25 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 12:35
Jarrod Parker has had a couple of years pitching professionally while Miller has yet to throw a professional pitch. I like Parker’s upside a bit better because he has already answered questions that Miller hasn’t (but might).
#26 by Ronny - May 13th, 2009 at 12:51
Okay maybe I should re-word what I was trying to ask. If Shelby Miller and Jorrad Parker were in this upcoming draft(Parker never threw a ML pitch), who would you have thought would have the higher upside(given what they both did in HS)? Remember neither one has been drafted yet, I’m talking pure upside coming out of HS.
#27 by John - May 13th, 2009 at 13:00
Miller. Better body(6′4″ 205) and good secondary pitches. He already throws about as hard as Parker does now(and is two years younger) and has more physical upside. Miller has a chance to be in the Strasburg/Scheppers area in terms of velocity.
I agree with Brian that you have to give Paker the edge now because he’s doing really well as a pro. Miller hasn’t thrown a pro pitch. Miller has the higher ceiling though.
#28 by Brian Oliver - May 13th, 2009 at 13:05
What John said ;)
#29 by Ronny - May 13th, 2009 at 13:14
Thanks John! Just what I wanted to know.
#30 by Ronny - May 13th, 2009 at 13:21
Now I’m pretty sure that I want Shelby Miller with the 10th pick. When I look at how well Bumgarner, Parker, Porcello, and Aumont all are doing in the minors, It makes me feel better about taking a HS pitcher with our second pick.
#31 by cjrugger - May 13th, 2009 at 13:41
Aumont is being moved to the bullpen, but the other 3 are studs
Agreed on Miller or Purke, unless Grant Green is there
#32 by rukidding - May 13th, 2009 at 15:13
I believe Everts just needs a fire lit under his @#$. He has pitched great so far. My guess would be to leave him in Potomac till around July then move him if he continues his good start.
#33 by dd - May 13th, 2009 at 18:03
Seems like Everts has been around forever. He has only pitched in 5 games, 8.2 innings. For a 25 year old pitcher in his seventh pro season, toiling in A ball, it does not look good. Hope for the best, but realistically, Clint is a definite longshot!
#34 by Beisbol - May 13th, 2009 at 18:23
I agree with e. I think that HAG relievers like Osvaldo Rodriguez and Carlos Peralta, starters Brad Peacock, Marcos Frias should get moved up. I think that all of these guys have done an excellent job all season. While I was in HAG this past weekend I got to see all of them pitch. IMPRESSIVE.
#35 by Beisbol - May 13th, 2009 at 18:24
I also think that Derek Norris should be moved up as well! I think that he could handle the next level!!!!
#36 by blueducgal - May 15th, 2009 at 15:14
I am a season ticket holder at Hagerstown. This year’s team is not that bad. I’m sure most of the pitching staff and Norris will move up. I’m dreading what we will get - in the past few years it’s been all downhill in the second half. I guess that’s why it’s low A ball. :o)